The vendor of at present’s Nice Price or No Dice Saab 9-3 Viggen says that, of their opinion, it’s the very best within the nation. Let’s see what such a premier pedestal placement ought to realistically be price.
Owing to its small dimension, you may not assume it, however the 1987 Mercedes-Benz 190D 2.5 we checked out yesterday was filled with progressive engineering. Much of that made its method to the corporate’s different strains, thus making the 190 an iconic root mannequin. One factor of our automobile that few of you discovered funky contemporary was its $8,750 price ticket. With practically 400K on the clock, that was seen as an overreach, ending the day with an 85 % No Dice loss.
In the Fifties, American automobile makers started emulating design components of jet plane, then a brand new and exceedingly thrilling factor. Fins and nostril cones and chrome trim swooshing down flanks dominated the day within the latter half of the last decade, solely fading from trend by the mid-’60s when the “Jet Age” segued into the “Space Age.”
The Swedish automaker Saab arose throughout this identical interval, and uniquely, the automobile builder was an offshoot of an precise jet plane firm. Its first automotive merchandise eschewed the fake plane styling components that the Americans most popular, selecting as a substitute to make the vehicles aerodynamically environment friendly utilizing precise learnings from the plane facet of the home. Thus, the model’s “Born from Jets” tagline earned its origin.
There’s tons extra historical past within the Saab story, a few of it good and a very good bit that’s frustratingly unhappy. We gained’t go into all that within the confines of at present’s dialogue however will go as far as to acknowledge that the 2001 Saab 9-3 Viggen (Thunderbolt) we’re contemplating is a particular high-performance version named after the Saab 37 single-seat fighter jet, giving it much more props towards the mannequin’s plane ancestry.
According to the advert, this Viggen is one in every of simply 2,932 constructed between 1999 and 2002. Per SaabWorld specs, that is additional one in every of simply 207 Steel Gray convertibles offered within the U.S. in 2001. The metallic paint is paired with a black canvas high that includes a glass rear window and a charcoal inside with leather-based seating surfaces and Viggen logos embossed on the backrests of all 4 seats. Those again seats may be rendered inaccessible by the position of the manufacturing facility wind-blocker over the house, thus turning the automobile right into a two-seat sportster with a big screened-in porch for additional baggage.
From the manufacturing facility, the Viggen managed a wholesome 230 horsepower from its 2.3-liter 16-valve 4. A fats Mitsubishi turbocharger feeding an intercooled consumption builds that corral. This automobile may need some further afterburner inbuilt as the vendor claims various “tasteful upgrades” have been made. Those embody a Stage 3 ECU tune, a larger-capacity intercooler, and a fatter downpipe, all for getting extra of the great things within the cylinders and packing a much bigger punch. The work is alleged to have been finished professionally and inside simply the final 5,000 miles.
Helping hold the 9-3 dancing and never doing the Swedish Swerve is what’s described as a Viggen “Rescue Kit” comprising strut and underbody stabilizers and embiggened anti-sway bars. The advert says the automobile runs on contemporary Continental meats and has had correct upkeep its whole life. The convertible high works, as evidenced by the photographs, and has new hydraulics to make sure it retains doing so. It additionally comes with a clear title and the boast of it being a “literal rocket ship” when referred to as upon. And sure, the ignition key’s between the seats, making it a correct Saab, even when there’s a whole lot of Opel beneath the skirts.
The vendor says this Viggen is likely one of the greatest within the nation and claims to be in no hurry to be rid of it. We’ll have to guage if an $18,900 price ticket is a part of that reluctance. What do you say? Is this supposedly greatest Viggen price that type of money? Or does that worth make this one Thunderbolt that’s shockingly costly?
You resolve!
Washington DC Craigslist, or go right here if the advert disappears.
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Source: jalopnik.com