Saab 9³ Viggen Pikes Peak - Motorsports Almanac

Saab 9³ Viggen Pikes Peak Pikes Peak Open/Unlimited class
Per Eklund won his class, and came home second overall, on the 2000 Pikes Peak hill climb.
Technical Specifications (2000)
For Pikes Peak, Saab, Per Eklund, have
teamed with Trollspeed of Trollhättan to
create the most powerful Saab ever – an allwheel
drive 9-3 Viggen with a Saab
Ecopower 2.0-liter engine that delivers 750
horsepower at 8,000 rpm and 518 Ib.-ft. of
torque at 6,500 rpm. With this amount of
power, all-wheel drive and a 6-speed
sequential shift transmission, the 9-3
Viggen's acceleration is in the Formula One
class: 0-60 mph in 2.3 seconds. The car is
geared for a top speed of 155 mph. The
vehicle is constructed on a very strong
tubular frame that gives both high torsional
stiffness and good protection. The protection
can be useful if anything goes wrong - the
race up Pikes Peak is quite fast (the average
speed of last year's winner was nearly 75
mph) and the course is entirely lacking in
safety railings. "If you happen to get one
skid too many," notes Eklund, "you're not in
the way to obstruct the guys coming up
behind you.
CHASSIS
Type : Steel tube space frame, carbon fibre floor.
Body : Carbon fibre panels
ENGINE
Type : 4-cylinder in-line, chain-driven DOHC, 4VPC, longitudinal.
Preparation : Trollspeed, Sweden
Capacity : 2046 cc
Bore x Stroke : 92.00 x 77.00 mm
Max Power : 750 PS @ 8000 rpm (at 3.0 bar or 42.8 psi)
Max Torque : 702.3 Nm (518 ft lbs) @ 6500 rpm
Compression Ratio : 9.0:1
Turbo : Garrett T04S
Fuel : 115-octane Elf.
TRANSMISSION
Layout : Front engine, longitudinally mounted, four-wheel drive.
Gearbox : 6-speed Prodrive, H-pattern shift.
Final drive : Programmable electro-hydraulically controlled Prodrive active differentials.
SUSPENSION
Front : MacPherson struts, fully adjustable shock absorbers with remote reservoirs,
Rear : MacPherson strut with longitudinal and transverse link, fully adjustable shock absorbers
with remote reservoirs.
BRAKES
Front and rear : Ventilated discs, 6-pot calipers, Ferodo pads
Rear : Ventilated discs, 4-pot calipers, Ferodo pads
WHEELS
Front and rear : OZ
TYRES
Front and rear : Pirelli
STEERING
Type : Power assisted rack and pinion.
DIMENSIONS
Curb Weight : 948 kg / 2090 lbs
PERFORMANCE
Top Speed : 249.4 kph / 155.0 mph
Acceleration 0-60 mph : 2.3 seconds

SAAB ENTERS PER EKLUND IN THE PIKES PEAK HILL CLIMB CLASSIC 07/2000
On July 4, Swedish veteran champion race car driver Per Eklund will pilot a modified Saab 9-3 Viggen in the Pikes Peak Open class
of the 78'h running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb – the second oldest automobile race in the U.S.A. With a 750-HP
Saab Ecopower 2.0-liter engine, this Viggen is the most powerful Saab automobile ever.
NORCROSS, Ga. - The route to the top of Pikes Peak is not a challenge for the faint-of- heart. It's a 1 2-mile course of
both pavement and gravel that starts at an elevation of 9,402 feet and ends at 14,110 feet. Known as "The Race to
the Clouds," this event is the second oldest automobile race in the U.S. (after the Indianapolis 500) and features 156
turns with no guardrails. For the event, Saab and 1999 European Rallyaoss Champion, Per Eklund, have teamed with
Trollspeed of Trollhättan to create the most powerful Saab ever – an all-wheel drive 9-3 Viggen with a Saab Ecopower
2.0-liter engine that delivers 750 horsepower at 8,000 rpm and 518 Ib.-ft. of torque at 6,500 rpm. With this amount
of power, all-wheel drive and a 6-speed sequential shift transmission, the 9-3 Viggen's acceleration is in the Formula
One class: 0-60 mph in 2.3 seconds. The car is geared for a top speed of 155 mph. The vehicle is constructed on a
very strong tubular frame that gives both high torsional stiffness and good protection. The protection can be useful if
anything goes wrong, the race up Pikes Peak is quite fast (the average speed of last year's winner was nearly 75 mph)
and the course is entirely lacking in safety railings. "If you happen to get one skid too many," notes Eklund, "you're not
in the way to obstruct the guys coming up behind you." Eklund labors under a handicap compared to the local and
veteran drivers: he's only recently seen the hill for the first time. However, he was able to make a few practice runs
in early June and is excited about his chances. "I'm really looking forward to competing in this race," said Eklund.
"Although it's in the middle of the European Rallycross series, it's a great opportunity to test my skills and this car
against some of the best in the world. I expect top results."
History of the Race to the Clouds
The first automobile to make it to the top of Colorado's Pikes Peak was a Locomobile Steamer in 1901. It took nine
hours to drive, and push, the vehicle to the top. The first race was held in 1916 and the fastest time was 18 minutes,
24 seconds. The current race record is 10 minutes, 4.06 seconds set in 1994 by Pikes Peak veteran racer Rod Millen.
Per Eklund Bio
Per Eklund competed in his first rally race in 1964 in his father's driving school car, three weeks after receiving his
driver's license. Before that, he rode as a co-driver/navigator for his father, Torsten, and his brother, Lars. He began
competing in a Saab two-stroke in 1966 and started driving a factory-sponsored Saab in 1970. Throughout the 1970s,
Eklund was one of Saab's most successful factory drivers and won the 1976 Swedish Rally in a Saab 96. Eklund has
exceptional breadth as a driver and has won Swedish championships in rallying, hill climbing and rallycross. He has
started more than 100 World Championship events. When Saab stopped its participation in the World Championships
in rally in 1979, Eklund was immediately offered a place on many of Europe's rally teams. His first assignment was to
develop and compete in a Fiat Ritmo for the Italian car producer. Eklund had similar assignments with Volkswagen,
which launched Golf GTI at that time, Triumph, Datsun/Nissan and Toyota. Eklund is still extremely successfully,
having won the Swedish Rallycross Championship in 1997 in a Saab 900 and the European Rallycross Championship in
1999 in a Saab 9-3.
THE PIKES PEAK SAAB 9-3 VIGGEN 26/04/2004
The Pikes Peak Saab 9-3 Viggen was built for the classic Pikes Peak Hillclimb in Colorado Springs, USA. The race starts
at 2800 meters of altitude and the finish is at 4300 meters. It is a spaceframe construction, clad with carbonfibre
panels. The rallycross car used in the Euro series by Per Eklund is based on a production car but nothing remains from
the production car for this car. The car is built at Eklund’s shop in Arvika, Sweden. The body panels are made by Saab
in their experimental department. Three data boxes manage’s the engine, transmission and datalogging. The high
altitude at Pikes Peak, with the thin air experienced at 2000-4000 meters, makes the event special. The engine loses
40% of the power at high altitude. Therefore the Saab is using a giant turbocharger to be able to keep up the boost all
the way to the top. This means also the engine cooling becomes marginal so beside the driver is a large water tank,
used for additional cooling, by spraying the water cooler and intercooler. The cooling system pressure is also raised to
between 2 and 3 bars. The Saab in-line 4 engine is developeing 750-760 PS and creating 700 Nm of torque. It is
installed longitudinal to fit the running gear which comes from Prodrive, the 6-speed gearbox is shifted in a normal Hpattern.
When the car ran in the Pikes Peak Open class, it closely resembled a normal road 9-3 Viggen on the outside.
For 2002 it was entered in the unlimited class and more aggressive wings were installed. They create a downforce
over 400 kg at sea level. Without the wings, Per felt the car was very loose in the corners.
BLOW HARD By Ken Juran
Yes Virginia, the turbocharger is still a viable alternative for generating lots of horsepower and torque from a small
engine with good fuel economy. But sometimes it takes a racetrack to prove it. If you must get jostled around inside
a rally car, we know firsthand that it's a hoot with Per Eklund at the wheel of his Pikes Peak racer. If my right foot
slips off the roll cage brace, it could take out a loom of braided cable that connects expensive engine management
electronics to the all-wheel-drive Saab rally-style race car that I'm being rattled around in. That was the warning
from the technician who strapped me in. But it's all I can do to hold on, much less concentrate on the exact
placement of my foot. My helmet is being pounded into the upper roll cage tubing. A five-point harness keeps me
only semisnug in a makeshift racing seat that's bolted down where a passenger seat would normally be. But this car
isn't designed for passengers. Per Eklund, 2000 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb Open Class champion, is in the
driver's seat performing a literal ballet with the steering wheel, the shifter and the pedals. He's throwing us into
corners and spooling up the big-rig diesel-size turbo with abandon, as if we were running on a dirt course in the
Mojave desert. But we're actually slipping, sliding and four-wheel drifting—on treaded, knobby off-road tires—around
Road Atlanta, the famous road racing track in Braselton, Ga. The "brap" from the sewer-size exhaust pipe echoes off
the retaining walls and through the surrounding hills like thunder. Boy, are we having fun. These particular hot laps
were actually just that, for fun. But they sure convinced us that it's possible to churn nearly 800 hp from a four-

cylinder engine. Sure, Eklund's car runs on fancy 115-octane Elf racing fuel, but Saab turbocharged street cars have
been burning pump gas since 1977. That was the year Saab introduced the first mass-produced turbo for passenger
cars, in the 99 Turbo model. And that first turbo, as well as every Saab turbo since, has been supplied by Garrett
Engine Boosting Systems (www.egarrett.com). Garrett has brought Eklund, his Saab 9-3 Viggen Pikes Peak racer, a
slew of production Saabs, one competitor's car and us here to demonstrate the benefits and latest improvements of
turbocharging technology. A team of Panoz Racing School instructors is on hand to offer driving tips and handle
logistics as we're marched through an autocross, acceleration tests, road racing laps, a slalom and an emergency lane
change maneuver. They're all designed to reveal the subtle differences of driving with high- and low-pressure turbo
engines versus naturally aspirated ones.
Can We Torque?
So what did we find out? Well, in addition to the well-known benefit of delivering exceptional fuel economy and
producing prodigious amounts of horsepower, turbocharged engines also make lots of torque. Usable torque, at that.
The kind that's needed for exiting tight corners on a race track or for maintaining a car's balance through a slalom.
Unfortunately, these types of situations rarely occur in real-world driving. On the street, the turbo story boils down
to lower emissions (especially on diesel applications), the aforementioned fuel economy, fun and convenience. Sure,
you have to alter your driving style a little if you're accustomed to the instant throttle response of a naturally
aspirated V8. But when that high-pressure turbo spools up, it feels like there are two inline Fours under the hood.
Then there are low-pressure turbos that can make a four-cylinder feel like a Six but still return those high mpg
numbers. When driving on the highway in a turbocharged car equipped with a manual transmission, you never have to
downshift for passing or climbing grades. Just dip into the throttle and let the turbo do the work. On a long trip spent
threading through traffic, that can be a real boon. Garrett still believes that it can convince us stubborn American
drivers to give up our big ol' V8 gas guzzlers and replace them with little four-banger gas and diesel turbos. You know,
the kind that are so popular in Europe. Problem is, we all remember some of the first turbo applications that the
domestic manufactures tried to sell here in the United States. Remember the early '80s turbocharged Dodge Caravans
and K-cars? Oy. So most carmakers, have given up trying to market them. The sales figures just don't add up in the
mainstream family-car markets. Just Saab and a handful of others—Volvo, Audi, VW, Subaru and the exotics—still
believe in the technology and the benefits it offers. To that end, Saab continues to work with Garrett to advance the
acceptance of turbos.
So What's New?
Forget about what you remember of old turbos. The newest wave of these compressors, are light-years ahead with all
kinds of advancements. Principle among them, are variable-vane and nozzle types and electronically controlled and
electrically assisted versions. Dr. S.M. Shahed, Garrett's vice president of advanced technology, says the company's
smallest turbo can spin up to a whopping 280,000 rpm. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to imagine the kind of
heat produced under those conditions and how difficult it must be to keep the bearings lubricated. Shahed says his
engineers don't care what kind of oil (organic or synthetic) an engine is designed to run with. Garrett turbos run with
whatever oil is available. To reduce the likelihood of coking the oil on engine shutdown (a longtime problem of
turbochargers), Garrett has developed an integral shield on the hot exhaust side of its turbos to dissipate heat away
from the bearings. Shahed says the next step is toward employing air bearings, which should require no lubrication
because there is no physical contact of components. Garrett is working on a sheetmetal housing for its turbos to
eliminate conventional cast aluminum. The result is less heat absorption from the exhaust gases, which speeds up
cold-start catalyst warmup and emissions reduction. The only thing holding up this advancement is the final design of
a collar around the turbo shaft that makes up for the lower burst strength of the thinner sheetmetal. Electronics will
eventually take over where vacuum controls leave off. Garrett produces different types of turbos that adjust
themselves depending on the load of the engine. This helps to reduce the dreaded "turbo lag," that second or so
between when you dip into the accelerator pedal and you actually feel the engine pull harder. By sensing engine load
and controlling the turbo with fast, sophisticated sensors and actuators rather than engine vacuum, turbo lag will
eventually become just a footnote in engineering text. Garrett has also developed an electrically assisted turbocharger
that doesn't rely solely on exhaust gas flow energy. At low engine speeds, an electronically controlled
electric motor responds to engine load and boosts the turbo up to high-pressure speeds. At high engine speeds that
produce enough exhaust flow to spin the turbo's turbine, the overrunning motor can be used as a supplementary
generator for the vehicle's electrical system.
The Hard Facts
Most of these high-tech turbo systems are already in use on heavy-duty diesel applications. But Garrett feels they
would be just as beneficial, if not more so, on passenger-car engines, both gas and diesel. Shahed showed us graph
after graph of data supporting the argument. One of his figures was astounding: Internal combustion engines need
9000 gallons of air for every gallon of fuel in order to run efficiently. Naturally aspirated engines must draw this air in
on their own. So adding a turbo speeds up the process and, literally, takes a load off the engine, which saves fuel. All
other factors being equal, Shahed says, turbodiesel-powered cars get 50 percent better fuel economy than equivalent
gas-engine cars. He says he graphed the fuel economy figures for some 200 European cars, which showed that the
average improvement in fuel economy for turbocharged models versus nonturbos is 10 percent. Yet another chart
illustrated that the usable torque of a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine is better than that of a 3.0-liter nonturbo engine.
PER EKLUND WINS THE 78 TH ANNUAL HILL CLIMB CLASSIC IN PPO AND SECOND OVERALL
Per Eklund won the 2000 Pikes Peak Open Class
Pike's Peak, Colorado, July 16, 2000 - Saab’s Per Eklund Wins Th Open Class Of 78th Annual Adelphia Pikes Peak
International Hill Climb. Behind the wheel of an Ecopower Saab 9-3 Viggen, Per Eklund, the 1999 European Rallycross
Champion, realized his dream of competing at Pikes Peak. In an impressive rookie performance, he captured first
place in the Open Class, set a new record for the division and finished with the second fastest overall time of the day
— 11:21.58. For Swede Per Eklund, dreams really do come true. In his first time racing the fabled Adephelia Pikes

Peak International Hill Climb, Eklund won the Open Class and finished with the second fasted overall time of the day.
"This has been my dream. I started rally racing 36 years ago, and this is my biggest victory," said Eklund. That’s quite
a statement considering he is the reigning European Rallycross Champion. “This 9-3 Viggen was perfect today,” he
added. “Even at this elevation, the high-output turbo engine was very powerful. A careful right foot sure helped me
today.” The Saab Ecopower 2.0-liter engine helped Eklund set the Open Class record. It had been broken earlier in
the day by Paul Choiniere. He finished at 11:26.05 in his Hyundai Tiburon a few minutes before Eklund came
screeching across the finish line in 11:21.58. Larry Ragland, driver of the Vortec-powered GMC Envoy with an Inline 6cylinder
engine, captured first-place overall with a time of 11:17.66. The route to the top of Pikes Peak is not a
challenge for the faint-of-heart. It’s a 12-mile course of both pavement and gravel that starts at an elevation of 9,402
feet and ends at 14,110 feet. Known as “The Race to the Clouds,” this event is the second oldest automobile race in
the U.S. (after the Indianapolis 500) and features 156 turns with no guardrails.
PER EKLUND'S SAAB 9-3 VIGGEN IN UPHILL BATTLE AT PIKE'S PEAK
Mechanical Gremlins Prevent Peak Performance
Pike's Peak, Colorado, June 30, 2001 - Per Eklund (Saab-Garrett) had a good run going in the Pike's Peak Open class, just
as planned all year long. Then "the wheels came off", so to speak. First he hit a rock that flattened a tire. Undaunted,
Per pressed on. Then his gearbox broke, leaving him with only first and second gear. No problem. Then a power
steering belt broke making the drive a little more strenuous at the top. In spite of the eventfulness of the run, Per
still eclipsed the finish line in 12:08.30, only 36 seconds slower than his winning and record setting time of 11:28.58
set last year. That record still stands as 2001 winner Jean Pierre Richelmi (Toyota Carolla-Toyota) won the 2001
version with a time of 11:34.51. 2001 was a very uneventful year for Garrett Racing Turbos. But on the bright side,
Per Eklund's record in Pike's Peak Open class still stands, and the overall hill record of Rod Millen (Pennzoil Toyota-
Garrett) still stands as well at 10:04.06.
2002 PIKES PEAK PREVIEW
Swedish rallycross racer Per Eklund will return to Colorado to compete in the 2002 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on
Saturday, June 29. At the wheel of the most powerful Saab car an all-wheel-drive, 750-hp Saab 9-3 Viggen former open-class
winner Eklund will now be competing in the unlimited class during his third race on the mountain.
Norcross, GA - Known as "The Race to the Clouds," the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is a unique challenge to man
and machine. It's a 12.4-mile course of both pavement and gravel that starts at an elevation of 9,402 feet and ends at
14,110 feet, featuring 156 turns with no guardrails. Former European Rallycross champion Per Eklund captured a win
during his first entry in the fabled hill climb, racing to the finish line in an open-class record time in 2000. After
suffering a blown tire last year, but still finishing second in his class, Eklund is confident that he has a strong chance
at setting a new record on the mountain this year. For the event, Saab and Eklund have fine-tuned the same race car
that tackled the mountain the two previous races. It's the most powerful Saab ever an all-wheel-drive 9-3 Viggen with
a Garrett turbocharged Saab 2.0-liter engine that delivers 750 horsepower at 8,000 rpm and 545 lb.-ft. of torque at
6,500 rpm. With this amount of power, all-wheel drive and a 6-speed sequential-shift transmission, the 9-3 Viggen's
acceleration is in the Formula One class: 0-60 mph in 2.3 seconds. The car is geared for a top speed of 155 mph. The
vehicle is constructed on a sturdy tubular frame that gives both high torsional stiffness and good crash protection.
This year marks the 80th running of the second oldest automobile race in the U.S. (after the Indy 500) at Pikes Peak.
Speeds on the course can reach in excess of 100 mph on the few short straightaways, although 42 percent of the
course is curves, including many first- and second-gear switchbacks. "In the unlimited class this year, we were
allowed to make more modifications to the car's aerodynamics," Eklund said. "We have created more downforce with
spoilers and a smoother underside, and that will help me be more aggressive in the corners. In addition, we're using a
new, even larger Garrett turbocharger that increases torque by about 5 percent." Eklund commented, "If the road
conditions are good and the surface is smooth, we have a real chance at winning the unlimited class this year, and
maybe even setting a new record in the process!"
2002 PIKES PEAK PRACTICE
Eklund dials in SAAB in preparation of Saturday’s Falken Tire Pikes Peak International Hill Climb
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Two years of experience at the Falken Tire Pikes Peak International Hill Climb seem to
finally be paying dividends for Per Eklund of Arvika, Sweden. After a disappointing practice session on the top section,
during which he failed to complete a run, Eklund rebounded with perhaps his best-ever day of practice during
Wednesday's runs on the 5.5-mile section from the staring line to Glen Cove. Driving his Saab 9-3 Viggen, Eklund put
together four consistent runs of 5 minutes, 18.53 seconds, 4:58.80, 4:55.59, and 4:55.54 on his final try. "The feeling
is perfect," Eklund said. "The car is like a soft lady." Eklund set the record for Pikes Peak Open division in 2000 with
an 11:21.58 effort that shaved more than a half-minute of the old mark. In 2001, Eklund horsed his car to a
respectable 12:08.30 despite flattening a tire and losing his second gear. "You learn every year," Eklund said. Fellow
countryman Stig Blomqvist of Örebro, Sweden drove a 5:18.16 on his first and only run of the day. On his second he
blew the engine on his Ford RS200E. He didn't complete another run. Blomqvist's team is trying to get another motor
shipped from England as soon as possible. Both Blomqvist and Eklund are veteran rally racers. Blomqvist won the 1984
World Rally Championship, while Eklund has won the European RallyCross title. The two cut their teeth racing against
each other, but have not competed head-to-head in 15 years. Eklund said he did not try to push the car too hard in
qualifying. “Get the car up in one piece,” was his main objective. “I’m happy,” Eklund said. “The car worked very
well.” Although, Eklund is feeling confident about his times on the lower half of the course, how his car will act on
the top half remains unknown. During practice on the upper section Tuesday, Eklund failed to complete a run due to
problems in the car’s electrical system and cam sensor. “I had a bad practice there, so I have no clue,” Eklund said.
Stig Blomqvist, who blew an engine in Wednesday's practice run, is expected to have his car ready to challenge
Eklund in the Unlimited Division on Saturday.

PER EKLUND VICTORIOUS IN GARRETT-BOOSTED BATTLE OF THE SWEDES AT PIKES PEAK
He Edges Fellow 55-Year-Old Countryman and Rival Rally Champ Stig Blomqvist for Unlimited Title
Cascade, Colorado, June 29, 2002 - Fifty-five-year-old Swedes Per Eklund (Saab 9-3 Viggen-Garrett) and Stig Blomqvist
(Ford RS200 E-Garrett), rival rally champions for decades, duked it out for the Unlimited Class title at today’s 80th
Pikes Peak International Hillclimb high above Colorado Springs. Eklund, the former European Rallycross Champion and
two-time Swedish Rallycross Champion who won the Open Class here at Pikes Peak in 2000, made it look easy as he
won today’s treacherous climb up the 12.4-mile (22 Km), 156-turn course to the 14,110-foot (4300 meters) summit of
Pikes Peak in 11 minutes, 18.34 seconds. His victory came despite brakes that were failing during the final four miles.
Eklund’s engines are prepared by Trollspeed of Trollhättan, Sweden. "It was very good (considering)," said Eklund,
who won the Pikes Peak Open division in 2000. "The course was slippery and the brakes were failing, not good." For
Blomqvist, the 1984 FIA World Rally Champion and current development driver for Skoda, his first-ever Pikes Peak
International Hillclimb was anything but easy. Stig blew an engine during qualifying on Thursday and his U.K.-based
Mach 2 Racing team scrambled to have a replacement flown in from its engine-builder in England, Mountune, Ltd. The
team’s all-night efforts enabled Blomqvist to simply make it to the starting line. None the worse for wear, Blomqvist
went to work on race day and drove his Garrett-boosted Group B rally car, prepared by Colin Blower Garages, Ltd., to
a respectable run of 11 minutes, 47.45 seconds. He also experienced brake problems. Only local favorite David
Donner of Colorado Springs, driving a custom-built Donner/Dykstra racer in the Open Wheel Division, was faster than
Eklund today. Donner covered the distance in 10 minutes, 52.38 seconds. That was still the better part of a minute
shy of the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb record of 10 minutes, 4.06 seconds set in 1994 by Rod Millen in a
Garrett-boosted Pennzoil Toyota Celica
Per Eklund's Saab 9-3 Viggen takes Unlimited Class Victory in the 80th Running of the Pikes Peak International
Hill Climb
Swedish rallycross racer Per Eklund piloted the most powerful modified Saab ever -- an all-wheel-drive 750-hp Saab 9-3 Viggen --
to victory in the Unlimited Class. Eklund clocked the second-fastest overall time of the day in the 80th running of the Pikes Peak
International Hill Climb on Saturday, June 29th.
Colorado Springs, CO – Former European Rallycross champion Per Eklund traveled from Sweden to tackle the 12.4-mile
pavement and gravel course up Pikes Peak to capture the checkered flag and the victory at 14,100 feet. He claimed
his second class victory in three Pikes Peak visits with a personal best time of 11:13.24, bettering his 2000 Pikes Peak
Open Class winning time by over 8 seconds. Eklund and his Saab's performance defeated the second place Unlimited
Class entry and long-time Swedish rival Stig Blomqvist by over 34 seconds (11:47.45). This challenging course features
156 turns and no guardrails. "The road surface was very slippery this year and at times it felt like I was driving on ice,
but the Saab engine and rest of the drivetrain performed perfectly," said Eklund. - In fact, the engine coolant and
turbo intercooler temperatures were so much lower than we expected that we could have probably run another .5
bar of boost pressure (over 7 psi) and run quicker with a lot more horsepower." The last four miles of the treacherous
course were particularly attention-grabbing for Eklund as his car's brake fluid boiled and the pedal went to the floor.
"I guess we paid so much attention to gaining improved downforce by adding the front wings to the car this year that
we took away needed airflow to cool the front brakes. It's tough enough driving this mountain with brakes." Eklund
said. "I'd rather not have to drive up here again without them, but everything worked out fantastic." For this year's
entry in the Unlimited Class, Eklund and his team fine-tuned the same race car that tackled the mountain the two
previous races. It's the most powerful Saab ever -- an all-wheel-drive 9-3 Viggen with a Saab 2.0-liter engine that
delivers 750 horsepower at 8,000 rpm and 545 lb.-ft. of torque at 6,500 rpm. With this amount of power, all-wheel
drive and a 6-speed transmission, the 9-3 Viggen's acceleration is in the Formula One class: 0-60 mph in 2.3 seconds.
Running in the Unlimited Class this year, Eklund's team was able to add front and rear wings and other aerodynamic
aids to better harness the Saab engine's prodigious power and transfer it to the tarmac and gravel road surface. The
car is geared for a top speed of 155 mph. The vehicle is constructed on a sturdy tubular frame that gives both high
torsional stiffness and good crash protection. Eklund has been competing in rallies, rallycross and other races since
the early 1960s, most often behind the wheel of a Saab. Throughout the 1970s, Eklund was one of Saab's most
successful factory drivers, and won the 1976 Swedish Rally in a Saab 96. In an impressive rookie performance, he won
the open class at Pikes Peak in 2000 with a class-record-setting time of 11:21.38, the second fastest overall time of
the day.
GARRETT PRODUCES NOVEL TURBO FOR PIKES PEAK www.egarrett.com
The Garrett T04S turbocharger used at Pike's Peak has the following features:
• Commercial Diesel type ball bearing cartridge in an air cooled centre housing.
• Thin wall HK30 stainless steel turbine housing.
• High pressure ratio (4.0:1) 90mm BCCW11 compressor wheel.
• 74.2mm turbine wheel of Mar-M 247 material, required for turbine inlet temperatures up to 1050C (1922F).
TROLLSPEED by Rob Hallstrom
Saab Tuner builds 760-horse powerhouse
The engine revs at ear-splitting levels. Although the sound is deafening, if you listen carefully, there's a perfect
rhythm within the din, which, as the rpm climbs, becomes the noise of pure performance. Then, in an instant, silence
as the DynoJet comes to a halt. All eyes are directed to a chart on a computer screen. The numbers show 760 hp at
5800 rpm – impressive, to say the least. As surprising as it is impressive is that the car tested isn't a modified twinturbo
996, Ferrari Maranello F1 or Lamborghini Murcielago. Quite the contrary. Though it outputs horsepower
comparable to any of the world's top supercars, the car in question is a Saab. Built by respected Swedish tuner
Tommy Karlsson of Trollspeed, the 2.0-liter (2046cc) engine is highly modified but still is recognizably a Saab.
Located near Saab's plant in Trollhättan, Sweden, the shop builds perhaps the most powerful Saab engines in the
world. The Garrett turbocharged four, which uses the original Saab engine block and 16V cylinder head, easily

possesses three times the horsepower of its stock 2.0T counterpart. It's but one of a handful Karlsson has built for
several race teams, including for rallycross racer Per Eklund. Recently tested for Eklund's Pikes Peak program, the
engine takes the four-wheel-drive Saab 9-3 (with programmable active differentials and a six-speed Prodrive gearbox)
from 0 to 60 mph in only 2.3 sec. and to a top speed of 155 mph. With Karlsson's help, Eklund has racked up several
noteworthy finishes, including a prestigious European Rallycross championship. While competition-oriented business
makes up a considerable percentage of his work, Karlsson also builds many applications for the street, all undeniably
stout in performance. From the exterior, the shop appears much like a rural farmhouse. The inside, however, is quite
the opposite. The well-equipped 2,000-sq. ft. facility boasts a full machine shop, engine building center and a fourwheel-drive
dyno room. It's all Karlsson requires to build some of the world's most impressive engines. Karlsson has a
personal interest in Saab. His first involvement with the company began in the late '70s when he worked with Saab
AB's factory race team. Karlsson was also instrumental in the development of the first Saab 9000 prototypes before
branching out on his own to form Trollspeed. Over 20 years later, Karlsson continues to share a strong rapport with
Saab AB and is considered one the most venerable tuners in his field. Trollspeed, Smedstorp Åsaka, SE-46195 Trollhättan,
Sweden, 46-(0)520/424-398
SAAB 9-3 VIGGEN PIKES PEAK – RACE HISTORY
Year # Driver Event Class ET Radar 1 Radar 2 Radar 3 Split Time Pos
2000 93 Per Eklund Pikes Peak PPO 11:21.58 * 114.3 105.0 104.2 04:58.59 1**
2001 93 Per Eklund Pikes Peak PPO 12:08.30 110.6 - - - 2**
2002 93 Per Eklund Pikes Peak Unlimited 11:13.20 116.1 105.4 111.3 04:52.60 1**
* = New Record ** = Position in class.
IMAGE GALLERY
The Trollspeed tuned 750 PS engine. The purposeful cockpit.
The aggressive wings were installed for 2002 when the car was entered in the unlimited class.
SOURCES
http://popularmechanics.com/automotive/auto_technology/2001/8/blow_hard/print.phtml
http://www.egarrett.com/motor_sports/racereports.jsp?report_id=80
http://www.europeancarweb.com/tuned/0307ec_760hpsaab/
http://www.saabnet.com/tsn/press/020702.html
http://www.saabnet.com/tsn/press/020626.html
© Compilation by Rainer Nyberg 2004-06-05 Fact-sheet 04/036