SAAB 900 - the best 80s classic car?

The SAAB 900 is a car which comes in two generations: you’ve got the first running from 1978 until 1994 and then you’ve got second gen which feels relatively short-lived in comparison, because that only then runs on until 1998. It’s worth noting here that the Turbo wasn’t available until 1979 and the convertible Turbo is available from 1986.

SAAB really knew what they were doing with this one and designed not only for their core audience, but thought of the American market too, which is why you’ll note that longer nose. Well, that’s partially the reason.

This generation is built on the SAAB 99 chassis which had preceeded the 900 and of course, things had moved on since the 99 and the longer nose not only allowed for the turbo-charged engines and air con which wasn’t available when they’d designed the 99 but also to meet American crash regulations.

You’ll notice throughout this video that SAAB get things just right on pretty much every account and the Americans were so pleased with the design they billed the 900 as one of the safest cars around, or the US Highway Loss Data Institute certainly did.

That wasn’t the only accolade coming from the US, because the magazine American Car and Driver named the 16v engine as the best engine - not sure what it was up against but a SAAB brochure of the time proudly touted this as fact.

Although engines vary according to the year you go for, from 1985 onwards you get the 16-valve engine if you pump for the 900s or Turbo as we’ve got today. If you were watching the pennies and went for the basic 900 model, you got the earlier 8 valve engine.

In the earlier models, pre 1984 and I imagine, some stragglers which got registered late on, you get the B engine which is actually a Triumph derived design. Go later than this, and you’re going to be getting the Saab H engine, which was a redesign of that B engine.

So being the Turbo and a little more fancy than your base model, we’ve got the 2 litre 16v in this. That gives us 0-60 in 9 seconds and 145bhp, which is more than enough for a thrilling ride in a convertible.

The engine was then paired with a 4 or 5 speed manual, 3 speed Borg Warner or t-37 auto.

It wasn’t just the engine which upgraded throughout the production of the SAAB 900 Classic and the long run of the first gen meant a facelift was inevitable and SAAB undertook this in 1987. That’s when you see the new headlights, grille and bumpers.

There were in total around 200,000 first generation turbos and 50,000 convertibles and many survive today due to SAAB’s excellent build quality and high regard amongst motorists with a keen eye for a car which will last.

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