saab 9-4x product highlights and features

8/8/2019 Saab 9-4X Product Highlights and Features

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18th October, 2010

New Saab 9-4X: Product Highlights and Features

Car-like Driving Fun and Ride Comfort

Purpose-designed crossover body structure delivers car-like drivingquality Adaptive chassis technology: Saab XWD and Saab DriveSense Advanced infotainment: hard disc storage, rear seat entertainment Safety systems leverage more than 50 years of Saab real-life crashsafety experience

The Saab 9-4Xs advanced chassis offers car-like handling characteristics,with sporty and responsive driving qualities that challenge the best in itsclass.

Sophisticated technologies include Saabs DriveSense adaptive chassis,with real-time damping control, and Saab XWD, a cutting edge all wheel-drive system with an electronically-controlled rear limited-slip differential(eLSD).

Comfort and convenience features include a start/stop button, keylessentry and exit,a powered tailgate, adaptable cargo stowage, tri-zone air conditioning andrear seat entertainment. Satellite-navigation with an 8-inch touchscreen,surround sound system and hard disc music storage are among theinfotainment options.

Behind The WheelThe 9-4X has been developed to deliver a nimble, responsive drivingexperience that belies its size and height. Car-like and fun to drive, it isequally at ease on smooth roads or loose, slippery surfaces.

It benefits from a unique body structure, specifically designed for acrossover application. This has enabled engineers to establish key vehicledimensions - such as wide front and rear tracks (1,622 and 1,623 mmrespectively) and the suspension geometry without being compromisedby adapting an existing saloon or estate format. While offering the securityof a raised, command driving position and a ground clearance of 200 mm,the 9-4X makes no comprises in its dynamic performance.

Extensive testing alongside competitor vehicles validated the 9-4Xsqualities for ride refinement, noise suppression and handling. In a variety oftest configurations, its performance challenged the very best in class.


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A stiff body structure, with a natural resonant frequency of 31 Hz, is key toensuring refined ride characteristics and good suppression of noise,vibration and harshness, as well providing a solid foundation for the

location of suspension mountings.

Front suspension is by McPherson struts with hydraulic lower A-arm ridebushings and a hollow-section anti-roll bar. An independent, linked H-armlayout is used at the rear. This sophisticated system, with isolated sub-frame mountings, enhances ride comfort, reduces vibration entering thecabin and improves roadholding. Shear bushings in the damper mountingsto the body further dissipate vibrations from the road and improve noiseisolation.

To deliver an enhanced ride quality, unsprung weight has been minimizedby the use of weight-saving aluminum for all brake calipers, the front wheelhubs, A-arms, steering knuckles and rear suspension links. The powerfulbraking system uses 345 mm front and 315 mm rear discs, both ventilated.ESP is fitted as standard.

This is a truly rewarding car to drive, says Peter Drrich, Saab 9-4XVehicle Chief Engineer, who led the development team. We are convincedit sets new standards in this segment for good handling and ride qualities.We cant wait for the public and media to start driving it.

Advanced driving technologies build on the capabilities of the 9-4Xschassis. Chief among these are:

Saab XWD with eLSDThis advanced all-wheel-drive system offers a more rewarding drivingexperience and greater control in all conditions, dry or wet, on and off-road.

Already successfully launched in the Saab 9-3 and 9-5, this pre-emptive,active system has been integrated and optimized by Saab chassisengineers. It uses a multi-plate Haldex clutch unit which infinitely varies thedelivery of drive torque between the front and rear axles. Careful

programming enables the application of rear drive to balance oversteerand understeer characteristics, as well as ensuring optimal grip in loose orslippery conditions. The ESP system is also tuned together with XWD tooptimize the chassiss sporty potential without reducing safety margins.

An electronically-controlled rear limited-slip differential (eLSD) can transferup to 50% of rear torque between the rear wheels, diverting torque to thewheel with more grip. Under hard cornering on the open road, or whencompleting a high speed maneuver, the brief application of more or lesstorque to either wheel also helps the rear of the car more closely follow the

direction of the front wheels. In loose or slippery conditions, traction is alsofurther improved.

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Saab XWD with the eLSD is fitted as standard.

Saab DriveSenseThis adaptive system includes real time damping control with a range ofadjustments that helps the vehicle adapt to the way it is being driven.. Inaddition to the default Intelligent mode, two further settings, Sport andComfort, can be selected via a rotary knob next to the gear shift.

In real time, Intelligent mode adjusts the cars handling characteristics inresponse to driving style. It continually varies the stiffness rates of theelectronically-controlled dampers, the action of the electronic throttle andthe degree of power steering assistance. For example, when the car isbeing driven in a sporty style, the action of the dampers is automaticallystiffened to improve body control and roadholding; the throttle pedalmovement is shortened for a faster response and steering assistance isreduced for a more direct feel. At reduced speeds, the dampers aresoftened for greater ride comfort, the action of the throttle pedal becomesless aggressive and the steering feels lighter.

The Sport setting introduces a firmer range of adjustment for thedampers, offering even greater body control. In addition to sharpening theaccelerator pedal response and enhancing steering feel, Sport mode alsoraises the gear shifting points of the automatic transmission and sends

more drive torque to the rear wheels.

By contrast, Comfort mode, optimizes ride refinement by enabling a softerrange of adjustment for the dampers and a smoother throttle pedal action.It provides enhanced compliance over rough road surfaces.

Eco mode is activated via a separate button, and focuses on optimisingfuel economy including the appropriate management of gear shiftingpatterns and re-mapping of the throttle pedal action.

Variable Effort Steering (VES)When maneuvering, parking or driving at low speeds, VES increases thelevel of power assistance in order to reduce steering effort. At higherspeeds, assistance is automatically reduced to ensure a high degree ofsteering feel for the driver.

VES uses an electro-magnetic motor on the steering rack, controlled by acoil, to boost or reduce the level of hydraulic assistance. VES also adapts tothe speed at which the steering wheel is being turned, providingprogressively increased assistance the faster the wheel is rotated.

Comfort, Convenience and Safety

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Occupants of the 9-4X benefit from state-of-the-art features that enhancethe travel experience. These are focused on ease-of-use and making thecabin of the 9-4X an enjoyable and safer place to be. They include:

Start/Stop button with keyless entry/exitStandard throughout the range, a start/stop button replaces theconventional ignition switch. In Saab tradition, it is located between theseats next to the shifter. The engine control unit detects and authenticatesa coded signal from drivers fob and the engine can be started or stoppedby simply pressing the start/stop button.

For even greater convenience, a keyless entry/exit system is also offered,which allows the car to be automatically unlocked when the door handle is

pulled while the fob is still in the drivers pocket or handbag. The car canalso be locked when the driver leaves it by simply touching the lock area ofthe door handle. This ease-of-use feature removes the need to press theunlock/lock buttons on a standard fob.

Advanced infotainment systemsThe extensive infotainment choice offers a Bose system with true 5.1surround sound reproduction. The 8-inch touchscreen navigation system

includes a birds eye map view and hard disc drive storage for map dataand music.

Audio selection is versatile. In addition to the AM/FM and DAB radio, thedriver can play music directly from a CD, insert an iPod, MP3 player ormemory stick into the standard USB socket, or even store 10 GB of favoritetracks on a built-in hard drive all with full control via the faceplate andsteering wheel. The USB socket is located conveniently alongside an AUXinput and 12V power outlet in the centre console. The USB wires thedevice to the car and offers instant control through the audio system, thein-car display showing the song title, artist and album information.

Communication on the move is supported by an integrated Bluetoothhands-free phone system, which functions via voice command and steeringwheel controls, as well as the infotainment faceplate.

In the rear, passengers can enjoy their own onboard entertainment througha dedicated unit in the back of the centre console and two 8-inch screenswhich fold out, laptop style, from the front seatbacks. Passengers canselect an alternative audio source to that being played in the front, watch aDVD or enjoy entertainment from a stand-alone player, such as a games

console or digital camera, connected to the video AUX input. Sound isprovided by wireless headphones.

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Rear-view cameraA small lens is discreetly mounted in the tailgate to provide enhanced

rearward vision when reversing. A 3.5-inch image is shown in the interiorrear-view mirror, or the main display screen with satellite navigation.

Driving and crash safetyAll occupants in the 9-4X benefit from Saabs successful real-life safetyphilosophy. Crash testing and computer simulations are based on whathappens in real collisions on real roads, using the findings of a databasecovering more than 6,100 real-life accidents involving Saab cars onSwedish roads over that last 50 years. Saab safety engineers are alwaysaware that their ultimate goal is protecting real people, not only dummiesin laboratory crash tests.

According to Saabs real-life safety strategy, the structural design of thecar, and the operation of its safety systems, is evaluated through a largenumber of in-house crash tests which are additional to those legallyrequired or carried out by consumer test organizations.

The success of this work is reflected in surveys of real-life collisions by the USHighway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) and the Swedish Folksam insurancecompany, where Saab cars have consistently scored well, several times beingranked best in their segment. All Saab models are maximum 5-star

performers in EuroNCAP crash safety ratings.

In addition to the full complement of occupant safety systems installed inall Saab cars, the 9-4X includes third generation Saab Active HeadRestraints (SAHR 3) as standard for the front seats, together with pre-tensioning and load-limiting for the outer rear seatbelts.

Driving, or active safety the ability to avoid becoming involved in anaccident - is also improved by bi-xenon adaptive lighting. This powerfulsystem improves visibility for the driver and reduces night driving stress. Atall speeds, the headlamps provide better illumination of upcoming bends

by swiveling up to 15, to the right or left according to the steering angle.

At speeds below 50 km/h, Town Light provides a wider, flatter beam so thatpedestrians or potential hazards at the roadside can be seen more easily.At speeds above 100 km/h, Motorway Light is engaged, which increases thedepth of the light beam from 130 to 170 metres. The cone is shaped sothat on-coming drivers are not affected.ESP is fitted as standard across the range and the rear brake lights flashunder heavy braking to warn following drivers.

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saab 9-4x product highlights and features

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