Zander Drives Cars

It is no secret that Saab’s final few years were messy, to say the least. General Motors, even with good intentions, let the brand fall deeper and deeper into debt. It was an open secret as to how much money Saab lost GM, and yet somehow the brand managed to stay alive after the brand slaughter of 2009. Yet, in 2008, as the world seemed to collapse in on itself, Saab threw out one final hurrah, one last scream into the void: The 9-3 Turbo X.

The 9-3 Turbo X was based on the already high-performance 9-3 Aero models and utilized Saab’s AWD system that had been implemented into a majority of their fleet at the time. Side note, this is NOT the same system found in the 9-2x. I know it should be obvious, but people on r/saab seem to think otherwise. But what makes the Turbo X different than a regular AWD Aero comes in the shape of power. Instead of the 250hp V6 engines found in the Aeros’, the Turbo X got a 280hp V6, officially making it the most powerful Saab in history at the time.

Other differences between it and regular Aero models were the inclusion of special wheels, a special “TURBO X” badge on the trunk, and a lower ride height, along with various handling upgrades as well. Oh, Saab also took the Henry Ford approach to colors for the Turbo X. You could have any color you wanted as long as it was black. Fortunately, though, you did get the choices when it came to the transmission. You could either get an automatic that significantly brings the car’s 0-60 times down, or a 6-speed manual gearbox that won’t.

All this begs the question: why is it so rare? Well, it was estimated that Saab only made 2000 Turbo Xs for the 2008 model year, and roughly 600 of them made it stateside. The most common of them you’ll find will be the sedan with the autobox, but approximately 300 wagons exist in the wild as well, with an even fewer number being equipped with the manual. Have fun r/cars. Pricing-wise, they are some of the more expensive Saabs you’ll see for sale. Low-milage models regularly fetch over $25k but look hard enough, and you might find one for less than 20, contingent on the milage being higher than some might be comfortable with.

So, if you want one of these elusive Swedish battleaxes, your best bet is either SoCal or New England, specifically Vermont or New Hampshire. Do I have any data to back this up? No! Can I come to this conclusion because I’ve spent many a summer up there and have witnessed handfuls of Saabs at each traffic light? Yes. Tangent aside, if you find one and have the dedication to maintaining one, go buy it and save it from the junkyard.