2007 Saab 9-3 on 2040-cars

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Grainy leaked images show stillborn Castriota-designed Saab 9-3

The Saab faithful are going to be playing the "what if" game for years to come. It's one of the burdens of being a fan of a dead brand. A fresh batch of grainy 9-3 Phoenix images have made their way online, alleged shots of a design proposal penned by none other than Jason Castriota. The five-door looks to feature an honest liftback, though SaabsUnited.com says this particular vehicle was drawn up as part of a business plan in early 2011. As such, Castriota apparently told the site the final product was to look much more athletic than what we see here. While the low-resolution images make it difficult to tell much about the design, we certainly appreciate the familiar roofline, full band taillamps and the contrasting rear spoiler reminiscent of the old Saab 99 and 900 ducktails.
Unfortunately, we know all too well why this creation never saw the light of day. Would-be savior Victor Muller couldn't quite pull Saab out of its nosedive, and the company fell into bankruptcy before the 9-3 Phoenix could get off the ground. There's talk of the Phoenix platform and Saab brand having new life in other markets as EVs and even as gas cars, but the model seen here will likely never see production - let alone North American showrooms.
You can take a closer look at SverigesRadio.se - just make sure to have your translator ready if you don't speak Swedish.

Hot rod tractor stars in Swedish version of Farmkhana

The Nordic countries are known for their beautiful fjords, blonde-haired populace and bitter cold for a good portion of the year. The hours spent indoors during the dark, cold season apparently gives a lot of time for some crazy brainstorming. Tire store chain Vianor is highlighting the Traktor Terror in a new video. If Ken Block is the master of Gymkhana, then these guys know all about Farmkhana in their custom, turbocharged tractor.
According to the YouTube description from Vianor, the tractor is a 1956 Volvo BM Terrier with an added roll cage, adjustable front suspension and extended frame. The engine is thoroughly Swedish, and it's based on a Volvo 940 Turbo with a Volvo 240 head and Volvo 740 intercooler. However, it uses a Saab turbo Prospark ignition and fuel system. All told, the setup is claimed to make 225 horsepower and is capable of a top speed of 60 miles per hour.
That's not crazy power, but this tractor can certainly put it down. The farm machine has no problem smoking those big rear wheels and drifts easily.... although, it may be a tiny little bit unstable (hence the roll cage). If nothing else, this looks like the world's most fun way to be a farmer, that's for sure.

Best and Worst GM Cars

Oh yes, because we just love receiving angry letters from devoted Pontiac Grand Am enthusiasts, we have decided to go there. Based on a heated group Slack conversation, the topic came up about the best and worst GM cars. First of all time, and then those currently on sale, and then just mostly a rambling discussion of Oldsmobiles our parents and grandparents owned (or engineered). Eventually, three of us made the video above. Like it? Maybe we can make more. Many awesome GM cars are definitely going unmentioned here, so please let us know your bests and worsts in the comments below. Mostly, it's important to note that this post largely exists as a vehicle for delivering the above video that dives far deeper into GM's greatest hits and biggest flops, specifically those from the 1980s and 1990s. What you'll find below is a collection of our editors identifying a best current and best-of-all-time choice, plus a worst current and worst-of-all-time choice. Comprehensive it is not, but again, comments. -Senior Editor James Riswick Best Current GM Vehicle Chevrolet Corvette We were flying by the seats of our pants a bit in this first outing and my notes were similarly extemporaneous. When it came time to tie it all together on camera, I failed spectacularly. Thank the maker for text, because this gives me the opportunity to perhaps slightly better explain my convoluted reasoning. I chose the C8 Corvette because it's simply overwhelmingly good, and it's merely the baseline from which this generation of Corvette will be expanded.  While the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing (more on that in a minute) is an amazing snapshot of GM's current performance standing and its little sibling so enraptured me that I went out and bought one, their existence is fleeting. Corvette will live on; forced-induction Cadillac sport sedans, not so much. So while all three are amazing machines when viewed in a vacuum, the Corvette stands above them as both a reflection of GM's current performance credentials and a signpost of what is to come. So, given the choice between the C8 and the 5V-Blackwing right now, I'd choose the C8. In 10 years, when the Blackwing is no longer in production and Corvette is in its 9th generation? Well, that might be a different story. Now, just pretend I said something even remotely that coherent when we get to the part of the video where I try to make an argument for the 5-V Blackwing as best GM car I've ever driven. Or just laugh at me while I ramble incoherently.