Brand New Saab 1.8t

terdancam · June 23, 2005

My brother brought round his brand new black Saab 1.8t for a comparison to my IS200.

Now i like the design of the new saab, summer breeze makes me feel fine and all that, and i think it looks different and imposing on the roads.

Then i got in.

OH my word :o :yack: :yack:

No wonder GM is in trouble with interior design like that.

Granted it is the base model, but the interior seems to be formed in one huge bit of featureless, textureless, insipid grey plastic. The controls are all over 1 inch apart and seemed aimed at mentally impaired children.

On the opposite side to the handbrake is a "cap" that has a slit in it. The same size as a single cd, but why would you do that--it is not deep enough for a cd bank. And it came off in my hand....My brother wasn`t that impressed.

Its like an episode of the Twilight Zone, where the blank, featureless, never-ending tarmac of the road relentlesly pursues you into the interior of your car. You cannot escape its blandness!!!!!!! Dun Dun der!!!

It has three redeeming features.

1) the new car smell

2)it has a nice multicoloured display on top of the dashboard against the windscreen for temp, radio station etc.

3)its quicker than my 2.0ltr IS :tsktsk:

Other than that, its evidence against modular cross-platform sharing design that GM uses. There is nothing more irritating than masses of blanking plates because you can`t afford the additional kit.

But that pales into insignificance when compared to the interior look. Some people seem to think that the IS200 interior looks dated, but i diasagree strongly. The Saab/VW/Vauxhall etc sort of interior hasn`t changed since the 70's, its only the fact that instead of a cassette player you now get a cd player that makes any difference.

If you want to have a laugh go sit in a Saab......put it this way, i ran back to my Lexus and gave the interior a nice hug, reassured that although my brothers car is quicker and newer, mine hoses it from a great height. :D