1999 Saab 9-3 for sale $17,520
| 1999 Saab 9-3 $17,520 | |
| Car Ad from: Hemmings View Original Ad | |
| Price: | $17,520 |
| Contact: | View Original Ad from Hemmings |
| Location: | Marietta, PA |
| Details: |
Look at the outstanding condition of this low mileage 1999 Lightning BlueViggenpreviously sold by Swedish. The U.S. was the largest market with only 420 Lightning Bluecopyssold, other parts of the world only got a few dozen 1999 models. Serious Saab fans know that the Swedish brand builds more than just cars. They also build some of the most sophisticated aircraft in the world. So when it came time to name their new, hopped-up version of the 9-3 coupe, they chose the name of one of their most famous fighter jets, theViggen. In English, the wordViggenmeans thunderbolt. And to drivers used to the standard Saab 9-3, this newViggenhits like a bolt out of the blue! And that said, were sure its no coincidence that the Saab 9-3ViggenCoupe came clothed in an eye-popping color dubbed, appropriately enough, Lightning Blue. But theViggensreal charge is found under its electric skin, in the form of a highly modified 4 cylinderpowerplant. Using the currentEcoPower2.3 liter engine found in the 9-5 as their base,Viggenengineers added an industrial strength Mitsubishi turbocharger capable of boosting pressure to 20 psi. Freer breathing intake runners and a new exhaust system also aid the air-hungry turbo. The results are nothing less than stunning-225 horsepower and a neck-snapping 252 pound-feet of torque! Thats just 6 pound-feet less than Porsches six cylinder powered 911. Now that much torque in a front driver can be a real handful. So to keep things from getting too scary,Viggentorquemeistershave electronically limited torque output in first gear to 184 pound-feet and 243 pound-feet in second. And dont bother asking for an automatic transmission. TheViggencomes with a 5-speed manual only. Punch the gas pedal and hold on while theViggendelivers you to 60 in 7 seconds flat on a hot, slippery track. Power deliverysmoothsout once past second gear, and youll go through the quarter mile in 15.2 seconds at 96 mph. And what about turbo lag, you ask? Well, thanks to a new drive-by-wire throttle, a 9-3 first, and SaabsTrionic7 engine management system, youd be hard pressed to find any. Thats because when you call for power, the computer tricks the throttle into opening farther than requested. This helps overcome the inertia of the larger turbo and allows the engine to reach the desired torque level quicker. Pretty neat! But theres more than just raw power and shocking hues separating theViggenfrom other Saab9-3s. Theres also aggressive and aerodynamic styling to match. The deep front spoiler not only looks good, but serves to force much of the airflow over the body rather than letting it under the car where it creates lift. The pronounced rocker panels channel what airflow there is under the body to the rear, where its integrated with the airflow coming off the rear wing. As a package, these aerodynamic accouterments reduce theViggensco-efficient of drag by 8% to 0.31, and drop lift forces at the rear wheels by 60%. To fully maximize the advantages of theViggensroad-hugging form, Saabs Special Vehicle Operations team joined forces with TomWalkinshawRacing in tweaking theMacPhersonstrut front and torsion beam rear suspension. The coil springs at the corners have been lowered by 10 millimeters. Front springs were then stiffened 5%, while rears were stiffened over 25%. Dampervalvingand the anti-roll bars were alsorecalibrated. The result of this careful tweaking is very well balancedViggenhandling. Turn ins are quick and precise, with a little push coming at the end of the corner. The steering has a nicely weighted feel, and the tight suspension keeps body roll during lateral transitions to a minimum, but does it without the harshness often associated with sport-tuned suspensions. One of the standout features of the Saab 37Viggenfighter jet is its ability to land and stop in short distances. And those same qualities are found in the earthboundViggenas well. The new 17-inch light |