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Date: Thu, 1 Apr 1999 11:33:44 -0500
From: "Mike Chiang" <spammersnopsam.die>
Subject: Re: Saabs are little bitch cars


Riff wrote in message <3703292D.E12FBD6nopsamsouth.net>... >You have never raced an abbotized SAAB. they smoke M-3's and you can >drive it in the rain too around corners, un like the RWD. Okay, I take it that an 'abbotized SAAB' is an aftermarket tuner's car? If you want to compare aftermarket tuned cars, even a lowly US Spec M3 running 12 lbs of boost from an Active Autowerks turbo will make 450 to the crank and do the quarter mile in ~12 seconds and top out at ~185 mph with proper gearing. I won't even get into the power potential of a Euro Spec M3 Evolution, already making WAY more power than the blown 6 in the 9-3 Viggen. If you want to compare stock cars, a 9-3 SE can't even keep up with a 328i let alone an M3 on a road course. Don't believe me? Check out the Feb '99 issue of Road and Track where the 328 puts the beat down on EVERY car in the comparo test and does it with LESS horsepower than all but one car (tied the Audi). The 328 ANNIHILATES the SAAB in the skidpad and slalom and dusts it in every acceleration category. It is quieter and gets better gas milage to boot. The SAAB comes out ahead slightly in braking, however, the ONLY category where it beats the 328. Every tuning step you make to a SAAB, I can make to an M3 or 328. When you start with the superior setup in the BMW, you will always be ahead. Has any (stock) SAAB ever even come CLOSE to a (stock) 3 series BMW's lap times around the Nurburgring? Perhaps they can best the 4 cylinder or diesel versions. As far as racing and FWD vs. RWD. Let me ask you this simple question. Why are RWD cars weight penalized for the sake of parity in Touring Car racing? Think about it. FWD can have its advantages in bad weather and low horsepower applications, but RWD ultimately is the superior sports setup. And those RWD F1 cars can't turn worth a damn in the rain, uh-huh. >I do like the layout in the BMW, though, but they aren't really that >neat of a car. Ugly as hell (most BMW's are) except the M1 and 800's Well, we were discussing performance, weren't we? Since there's really no way to argue asthetics (I happen to think SAABs look like ungainly, inelegant and shaped vaguely like a boot) so what really is the point of this? >anyway, check out the new SAAB Viggen 9-3 > >20 lbs of boost, and 240 hp and 290 ft lb of torque. According to the SAAB website, the 9-3 Viggen makes 225hp and 342NM of torque, which translates to 252 ft-lbs. Not bad for a blown 2.3 but nothing very impressive at all. Even a 1991 E30 M3 Evo 2.5 made 230hp from a *naturally* aspirated 4 cylinder. Really, people. Don't try comparing SAAB and BMW on a performance level. Compare features or resale value or dealership network or cupholders or whatever else. They are fine cars for the money, but can't touch BMWs when it comes to real driving, stock *or* modified. Mike Chiang BMW M3 SCCA, BMWCCA

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