phred

Checking out the 9-5 and found they have a comparator function.

Here are the cars that Saab considers their direct competitors:

Acura 3.2 TL Sedan
Audi A6 3.0 with multitronic
BMW 3 Series 330i sedan
BMW 3 Series 325i sedan
BMW 5 Series 530i sedan
Infiniti I35 Luxury
Lexus ES 300 Sedan
Mercedes-Benz C-Class C240 Sedan
Volkswagen Passat GLX Sedan
Volvo S60 2.4T
Volvo S80 2.9

no quattro.

Singletrack

...or maybe they just don't want to compare it to a car that blows it away in every category. The 93 and 95 are grossly overpriced IMO. Now the Aero and the Viggen are bad-*** cars. I question their reliability though. Everyone I know who's ever had a Saab has not been pleased with it.

-st

Bollinger

And here's the cars they have for comparisons:

2.7T:
BMW 530i
Lexus GS300
M-B E320 4Matic

3.0 Avant:
BWM 525i wagon
MB E320 wagon (not 4Matic)
V70 2.4T wagon

4.2:
3.0
2.7T
540i
GS400
M-B E430 4Matic

Wow, few of these have AWD. So apparently Audi doesn't think comparing an AWD car against a non-AWD one is stupid.

Why doesn't Audi compare the 3.0 Avant against the 540i Sportwagon?

Maybe they just don't want to compare it to a car that blows it away in (almost) every category.

TXurS6

Price and power matchup is closer than comparing the 3.0 with the 540i.

kjb99

I don't think Audi had the 540i in mind when bringing the 3.0 to market. Why not then ask why they don't compare the A4 1.8T to the M3. Even though the chassis are similar the drivetrain differences make them 2 distinct cars.

Definitely

Would wipe it out. If there was a 3.0 wagon (pretty sure there isn't) then it would be a horse race. 540i sportwagon goes up against S6 in terms of V-8 and cost, if not hp rating. S6 blows it away.

Bollinger

But I do agree it is a more appropriate comparison, one Audi makes on their site.

Bollinger

I was just riffing on Singletrack and phred's comments.

Phred for saying that comparisons against non-quattro is silly (when Audi doesn't seem to think so) and the FronTrak Audi is a closer price and feature match.

And on Singletrack for bitching that Saab doesn't compare against cars which are similar in size (class) and but blow their own car away. I was merely pointing out that Audi doesn't do it either. A comparison of a $33K 9-5 against a $38K quattro 3.0 or $42K quattro 2.7T makes no more sense than Audi comparing their $39K 3.0 wagon against a $50+K 540i wagon.

avdh

The 540i is not faster than the S6. Maybe when tested by pro BMW journalists, however I have yet to see a European (not British) or South African magazine which rates the S6 as slower.
Normally the S6 is 1 seconds faster to 100 km/h and about 0.8 seconds on the quarter mile.
Furthermore, even when my S6 was standard I ate the 540i's, even manuals, for breakfast, anywhere, sea level and 5250ft elevation.

edwardschmedward

Not realistic to compare an all-wheel drive vehicle with a 2-wheel drive one.