I posted an article a few days ago on a Saab 9-3 Viggen for sale in the UK. Some questions on that article in comments got me doing some Viggen research, and in the midst of all that I fell in love with the car all over again.

For those who are new to this site, I have a Viggen, which I crashed at a track last year. It’s currently sitting in my garage awaiting repair whilst I argue with my insurer about who’s going to pay for it.

Whilst I was searching the web I came accross a number of great road tests for the Viggen. As they’re several years old now, I think it’ll be OK to reproduce them here. I’ll get to that over the course of the weekend along with other things.

The Saab 9-3 Viggen really is an awesome car. I’ve been out of mine for 8 months now, so I’d forgotten how good it felt to own one and drive one. As we’ve been discussing Turbo X pricing this last week, it’s notable that the Viggen was around the same price when it debuted here in Australia back in 1999. When you consider the advances in the Turbo X over the Viggen (like night and day), all of a sudden $90K doesn’t seem like that much to pay for a Turbo X.

Following is what I think might be one of the original Australian press releases for the Viggen. I felt a huge swell of pride when I read it again, thinking “I’ve go one of those!”

One in only forty brought here that year? You can bet your bottom dollar it’s going to get fixed.

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The Saab 9-3 Viggen, the most powerful and rapid Saab ever built, is now on sale in Australia.

Saab’s latest iteration of the popular 9-3 series is a swift and luxurious sports-tourer designed for Saab purists, and those seeking a standout GT alternative to track-orientated performance cars.

The heart of the Viggen – Swedish for “thunderbolt” and the name of Saab’s Mach 2 jet fighter – is a high-output turbocharged 2.3-litre engine developing a superb 165 kW of power at 5500 rpm and a mighty 342 Nm of torque from 2500 to 4000 rpm.

Together with a chassis that is optimised to deliver the best in both sports handling and prestige comfort, the Saab 9-3 Viggen is a genuinely powerful sports-tourer able to cover long distances quickly, effortlessly and safely.

Saab’s latest high-performance offering is available as three-door Coupe for $80,000, or as Convertible for $104,900. The five-door 9-3 Viggen Sedan is scheduled to follow in 2000.

The 9-3 Viggen is distinguished from other 9-3 models by its eye-catching aircraft-inspired aerodynamic body kit that cuts lift forces by 50 per cent and reduces drag by 8 per cent, enabling the 9-3 Viggen Coupe to reach an electronically-limited 250 km/h top speed.

The same expert aerodynamic treatment on the Convertible enables a 245 km/h top speed and gives it class-leading aerodynamics with a Cd of 0.32.

Striking ‘Lightning Blue’ body colour, stylish 17-inch alloy wheels and Viggen badges on the front guards further make this Saab stand out as something special.

The Viggen is further enhanced with larger and upgraded performance brakes, 215/45/ZR17 tyres, sports-tuned suspension and a stunning dual-tone luxury leather sports interior with body-hugging seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel and genuine carbon-fibre dashboard with integrated titanium foil panels around the console controls.

This model is the first creation of Saab’s Special Vehicle Operations (SVO), with technical input from the TWR Group – the specialist engineering outfit that has built Le Mans-winning sports cars and runs the Arrows Formula One team.

Less than 40 Viggens will be offered initially in Australia, with annual worldwide production limited to 2500 to ensure this Saab remains exclusive and highly sought after.

“The Viggen is the ultimate Saab; a genuine sports-tourer with unique appeal,” says Saab Automobile Australia managing director, Mr. Bob Maron.

“It is a serious open-road performance car that blends speed with comfort and luxury to provide the ultimate sports-touring driving experience. It will appeal to Saab purists and those wanting something different to the mainstream.”

The Saab 9-3 Viggen Coupe launches to 100 km/h in 6.8 seconds, and holds a price and performance advantage over its rivals – the BMW 328Ci Coupe, Mercedes-Benz CLK 320 Sport and Volvo C70 Coupe.

“We anticipate the 9-3 Viggen will be chosen by those that do not want to be stereotyped by their choice of luxury performance car,” says Mr. Maron.

“The Viggen is not a track-orientated performance car. Some cars will go around the block faster than the Viggen, but very few, if any, will beat it on long-distance sprints and have you arrive at your destination feeling as refreshed.”

Like all Saabs, the 9-3 Viggen comes loaded with the latest in safety features; including twin front airbags, twin side airbags, the award-winning whiplash-preventing Saab Active Head Restraints (SAHR), anti-skid brakes (ABS) with electronic brake force distribution (EBD), and a body with crumple zones designed to dissipate crash energy in a controlled way.

Comfort and joy of ownership is maximised with power front seats (three-position memory on driver’s side), power sunroof, power windows and mirrors, Automatic Climate Control (ACC) air-conditioning, premium six-speaker 160 Watt sound system with six-stack CD player and remote central locking incorporating engine immobiliser and alarm.

The Viggen is built at the Valmet car plant in Finland alongside the Saab Convertible and Porsche Boxster.