Any driver who’s ever tried racing a bike knows that this attempts usually end in a loss, even if you happen to be in a supercar. What do you need in order to outrun a motorcycle then? Apparently, if you’re racing a tuned superbike, a Saab from the late 90s will do the trick.
This is a first-gen Saab 9-5 we’re talking about here and right now you’re probably wondering how GM’s re-skinned Opel Vectra could possibly beat a superbike. There’s one little letter at the end of this example’s designation and that makes all the difference in the world.
Ladies and gentlemen drivers, meet the Saab 9-5R
Predictably built by a Swedish enthusiasts, this creature allows Andy, his driver, to play with up to 815 hp, or 730 horses at the wheels. Amusingly enough, all this power is fed to the front wheels (18-inch units), so, as you can imagine, the wheelspin is on the house.
The rest of the tech setup is rather crazy though. The engine has kept the factory 2.3-liter four-pot block, but the stock turbo was replaced with a monstrous Turbonetics Race Precision 6262 Turbo. It goes without saying that the intake and exhuast are now custom, while the cylinder head sports plenty of mods of its own. Torque? Over 600 lb-ft (813 Nm). To cope with the extra bang, the internals have also been upgraded. By the way, the thing likes to run on E85.
Further down the power line, we find a six-speed Quaife motorsport transmission and a limited-slip diff coming from the same company. The clutch hasn’t been overlooked either - yes, this guy plays with all that power via a manual.
As for the stopping power, this is taken care of by Porsche brakes. Since we’re here, we’ll also mention the thing weighs 3,480 lbs (1,580 kg).
Now for the funny stuff
The 9-5R recently decided to battle it out with a Honda CBR1000RR. A custom example that is, with the bike having been pushed all the way to 185 hp (165.6 whp). Predictably, the race starts with the Saab in a desperate search for traction and we’ll stop here, letting you see what happens next. Spoiler alert: keeping the torque steer under control in this Saab is like working out.
In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist. Full profile
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