With the passage of time and the explosion of a new horsepower war, the 99 Turbo’s 143 horsepower turbocharged engine might not seem so revolutionary. However, think about when it was introduced: with a couple of exceptions, turbocharging was an exotic racing technology, and outside of that only four other automobile models utilized turbos before it. And unlike some of the Jekyl-and-Hyde personalities of other early turbo cars, Saab’s engineers worked hard to assure that the 99 Turbo had an even, predictable power curve. Saabaphiles will also be happy to know that this represents the homologation variant of the final official Saab rally car. The result is a highly intelligent vehicle; a thinking person’s sportscar incorporating cutting-edge technology. Saab’s front-wheel drive system also provides great traction in all conditions, without the typical drawback of torque steer—thank the north-south engine placement for that. Keeping the boost up, and maintaining momentum, are the keys to driving the 99 Turbo quickly. Driving the 99 Turbo isn’t the only way to appreciate it, though, because from every angle the Saab is a reminder of an era where it represented the melding of Saab’s long history of rally success with futuristic technology.
