When you are investing on bolt on modifications for your car, the butt dyno is generally enough to make it all worth it.  However, this is the internet, and people want to see numbers.  Well, thanks to a well known Saab YouTuber, today is the day we get to actually see some!  Jacob of Auto Autopsy recently purchased a 2008 Saab TurboX, and while the car is the top trim level for the range (and arguably the highest trim level of a car that Saab ever produced), he wanted a little more. After all, the car is over 10 years old at this point and has not led an easy life.

The Car

The TurboX was only made in 2008, in black, and only around 600 of them made it to the US in total.  It has a B284 2.8l turbocharged V6 engine that generated 280hp and 295lb/ft of torque at the crank when new.  That power is churned through a Haldex AWD system with an electronic wet clutch center differential and a rear eLSD.  This particular TurboX has a 6-speed manual transmission, making one of around 250 6-speed TurboX’s in America.  It’s not a light car by any means, so power makes a difference.  Curb weight is around 3800lbs.

Saab owners have always been eager to soup up their cars, because the format is so receptive to turning up the power.  Robust turbocharged engines and relatively inexpensive cost of entry make a used Saab a great opportunity to make a beast, and fortunately there are parts companies out there that eEuroparts.com has partnered with that are still supporting this brand.  Saab is not dead, contrary to popular belief!

Plans Plans Plans

Part 1 will establish the baseline, the starting point.  Auto Autopsy picked up some goodies from do88 and Krona to bolt on, and with a matching tune we will see what happens!

do88 is Sweden’s premier speed shop, specializing in performance induction systems for Saab and Volvo, with a catalog expanding into BMW, Audi, VW, and other European brands.  Just recently we highlighted do88’s huge BMW 2-series upgrade expansion, which feature several really beautiful pieces of kit.

Krona Performance manufactures top end exhaust systems, a must for any performance build.  Krona offers a variety of beautifully crafted metalwork to improve the sound and the flow over stock exhaust, and theyre handmade right here in the USA.

Let’s hit the dyno!

More on both of these companies later, for now we just want to show the beginning of the series which is the car in its base form.  It starts out with a questionable aftermarket engine tune and a rear muffler delete.  Watch as Jacob takes the TurboX to the local dyno on a hot Arizona day.  You may be surprised at what this 10 year old top of the line model is making for power to the wheels, even with these upgrades.

Now that we have the baseline, let’s install some performance parts in part 2, coming soon!!