The key between the seats - 1) Key does not impale into the knee in an accident 2) Prevents steering column hot-wiring as ignition is integrated into the transmission tunnel 3) Putting the car in reverse before extracting the key ensures that the car does not roll away if parking brake is not fully engaged.
You are absolutely right. And number 4 would be that is ergonomically the right place to put the ignition: you start the car, you release the handbrake and you put the car in gear, all in one simple motion. And the keyhole is much easier to find, because you can actually see it, in both day and nighttime.
Plus the dude is wrong when he says SAAB abandoned the centre console ignition in later models. He's referring to the 9000 where SAAB had no choice but to put the ignition in the conventional steering column because they were restricted as per the Lancia, Alfa Romeo platform they built the 9000 on. Once the 9000 was done with they went right back to centre console ignition.
It's interesting they say the key between the seats has been abandoned in newer models - when that's not the case. I had a '92 (still there) and now have one of the last SAABs made (2011) and it's still got the key in that same spot
The key between the seats - 1) Key does not impale into the knee in an accident 2) Prevents steering column hot-wiring as ignition is integrated into the transmission tunnel 3) Putting the car in reverse before extracting the key ensures that the car does not roll away if parking brake is not fully engaged.
You are absolutely right. And number 4 would be that is ergonomically the right place to put the ignition: you start the car, you release the handbrake and you put the car in gear, all in one simple motion. And the keyhole is much easier to find, because you can actually see it, in both day and nighttime.
Plus the dude is wrong when he says SAAB abandoned the centre console ignition in later models. He's referring to the 9000 where SAAB had no choice but to put the ignition in the conventional steering column because they were restricted as per the Lancia, Alfa Romeo platform they built the 9000 on. Once the 9000 was done with they went right back to centre console ignition.
It's interesting they say the key between the seats has been abandoned in newer models - when that's not the case. I had a '92 (still there) and now have one of the last SAABs made (2011) and it's still got the key in that same spot
I think by "newer models" in 1990, meant the 9000 series, which had it in the more usual place.
Una marca de primera una pena su desaparición... soy dueño de un saab 93 tid 11 años y otro me duro 9 años..