What's Your Wheels?
Monday, November 18, 2013 by Jafo | Discussion: Life, the Universe and Everything
Terry named this 'Sabrina' .... bit of a play on words, I expect.
2007 SAAB 9-3 Aero Cabriolet.
Price was too good to refuse, being 70k AUD off the '07 listed price.
Quaintly...although SAAB is Swedish....this one's German...and the Engine was made in Port Melbourne [Australia] just a 'couple of miles down the road' from me.
Fitted with a Hirsch performance chip the 2.8l V6 Turbo Intercooled produces 202kw [276 hp] at 5670 rpm - or 90% of the 400 nm of torque from 1600 rpm onwards. They typically don't 'rate' in pursuits such as 0 to 60 times as the first 2 gears of 6 are torque-limited to protect the transmission from ...er .... abuse.
SAAB's are massively underrated and/or overlooked by people looking for performance motoring - and more fool them....keeps their prices down...
For the best-of-both-worlds we've kept 'Natasha' - the '91 SAAB 9000 Turbo [a Giugiaro design] too as it does seat 5 and with a hatchback it can carry all the 'crap' needed when loaded up with 4 Race Officials heading off to the GrandsPrix, etc...
So....
What's your ride? ....
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Reply #62 Tuesday, November 26, 2013 9:21 AM
Number 8 ....which I still have....and dollar for dollar the cheapest car I've ever owned.
1991 [92 reg] SAAB 9000 Turbo. 200hp from 2.3l 4 with a 4sp auto ...all the fancy bits...even 5 star ANCAP without an airbag.
Pic is NQR ...think sunroof and gunmetal colour...er....and RHD...
22 years old and still going strong...about 220,000 km.
Reply #64 Tuesday, November 26, 2013 2:14 PM
I roll in a 2013 Toyota Prius. It's pretty badass. I gas up half as often as I used to and when I do I pay half as much at the pump. Gets me to work and back to pay the bills.
Reply #65 Sunday, December 1, 2013 7:49 PM
Quoting Jafo,
reply 54
a 1964 Triumph Spitfire 4 Mk1
I'm experiencing some serious jealousy here.
It was the Spitty that inspired me to get into 'rag-tops' once more.....with the 9-3 Aero. Needless to say there's quite a difference in the two....the only advantage going to the Spitty was I used to do EVERYTHING on that car myself. The Aero's 6 computers would be enough to get me nervous tackling it.
A bit of a comparison....the Spitty's gearing was 4000rpm in 4th = 64 mph .....and if you were going downhill it 'might' manage 95.
The Aero is at 2000rpm at about 64 mph [6th] .....and is now rated at 155 mph.
The Mk 1s and 2s were a bit 'pedestrian'....but by the time they got to 3 and 4 they were quite 'neat'. Whoever thought up those early tail lights should have been shot. They'd break/fall off if you just looked at them too hard.....and the external weld seams were both cheap AND ugly.... and who thought it would be a good idea to put the fuel filler in the middle of the car right next to a PLASTIC back window?...
Reply #67 Monday, December 2, 2013 8:30 AM
I've had this a while now. Important stats for me, 44mpg around town, 80mpg+ at 50mph...
Reply #68 Monday, December 2, 2013 8:55 AM
I managed 44 in the Spitty once....on the highway....eons ago...way before unleaded, etc....twin 1 1/2" SUs with the chokes removed.
The Aero isn't 'quite' that good...
Reply #70 Monday, December 2, 2013 10:40 PM
Yep....as long as GM keeps away from them all will be fine...
My 9-3 is GM vintage....the car's made in Germany and the engine in Holden's [GM] works in Port Melbourne...
Reply #71 Monday, December 2, 2013 11:21 PM
yep... sounds like you got the gem...
watched that show 'Auction' the other day.... it was on the Motorclassica at the Melbourne Exhibition Building....
out of all the magnificent cars there... my pick was simple.. 
but the silver Porsche was lovely too...
Reply #72 Thursday, December 5, 2013 4:38 AM
[quote who="Jafo" reply="68" id="3423458"]
I managed 44 in the Spitty once....on the highway....eons ago...
WOW! 44mph in one of those is scary!! Lucky you lived to tell the tale!! 
Reply #73 Thursday, December 5, 2013 5:14 AM
About to celebrate my 5th year anniversary of being free from the "joys" of car ownership. 
All that wasted time and money when I could be playing on the computer instead...
Reply #76 Thursday, December 5, 2013 7:07 PM
Yes....I could have been going backwards.
Speaking of which....I HAVE managed close to 60mph in 'reverse' in my first Spitty .... after breaking a rear axle at 60 and losing the wheel....
Didn't have the 'luxury' of doing it on a racetrack either....it was on the highway.
Never DID find the wheel....
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Reply #61 Tuesday, November 26, 2013 9:09 AM
Number 7 ....a red '87 Corolla....1600cc 5sp manual - at last something with air-con. First foray into FWD cars.....not exactly enough grunt to induce real torque-steer ...
In-laws still have it...until they give up driving....[getting on]...