Fast Facts

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Saab’s 9-3 SportCombi Aero is one of the most powerful load carriers to come out of Scandinavia and one of the prettiest by far too

By Hadi Soedarsono in Gothenburg, Sweden

SAAB HAD ALWAYS planned to have more than just one spin-off model when it created the 9-3 sedan. A convertible was introduced in 2003, a year after the sedan’s world debut, and the Swedish company was contemplating between a crossover like the Volvo XC90 or a station wagon for the third variant.

The final product was more the latter. Saab made the SportCombi, which is an exceptionally stylish station wagon on steroids. Well, the Aero is, at least.

From the front bumper to the B-pillar, the SportCombi shares the same body panels as the sedan. Beyond that, everything is new.

Simon Padian, Saab’s Head of Project Design, commented that when his team designed the SportCombi they wanted to create a station wagon that didn’t shout about its load-carrying ability.

So their design mission was to move attention away from the cargo area and to achieve that, the car gets a rising beltline, tapering side window and an angled rear screen. There’s an integrated roof spoiler, too, which helps to lower the roof height. Other design highlights include the SportCombi’s unique tail lamps. They’re supposed to give a “frosted ice-block” effect, at the same time imparting a Scandinavian feel.

Saab believes the SportCombi will make up 40 percent of the 9-3’s sales next year and it should push the compact executive challenger through the 100,000 unit barrier worldwide in 2006.