Every now and then, I’ll see a Saab pass me by in my daily travels and it brings a smile to my face. Sure, towards the end of their run here in the US, it was a sad story, but we may never see such a unique car manufacturer ever again. Saab reached its zenith back in the 1980s, continuing on with a tradition of turbocharging they began a decade earlier well before other car manufacturers caught on to this technology. Perhaps one of the most beloved turbocharged Saabs was the 900 SPG. This model included a stiffer suspension and three spoke alloy wheels, as well as leather interior, air condition and premium sound system as standard. The SPG was further differentiated from lesser 900s with its unique lower body kit. There is a rabid group of followers for this car, so finding a good one for sale can be a challenge. This example for sale in Washington state is a one-owner example, which is sure to set off a firestorm of interest.
Warning!
We have 15 years of archives. Links older than a year may have been updated to point to similar cars available to bid on eBay.Tag: Turbo
There was performance revolution that occurred rather quietly in the mid 2000s. You could argue that it was more evolutionary than revolutionary, but giant leaps in performance were seemingly the norm with every single release of a new model. The Audi S8 had 360 horsepower, and that was a lot – until the M5 had 400. Then the S8 had 450, and the M5 countered with 500 – and Mercedes-Benz was right there, too, with its supercharged V8s. These were power figures normally associated with supercars only a generation before. Heck, by the mid 2000s even the lowly Golf GTi had equivalent power to weight ratios with Porsche 911s from the 1980s. Speaking of Porsches, they had gone absolutely bonkers with their power levels. The last 930 had roughly 330 horsepower – still considered quite a lot in the late 80s – and weighed roughly 3,000 lbs. Sure, the subsequent generations got heavier and more complex as they bathed their occupants in every increasing levels of luxury. But then, the power increased too. By the time we got to the 3.6 Turbo S, power was 380. The 993 added a turbo for quicker spool up and went to even heavier all-wheel drive, yet with 400-450 horsepower, they were anything but slow. Power didn’t change much with the 996 at 410-450 horsepower depending on tune, but delivery was refined even more and they were even faster than the previous generation. The 997 kicked it up another notch, now with 470 to over 500 horsepower on tap – the best part of double the original 930, yet with daily driver tractability, modern convenience and all-wheel drive comfort and security. The 911 Turbo was no longer a widow-maker, but a precise surgical instrument of speed wrapped in a velvet glove with a sugary sweet coating for ease of use.
Another interesting trend was that through its transformation, all of the sudden people really started to appreciate the older cars more. The more complicated the 911 became – and it must in the market, you could argue – the more that people longed for the early days. That was especially true when it came to the changeover to the 996. The softening of the once impenetrable 911 Turbo fortress defenses to allow mere mortals to approach the limits of the car pushed many way; it didn’t help that the 996 wasn’t the prettiest thing to come out of Stuttgart, either. That meant that values started dropping and today these 911 Turbos are nothing short of a miraculous deal. For about the same money as a loaded Camry costs you can get into a thoroughbred rocketship. But if it were my money, I’d eye the successor to the 996; for a slight increase in purchase price, you get better performance, more features and most importantly a better looking exterior:
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2007 Porsche 911 Turbo on eBay
Comments closedFor years, Porsche’s Sonderwunsch (Special Wishes) division fulfilled the dreams of many enthusiasts, churning out examples of sports cars with rare options or models never produced by this manufacturer, such as two examples of the 993 Speedster and a 993 Turbo Cabriolet, of which 14 were built. Those rare drop tops, however, did not have the twin-turbo engine that was featured in the 993 Turbo and Turbo S. This 993 Turbo Cabriolet, however, does. It is a recreation, but a really good one at that. Nothing here screams aftermarket, but for Tuner Tuesday, we’re going to classify this car as such since underneath it is a C4 Cabriolet. Ever wondered “what if” if Porsche had pulled the trigger on this model?