What was the history of the Saab 9-3?
Saab had a long history of building affordable convertibles and the 9-3 continued that tradition. By the time it was launched there were a number of convertibles available from other carmakers so the pressure was well and truly on the small Swedish car maker to hold its place in an increasingly competitive market.
Is the Saab 9-3 a good Cruiser car?
Front-wheel drive didn’t help the 9-3’s precision either, and couple all of that to a powerful turbo engine and the soft-top Saab could be a bit of a handful. As a cruiser though these problems aren’t so obvious, the 9-3 makes a most pleasant car when the sun is shining and the coast road beckoning.
What kind of engine does a Saab Aero have?
The 2.0-litre turbo had all of that plus six-speaker sound, CD stacker, woodgrain dash and auto climate control air. In 2000 Saab released the Aero model which had the 151 kW boost of an uprated 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder engine and came fitted with just about every feature on the Saab option list including ABS and traction control.
What kind of transmission does a Saab Viggen have?
The Viggen is only available with a five-speed manual transmission which features an electronic torque-sensing function to prevent damage to the gearbox. In 1999, the Viggen was the first 9-3 to use Saab’s Trionic 7 engine management system. The 2001 model year introduced a Traction Control System (TCS). The TCS was later made available in the …
Is the 1999 Saab 9-3 a good car?
As far as interior design, the 1999 9-3, being the earliest 9-3, is equipped with features GM later phased out. The hatch makes for superb storage and little gadgets like Weather Band radio come in handy more often that you’d think. The best part about owning this car though is the Saab community.
When did the Saab 9-3 anniversary convertible come out?
Saab 9-3 Anniversary convertible (Australia) The first generation 9-3, an updated Saab 900 (NG) was launched in 1998 for the 1999 model year. It was known to enthusiasts as the OG 9-3 (old generation) and internally as body style 9400. It continued as a full line through the 2002 model year.
Where was the Saab 9-3 Viggen hatchback made?
As with the preceding generation, convertibles were built by Valmet in Uusikaupunki, Finland. Valmet was also the only plant assembling the 9-3 Viggen, in all three bodystyles. After production at Saab’s main plant ended, Valmet kept producing non-Viggen hatchbacks until 2003.
What kind of transmission does a Saab 9-3 have?
The 175 hp (130 kW) version (2.0t) was standard in U.S. market Linear or non-U.S. market Vector form, mated with a 5-speed manual transmission or a 5-speed ‘Sentronic’ which is a traditional automatic, not to be confused with SAAB’s earlier ‘Sensonic’ which was a manual transmission which allowed for shifting without a clutch pedal.