Saab 9-3 Viggen 5‑Door – Lightning Blue

Enthusiast‑Owned • Extensively Rebuilt • Proven Daily Driver • Reluctant Sale

For sale is my Lightning Blue Saab 9‑3 Viggen 5‑door, a car I’ve owned and driven daily for the past four years. It has been maintained with a money‑no‑object philosophy, with every known Viggen weak point addressed and upgraded. I’m only parting with it because I have another Saab undergoing restoration and space for just one. This is a reluctant sale of a car that has been both a joy and a companion. My hope is to sell the car to an enthusiast who will complete the car to make it perfect.

 ⭐ Highlights

• Lightning Blue – the most desirable Viggen colour
• 5‑door – rare, practical, and increasingly sought after
• Shown at the Bicester Heritage TWR event
• Private registration – will come with car – original reg T565JVR
• Mechanically sorted with extensive documented work
• Daily‑driven reliability with modern usability upgrades

 🔧 Mechanical & Structural Work

This Viggen has had all the major jobs completed, including:

• Gearbox rebuild
• Bulkhead repair and strengthening
• Viggen Rescue Kit fitted
• Rebuilt steering rack
• New turbocharger
• Breather kit upgrade
• New shocks, springs, and bushes
• Drilled and grooved brake discs
• New hoses throughout
• A/C system fully rebuilt, including a reconditioned A/C pump (the original had seized)
• New stainless exhaust 

 Mechanically, it drives tight, confident, and exactly as a sorted Viggen should. 

 🎨 Bodywork & Wheels

• Bodywork is clean and tidy, presents very well, but is not concours – honest and in keeping with a well‑loved, enthusiast‑driven car.
• Original Viggen wheels fully restored and straightened – a rare and valuable detail, as so many are buckled or corroded. There is some damage on the drivers side wheel
• New badges

🛋️ Interior & Usability

• Leather interior professionally repatinated on the black services
• Headlining replaced
• New gear knob and gaiter
• Auto dimming mirror added
• High‑end audio system
• Apple CarPlay integration
• Subwoofer installation
• Private plate included
  
• Trim is generally in good condition, 

🛋️ Some extras

• Thule roof bars
• 3 SAAB branded bike racks
• Thule branded aerofoil for roof rack
• Viggen radio controlled car
• Brochure, photo library including work completed, TWR details
• Original audio unit
•  SAAB Ice scraper, boot protector, net, storage tray & protector
• The car will be serviced and MOT’d before the new owner collects
• New fog lights 

··        🔧 What’s Left to Make It Perfect

This is an honest, enthusiast‑owned car — and like any Viggen, there are a few areas a future owner could tackle to take it from “sorted and excellent” to “show‑standard”:

• Much work has been done on the engine, but not a full rebuild.
• Engine remapping – currently running a slightly boosted stage 1, but the it runs a bit rich as a result.
• Further engine upgrades – intercooler, downpipe, or modernised intake components depending on preference.
• Some cosmetic bodywork refinement – the car presents well, but a perfectionist could tidy a few areas to bring it to show condition.
• In it's past, the car had an offside shunt, a new wing was added, but it needs to better painted and the bumper better aligned, the headlamp wipers are disconnected as a consequence

None of these are urgent — they’re simply the final touches for someone who wants to elevate the car to its absolute best.

 🧭 Ownership

I’ve used this Viggen as my daily driver for four years, and it has been completely dependable. Every issue has been addressed immediately and properly, with no shortcuts. It has been maintained as a car to be driven, not stored.

 

🏁 Summary

A rare opportunity to buy a Lightning Blue 5‑door Viggen that has been extensively rebuilt, sympathetically upgraded, and proven in real‑world use. Not a low‑mileage museum piece — instead, a sorted, reliable, enthusiast‑owned modern classic with all the expensive work already done.

Perfect for someone who wants the full Viggen experience without the usual headaches, and with a clear path to make it truly exceptional.