Saab 9-3 Viggen - still able to surprise with dynamics

Cars Saab brand can already be considered exclusive. The brand was abolished in 2016, and the last cars rolled off the assembly line 5 years before this event. But there is still a small but friendly army of fans of this brand of cars all over the world.


Saab is a strange combination of sporty character, specific design, luxury and conservatism. Especially the above applies to older models like the 900. The Saab 9000 is already the beginning of the end of the brand, because the car was built on the Type Four platform used by the Italian Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Lancia.

But even after the appearance of the first Saab 9-3, created on the chassis of the budget Opel Vectra A, the Swedish manufacturer found something to surprise its fans with. Globally redesigned appearance, distinctive interior, and most importantly - the original turbocharged engines.



The most interesting modification of the Saab 9-3 is Viggen - this old car is able to surprise not only the new owner, but also "punish" the owners of modern cars on the track.

Design

The appearance of the Swedish model, produced from 1998 to 2003, is characteristic of the brand. The designers tried to change the base platform of Opel Vectra A as much as possible, so that it would not be a shame to look into the eyes of Saab admirers.

Cooperation with GM was forced, and it began back in 1989, when the concern acquired a 50% stake in the Swedish brand. This effectively saved Saab from bankruptcy. In 2000, GM bought the remaining shares.

In the process of working on a simple Opel Vectra A, Saab 9-3 acquired characteristic features:

• ? Powerful front bumper
  
• ? specific back
  
• ? Your optics
  

Most of the innovations went to the top Viggen modification. Already from the factory, the car was equipped with an aerodynamic body kit and 17-inch alloy wheels with a characteristic design. On the body and in the cabin you can find "Viggen" emblems, hinting that this is not a simple Saab 9-3.



If the car in the standard configuration looks simply aggressive, then in the guise of the top model, outright rapacity is visible. Thanks to the body kit and rear spoiler, it turned out to imitate the outlines of a military fighter, ready for a sortie.



But despite all its unusual appearance, the car is outdated - the choice of the Opel Vectra A platform in the second half of the 1990s was a mistake. It was worth assembling the model on the chassis of the next regeneration Opel Vectra.

It is possible that the choice of an outdated platform is associated with the manufacturer's conservatism, but it does not harmonize well with the brand's aviation image.

Salon

Inside, the Saab 9-3 Viggen is stylized as the cockpit of a military fighter. There is nothing in common with the Opel Vectra A in the Saab's cabin - even strange. Designers have strewn the front panel with many buttons, the air intakes are turned towards the driver - as in the Saab 900 model.



The dashboard has a greenish backlight typical of the Swedish brand, and the ignition lock behind the gear selector suggests that this is still a real Saab, despite the Opel Vectra A platform.



Despite the external compactness of the body, the back row gives passengers space. Plenty of legroom and headroom. The electrical equipment for a car produced since 1998 is at the level - the only thing missing is seat ventilation, which at that time was installed only on the best German S-class models.

When you first get into the cabin of the Saab 9-3 Viggen, you need to get used to the characteristic design. Although everything is convenient, but you need to readjust. It is worth accelerating - the understanding comes that the designers tried to change the ergonomics of the banal Opel Vectra, turning it into a full-fledged sports car in terms of sensations.

Car in motion

Under the hood, the Saab 9-3 Viggen has only one engine - a turbocharged four with 225 hp. With. In 2001, the engine was slightly upgraded, adding another 5 hp. With. Some owners change the turbine to a more productive one, achieving an increase of up to 250-280 hp. With. But it is not recommended to do this - the engine is structurally designed for just such a power, an increase in parameters will immediately negatively affect the resource.



The gearboxes of the Saab 9-3 were mechanical and automatic, but the Viggen version offered a non-alternative manual transmission. Thanks to the combination with a powerful turbocharged engine, the car demonstrates enviable dynamics from the start.

Acceleration to 100 km / h occurs in 6,8 seconds - a worthy result for such an age car! To make it clear, the BMW 740 of the same years has almost the same dynamics, bypassing the Saab by only 0,2 seconds. But the Bavarian car has a V8 engine with a displacement of 4,0 liters under the hood.

It is necessary to press the gas pedal and the Saab 9-3 Viggen takes off. Up to 2 rpm, a little turbo lag is felt, which allows you to get under way quickly, but without hysterical slips and jerks. As soon as the tachometer needle rises a little higher, the car begins its legendary fighter flight. It is simply impossible to drive a Saab at low speeds - the engineers set up the engine in such a way that it provokes you to press the gas pedal harder.

In urban traffic jams, the Saab 9-3 Viggen rides badly - if the tachometer needle is in the region of 2 rpm, the turbine almost does not function. On low-quality roads, the suspension feels too stiff. This is felt on any Saab 000-9, but especially on the Viggen version.



At the same time, the sports suspension cannot be called furious. Swedish engineers have managed to set it up with the perfect balance of stiffness and comfort. The car does not like bad roads, but you can move on them. If we compare the hodovka with the Opel Vectra A, then it is softer, although it is far from the same Audi A8.

The Saab 9-3 Viggen enters corners like it's on rails at any speed. Steering response is crisp and responsive. According to this parameter, the Swedish car can only be compared with the BMW M3 in the back of the E36.

The top speed of the Saab 9-3 Viggen is limited to 250 km/h, and even now, after more than 20 years, it easily reaches this value. Up to 200 km / h, the power reserve is felt - you just have to press the gas pedal harder and the driver literally presses into the chair. Then the dynamics of acceleration falls, but still the car confidently goes forward.



The ground clearance of the model is far from being for dirt - only 140 mm, but this is enough for the modern countryside - if you don’t go to the forest for mushrooms.



Separately, it is worth speaking about the security level of the Saab 9-3 Viggen. This is not an Opel for you - here the engineers worked out deformation zones, numerous stiffening ribs, side airbags and even active head restraints. At one time, Saabs of various models were guaranteed to take first places in crash tests.

Fuel consumption also turned out to be modest for a turbocharged engine - only 13,7 liters in the city and 7,2 on the highway. In reality, it is a little higher, plus it all depends on the driving style. If you constantly move in the “gas to the floor” mode, then in the city the consumption can rise to 20 liters.

It is almost impossible to buy a Saab 9-3 Viggen in Russia - here the usual 9-3 of the first generation come across infrequently. The car is rather for an esthete and brand lover - the age and rarity of this modification create problems with finding spare parts.