The Saab has some bite.
Saab has been lost, but it is not forgotten. After the GM era, and a brief reboot that failed to succeed, the quirky Swedish brand was finally gone. This video features a 9-3, which is slightly older and dates back to the first generation run between 1999 and 2003. It’s clean and well maintained, and it doesn’t seem to be lacking in power.
This particular 9-3 is a little more powerful than the one it replaced. Saab’s top-tier turbocharged 2.0-liter four cylinder produced 202 horsepower (151 megawatts) and drove the front wheels. This car is not stock. AutoTopNL states that it produces 230 horsepower (172 kW). This makes it comparable to the 9-3 Viggen, which had a slightly larger 2.3 liter engine. It doesn’t seem to miss the additional displacement, judging by its performance.
This video shows us the speedo in action, as well as a data recorder that records speeds and times. The old 9-3 spins its front tires through the first gear, allowing for a surprisingly traction-limited sprint of 62 mph in 7.3 seconds. The Saab eventually reaches its drag-limited top speed. It starts at 50 mph (80 km/h), and doesn’t waste time charging beyond 100 mph (161 km/h). The speed increases steadily to 210 km/h (135 mph) but progress slows.
The clip ends with the Saab going after gold. The driver lifts the car from 180 km/h (112 miles per hour) and it doesn’t lift until he sees 226 km/h in just a few seconds. This is 140 mph. Although the 9-3’s acceleration has slowed significantly, we believe there may be some room for more numbers if there’s enough space to run.
The old 9-3 is not fast by modern standards. It can sprint from 7.3 seconds to 62 mph in 7.3 seconds and top speed of 140 at 140 mph. It wasn’t bad back in the 20th century and it’s still not too bad today.