2002 Saab 9-3 SE Turbo (modified Viggen-style sleeper)
115
Winning bid
£2,400
2002 Saab 9-3 SE Turbo (modified Viggen-style sleeper)
Highlights
Modified ‘sleeper’ build
Extremely rare Daytona alloys
‘Aero’ black leather interior
Viggen style bodykit
The Appeal
Saabs have always been the left-field, interesting choice for the discerning motorist. And their Aero, HOT and limited edition Viggen models are stylish, subtle and highly collectible performance vehicles.
This sleeper project pays homage to those cars with its low-key external modifications but brutally effective mechanical upgrades. It makes this car a serious powerhouse and a great opportunity for the Saab lovers out there.w1G2Zm2iJasbnhQcWMpcstx7FK6CMONOSaQyMc8O.jpeg698.83 KB
The History and Paperwork
First registered in March 2002
Current owner since January 2019
Work carried out by 2Stroke Autocare (a Saab specialist)
Owner’s handbooks included
Two sets of keys
Some invoices for work undertaken
Current V5C
While we cannot confirm it from the paperwork, the owner assures us that this car has had £20,000 worth of performance modification work carried out on it, about 25,000 miles ago, by 2Stroke Autocare. This includes upgrades to the engine and transmission.
Benefitting from upgraded smart black leather seats from an Aero edition, this 9-3 has been kept subtle inside as well as out. The seats are in good condition, with some light age-related wear to the front seats (particularly the driver’s bolsters, as is usually the case), but otherwise presenting very well. The rear seats look to be in excellent condition.
These are complemented throughout with grey carpet and black over-mats, which are in decent overall condition, just being in need of a good valet to bring them back to their best.
At the back, the boot is similarly finished in grey carpet which looks to be in very good condition. That large boot offers plenty of luggage space and the cabin too is roomy and light. The boot contains a spare wheel alongside the CD autochanger unit.
Finished in grey and black vinyl, the door cards look well, with a few minor nicks, scuffs and blemishes, but no notable damage. Likewise the dash plastics and other cabin trims are undamaged and complete, with the usual signs of wear from use that you’d expect in a vehicle of this age.
The door cards and dash feature the SE model’s wood veneer trim, which is all present and correct. There is some scuffing to the wood trim on the driver’s door, but other than that it appears to be in fine fettle.
Looking up at the headlining, it appears undamaged and tight, with no signs of sagging or damage we could see. Other than a couple of minor blemishes, it has no staining and presents very well.
All the controls, switchgear and instrumentation present nicely, with legible dials and no significant wear to any of the switches or buttons. We’re assured by the owner that everything in the cabin functions just as it should, with no issues they are aware of.
With the unique styling that runs across the entire Saab range, this 9-3 is a handsome and practical 5-door hatch. Finished in silver grey metallic paint and with the addition of the Viggen style bodykit, it really does make for a discreet sleeper.
The paintwork and bodywork is in decent condition for the vehicle’s age. Naturally, there are some blemishes, scuffs, stone chips and marks, but there was no notable damage or corrosion that we could see. At the wheel arches and door jambs, there are small signs of bubbling and some surface corrosion beginning to form, but it appears to be minor at the moment.
Underneath, the car looks solid and straight, although there is the usual surface corrosion you always see under cars of this age. The exhaust and rear anti-roll bar are affected a little more, but everything else appears to be in reasonable condition.
Those lovely 17” Daytona alloy wheels are very rare, and look excellent on the car. They’re shod in ‘nearly new’ Continental tyres, so there should be plenty of life left in them.
As a ‘sleeper’ style modified car, the majority of work has been discreetly carried out under the bonnet. The owner tells us that all the work was carried out by 2Stroke Autocare, a Saab specialist, about 25,000 miles ago at a cost of some £20,000.
Some of the work the vendor tells us has been completed includes:
Installation of a lightened / balanced Aero engine with 2.3 cylinder head
High flow fuel injectors with remap
Reconditioned 5-speed manual transmission
Fitting of more robust Viggen flywheel and clutch
Installation of a Quaif limited-slip differential
We’re also assured the car was serviced approximately 1,000 miles ago. There are signs of a slight oil leak at the top end of the engine, but otherwise the engine bay looks tidy and undamaged.
Saab’s 9-3 Turbo was always a fine car - interesting and different when many competitors were a little bland. The fact that this model has been modified to bolster those stylish looks with some real performance makes it quite unique.
Sure to be an attractive proposition both to Saab enthusiasts and fans of sleeper style cars alike, this stylish and understated performance car has bags of potential.
