Saab 9-3 Turbo-X Vs. Saab 9-3 Viggen

20 Responses to “Saab 9-3 Turbo-X Vs. Saab 9-3 Viggen”

1. 

   Ryan
   

   03. Jun, 2008

   what about the fuel economy difference. I have owned two Viggens, four door and two door I have also owned a 2000 9-3se which was great. Check out the fuel ecomomy difference and comment on that. Great article really enjoyed reading.

   Ryan

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2. 

   bob
   

   15. Aug, 2008

   i have a 2002 viggen. My dealer has been telling me about this new TurboX for some time. Well the other day I was getting an oil change and my friendly salesman says, look here is the new Turbo X…want to take if for a test drive.
   From what I read this car is supposed to be fast. I knew within the first block that this wasn’t true. I guess all these reviewers either drove the viggen so long ago or never drove one to think that this new car is hotter than a viggen.
   When I press the gas pedal on the viggen I get INSTANT go, absolutely no waiting for it to spool up – no delay it just starts to go really fast right now…the new Turbo had al least an inch of play inthe gas pedal before anything happens and then it come on, smoothbut not like the viggen. the viggen is a beast and in the 3 years I have owned it not a single BMW, Porcshe, Mustag, or any other “hot” car has been able to keep up. I have even raced sport bikes and they cant pull away. 20lb boost, TVR suspension it is a race car, the new Turbo is a street car

   Maybe I just got a good one. but I doubt it.

   So why is the advertising for this New Saab not mentioning the Viggen?? because the viggen still rules…

   ps viggen wners want to have some fun, test drive the new one with your saleman in it

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3. 

   Billy
   

   30. Oct, 2008

   I agree 100%, I outran an X on the freeeeeee way in my Viggen which is the last SAAB!… IMO

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4. 

   John
   

   20. Nov, 2008

   Owning a Viggen I have to agree with the other posters. The X is a great sedan w/all the latest/greatest. But the Viggen has a feel that cannot be matched by the X. My Viggen has 198,000 miles and can still run with the boys on the highway…

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5. 

   Arthur
   

   29. Nov, 2008

   I have sat in the new Turbo x at the motor show, please dont believe the hype! VIGGEN (embossed) PREMIUM LEATHER STANDARD! vs Turbo X, Plastic PVC Mix Leather Standard, VIGGEN LTD EDITION 400 UK EXAMPLES!(4 colours). vs Turbo x Ltd Edition 500 (all in black!) VIGGEN AVAILABLE IN, 2 DOOR SPORTS COUPE! ALSO COVERTIBLE! AND FINALLY 4 DOOR SALOON! vs Turbo x, only 4 door family saloon, 5 door estate? VIGGEN built in the same factory as porsche! (boxster), VIGGEN Developed by TWR(Tom Walkinshaw Racing) Formula 1! VIGGEN, named after a fighter jet! (with the badges to prove!) This list will never end!! I honestly think both these cars are a piece of history for saab, and should not be compared! I also think that a Saab Viggen is one of the best second hand buy’s ever! £31.500+ (WHEN NEW) with inspirational extras for your second hand money an absolute steal!! One of the best kept secrets until now!! (only if you can find one)!.

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6. 

   Ryan
   

   29. Nov, 2008

   Arthur,

   Good points, all around here. The only reason the comparison was done, was for the folks at Saab to make it appear that it was a worthy competitor on a few performance specifications.

   As we know, we cannot really compare on those alone, there is much, much more to it which leaves the Viggen far above!

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7. 

   bob
   

   01. Dec, 2008

   As far as my Viggen.. I do have only one complaint. The headlights are not bright enough for how fast the car goes.
   I live in a rural area and I would love to be able to add a few hundred watts or more of light to the car but havent found any sources for this. Are there extra bright (not street legal ) bulbs for the headlights? and how can i get info about adding addititonal rally lights to the car. are there any mounting loctions or what??? one of you fellow Viggen owners must have noticed that the lights suck on dark roads. and done something about it.
   I have a Jeep wrangler with 1200 watt of light that lights the road up for a mile ahead, this is what i want to have on the Viggen, then it would ben a Super Car at night too
   thanks…
   i love to let BMWs start to pass me… (in my plain looking Saab, doesnt even say turbo on it.) and then when they are at about the drivers door I get on it a little to just hold them there a second, then floor it and let them see how fast it pulls away from them…usually do this on 2 lane state roads not the highway. demoing the Viggen to them like this gets the message across right away and they don’t try passig me again. so fun

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8. 

   Arthur
   

   03. Dec, 2008

   As for performance! Viggen VS Turbo X, In my opinion the viggen is one of the fastest front wheel drives in the whole world! (in terms of lbs-ft torque) 350nm @ 2500rpm This is no joke! Oh Yeah, with out a doubt its a handfull!!! but it is more then a pleasure to tame the beast!!! Just as same as any “TAILHAPPY” rare wheel drive, which is very challenging!!! Most (reviews) car critics are “SUNDAY DRIVERS”!! So they have no idea (Clueless) on how to drive a VIGGEN!! And they are all in a shock that they just witnessed a thing called “TORQUE STEER” which literally made them S#@T them selves!! The Viggen was made in 1999 nearly 10 years ago!! AND STILL, THE UN-DEFEATED, 10 YEAR, POUND FOR POUND, FRONT WHEEL DRIVE CHAMPION OF THE WORLD!!!! is THE VIGGEN!!!!! And now for the TURBO X, 2.8 V6, 280bhp, 400nm @ 2150rpm, VERY NICE! “FOOLPROOF” FOUR WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM!! especially made for car critics! (joke) the main development on this car in my opinion is the engine and four wheel drive system! which are both remarkable, a lot better then the Viggens 2.3 engine which has the similarities of the legendary Saab 9000 “CARLSSON” which was made in 1989/90!! So the Saab Turbo x is the only way foreward! Or is it?? the Viggen as a complete car, it is put together very well, however the Turbo X should have had every conceivable extra as standard! especially turbo x embossed premium leather seats(standard) maybe even making a coupe? to make it alot better then the Viggen! Oh Yeah! I honestly dont think the Turbo X comes in the Top 10, fastest 4 wheel drives!!!! (just my thoughts)

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9. 

   Aeroo
   

   14. Dec, 2008

   So exactly what are the top 10 AWD drive cars in the world in your expert opinion ? Another comment for Arthur , what exactly did the Viggen produce , it only proved that you can up the performance and still have a fun car to drive , the viggen was a tuned 9.3 which is OK but that was the sum total of it, absolutely no new technology was in the Viggen just Kw’s and Nm’s, and by the way the aftermarket tuners are doing better than Saab ever did .

   At least with the Turbo X ,Saab have taken a bold step forward, and have come up with technology that enhances the driving experience and if used to the maximum, and is absolutely fun to drive and can challenge capable drivers if all the performance available is used.

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10. 

    Arthur
    

    27. Jan, 2009

    Sorry for the late reply! First and foremost, i have never claimed to be an “EXPERT” And secondly it will be more then a pleasure to name you a few which will trouble a “Turbo X” Audi s2, Lancia intergrale, Ford cosworth, subaru, all these cars are made in the “EARLY 90′s” Thirdly a comment for aeroo! I would just like to tell you what you have written about the Turbo X is what i said in my previous comment “so thanks for telling me what i told you??” Also i just named a few cars from the “EARLY NINETY’S” but honesly i think in the last 15 years i can name a minimum of 100 awd cars! But then i will have to charge you for my “EXPERT OPINION” (joke) And finally i would just like to say approximately 3-4 MONTHS AGO a Turbo X’s value was £35.000 with excellent extras! Today that same car will cost you £21.000!!! (you do the math!!!)

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11. 

    John
    

    28. Jan, 2009

    Aeroo: “What exactly did the Viggen produce?
    It only proved that you can up the performance and still have a fun car to drive, the viggen was a tuned 9.3.”

    It’s how Saab up’ed the performance that made the Viggen: old school engine swap{hot rodded}. At least Saab also supported the extra power by helping in the handling & braking dept. If it was just tuned then it would’ve been a heavily breathed on 2.0t.

    It’s not what they did it’s how they did it.

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12. 

    Arthur
    

    03. Feb, 2009

    The Viggen produced a coupe/covertible and was also compared in performance with the BMW M3, Benz AMG’s also the AUDI RS’s, This is a massive achievement! in my opinion its not better then any of them,(performance) but still is an achievement, the extras of the viggen will trouble a lot of cars in this day and age, never mind back then! and the boot space is award winning! also the shape is unique and way ahead of time, every car in that era was like a “BOX SHAPE” saab has pioneered aerodynamics all the way!, The TURBO X looks like a regular car! (Ford, Lexus,vauxhall) not special or unique, and do you honestly think it can be compared with the likes of todays M3′s, AMG’s, RS’s please!!! not in anyway!!! Please dont get me wrong, i have loved saabs for many years until now! I do like the TURBO X’s unique colour, the four wheel drive system, and the sat nav this is the way forward for saab! sadly not for me!, for me the only way forward would be the extraordinary AUDI RS4!!!! which could never be compared with today’s saab “TURBO X”

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13. 

    Dr Speyk
    

    29. Oct, 2010

    Good defensinve remarks from the Viggen owners, perhaps a little sore at not being able to fork out the full almost thirty eight grand for it’s replacement. Now the Tiurbo X has been out a while and you can pick up one with every extra for less than tewnty grand, my guess is you are now all considering the change.

    Yes it lacks the badges and the associations the Viggen has but without post showrrom tuning it is still more than a full second quicker to 60mph and hadles like a dream, nothing to ‘tame’ here.

    No it’s not an AMG or BMW M or Audi RS (common as…) all the better for that I say and great there are only 500 all the same in the UK. If you want to compare like for like then it’s the VW R36 that is the best rival, slightly faster to 60mph but ‘blitzed’ by the Turbo X on the rise to 100mph and above.

    The build quality is not up to the price tag but the technology and performance is. How much is am Audi RS4 with all the same kit…? You get what you pay for and right now the Turbo X delivers in many ways.

    It is a comfortable saloon car with kick! A stand alone Saab model, Turbo to Viggen to Turbo X a car I will equally defend when the no doubt much better successor hits the showrooms and the Viggen becomes the classic vintage performance car, which it is. R.I.P. Viggen!

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14. 

    arthur
    

    03. Nov, 2010

    The classic saab 900 t16s in my eyes is a work of art! something picasso would have been proud of, thats why it has been used in some of the biggest hollywood films and will do so in many years to come!( what a accolade!) it has a true saab history and it was more then a pleasure to have owned a 900 nearly twenty years ago! i still tell the kids it was the definition of COOL! R.I.P. DREAM ON!!!

    The legendry VIGGEN!! Knowing that TWR had something to do with this car is a phenomenal Accolade on it own!! And just if you dont know, TWR was in formula 1 racing which helped Michael Schumacher have his first World Championship title! this car is, was, and always will be in saab history! and if i may say so myself what a beautifull statement to have for the original saab owners something picasso would have been proud of. SHARE ART!!

    Know to the pretenders! The so called Turbo X has hatchback performance in this day and age, you can only compare this car with the likes of a VW R36 as these are budget 4 door performance cars which are Cheap and cheerful!! the best accolade for this car is it should of been used by the police as a police car! sorry no hollywood or jenson buttons for this one! the best thing about the Turbo X is at Thirteen grand it is a bit of a steal, especially if you would like to do express mini cabbing i hear they come in AUTOs!

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15. 

    aftermarket parts
    

    04. Nov, 2010

    A worthy successor indeed!!!

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16. 

    Will H
    

    04. Nov, 2010

    Arthur you say that the turbo x is 1 second quicker to 60 than the viggen….that may be true but the Viggen will eventually catch up and pass an X, I would say around 100 mph and then the Viggen keeps walking away. As a person who works for auto auctions I can tell you any SAAB made after 2003 is of poor GM quality parts bins…Fading buttons, breaking Suspension springs, fogged out headlamps, aluminum hood, Weak engines “we all know those 4 and 6 cyl engines could NOT compete with other GM products while under ownership/liscence agreement from GM” I could go on….
    So, For all those people that held on to their OG 9-3s who thought you had something solid, You guys did it right! You knew something was not quite right when 03 came around and the SS went on the market….and you were right!
    Until spyker can start using genuine materials and develop a non GM motor I will stick with my stage 4 Viggen, Thanks!

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17. 

    Arthur
    

    05. Nov, 2010

    “ARTHUR” would not even sit in a Turbo X even if GM paid him too!!! Like every grandad use to say “THEY DONT BUILD THEM LIKE THEY USE TOO SON!!!”

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18. 

    John
    

    05. Nov, 2010

    I think Bill H had meant to say Dr Speyk in his retort:
    “Arthur you say that the turbo x is 1 second quicker to 60 than the viggen….that may be true but the Viggen will eventually catch up and pass an X, I would say around 100 mph and then the Viggen keeps walking away.”

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19. 

    Will H
    

    07. Nov, 2010

    John, Thanks for correcting me.

    Sorry Arthur….that must be insulting. But at least you know it was not dircted towards you and we stand the same ground! BTW I also own an 88′ SPG and a 95′ 9000 Aero.

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20. 

    Arthur
    

    11. Nov, 2010

    Thats ok, mistakes can happen just like when GM took over! its nice to hear that there is still some true saab enthusiasts out there! with real saabs that have true Saab History both these cars are truly legendry! “OLD IS GOLD” and also thanks to john!

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