2003 Saab 9-3 Convertable Turbo on 2040-cars

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Future Classic: 1999-2002 Saab 9-3 Viggen

Given the company’s now-defunct status, you could argue that all Saabs are future classics. Even the final round of cars from the era of General Motors ownership deserve their place in history. Seriously, how hot was the last 9-5? Handsome design and quirky features were hallmarks of the Saab brand, and its cars felt every bit as premium as its primary European competitors. But while other luxury carmakers put great effort into full lineups of performance cars, Sweden only produced the odd sporty Saab every once in a while. One of our favorites was the 9-3 Viggen from the turn of the century, and itÂ’s a car that still makes us swoon today. Why is the Saab 9-3 Viggen a future classic? Saab's whole "born from jets" tagline never really made much sense, but at least the 9-3 Viggen's name was a nod to the company's aerospace roots. The Swedish word "Viggen" translates to "thunderbolt" in English, and this name was used on the Saab 37 Viggen aircraft that entered service in the early 1970s. MotorWeek | Retro Review: '99 Saab Viggen The 9-3 Viggen used a turbocharged 2.3-liter inline-four engine, most notably remembered for its eyebrow-raising 20 psi of boost pressure. Rated at 225 horsepower – which was later bumped up to 230 hp – and 252 pound-feet of torque, this engine was paired exclusively with a five-speed manual transmission and front-wheel drive. Stiffer suspension components, firmer dampers, stronger driveshafts, a heavy-duty clutch and a revised exhaust were also part of the package. The Viggen was relatively quick, with Saab quoting a 0-to-60-mph time of around 6.5 seconds. However, the 9-3 Viggen is largely remembered for things like its ridiculous turbo lag and torque steer – characteristics that kind of made this car hilarious to drive, even if they took away from overall sharpness and composure. What is the ideal example of the Saab 9-3 Viggen? Saab offered the 9-3 Viggen as a three-door hatchback, five-door hatchback and two-door convertible. And while this car is most commonly remembered in its launch shade, Lightning Blue, Saab offered the Viggen in black, gray, red, silver and yellow. You could even spec the interior with blue, orange or tan leather accents. Arguably the most iconic 9-3 Viggen spec is a Lightning Blue three-door hatch, but the other colors are far more rare. WeÂ’ve got a major soft spot for a Monte Carlo Yellow five-door, but really, you canÂ’t go wrong.

Junkyard Gem: 1971 Saab 96

Americans could buy the very first mass-produced Saab car, the 92, all the way back in 1950. Few did, because a tiny and odd-looking Swedish car with a smoky two-stroke engine buzzing out 25 horsepower didn't seem suitable for highway use, especially when a new Plymouth business coupe sold for $1,371 (about $15,180 today). Then came the 93, notable to Americans mostly for being sold by novelist Kurt Vonnegut's Saab dealership in Massachusetts. The first Saab to win over respectable numbers of American car shoppers was the 96, introduced here for the 1961 model year. North American 96 sales continued through 1973, and I've managed to find one of the later 96s in a junkyard located near Pikes Peak in Colorado. North American sales of the much less oddball 99 began in the 1969 model year, and that car evolved directly into the original 900 that sold very well through the early 1990s. Still, some Americans living in icy regions stayed loyal to the 96, so Saab kept selling 96s here until federal emissions and safety regulations made such sales unprofitable. Meanwhile, Scandinavians could buy new 96s all the way through 1980. My grandfather, a self-taught engineer who set foot outside the city limits of St. Paul, Minn., only to race Corvettes at Elkhart Lake (in summer) and all manner of rust-prone imports on frozen lakes (in winter), had this Saab 96 when I was a kid. The somewhat uneven bodywork near street level is the result of house-paint-over-Bondo corrosion repairs, and I recall going on some terrifying high-speed rides around town with Grandpa, circa 1975, watching the pavement flash by through the holes in the floor as we headed to the VFW for the meat raffle. Hey, the St. Paul VFW had Grain Belt on tap for cheap, a consolation for those who failed to win any meat. After that, a man could take his Saab to an establishment selling authentic St. Paul booya. As I recall, this Saab finally broke in half at an ice race in the late 1970s and got replaced by a slightly less rusty Rabbit. The serious Saab 96 nuts— including my grandfather— preferred the two-stroke three-cylinder engine, due to its chainsaw racket and allegedly superior performance on ice. By 1969, however, a Ford-produced V4 became the only powerplant available in a new 96 on our shores (the V4 had been an option for a couple of years prior to that). Someone grabbed the 65-horsepower V4 before I reached this car.

Saab's Victor Muller wanted to nix Griffin, return to airplane emblem

According to Just-Auto.com Victor Muller wasn't a fan of the Saab Griffin logo. The executive was quoted as saying he wanted to "abolish" the Griffin logo and return to the airplane emblem. Muller made it clear that if he'd had his way, the propeller would have replaced the Griffin across the Saab lineup long ago.
National Electric Vehicle Sweden, the company that recently bought Saab, was forced to abandon the Griffin logo due to the fact that the emblem is still used by truck manufacturer Scania. The manufacturer is reportedly concerned about potential Chinese counterfeiting - NEVS is owned by Youngman, a Chinese automaker - though it's unclear how that relationship would lead to illegal copies.
Either way, NEVS has said the loss of the Griffin logo isn't that important to the company so long as it can continue to build on the Saab name. Muller, meanwhile, said he wishes NEVS luck in the company's electric-vehicle endeavor, but that he doesn't understand its new business model.