When car manufacturers come out with a new engine design, some car enthusiasts eye the new technology from a perspective of how to squeeze more performance out of it. The smaller displacement engines that are turbocharged or supercharged tend to be the most likely chosen because of their power-to-weight ratio.

When Saab introduced a turbocharged 4-cylinder fuel-injected engine in 1978, it was very successful as it was offered only in the hatchback version of the 99 model. The turbocharger was air-cooled and no intercooler was offered at that time. Like any new model, it had some drawbacks from the oil coking and plugging up the lubrication passages, as the life of the turbo was short lived. The chassis was a proven design that was carried over from the EMS model that had good looks as well as handling. This was a great stepping-stone for Saab from a performance perspective.

MORE HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
When Saab came out with the 16-valve DOHC fuel-injected intercooled version in 1985, it represented a hallmark design. That year, the APC system (automatic performance control) that made its debut in 1982 was updated with the latest BOSCH LH fuel system. This made the intake system incorporate a fairly decent-sized intercooler, which produced lower combustion chamber temperatures so the boost pressures could run at a higher level without the damaging knock and the help of the APC control for automatic adjustable bo...