Saab 600

Saab 600: which version to buy

If you are choosing a Saab 600 rather than reading about the model in general, the catalogue only lists one generation (1980–1982), one body (Hatchback 5-door), and two versions: 1.3 MT and 1.5 MT. There is no restyling, no extra generation, and no automatic, diesel, or all-wheel option in the data.

If you are choosing a Saab 600 rather than reading about the model in general, the catalogue only lists one generation (1980–1982), one body (Hatchback 5-door), and two versions: 1.3 MT and 1.5 MT. There is no restyling, no extra generation, and no automatic, diesel, or all-wheel option in the data. The buying question is therefore a two-way comparison on the numbers we have: 10 hp, 18 Nm, 197 cm³, 0.3 s to 100 km/h, and 5 km/h of top speed.

Specs that actually differ: 1.3 MT vs 1.5 MT

Both cars share the same layout: Gasoline, 4 cylinders, Inline, 2 valves per cylinder, No boost, Front, transverse, Carburetor, Manual, 5 gears, FWD. Ground clearance is 155 mm on both. The fuel tank is 45 L on both. Front and rear suspension are Independent, spring. Front and rear brakes are Disc. Production window is the same: 1980-01-01 to 1982-12-31.

What you pay extra for, in catalogue terms, is only the larger engine.

1.5 MT is 10 hp above 1.3 MT (85 vs 75), which is +13.3% on peak power, and 8 kW above (63 vs 55). Peak torque is 18 Nm higher (123 vs 105), +17.1%. Displacement is 197 cm³ larger (1498 vs 1301), +15.1%. Both engines make peak power at 5800 rpm and peak torque at 3500 rpm, so the extra output of 1.5 MT is not a higher-revving map; it is more work at the same speeds.

Specific output from those figures: 1.3 MT makes 75 hp from 1.301 L → 57.6 hp/L. 1.5 MT makes 85 hp from 1.498 L → 56.7 hp/L. The smaller engine is slightly denser on paper. Torque density goes the other way: 105 Nm / 1.301 L → 80.7 Nm/L on 1.3 MT; 123 Nm / 1.498 L → 82.1 Nm/L on 1.5 MT. The 1.5 litre unit is the one that pulls harder per litre, not the one that revs harder.

Compression ratio is 9.2 on 1.5 MT and not measured on 1.3 MT. Bore and stroke are not measured on both. Fuel grade is not measured on both.

Performance and economy: what the extra 10 hp buys

0–100 km/h is 12.8 s on 1.3 MT and 12.5 s on 1.5 MT. The gap is 0.3 s. That is a 2.3% shorter sprint for 13.3% more peak power. Top speed is 160 km/h on 1.3 MT and 165 km/h on 1.5 MT — 5 km/h, or +3.1%.

City, highway, and combined fuel consumption are not measured on either version. CO2 is not measured. Eco class is not measured. You cannot pick a “more economical” Saab 600 from this catalogue: there is no mpg figure to rank.

Kerb weight and gross weight are not measured on both versions, so weight per horsepower is not measured. You cannot claim that 1.3 MT is the lighter car or that 1.5 MT is better on power-to-weight; those ratios are not in the data.

Ground clearance is 155 mm on both. Wheel sizes are not measured on both. Tank volume is 45 L on both, so range cannot be compared either: consumption is not measured.

Dimensions and weight: nothing here splits the two cars

For a buyer, this section is a list of shared numbers and shared blanks.

• Kerb weight: not measured (1.3 MT and 1.5 MT)
• Gross weight: not measured (1.3 MT and 1.5 MT)
• Ground clearance: 155 mm (1.3 MT and 1.5 MT)
• Fuel tank: 45 L (1.3 MT and 1.5 MT)
• Wheel sizes: not measured (1.3 MT and 1.5 MT)

Body is Hatchback 5-door for the whole generation. There is no estate, no three-door, no different ride height between versions.

Generations: there is only one, so there is no “which generation”

The Saab 600 has 1 generation in the data (key 4881), years 1980–1982, Hatchback 5-door, 2 versions. There is no second generation to compare, and no restyling inside this generation. “Which generation to buy” is not a real fork: every car in this catalogue is 1980–1982 Hatchback 5-door FWD Manual.

What did not change between 1.3 MT and 1.5 MT: gearbox type (Manual), gear count (5), drive (FWD), fuel type (Gasoline), cylinder count (4), cylinder layout (Inline), valves per cylinder (2), boost (No), engine position (Front, transverse), intake (Carburetor), tank (45 L), clearance (155 mm), suspension (Independent, spring front and rear), brakes (Disc front and rear), production dates (1980-01-01 to 1982-12-31).

What did change: displacement (1301 → 1498 cm³), power (75 → 85 hp, 55 → 63 kW), torque (105 → 123 Nm), 0–100 (12.8 → 12.5 s), top speed (160 → 165 km/h), and compression listed only on 1.5 MT (9.2).

Which version to choose

Choose 1.5 MT if you want the higher of the two measured outputs: 85 hp, 63 kW, 123 Nm, 1498 cm³, 12.5 s to 100 km/h, 165 km/h. Versus 1.3 MT that is +10 hp, +8 kW, +18 Nm, +197 cm³, −0.3 s, +5 km/h. Torque density is slightly higher (82.1 vs 80.7 Nm/L). Compression 9.2 is listed only here.

Choose 1.3 MT if you want the smaller Gasoline four: 75 hp, 55 kW, 105 Nm, 1301 cm³, 12.8 s, 160 km/h. Specific power is slightly higher (57.6 vs 56.7 hp/L). You do not give up gears, drive, tank, clearance, or body: those match 1.5 MT. You also do not get a measured economy win: consumption is not measured.

Do not choose on automatic vs manual (both Manual, 5), FWD vs another drive (both FWD), boost (both No), generation (only one), restyling (none), kerb weight, mpg, wheels, or eco class — all of those splits are either identical or not measured.

There is no third version in the data. If a listing is not named 1.3 MT or 1.5 MT, it is outside this catalogue’s two-version set.

Problems and reliability are not measured in the launch data; this article does not invent them. Prices are not in the data and are not used.

Short verdict: the only arithmetic upgrade in the Saab 600 line is 1.5 MT over 1.3 MT. It is 13.3% more horsepower and 17.1% more torque for a 0.3 s quicker 0–100 and 5 km/h more top speed, with the same Manual 5, FWD, Hatchback 5-door, 45 L tank, and 155 mm clearance. If those deltas do not matter, 1.3 MT is the same car on every other measured chassis figure.