Five Saabs I’d Like to Own

As I keep refining and tweaking the Stinger to deliver more power (and stay spotless), I find myself on eBay or Saabnet.com looking for a new Saab to enjoy. While these cars still roam the roads, they are getting harder and harder to find in decent shape. But good or bad, here’s the five that I’d be willing to replace the Stinger with. NEW SAAB MANAGEMENT – NOTE THE Turbo X as the only car on this list newer than my 1999. Of course these aren’t definitive details on each car (that is what Google is for), but just a few reasons why I’d like to own each.

#1 1999 – 2002 Saab 9-3 Viggen
A high-powered version of the 9-3 named after the Saab 37 Viggen aircraft, the Viggen was powered by the turbocharged 2.3L engine, (B235R) with 230hp and 6.4 seconds 0-60. The styling, power and rarity of the Viggen make it a winner in my Swedish notebook.



#2 1996 Saab 9000 Aero
Introduced in 1993, the 9000 Aero was the most powerful Saab ever produced at that time. Powered by the 2.3L (B234) engine, the Aero made more power courtesy of a larger Mitsubishi TD04 turbocharger. Aeros were equipped with paint-matched body kit and spoiler, awesome 8-way Recaro-designed heated sports seats, a sport suspension, and 16-inch Super Aero wheels. I still think the look of this car is incredible.



#3 1998 Saab 900 Talladega
One of my favorite Saabs for several reasons. The ‘Dega edition was a limited edition to commemorate the distance records achieved at the Talladega Superspeedway the year before. Extra features included wood grain dash, chrome door handles, tan leather inserts in the doors, 16' alloy wheels, special lower diffuser and badges. I love the two-tone look of the interior, the wheels and the history of this special Saab (Talladega is one my favorite tracks).



#4 2008 Saab Turbo X
A beast of a car, the Turbo X is a limited-edition 9-3 that pays homage to the 1985 Saab 900 SPG, a classic coupe known for its trademark black exterior treatment, three-arm alloys, and turbo engine. Equipped with a robust 280-horse turbocharged V-6 that, thanks to 11.6 psi of maximum boost (up from 8.7 for the Aero's 255-horse 2.8 turbo) and Haldex 4 all-wheel-drive system, makes this mean, black 9-3 pretty slick.



#5 2000 Saab 9-5 Aero
I love this car because it is the definition of “Sleeper” in my book…. Low, lean, mean and ready to pounce. The performance-oriented 9-5 Aero was first released in 2000 with the 230 hp 2.3L (B235R) engine and a long list of standard features including sport tuned suspension, body side moldings and “Klingon” wheels.