So. This guy I know thinks his Saab 9-3 2.0T can take my Volvo. He says it is chipped. I think it may have a Cold Air Intake as well. I'm not sure what year it is, but surely at least 2005. My car is a 2001 Volvo S60 T5.
He says he knows how to race. He says numbers don't matter. He keeps saying apex over and over. I was trained how to drive by an EVOC instructor. I told him that we should go to a course. No bets, just for respect. I think his eyes will be opened soon. Or am I wrong?

 

Are you thinking about a 1/4 mile drag race or some other type of race? 1/4 mile is one thing but a flat out course race is a different story. Driving skills and car suspension will matter a lot.

 

"Apex" reference would seem to imply road course, not drag race. I owned a s60 t5 from that era (don't remember but think 01). The s60t5 has decent speed, fwd wheel hop off of line, and understeer. With good shoes held the line in corners ok but definate suspension sway and outside shift of g's (w/ stock suspension). Which would mean, depending upon his setup, he might be able to manage the faster line through the corners / apex reference.

 

His saab is FWD too

 

I have considerable racing experience (Not much legit, I won't claim to have any special training).

In my experience, People who openly brag, are usually losers. They will attempt to scare you out of a race, even if you dont want to. Mostly so they can attain or retain some distorted sense of racing supremacy. Sounds strange, but thats how it is.

My first car was a 1997 Chrysler Intrepid with the 3.3. Beyond a home-made Cold Air kit, and a couple of stupid stuff, it was mostly stock, but of course, being a young kid. I wanted to brag and feel like I had something tough. After a few weeks of bragging and discouraging mostly uninterested people, a guy in a Ford Taurus SHO challenged me. Needless to say, He blew the doors off of my 3.3.

All that said. It's not hard to read up, and pretend to be a hardcore racer and throw around some terms like 'Apex' and 'power to weight ratio'. Until you see someone in action, Assume any active braggers are all bark, and no bite.

 

Unless you are going for true straight line speed, my money is on the Saab. I think it will handle better around corners, but I think the Volvo probably has higher top speed. This is based on nothing but gut feel. 1/4 mi is anybody's guess though.

 

Insight on why the saab might handle better?

 

I can give you one VERY relevant example: I own a 1994 850 wagon, and also own a 2000 9-3 convertible. Even being a convertible, the saab outhandles the CRAP out of the volvo. For one thing, the 850 wagon has a solid rear axle, and the saab has independent rear suspension.

Saabs, in general, are GREAT handling cars. In a 1/4 mile though, I'm betting that my 850 smokes my saab, even if the 850 was completely stock. The saab, stock, is 210 hp, the volvo is 222. Torque on the 850 is 240 ft/lbs and the saab is 221 ft/lbs. Weight is almost identical.

 

My father in law owned several Saabs and Volvos and always said he liked the Saab around town and the Volvo on any longer drive. Really liked the way the Saab handled much better than the Volvo, but loved the comfort of the Volvo. He kept the Volvos forever and went through several Saabs in that same timeframe.

 

Haha my 1.9T ruined a couple of 2.3T FWD's, even a 5spd one. Saab's have even worse turbo lag than we do, and burn through turbo's 4x faster.