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Tuesday, February 3, 2009
The Swedish automaker beefs up the luxury quotient in its popular sedan and wagon.
With purse strings tightening all over the globe, upping a car?s luxury quotient doesn?t seem to make much sense. But that?s exactly what Saab is doing in Detroit with its ?Griffin Edition? of the 9-5 sedan and SportCombi wagon.
According to Steve Shannon, executive director of marketing and product for Saab Automobile USA, this new trim-level makeover features an "unprecedented" level of standard equipment.
?Saab reaches a new altitude in terms of premium standard equipment and value,? Shannon says.
On the inside, the fully loaded Griffin Edition is outfitted with high-gloss trim, floor mats with gray piping, and accent-color stitching on the steering wheel, shift lever and hand brake.
The leather-upholstered seats, which also have accent stitching, are available in two two-tone variations: black with parchment inserts and parchment with black inserts.
Also standard are rear park assist and power adjustable exterior mirrors that are heated, foldable and auto-dimming.
On the outside, the 9-5 Griffin takes cues from the latest Saab 9-3, such as trimming the grille and xenon headlights with matte chrome.
The sedan gets a trunk-lid spoiler, while the SportCombi has a roof spoiler and matte chrome-finish roof rails.
Both body styles sport unique 5-spoke 17-inch alloy wheels, as well as Griffin badges on the front fenders. The only options are metallic paint, ventilated seats and a navigation system.
While the Griffin moniker was inspired by the Saab JAS 39 Gripen (Swedish for griffin), a multirole jet fighter built by the Swedish automaker?s aviation division, for anyone expecting more power, this car won?t be setting their hair on fire.
Propulsion comes from the same Saab standard 2.3-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that powers other 9-5s.
+ 2009 Detroit Auto Show Preview:2009 Saab 9-5 Griffin Edtion
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It produces 260 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, and can be mated to either an optional 5-speed automatic transmission with a manual shift gate or a no-charge 5-speed manual transmission.
The 2009 Saab 9-5 Griffin Edition arrives at dealerships this month, with prices starting at $42,775 (including destination) for the sedan and $44,045 for the SportCombi.
