Saab Turbo, Past & Present
| 1976 | Press introduction of the 99 Turbo. 100 pre-production cars were built to be tested by Saab employees, private persons and automotive journalists. These 1977 99 Turbo's, which basically look like a three-door 99 EMS ('soccerball' wheels, no rear spoiler) are now very rare. |
| 1977 | Launch of the 99 Turbo:effectively the first turbocharged car to roll off a normal production line. B20T engine gives 145 hp. Rave reviews from the press. "If you were to conclude from the above that this is just about the best motor car which is at present being made, anywhere, you wouldn't be far wrong" (Autosport, April 20, 1978) |
| 1978 | October sees the arrival of the most loved turbo of all: the 900 Turbo. Essentially a 99 with an elongated wheelbase and nose, it carried an array of refinements: power steering and revised suspension geometry makes the 900 a whole lot less 'beastly' to handle: the interior sports a new integrated dash which is still exemplary in the aircraft-style clarity of its instrumentation, a superb heating and ventilation system and a much improved driving position. |
| 1980 | A major breakthrough in turbocharging technology: the APC system which incorporates an electronic anti-knock system that effectively allow the engine to be run on any octane of fuel, and gets the best performance and efficiency from high grade fuel. APC becomes standard on Saab Turbo's for the 1982.5 model year (USA, Sweden) and 1983 (all other markets). From the 1981 model year on, the B20 engine is replaced by the H-engine, which is lighter and more efficient. |
| 1983 | Per Gillbrand launches the third generation turbo engine: twin camshafts, 16 valves, Bosch LH electronic fuel injection and turbo intercooling make for 175 hp with better fuel economy than the 'standard' 8-valve engine. |
| 1984 | 900 Turbo 16 is available from May. At the same time the 900 T16S is
launched, originally designated as '900 Aero'. Lowered and stiffened suspension, striking
three-spoke wheels and areodynamic lower body farings make this the epitome of the
performance-oriented Saab. Called SPG (Special Performance Group) in the USA,
where the 16 valve engines replace the 8 valvers for 1985. Introduction of the 9000 Turbo, Saab's new flagship. Based on the Tipo 4 platform, jointly developed with Lancia and later used by Fiat for the Croma and Alfa for the 164, it's shorter than the 900 but gives vastly improved interior space. The press loves everything about it bar the looks which are considered to be 'bland' compared to the characterful 900. |
| 1985 | For the 1986 model year, the 900 Turbo 8-valve gets an intercooler hitherto only used on the 16 valve Turbo's. Motor reports that performance is far more up than a mere extra 10 hp (now 155) suggests: "Turn your attention to in-gear lugging power, though, and you'll see that the Saab demolishes the lot. in fourth gear, for example, it accelerates from 30-50 mph in just 7,0 sec and from 40-60 in an astounding 5.5 sec; change up to fifth and the Saab will launch you from 50-70 mph in a Ferrari-like 7.3 sec." Introduction of the two-door Turbo on European markets: a Dutch special edition was the Silver Arrow |
| 1986 | Injection and Turbo 900's get a new. slanted nose and integrated bumpers. 900 Convertible is launched. It was the idea of Robert Sinclair, CEO of Saab-Scania USA and shown for the first time at the Frankfurt Motor Show, 1983: the reaction of the public was quite strong so that Saab decided to productionize the Convertible. Only 400 were made with the old-style nose and bumpers. |
| 1990 | Introduction of the 2.3 litre Turbo engine with Direct Ignition. With 200 hp and 323 Nm of torque at under 2,000 rpm, the Saab 9000 2.3 Turbo gets to be one of the very fastest saloon cars in real-world terms. |
| 1991 | 900S introduced in Europe with light-pressure turbo engine, 145 hp. |
| 1993 | End of the Classic Saab 900 production, last Coupé models are special editions with 185 hp (Commemorative Edition in the US, Ruby in the UK, 900T16S GT in Holland). last Classic 900 Convertibles are 1994 models. On a more positve note, 1993 sees the launch of the mighty 9000 Aero. In manual guise, it's got 225 hp and 342 Nm of torque. From 80-120 km/h in fifth gear, the Aero's faster than a Porsche 959, a Ferrari Testarossa or any other supercar you care to name.The Saab Ecopower concept is introduced with the 2.3 litre light pressure turbo engine in the 9000. For the 1994 model year the 'new generation' 900 Turbo is on the road. It's engine is controlled by the highly advanced Saab Trionic engine management system, as is the case with turbocharged 9000's from 1993 on. The 900 Turbo is powered by a 2.0 litre version of the 2.3 engine with balancer shafts, and puts out 185 hp. |
| 1994 | Saab introduces the Sensonic system, which couples a manual gearbox with an electronically actuated clutch, on the 900 Turbo. No clutch pedal anymore, but still the efficiency and controllability of a manual gearbox. The new generation 900 Convertible and three-door Coupé are launched. |
| 1995 | A light-pressure turbo 2.0 litre engine replaces the 2.3l normally aspirated powerplant in the Saab 9000. At 150 hp, it has the same nominal power as the larger unblown engine, but with better torque and lower fuel consumption. |
| 1997 | The all-new Saab 9-5 is the first with an all-turbo line up: 2.0t, 2.3t and 3.0V6t. The V6 engine is the first to be asymetrically turbocharged; the turbine works on the exhaust flow of only one cylinder bank whilst 'feeding' all 6 cylinders with forced induction. Thanks to this construction, the turbo does not need a wastegate. note that maximum power at 200 hp is lower than that of the atmospheric version used in the 9000 Griffin, but torque at 310 Nm is much better. |
| 1998 | The Saab 9-3 replaces the 900. For the untrained eye they are all but exactly the same but underneath are over 1,100 changes which transform the handling and ride characteristics, and make another step in the pursuit of optimal occupant protection. For the 1999 model year, two new turbo engines appear in the 9-3; a high performance variant of the existing 2.0 Turbo with horsepower bumped up to a healthy 200, and a low-pressure version with 154 hp which replaces the 2.3 litre non-turbo engine. |
| 1999 | At last, the arrival of the long-lusted after high performance Trolls. The 9-3 Viggen, with a 230 hp version of the 2.3 litre turbo engine and the torque curve of a steam train, is mega-fast, but unfortunately the chassis can't really cope. Abbott Racing seem to have the solution in the guise of a "Viggen Rescue pack", though, which reportedly goes a long way to eradicate the poits criticized by the press (torque steer, lack of steering precision and feedback). Anyways, the Viggen does look the part, especially in 'Lightning Blue'. The 9-5 Aero , with the same powerplant, gets a much better reception. This might be the best "off the shelf" Saab yet, with an accomplished chassis and a fantastic engine in an unassuming, practical but at the same time luxurious and very Saab-like package. |
| 2000 | As from August, twenty-four years after the launch of the first Turbo! Saab is to be the first non-specialist manufacturer with an all-turbo line up! If you want to have a Saab without a turbo, you'd better be quick to buy one of the last 9-3 2.0i models... |