Saab returns to motorsport

This year’s inaugural TTA - Racing Elite League will see a quartet of Saab 9-3 race cars on the grid.

Developed by Flash Engineering and Team Tidö, and running under the ‘Tribute2Saab’ banner, the team will battle against BMW, Citroën and Swedish rival Volvo in the eight-event series.

Saab 9-3 TTA 2012 Front Side 1Saab 9-3 TTA 2012 Rear Side 1

Saab 9-3 TTA 2012 Rear Side 2Saab 9-3 TTA 2012 Front Side 2

Of course, Saab’s recent fall into receivership and an uncertain future mean it’s not a works entry, although there is support from the newly-created Saab Parts enterprise and the Swedish Saab Dealer Network.

Not that factory backing is necessarily a prerequisite for competing in the TTA, because all of the cars use a common rear-wheel drive space-frame chassis, V6 engine, kinetic energy recovery system and aerodynamic kit. Only the carbon fibre bodywork is unique.

Jan “Flash” Nilsson, Managing Director of Flash Engineering and one of the Saab 9-3 TTA drivers, said: “I have longed for 40 years to see the fight between Saab and Volvo on the race tracks. It becomes reality this summer and my biggest dream is to get all Saab fans to the TTA races to cheer us on.”

Mattias Andersson and Linus Ohlsson have also been named as drivers for the team, with the fourth yet to be revealed.

Related posts:
Volvo reveals the S60 TTA
Saab 9-5 upgraded for 2012
Saab 9-4X unveiled

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts:

Saab 9-3 Aero Carlsson

Image
Saab has got experience of producing special editions in honour of rally driver Erik Carlsson, having previously named versions of the 900 and 9000 after him during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Now it has decided to do it again, this time to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the Swedish driver’s first win in Britain’s RAC Rally, which was achieved at the wheel of a Saab 96. Thankfully, the company has resisted the urge to just bung some fancy alloys and a few other extra bits onto something like a mid-range diesel model. Instead, it appears to have resurrected the limited edition Turbo X from a couple of years ago, as the new edition similarly features a turbocharged 2.8 litre petrol V6, Saab’s XWD all-wheel drive system and a six-speed automatic gearbox. The result is the 9-3 Aero Carlsson saloon, which turns out to be a very rapid car. With 276 bhp (205 kW / 280 PS) and a healthy 400 Nm of torque, the 0-60 mph (96 km/h) dash takes just 6.9 seconds. But it’s in the mid-range t...
Read more

American spec Fiat 500

Image
Fiat has released the first details and images of the North American specification 500. The tiny city car will be available in Pop, Lounge and Sport trim levels, and is distinguished from the European version by its more aggressive front and rear bumpers, bigger grille and flared sills. Another unique feature is the engine. Fiat has decided to use the 1.4 MultiAir unit currently found in models such as the Fiat Punto Evo and Alfa Romeo MiTo. Perhaps it felt that using the forthcoming two-cylinder TwinAir in the American 500 would have been too much for markets there to take? There’s no word yet on what power output the MultiAir will have, although in its current applications it comes with either 103 bhp (77 kW / 105 PS), 133 bhp (99 kW / 135 PS) or 167 bhp (125 kW / 170 PS). Similarly, prices have yet to be confirmed, but hopefully both details will have been sorted out by the time the order book for the 500 hatch opens later this year. For convertible fans, the 500C is due ...
Read more

i10 N Line versus the Up! GTI

Image
Hyundai has confirmed specifications and pricing for its sporty i10 N Line. This new variant – which arrives at dealers later this month – benefits from some cosmetic tweaks, unique suspension components and a more powerful 1.0 litre T-GDi turbocharged petrol engine.
Read more