1985-1998 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
seems to be a match made in heaven. Although Saab doesn't admit anything, there were subtle hints around the company that some of the 92s were a cut above the others because the pots in the computer boxes were "optimized" on the bench. 92 was a year of flux for Saab, significant money problems re-tooling and style arguments and production wasn't pushed very hard. The airplane business (Saab 340), although separate, was going very well and pulled a lot of assets from the car line. Marketing/Engineering was trying to come up with a car that was attractive and performed well yet not too much of a cost to produce so the 92 and 93 configurations are essentially WIP cars-Works in Progress. The Aero was scheduled for 92 but there were not funds available. It was postponed 18 months and the test- development models were produced by SPG and sold as "production". I don't think many or any "officially" made it across the pond. This car seemed to just all come together and many European 9000s were "Tuned" by SPG and sold as CSTS and TSAs. These were 225-230 hp cars with stiff- very stiff suspension and went like crazy but the gearing held them to about 225-230 on the Autobahn. They got there in a big hurry though. Saab realized that the gearing was good for Europe but the sales were in North America. Marketing actually believed the Rocket Car (Aero) had to be geared up for American roads and economy so the gearing was made taller for North America only, until 94 models, then all markets were the same. You mention second gear, well fourth at 120-140 kms is one heck of a passing gear and third at 100 is frightening. These cars really needed TCS to prevent horrific torque steer and high speed wheel spin. Once I lit the TCS light at 140 Ks while passing on dry tarmac, tyres weren't bad either just whipped lanes too fast. I don't drive like that any more.
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