Every now and then, I’ll see a Saab pass me by in my daily travels and it brings a smile to my face. Sure, towards the end of their run here in the US, it was a sad story, but we may never see such a unique car manufacturer ever again. Saab reached its zenith back in the 1980s, continuing on with a tradition of turbocharging they began a decade earlier well before other car manufacturers caught on to this technology. Perhaps one of the most beloved turbocharged Saabs was the 900 SPG. This model included a stiffer suspension and three spoke alloy wheels, as well as leather interior, air condition and premium sound system as standard. The SPG was further differentiated from lesser 900s with its unique lower body kit. There is a rabid group of followers for this car, so finding a good one for sale can be a challenge. This example for sale in Washington state is a one-owner example, which is sure to set off a firestorm of interest.
Warning!
We have 15 years of archives. Links older than a year may have been updated to point to similar cars available to bid on eBay.Category: Saab
“Hey, Saab is Swedish, not German.”
Yes, yes, we’ve heard this line many times before, but we here at GCFSB appreciate the machinery from our Nordic neighbors, especially when it comes to a vintage icon like the Saab 900 Turbo. The 900 Turbo was the car that put Saab square in the crosshairs of many a yuppie in the 1980s. For those who thought a Mercedes-Benz or BMW was just a bit too mainstream, the 900 Turbo was unique enough to satisfy the anorak of car enthusiasts. It was also one of the first mainstream production cars to feature a turbocharged engine, years before other manufacturers discovered this technology as a way to maximize economy without sacrificing performance.
This 900 Turbo for sale in Kentucky is a low mileage example that sat for a number of years before being rescued by Saab enthusiast.
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1985 Saab 900 Turbo on eBay
3 CommentsBy the the 1990s rolled around, the Saab 900 was getting a bit long in the tooth. With a recent investment from General Motors, a replacement for Saab’s venerable model was on the way, but the old 900 still had a bit of fight left in it. The 900 Convertible debuted in 1986 and quickly became a favorite of yuppies and otherwise well-heeled individuals, especially in coastal regions of the US. Amongst the Convertibles, one of the most sought after examples is the one like we see here for sale in Pennsylvania: the ones painted in Monte Carlo Yellow. Just over 300 examples of the 900 Convertible in this color made their way to the US, with under 900 produced in total. Want something unique to go topless in this summer? Look no further…
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1991 Saab 900 Convertible on eBay
4 CommentsThe last Saabs produced before the company’s financial meltdown were decidedly upscale vehicles, a sort of Swedish yin to Volvo’s yang, if you will. Earlier Saabs, though, were a rather curious lot. These cars mixed together practicality, performance and Nordic sensibility in one package, garnished with a little bit of upmarket flair. Saab was also one of the first manufacturers to employ turbocharging with the 99 Turbo, which was one cracker of a compact car. After this model made its debut, the words “Saab” and “Turbo” would be almost synonymous to the end.
While it’s not turbocharged, this late production 99GL for sale in the UK is like few we’ve seen recently. Sitting on 15″ soccer ball alloys with under 30,000 miles on the odometer, this one really scratches our itch for vintage Swedish metal.
Click for details: 1983 Saab 99GL for sale at 4Star Classics
1 CommentEach time we feature a Saab here on GCFSB, it’s always a mixed bag of comments. You have the diehard fans who won’t drive anything but. Then there are folks who will rattle off a number of alternative options, complaining about torque steer and the inconvenient fact that you are driving around in an orphan marque. Then you have the usual “this isn’t German†quip. Whatever the case may be, we like the products our Nordic neighbors have to offer.
Saab was about to release a new and very pretty 9-5 SportCombi before the company had the rug pulled out from it in 2011. A handful of pre-production models were built which landed in the hands of a few private owners. However, we’ll always have the first generation 9-5 SportCombi. This one for sale in Florida might not be the snazziest of 9-5s in white over tan leather with the automatic, but rarely do you see them this nice and so lightly used.