But the Swedish car giant has now had a change of heart and decided to give him a new Saab 9-5 Aero. “I am on cloud nine right now. This is exactly the car I wanted,” Mr Gilbert said. Saab verified the high mileage on Mr Gilbert’s car last summer. He had hoped they would give him a new car then – but he didn’t get so much as a T-shirt.

That all changed after Mr Gilbert’s story was carried by newspapers and other media around the world. The company has now decided to not only give him a new car,  but to extend the offer to anyone who puts up 1,6 million kilometres on their originally owned Saab. “We have no idea, frankly, how many cars that will be. At this point, we only know of Peter’s car,” said Saab spokesperson Jan-Willem Vester.

In January, Saab will take his old car out of the museum for a showing at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. “We thought it would be great to have the car there with a big sign on the windshield that says 1,6 million kilometres,” Vester said.

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General Motors brought the ailing Saab brand fully under its corporate umbrella in 1999. To broaden the brand’s appeal and cut costs, the current-generation 9-3 is built on GM’s front-wheel-drive Epsilon platform. Gone is the sloping rear and yawning hatchback that defined the Saab 900, which the 9-3 replaced in model-year 1999.

Safety has long been a Saab hallmark, and the 9-3 comes loaded with ABS, traction control, stability control and front, side and head airbags. Convertibles feature a rollover-protection system with a stronger windshield surround, popup rollover bars and seatbelt pretensioners that sense when a roll is imminent.  The 9-3 remains a step behind the recently revamped BMW 3 Series in terms of steering feel and precision. Saab can only do so much with an inherently less sporty front-wheel-drive setup.

Saab manual transmissions are traditionally rubbery in operation, though the five-speed gearbox in the current base 9-3 is vastly improved. We have yet to test the six-speed manual mated to the new V6 engine.

Overall, the 9-3 has crisp handling befitting a compact sport sedan. It’s a refreshing alternative to other import sedans in a crowded market. GM has finally moved Saab into the dreaded middle ground of the entry-luxury field, though not at the expense of losing all of the brand’s quirky character.

Enrollment in Saab’s performance driving school now comes standard with the purchase or lease of any 2006 Saab 9-3 Aero — sedan, convertible or the new SportCombi wagon. Owners of 2005 or newer Saab 9-5 Aeros are also enrolled for free. MSRP price range for the 2006 Saab 9-3 is $25,900-$36,500.

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Why so much? Because they’re 2005 models! The third vehicle on the list, however, is the most appealing to us. Saab wants to get rid of the last remaining 9-2X models and is offering $5,000 off of the car’s base MSRP, which amounts to a substantial 21.75% discount on what is essentially a more luxurious Subaru WRX. The rest of the list is as follows.

• 2005 Kia Sorento – $5,000 (26.32%) exp. 1/2/07
• 2005 Kia Sedona – $5,000 (23.87%) exp. 1/2/07
• 2006 Saab 9-2X – $5,000 (21.75%) exp. 10/2/06
• 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Extended Cab – $4,500 (21.31%) exp. 10/2/06
• 2006 Dodge Ram 1500 Regular Cab (excl. SRT10) – $4,500 (21.28%) exp. 10/2/06
• 2006 Ford Freestar – $5,000 (21.14%) exp. 10/2/06
• 2006 Lincoln LS – $8,000 (20.36%) exp. 10/2/06
• 2006 Mercury Grand Marquis – $5,000 (20.18%) exp. 10/2/06
• 2005 Kia Spectra – $2,500 (19.46%) exp. 1/2/07
• 2006 Ford F-150 SuperCab – $4,500 (18.66%) exp. 10/2/06

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The package will be offered at a savings of nearly $1,000 than if the items were ordered individually. The package is available on the six-cylinder 9-7X 4.2i and the 9-7X 5.3I V8 – which will bring the total vehicle price (MSRP, destination charge and Altitude package) to $42,130 and $44,130, respectively.

For 2007, OnStar-equipped 9-7X models will feature a new service called OnStar Turn-by-Turn Navigation, the first factory-installed, fully-integrated GPS navigation system from OnStar. Turn-by-Turn allows consumers to talk to a live advisor, who in turn sends complete step-by-step directions to customers’ vehicles through their OnStar system. Also in 2007, a Tire Pressure Monitoring System becomes standard equipment on the 9-7X, and one new color, Crystal Blue metallic, has been added.

The Saab 9-7X, which debuted in the summer of 2005, brings unique Saab characteristics to the SUV segment, including sophisticated styling inside and out, premium quality and design features, and sporty and fun-to-drive performance. Additionally, this SUV has a high-level of standard equipment, which is offered to consumers at a surprisingly reasonable price.

Saab is a division of General Motors Corp. Saab USA is the importer and/or distributor of Saab 9-3, 9-5 and 9-7X automobiles for Saab Automobile AB, Sweden. For the 2007 model year, Saab markets seven engines/transmissions that perform at an EPA-rated 30 mpg on the highway. Also, beginning in 2007, Saab offers vehicle warranty coverage for five-years or up to 100,000 miles.

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