www.genuinesaab.com offers a 40hp upgrade for $1400 or so. Consists of chip,
intake, and exhaust. As to the V6 not being a Saab engine, uh, Saab has bought
in nearly every engine they have ever used. The 2-strokes were a carbon copy
of a DKW design, then the FORD V4s, then the "slant 4" bought in from Triumph.
That engine is more or less the direct ancestor of the current Saab 4 in the
9-5. Really Saab's expertise is in truly superb engine management systems, not
mechanicals. Don't knock the 6 until you have tried it - it is far smoother
and quieter than the 4. Quite a lot faster than the lpt4, and not as much
slower than an Aero as you might think. In fact, since it has no discernable
turbo lag it feels a whole lot stronger at low speeds than an automatic Aero.
it is lacking the Aero's high end zoom though.

There is certainly nothing intrinsically wrong with having a timing belt
instead of a chain. it is a maintenance item, no more, no less. As to the
extra expense, talk to the various owners of 90's 2.3l Saabs that have had to
cough up $1500+ to have worn timing chains replaced at relatively low
mileages. And let's not even talk about the horrendous sludging issues with
lpt4 9-5's in the States. And Saab pays for the first timing belt change at
60K miles anyway. Though it is smart to pay to have the tensioner done at the
same time.

Kevin Rhodes
Westbrook, Maine
'00 9-5 SE V6t wagon