The Saab 9-3 Viggen was introduced in 1998 in an attempt to compete with German rivals such as BMW and Mercedes. The reception from the automotive press at the time was both very positive and negative. Now there is a 9-3 Viggen for sale in the US.
The car initially boasted 228 horsepower, which was later updated to 233 horsepower, something that this 1999 model for sale in Montana, USA offers.
It is becoming increasingly rare
A total of 4,600 units of the 9-3 Viggen were produced, which was named after the aircraft with the same name – the Saab 37 Viggen. Of these 4,600, 2,932 units made their way to the US, of which 764 were in three-door format. The Viggen was also offered as a convertible and five-door.
When this 9-3 Viggen rolled out of the factory in Finland, it was only offered in three-door format and is therefore one of 426 cars for the 1999 model year for the US market.
When the automotive press test drove the car, the impressions were mixed, but mostly positive. British Evo had the car on a list of the ten worst cars they had ever driven. American Jalopnik instead called the Saab 9-3 Viggen “the last fantastic real Saab”.
The Saab 9-3 Viggen from 1999
The car for sale in Montana, USA is a Lightning Blue variant with 119,462 miles.
The car is not in top condition, but it participated in the Viggen Flight Academy on the Road Atlanta track – something that was offered to all buyers of the 9-3 Viggen. This car received a replacement transmission at 110,000 miles and a new engine at 114,000 miles.
It has also been involved in an accident in 2007 and has a lot of stone chips and scratches. The passenger door has a dent and the interior has seen better days.
With that said, a gearbox, wheels, and a long list of various spare parts that the seller has collected are included in the purchase.
