Maybe this is old news to others here, but I just learned from my May
Automobile Magazine that the "XWD" that Saab is putting into its 9-3 models is more than just a traditional slip-and-grip system. Well let me clarify--if you just get a 9-3 XWD, it's slip-and-grip. But if you get a 9-3 XWD with the optional eLSD (the acronym ghbPCP was rejected), then it actually engages in prospective torque-vectoring, much like Acura's SH-AWD. Automobile wrote:
Near the end of our test-driving day, Saab handed us the keys to a 9-3 Turbo X for a very brief eLSD test on the ice. Immediately, we felt the rear diff at work. Turn-in was far more eager, and the chassis and handling balance felt more neutral. The Turbo X was also more stable during quick transitions compared to the 9-3 without eLSD. More important, the Saab system felt more cohesive and linear than does Acura's more complex SH-AWD.
If Acura continues to refuse to make a turbo SH-AWD TSX with 6MT, and if Audi does, in fact, refuse to offer a B8-generation A4 with both quattro and a manual in North America, then a 9-3 Aero XWD with eLSD and 6MT looks pretty darned tempting (at least if you're willing to overlook Saab's little reliability ratings issue). I'll make mine a Turbo X, retro wheels and all: