All-Wheel-Drive Saab 9-3 Coming in 2008

This week, Saab brought its limited edition 2008 Turbo X to the U.S. auto show circuit in Boston. The all-black sedan and wagon are similar to any Saab 9-3, except the Turbo X comes with a higher power engine, performance upgrades and most importantly to car shoppers, Saab’s new all-wheel-drive system, called XWD. 

We didn’t want to report on this limited edition — only 600 of the Turbo X will come to the country, priced at $42,510 and $43,150 for the sedan and SportCombi wagon, respectively — until we had official confirmation on wider availability of AWD 9-3s.

GM has confirmed that folks who just want a regular 9-3 in any color will be able to get AWD this spring, but only on the upper-level Aero trim of either body style. No pricing has been announced for the optional AWD but expect it to be around a $2,000 premium. 2008 9-3 sedans and SportCombis start at $34,670 and $35,770, respectively. 

All-wheel drive will hit the full 9-3 range for the 2009 model year.