Transformed!
Audi has his Quattro system, Mercedes his its 4matic today it is in the tour of Saab to present its complete transmission XWD. The slightest of things for a builder whose country is taken under the snow during a good part of the year. Boosted by this transplant and a substantial gain of power, the berlin 9-3 meets it itself transformed.
A little of lexicon!
The XWD (Cross Wheel Drive) conceived by Saab is a system of complete drive which bases itself on the information of the case ESP to distribute intelligently the couple between axles before and back. The X version, available mass special, refreshed besides a back differential with limited gliding: the eSLD transfers until 40 % of the couple on the wheel offering the best adhesion. In the facts, the XWD anticipates the reactions of the driver. So, the power is transferred from the release of box towards the propeller shaft, then towards the device of transfer of couple (TTD for Torque Transfer Device) which commands, via the module of back transmission (RDM - Rear Drive Module), the distribution of the couple between front wheels and back.
Drive or propulsion? Two my general!
Here is for the lexical sequence. But this transmission system also has another advantage. That to transform the car into real chameleon: sometimes drive, sometimes propulsion, sometimes complete. A Haldex system indeed allows to transfer automatically until 100 % of the couple on back wheels when the driver adopts a sports driving. On the other hand, when the car is stabilized in constant speed (on freeway for example), the couple is transferred to 90 % on front wheels. As soon as the system detects a loss of drive of one of four wheels, the couple is automatically distributed and the set ESP-XWD reacts immediately to put back the car in the straight and narrow. Magic!
A fooling result
Here are for the theory and the explanations. But quid of the result on road? Simply fooling! Saab 9-3 is transformed. Resting on the frame of former Opel Vectra, this station wagon had shone up to there never with a transcending behavior, whereas the train before had more and more difficulty to take the powers - always more important of the blocks. The XWD system erases all its defects.
A beautiful tribute
Available at the moment on the versions berlin and Sport-Hatch of 9-3, this system is associated with the V6 turbo 2.8 the power of which was pushed to 280 ch instead of 255 usual. The couple takes advantage of it too, in increase of 15 % to 400 Nm. In parallel, Saab throws on the French market a special series X Turbo, a tribute in the original model of the 70s. Besides the transmission XWD and the eLSD, this 9-3 quite of black dressed is endowed with a frame and with brakes sport, of wheel rims 18 “, of black leather seats, inserts carbon on wood panels and on board of edge and the same manometer of pressure of overeating as 900 Turbo. A sort of black destroyer of the apocalypse which can leave nobody indifferent. Neither the pilot, nor the curious onlookers who will cross it and even less your wallet (51.000 € all the same).
