Over the years my wife has owned around four Saab cars. She is a member of the Saab club and currently owns a 2007 93 Convertible. She likes Saabs for the same reason that many Saab enthusiasts do. They are interesting, quirky, fun to drive, and different from just about any other car on the road.
Saab has a very strong community around it with a very strong Saab Club that host events. The Saabs at Carlisle event held at the Carlisle Import and Performance Nationals show every May brings together literally hundreds of Saab owners. Most people in the club have multiple Saabs, and they are some of the most enthusiastic owners’ community out there. Much to the distress of these owners, Saab went out of business as a car company in December 2011 after a lot of mismanagement and lack of proper investment/development by the company’s multiple owners. I can still remember how sad my wife Ann was when this happened.
For me, the true golden era and single most defining model for Saab was the 900 Turbo from the 1980s and 90s. This was the car that yuppies lined up for, and the company was able to sell as many 900s as they could build. It featured a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, something that at the time was quite exotic, combined with a unique and useful design and a very ergonomic driver focused interior. It was the beginning of Saab promoting the idea that there cars were “born from jets.”
The Pick of the Day is one of these cars, a 1992 Saab 900 Turbo Commemorative Edition offered for sale on ClassicCars.com by a Connecticut based restoration shop.
The seller describes this 1992 900 Turbo as one of only 325 Commemorative Edition 900 Turbo cars built. With the Commemorative Edition, Saab painted the cars the exclusive color of Nova Black Metallic over a Tan Elmo Leather interior. The dash on these cars also features high-quality burled walnut wood accents and was the first 900 to ever feature this treatment.
Under the hood, it is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four engine producing approximately 185 horsepower, paired with a 5-speed manual transmission, making it the most powerful variant of the Saab 900 produced by the factory.
The seller adds that recent servicing includes a freshly powder coated rear subframe assembly, new calipers, rear shocks, shifter bushings, and new Vredestein tires. This Saab rides on 15-inch Super Aero alloy wheels and includes a numbered plaque on the dashboard, highlighting its exclusivity of being number #196 of just #325, although many Saab aficionados argue that Saab actually only built 314 examples.
This 900 Turbo looks to be a completely rust free example with nice paint and an interior that is in good condition, other than a slight tear in the driver’s seat, one that could and should be repaired and not replaced. The other issue is that the headliner is just starting to fall and will need to be replaced at some point.
Finding any Saab 900 Turbo in good condition is harder and harder to do, largely due to their propensity to rust. This truly looks like an example well worth the $25,000 asking price and would stand proud at any Saab meet, as well as at a RADwood event. Please, someone buy it before my wife Ann sees it, and it ends up in our garage which has no more space.
Click here for this ClassicCars.com Pick of the Day.
Source: www.classiccars.com