Saab 9-3 the standard offering, and a "HOT" (B204R, 200 hp) variant in the SE models for the 1999 model year. The 2000 model year saw a revision from SAAB's Trionic T5.5 to Trionic 7 engine management system. The T7 based engines were the B205L with and the B205R HOT engine with . The first generation 9-3 was also the first Saab available with a diesel engine, a unit also found in the Opel Vectra, Astra G, Signum, Zafira A. Unlike the Saab 900 (NG), the 9-3 is fitted with a CAN bus like the Saab 9-5. A Saab innovation is the
3–3–5 defense playing mostly zone or sometimes man coverage. This alignment is rarely seen in the NFL , but is used by many high schools to counterattack the spread offense scheme. Boise State, West Virginia, BYU, and Arizona have used this formation with success in college football. Michigan ran this formation during the 2010 season. TCU uses this as a variant formation; its base defense is a different nickel set, the 4–2–5. In 2017 Iowa State adopted this defense as a counter to the Air raid offenses commonly encountered the Big 12 conference. Teams that run the 3-3-5 generally use it because