The Saab 9-3 Viggen sports tourer is a new high performance variant of the Saab 9-3, developed to appeal to a small group of enthusiast drivers seeking enhanced driving characteristics and individual design above the offerings in the overall Saab 9-3 model range. Characterised by a highly responsive 2.3-litre turbocharged engine, an upgraded sports chassis and extensive aerodynamic treatment, the new Saab 9-3 Viggen is an exclusive niche car designed to provide a sports-touring experience out of the ordinary.

The new 9-3 Viggen is powered by Saab's latest four-cylinder turbocharged engine. The 2.3-litre engine produces 165 Kilowatts of power at 5500 rpm and 342 Newton-metres of torque all the way from 2500 rpm through to 4000 rpm. Such usable performance, allied to Saab's ability to build cars capable of covering long journeys quite effortlessly, makes the Saab 9-3 Viggen one of the quickest yet most relaxing sports tourers on the market.

To characterise the Saab 9-3 Viggen's appeal, Saab has given its newcomer a designation from the company's aviation history. The Viggen name — Swedish for "thunderbolt" — is also the designation for the Saab 37 Viggen jet fighter. The delta shaped Saab 9-3 Viggen symbol on the car's front wings is reminiscent of the 'double v' shape formed by the wings of the Viggen jet fighter. The symbol also appears on the door sill covers, engine cam cover and on the back rest of the seats.

Such a powerful expression of Saab driving values is also reflected in the new Saab 9-3 Viggen's aerodynamic treatment. Adopting a more purposeful and flattened stance, the new car combines an integrated deep front air dam, contoured side sills, deep wraparound rear bumper and rear spoiler to produce an aggressively sporting appearance. However, this change to the 9-3's appearance is more than simply cosmetic, it is part of a finely tuned aerodynamic package that improves road holding while delivering confidence-inspiring levels of high speed stability. Lift forces are reduced by more than 50 percent over the standard 9-3 model, while the drag coefficient is also bettered by 8 percent, to produce an aerodynamic Cd factor of 0.31.

Underneath the new body lies a specially tuned chassis that has been uprated to allow for the driver to fully enjoy the car's performance potential. Among the enhancements are re-rated springs, new dampers, as well as bigger 17-inch wheels, and improved steering feel that all contribute to the sports-touring tuning of the the new Saab 9-3 Viggen's chassis. Bigger brakes — ventilated and grooved for immediate response and consistent pedal feel — adds substantially to the driver control.

The interior has also been designed to reflect a more individual, sporting taste. Predominantly black, it features contrasting colour leather inserts in the door trims and in the seat covers. Both driver and passenger seats have been adapted to ensure a snug and comfortable driving position, irrespective of cornering forces, with deeply bolstered thigh and lateral side supports. Reinforcing the sporting appeal is the silver-grey fascia finish and leather-clad sports steering wheel.

The issue of safety has not been passed over, either. Apart from the car's thoroughly developed road holding that helps drivers avoid potential trouble initially, the new Saab 9-3 Viggen is equipped with an impressive array of crash safety equipment, a reflection of Saab's 50-year heritage of 'Real-life Safety' philosophy. The new Saab 9-3 Viggen is fitted with Saab's latest advances, including driver and passenger front airbags, seat mounted head and thorax side airbags and the award-winning Saab Active Head Restraint that reduces the risk of whiplash injuries in a rear end collision.

The Saab 9-3 Viggen has been created by a small specialist team within Saab Automobile dubbed Special Vehicle Operations, SVO. The team has coordinated the outside resources involved in the project. Britain's TWR Group has assisted in design and development, while the Valmet Automotive car assembly plant in Finland, where the Saab 9-3 Convertible is also currently assembled, is responsible for Viggen build and production.

"Our aim was to produce a low-volume niche product that would appeal to drivers with sporting aspirations, while retaining the Saab brand values that belong to our mainstream models," says SVO team leader Peter Leonard. "We were also looking for something that would adequately express our engineering history — especially the aircraft technology — that has inspired all Saab cars to date. So the use of the Viggen name from the Saab jet fighter seemed the most appropriate way to denote this most potent Saab 9-3 yet.

"I think we've been successful in creating a sports tourer that looks distinctive, has outstanding mid-range performance, handles precisely and yet still delivers a high level of ride comtort that can be appreciated by all passengers, ' Peter Leonard says.

In line with the niche positioning of the new Saab 9-3 Viggen, world-wide production is expected to be around 2500 vehicles per year, enhancing the car's premium niche position above the overall Saab 9-3 range.

The Saab 9-3 Viggen goes on sale in Australia later this year.