I Worked for a guy in the early 90's who was very wealthy indeed & could have had any car in the world, but he insisted his Saab that he thrashed every day was the best car he had ever had, such a workhorse & never let him down, very good advert coming from him trust me.
Proud owner of a black 1991 Saab 900 SPG turbo (US spec car). These are wonderful vehicles that can easily be used as a regular driver and of course, look like nothing else on the road. The 5-speed is a more satisfying driving experience than the 3-speed auto, especially at highway speeds and for carving through rural B-roads. Engines are very robust, racking up hundreds of thousands of miles. And yes, Ian, you could get AC. In the US, all turbo Saabs came with AC as standard. Biased, but one of my favorite Tyrrell's videos.
My late uncle was a car nut and living with him as my aunt and mum ran a business together I got to ride and drive all of them. At one point in the late seventies early eighties he owned several cars at the same time. A Rolls Royce, Jensen, Spitfire, 1930´s Lagonda and for everyday use a Saab. He owned over the years several, a 99GLE then one of the first 99 Turbos in the UK in the classic black with red interior then one of these and the last a 9000. He loved all his cars but its fair to say Saab was where his heart really was. I loved them and the 900 turbo was one I learned to drive in. They felt so special back then, all the competitors just felt ordinary incomparison. I was a big fan of Stig Blomqvist who used to rally Saab and met him once through Saab. Terrific happy memories of these wonderful cars and such a shame they are gone now.
When I was groving up my family always had SAABs. In 1970 we where on holiday in the UK with our "99". At the hotel in London we had reserved parking and someone from the staff was going to put in a garage. My father just handed the man the key and then he wispered to me "I'm not going to tell him where the ignition is". We stood giggling watching him desperately trying to find it!
On a different model, they moved the gear stick instead of moving the keyhole. Also had the reverse gear locking that required those controls to be near each other. Moving the gear stick allowed a really big parking brake lever to become the entire center section (rear seat ventilation ports were under the front seats).
Saabs in this era we’re legendary design & built cars, quirky that just adds to there charm! Until GM took over & killed them off! 😢Thankyou Iain for another great video!🙏🏽
I worked with any brand of car you might encounter over 37 years in the automobile business, but SAAB is without guestion my favorite. Owned 6 or 7, all 900 turbos, all with 100,000 miles plus, and never had to do any internal driveline work on any of them. Unbreakable! And I drove them hard....on poor roads, rain, snow, inclement weather, etc. they could outrun anything...I chased down and persecuted countless "fast cars". Its cousin, the 9000, was also superb. Thank you, sir.
Hi Mats, I've been driving Saab turbos (manual) since 1988. My current car is a 2007 9-3 Aero manual in laser red. I live in Nelson Bay, NSW, Australia. About 3 years ago I was turning round at the end of the Shoal Bay beach road, when a guy walked up to my car and said that he really liked the car. He said that he lived about 20 or 30 kms from where my car was made and that he was a design engineer for Volvo. We talked for a while. He got a little excited when I told him about the Hirsch chip upgrade and the Do88 inter cooler. Maybe next year we'll be able to travel again. Happy Christmas to you and may your future years be bountiful.
I have to say my 2008 9-7x is a wonderful and reliable driving experience. There's way more engineering in it than just sheet metal and badges. I get compliments on it all the time. It's a shame consumers killed the mark.
Maybe..... it's like "the list" husband & wife draw up lists of people they'd like to hook-up with were they to ever get the chance. Wifey has Brad Pitt, Chris Pratt the usual movie star supects... husband's list, Paula out of accounts at work.
I reckon you are quite a devotee of these cars, James, and technically knowledgeable. Yes, like others who love the model it is possible to relate to the 900, as they were designed and priced to be daily drivers while still being rather exotic. Back in 89 my dad wanted to treat himself to something sporty but practical, and opted for a 900. turbo with full boost , 16 valves. I loved the driving experience. and it felt rather more solid and better handling than the Triumph equivalent that I had then, the Dolomite Sprint., though dad's was the cabrio. You're quite correct, the head bolts on the Saab weren't a weak point. The triumph needed good, regular maintanance and a gentle mechanic
I was working at SAAB at the time, and was inwolwed in the develpoment of the turboengine, we where at MIRA and tested, not the turbo but the 2,0 new engine, 1974 inthe beginning of the Turboera! It was Per Gillbrand ho came with the ideeas about how too control the power after a wisit to Porsche! Then a friend of my developed the 16 valve head! Aguy called Gunnar Axelsson both for Volvo and SAAB
Wowzers. I own a car similar to the one in this video (except it's a manual) and enjoy the work you and colleagues put in every time I drive my gorgeous, capable, reliable car
A friend had several 900 turbos about 10 years ago and I often helped him with maintenance and repairs (I'm a car mechanic). I loved driving them, the cockpit with the canopy-like windshield in front, the solid feel of everything, and on the smaller roads here in germany these cars are properly quick while always feeling safe and controllable. One of the most impressive turbocharger failures i've seen was on a VAG diesel, a two liter engine ran away until the bearing of the turbo failed, the exhaust turbine snapped off all full rpm, went down into the catalytic converter and basically milled it's way completely through it and came to rest in the exhaust pipe.
Saab 900’s have been and still are my daily drivers. I’ve had 9 x900’s in both turbo and injected versions. In total over some 40 years I must have driven at least 450,000 in Saab 900’s. The present one is a 1990 900i SE 5-door on about 160,000 with everything ok. It has a good body. Hasn’t had as must use due to covid, but never fails to start. My 1983 99GL 2-door has had a new head-lining and looks great, this car is a 1981 four speed but first registered in ‘83. No ecu’s to go wrong, and will go forever. Saabs of the pre-1994 period are the perfect companion. The 5 - door swiftly converts to have a huge load area with the back seat squab rolling forward and backrest dropping down! It’s amazingly versatile. On Winter Tyres they go anywhere and live outside.These are all-year round cars. 28mpg. And as fast as you need.
Hello. May I presume to make some contact with you? You seem to know stuff. How would a non-garaged classic 900 work as a daily driver now, in 2024? I'm not a mechanic and wouldn't know how to deal with issues and so would rely on someone else to do the work. But I'd hope to get a good one in the first place and then just keep it going with servicing and routine consumable replacement, but how realistic is that? My dad had a 900 full turbo automatic (I did have two 9000's myself later on) and I sort of crave my dad's car... Not uncommon that, like reliving old times. Anyway, would you have an opinion about getting one now and keeping it on the drive? Lastly, I would want an auto. I know they rev high and real drivers want a manual, but my dad's was an auto and it was just great to drive. Any opinion on the auto? Cheers, And thanks if you read this.
For me the most iconic SAAB and those wheels 😍🇸🇪 It is absolutely criminal that GM effectively allowed this great auto maker to die. The contrasting fortunes of Volvo and SAAB couldnt be more extreme.
@@erikadams4976 they may have been safer at one point because I can recall one of Saab's ads stating that insurance rates in Sweden for Saabs was less expensive than a comparable Volvo.
I had a couple of 900 16 valve non turbo over the years. Still my favourite car probably. Loads of long journeys. One massive motorway shunt. Hit a stationary car (It entered the motorway at 90 degrees in front of me and into the barrier) at 70mph. Doors still opened and even the windscreen was intact. Saved me. What a shame they are hard to find now.
Hi ! I partially worked for a Saab workshop in the 1980s and drove the 900 fairly often. A/C was optionally available on them. But expensive back then and buyers weren't that much after "synthetic cooling" these days. All the heater controls are managed with vacuum actuators. And you'd forget to mention the odd (for us) position of the ignition lock between the front seats and that it has no steering lock - but the key comes out from the ignition lock only if the gearbox is in "P" on automatics and in reverse on manual shifting. The firewall is integral part of the crash structure and deflects engine and gearbox down under the car in case of a frontal crash. They were darned safe cars. A customer and his family (wife and two kids) survived a frontal crash with a VW Scirocco at 40 mph each car nearly unharmed. All four doors openend and if the inner mirror hasn't released from its fixing even the front window had been intact. We could still roll and steer the car on a towing trailer. The impact almost killed the Scirocco-driver, whose car was flattened to the A-pillar ... The reason for the good steering is the neutral turning point, which line downwards from the linkage, and ends in the middle of the tire. So called "Zero radius". Old cars have positive, from the VW Golf and Polo frontwheel-driven mainly use a negative setup. Saab even brought out videos where drivers steer a 900 over a knife in the ground while lifting the hands out through the sunroof. Tire looses pressure, but the cars go straight on. Don' t try that at home with Dad's Honda Accord ... :-)
Thank you, Iain. Wonderful, solid cars. I had four 99s over nearly 30 years, including one of the last batch, built in the Finnish plant in 1982. When Saab went under, it became hard to get parts for older models, so I reluctantly sold the last one about five years ago. Still miss it. Saab modified the 1850 Ricardo engine very heavily to make it reliable - increased the distance between the bores and made them larger (increasing the capacity to 1985cc), fitted bigger main bearings and hollow crown pistons, got rid of the wedge-shaped combustion chambers (which solved the overheating issues) and uprated the timing chain to a duplex. That's why it worked and lasted and could take the power from the turbo. It was also the best car I've ever driven in snow. I live on a hill and I, my partner (who also had a 99) and a neighbour who owned a Saab were the only people in our street who could get up the hill when it snowed heavily.
I love triumph I have two but the angled cylinder head bolts (studs) were never going to work, a design to far. These must be torked in sequence to avoid damage and gasket failer, Wish they had collaborated with Saab on the more robust head design.
@@nicholaskelf5437 The problem with the Triumph/Ricardo engine was that Triumph specified that it had to be able to be doubled to make a V8 that was narrow enough to fit under the bonnet of the Stag (which also suffered overheating issues). The Saab mod's would have made it too large.
@@laurieharper1526 thanks for the info. Triumph compromised on a single timing chain per bank and raised the pressure of the radiator cap to 13 psi to avoid looseing the coolant. Timing tdc was on the no2 cylinder (On the master bank as the dolomite). So many unusual issues, if you did not follow the guidance in the engineers manual the engines quickly packed up or overheated. These were some of the first mixed metal engines and they needed special corrosion inhibitors in the coolant, somthing which we take for granted now. I have rebuilt a few stag and dolomite 1850s and sprints. Incedently there is a dealer in Enfield North London who specilised in the Saab 900s.
I've always regretted selling mine. Wonderfully quick without being a drama queen, supremely comfy and a practical daily drive too. So, so want another.
@@mark-ma2310 After I have finished removing the last of the rot from the once very rotten 62 Land Rover in my workshop, I'll be looking for one. Probably go for something that needs restoring, gives me the ideal opportunity to do some upgrades then.
As someone who lives just an hours drive from where this car was made, it is quite heart-warming to see it together with such exotics as the Countach, the Dino and the Espada. Always loved these, but still never got the chance to drive one, all though I have driven quite a few other 80s/90s Saabs. My very first car was the humble Saab 90 - at the very opposite end of the Saab foodchain - still it had the same level of robustness and quirkyness as the 900 Areo (as it was called in Sweden). Great video!
Not an Aero though. Just a 900 S low pressure turbo with the Aero/SPG body kit, badging and wheels. Nothing of the 900 Turbo much less 900 Aero/SPG trim level or performance is available in this car. No, AC, No leather, no APC and turbo gauge, no intercooler or knock sensing in the ECU much less the full pressure turbo's wallop with a shovel to your back when booting it. And everything muddled even further by a Borg-Warner automatic gearbox no less. Horsepower output is around 145bhp compared to the Aeros 175bhp. But what is much lower is torque. This having around 205Nm while the Aero is punching out 280-300Nm. Yeah, it's a nice cruiser and despite the disenfranchising by the owner with the turbo badges, it is a nice car. The Aero body kit was available as an option. but they didn't put turbo badging on 900i or 900 S models which had it installed as a dealer option. So, Tyrell not doing justice to the audience here. And owner is probably looking to scam someone out of money by trying to pass this off as an Aero spec car. Or is the victim of a scam... Legit mint Saab 900 Aero examples go for over 25 - 30k€ these days. 900 S about five grand or so and so...
I've had 3 Saab 900 Turbos. One of them was a 3 door Turbo 900 T16S. Loved it. It went like stink. Loved it. I remember driving it at some speed* where the turbo was constantly boosting. You could hear the turbo whistle when going under a bridge with the sunroof open. Must get another one at some point.
Brought back great memories . Used to be Saab main dealer in the 70,s. we jumped up and down on the bumpers to show how strong they were. Thanks for the memories. P.S we were the first garage in the country to fit air conditioning to a Saab.
You still occasionally see these being daily driven; I've seen a few parked on the street & still in use in posh areas of London. They have that X factor.
Ahh, before Detroit got their talons into Saab 100%. My last, best one from that era was a simple 16-valve, no-frills model (who could afford the turbo?). It was typical of all of mine, I drove it from new for twelve years, 240,000 miles, and gave it to a young kid. Now my last 9-5 screams GM! I still love it to death, though. I’ve kept one of its ancestral 1969 96s going after fifty years; if I can do anything similar here I’ll be very happy. Thanks, Iain. I hadn’t seen this in your shop or I would have joined the voices asking for your disquisition. A wonderful start to a day! Thanks again!
"Built like a tank" is not idle rhetoric. A Y Reg VW Polo went up my butt in one of these. I needed my bumper repainted. Her Polo was a write off. I've had 3 Saab's. Theyre terrificly good cars. Great Vid Iain.
I'd like to see the fiberglass-bodied jobs from the sixties and early seventies reviewed. What was it the honchos at Trollhatten said when the first model 97 showed in the late fifties? "Sa nett den ar!"
Nice description, just a few details that missed the "bulls eye" ;-) AC was indeed available, even as after-market upgrade. However, the air-filter for the interior was lost as the evaporator of the AC was installed in the filter-chamber. If you look closely at the vent-mode control, there is one "unused" position beyond 6'o clock -thats the "recirc"-position in cars with AC. And truly, the 900S is the "ladies-turbo", charging like 60 kPa. Called "light-pressure" in ads, as opposed to "full-pressure turbo" that was one step further. (We were not supposed to say "low-pressure", as that could be seen as some nasty weather-condition that frequently appear to Sweden from the British Isles!) Some-one said the venting is controlled by air/pneumatic, which is "sort of" true. It's vacuum, taken from the engine intake. And while driving - give her some more throttle to drag you out of each curve! Especially important in winter-conditions, when the rear-end tries to overtake you.... And "engineered" - indeed. Try getting hands on the waste-basket originally available from the SAAB-dealer. Mounts under the passenger chair. I miss it in every other car, but I've spent some 600 000 km driving them (440 000 of those in one single 1989 with 128 bhp naturally aspired engine)... My last one, a 2.1l of the final year, 1993, is currently in repair. It has ABS-breaks and Air-bag.
I LOVED when you mentioned the "bank vault doors" almost right off the bat. That is the number one feature I recall when I once owned my '91 900. Just how solid it felt
Imagine a street full of Polski Fiat, and Zastava Yugo, hundred plus... and at the end of the street a rich family had an apartment whose father worked abroad (lord knows how he got that permit from the government) and brought back one of these. Saab 900 Turbo is the first luxury/sports/fast car I've seen in my life :) It looked like a rocket ship to us kids.
My father used to own one of those, a1986 900 T16 5-speed manual in dark grey metallic with beige leather interior. He bought the car in september -86 and the first owner was a director/manager at SAAB who probably hade done something with the engine, or perhaps SAAB themselves hade something to do with it? It was a hell of a car to go! and it was also lower and stiffer than a standard 900 T16. He kept it for as long as he lived and I regret that I or someone else in the family didn´t kept it. There is something special with SAAB! Love Your channel and Greetings from Sweden.
This is one of the many reasons why I love this channel. Countach and Dino casually sitting in the background, but the Saab 900 is the star. Fantastic!
Oh I miss all the old Saab's and Volvo's from the 70s. My grandfather had loads. I clearly remember a 99 turbo, and a silver 262c. He never did manage to get a limo Saab, or Volvo sadly. Love these videos.
Saab's engineering qualities were very much "hidden" , in as much you had to experience it as an owner. When they adopted the V4 Ford unit to replace the 2 stroke in the previous 96 model, Ford told them you won't get much over 90 bhp from it before it breaks , so Saab got 98 bhp no problems still winning rallies, 114 bhp no problems still winning rallies, 120 + bhp still winning rallies. It wasn't till they got to 140+bhp , that they realised they would probably need to change. With the 99, they adopted the Triumph slant 4 ,despite the car it came from, Triumph Dolomite 1850 not having the greatest reputation for reliability (much as I love Dolly Sprints) or durability, with Saab , as Iain rightly pointed out, seem to get monumental mileages with 200,000 or 300,000 are not unheard of with reliability. Pity people don't recognise this integrity in car purchasing so much these days but depend more on image and many accessories a given model has . Look up Top gears Saab tribute when they drop a Saab from a crane 8ft off the ground compared to a BMW. Wonderful video again Iain. Merry Christmas and hope everyone has a safer new year.
I think similarly they took the slant 4 and engineered out the known issues. I guess in this period of Saab taking something else and redesigning it worked for them, whereas in the later GM period it would be their downfall to redesign, re-engineer and re-badge GM cars bringing them into financial woes.
Saab had to redo things because the english had not constructed the engine properly, like fitting too small bolts on the engine head, a very weak flywheel, lazily done wiring and inadequate seals. Also the position of the water pump had to be changed. But when the engine had been redone and done properly it was reliable.
Thanks so much for telling everyone a bit about Saabs. I owned an 86 version SPG and thoroughly enjoyed all the attributes you mentioned. I've kept Saabs in the family to this day, my daughter drives a 2010 9-3; Saabs retained their essential character to the end.
Totally enjoyed my 89 Saab Turbo. Very solid car and fun to drive. Had the five speed gearbox on mine with the A/C. It had no problems climbing the hills Maryland into Pensilvania USA. It would climb effortlessly in fifth with the cruise control on. I put 200,000 miles on it before donating it my school. What a great car.
I remember driving a manual version of one of these when they were new and being impressed. The on paper performance figures weren't particularly spectacular, especially things like 0-60 times but on the move once the turbo started to kick in, the mid-range acceleration was pretty impressive and the whole car felt well put together and stable in all road conditions. Thanks for taking me back to a car I actually have firsthand experience with.
I have a Saab 9000 2.3T Aero which is slightly tuned. Its 0-60 is also not that amazing but around 5.2 if you can stop the wheels spinning. Where it excels is 70 to 100 in 3rd. Which is just 3.5 seconds. Quicker than an Audi R8 !.
I had a 1981 Saab 900 Turbo 5-door 5-speed. Only year that the 5-door was brought to the USA. I loved that car. Turbo lag was measured with a calendar, but once it got spooled up, watch out! We ran ours with minimal muffling when I was driving it in 1992-94, and it made the most glorious burbles and puffs.
My parents and grandparents had SAAB's when I was young in the 80's. Great memories of them. The key down in the centre console and the unique seatbeat clips amused me as a kid. My Grandad found the front seats so comfortable he found a spare, attached it to a 5 star base and used it as an office chair.
I used to live in Detroit and drove a 900 to New York City at least twice a year and I must say only because of the confort found in those seats was I able to drive straight through except for a fill up. I would arrive in NYC fresh without any discomfort
My first car was a SAAB 99LE coupe with a 2.0l engine and a 4 speed manual gearbox. It was a great car we purchased from a SAAB dealer and I remember drooling over the new SAABs in the showroom back then. They were built like a tank and had great weight distribution which made it fantastic in the snow.
We had 5 in a row while I was growing up. Last 3 were the 16S variants. I'd have another in a heartbeat. My Dad was persuaded into them by a pal who worked for Saab Manchester, when they organised a demo day at Oulton Park. Another satisfied customer was born.
Not one to comment on TH-cam but a passion for classics and an acknowledgement of the beauty of these reviews made me break the pattern. Well done, you have a fan!
Thanks for showing this. Some knitpicking: the handbrake was moved to the rear and the wheel stud pattern was changed 1988. And you definitely could get an AC, I had it in mine albeit a 1992, but in the US you would find it quite common I believe.
Had one exactly the same as the one shown. Never missed a beat in 5 years, gave it to a mate. It ended up with 537,000 miles on it. I moved onto a Carlsson.
A friend of mine had a 9000 too, the main thing I remember is the fuel economy gauge. It was a LED bargraph, very 80s style, and when driving slowly in town it would quite often max out :)
Thank you for putting together this wonderful and thorough video and bringing it to your channel. It is quite the honor to the entire and closely knit SAAB community, for the SAAB brand to be featured on Tyrrell's Classic Workshop!!! This video will provide an incredible boost in awareness for our beloved SAAB brand.
My dad had this exact model of Saab 900 in the mid to late 80’s. D Reg as far as I remember, his was a manual in silver but had the grey Bridge of Weir leather too. Awesome machine. This video brings back lots of memories. Thanks.
I had a 1990 900 turbo in Caliifornia. It had air conditioning and 5 speed gearbox. Very good car. The leather seats were so comfortable and the acceleration quite impressive. I didn't know it was a triumph engine. It had a distinctive sound I have never heard from another engine.
My old boss years ago had a 1978 900 16v turbo 3door,which stuck to the road like glue, the reverse lock on gearstick was a great idea, turbo gauge on dashboard, and overtook like a plane taking off😁. It was a top notch motor.
Bought my first one new in 1984. I've owned a total of 6, 2 were convertibles, but my favorite was my 1986 SPG which saved my life in a high-speed collision on the Interstate Hwy. I walked away after every panel but the driver's door was destroyed. I loved these cars and they were quite reliable. BTW: I had a 9000 Turbo that was amazingly fast and long-legged. I knew once General Motors got them they'd be ruined.
I had a red 99 Turbo back in the day. What a car it was! As was mentioned they were very quirky eg. the ignition was down by the handbrake and it had to be in reverse gear to take the key out. I sold it and then had a 900 similar to the one in the video but manual, both great cars.
So many memories, my parents had 900's all through my childhood. These were the most wonderful cars, we drove one of them across Australia and back, as Ian said they were solid things, my Dad had a roo jump out in front of us and it was only a minor ding, most other things would have been totaled. Its a shame they don't make the shells for these any more as they would be wonderful to make into a modern EV.
Have owned a 1991 low pressure turbo one of these for 25 years. Love it. Really good video. Thanks. Anorak moment...the handbrake on that will be rear. Saab changed it around 1987
Indeed, for production year 1987, when the front was made longer, and given some angle (as opposed to the 99 vertical front), the hubs, breaks etc was changed from "99-style" to "9000"-style. Girling beaks were replaced by ATE, and hand-brake moved to the rear wheels. Need for yearly break dismantling and rebuild disappeared!
I loved my '78 99 Turbo. Kept it salt free by driving a '74 99 EMS during salty winter driving . The 900 was introduced in 1979 with redesigned front , dashboard forward to accommodate air-conditioning. Steering wheel rearward was 99. SAAB slogan, "intelligent Cars" Thanks Iain ✌️ CD in New Hampshire 👍🇺🇲
I recall my father breaking his wrist and arm badly and preventing him driving for some time so he bought a SAAB Turbo automatic and the combination was really great and he found that he could drive safely and really quite quickly. As you pointed out it was really well built and well finished. An excellent car it’s only problem was it came to an end. It’s a real shame that there were some really good cars which suffered the financial problems bought about often dare I say by bad management. But at least as a classic car enthusiast I can still enjoy them! Thanks for another excellent video.
I bought my 1st Saab, a 900 16v S, after my brother's mate stuck his automatic 900 in 'D' instead of 'R', drove through two walls, dumped this mum's washer and dryer on the back garden, driving the Saab to work after they'd phoned the insurers. Have owned 8 Saabs, including an Aero. Still have boxes of spares I've saved, just in case.
Worth mentioning: The reason the 900 engine is backwards and longitudinal, other than better weight distribution over the front wheels, was to have equal-length front axle shafts which help prevent torque-steer greatly. Most FWD cars have the engine in line with the front driveline, but as a result one axle is much longer than the other, giving unequal leverage on the front wheels. Hence, torque steer. Great job on this video, love your videos and thank you!
A friend of mine recently finished restoring a black 900 turbo Carlsson, decided to have a break from his usual R5 turbo restorations. I believe it’s one of 7 carlssons still on uk roads. It had one of the nicest driving positions I have ever experienced in a vehicle. Sold it at auction for strong money, as you can imagine…
I’d exchange the use of the word ”70’s” here to ”80’s”, cause APC (the variable ingition to octane/knocksensor-system) and wastegate came in these 80’s Saab’s. It was produced to 1993.
Waste gate was already there in the 99 Turbo from the beginning. Integrated waste gate (cheaper and less effective) was introduced with the APC system for 900 Turbo '82 model year. The 16 valve turbo engine shown on the video was introduced for '84 model year and had APC as standard.
My pal's dad had one of these. We took it out for a thrashing along some country roads one night. The discs were glowing almost white hot by the time we were finished. Great car.
Wonderful video, i was a front seat passenger in a 9000 turbo which had a high speed head on accident with a sign post then a huge tree, nobody had a scratch on them thankfully, and the car survived after being straightened on a jig, incredibly strong vehicles.
I,remember the rocket engine max aircon setting! Great in Australia.... oh and coming back to in with the window smashed and the Alpine sound system gone... regularly!
I'm a magazine publisher. I had one of these in the early 1990s. The hatch back is huge and one day I had well over a tonne of magazines to move. The Saab swallowed them with no problem. It was only after the delivery that I checked the maximum load. It seems that I carried three times the limit. The car was fine. Also worth noting it had great seats. My girlfriend at the time had a bad back so she drove the Saab and I drove her Marcos. I bought it three years old for £3000 and sold it for the same price two years later.
Very good, well presented review thank you. I've a 900 Ruby and had it 17 years and won't get rid of it as it's my car! Probably spend more than it's value on it, but if I spent that money on a another car I'd never get the same thrill of driving a 900! Even owning it for 17 years I can't wait to get in it when I can! I'm not sure I agree about the sound of the car! I like it's burble, it's very distinctive and different, peculiar to a 900!
I've owned, loved and driven 7 or 8 of these... One of my favorite vehicles of all time, no doubt about it. I think I still have a Red APC Box and spare ball joints in my garage. Shame that Black Beauty is an Auto but...I sure do miss my 900's.
Hello Tyrrell, thank you very much for also doing not super top of the top cars, like SAABs and Citroën CX. Love the super top Lamborghinis and all that also!
Thanks, Iain. I'm on my third Saab turbo in 34 years, so I'm just a little bit biased. I sold my 1989 900 Aero manual when it was a couple of months short of 24 years old with around 315,000 km on the clock. It was very tough. It was good for spirited driving as well as long trips. It didn't need to be treated gently. It thrived on spirited driving and seemed to spring to life driving down a windy, mountain road. Go-kart on steroids It was similar to the black car, same sort of body kit, but it had the whale tail and the best leather seats ever. And it was white and looked dead sexy. I got around 7.5 L/100km on long trips with lots of accelerating, with the A/C on, and 40+C temperatures. The engine used less than 0.5 L of oil per year when it was over 300,000 km. Saab said that they reduced torque steer by having equal length drive shafts.
Thanks Iain for showing us the 900. I remember these very well back in the seventies and eighties. In the seventies especially, I always thought they were über cool, especially the Turbos. It was the period when ABBA were massive (before it became uncool to admit you liked them, driven mainly by the press at the time). Anything Scandinavian had real kudos. The UK has always had an affinity with Scandinavia and the Swedes in particular. IKEA and Volvo still do very well here, not to mention the Scandi-dramas and books, such as Wallander and The Bridge. Maybe it’s our Viking blood! SAABs were often driven by architects and the like; people who appreciated thoughtful design and good engineering. I remember trying to talk my Dad into buying a 99! To be fair, he even test drove one, but couldn’t get on with the driving position.
Nice video! Some small details though. Airconditioning was an option, and the more expensive models had them. Handbrakes on the slant nose are on the rear. No torque steer because saab mounted the gear box under the engine so that it would have two drive shafts with equal length. Normally they sound amazing, they should have a nice burple... i imagine this one has a leak somewhere. Primaries gear can be changed on the manual. This will greatly benefit the rpm.
My first real job was working for a SAAB mechanic in my home town, mainly going out to his extensive graveyard with a breaker bar and trying to pry off old parts. These cars were one the coolest things going at that time -- who could forget that aircraft cockpit? Great trip down memory lane, thank you!
My dad had a B reg one of these brand new when I was a kid, silver with a velour interior. He also later had an Escort RS Turbo, the SAAB was much nicer.
What a thrill to se an automotive-expert reviewing an "ordinary" car. As much of a joy it is to see the dream-cars..........it is wonderful to see a normal car once in a while. Keep up the good work. Thank you
Wow used to love these iconic cars as a kid. Real monster from the 80s & 90s. In black of course👍 just the bumpers on those were enough to write your car off. I remember I had a collision with a Saab 9000 in Coventry. The escort estate front end was smashed to bits, the other drivers Saab just had a scuffed bumper. Luckily he admitted fault and I got out of working in Coventry as well😂
Just a small observation. Even though Saab 900 is FWD it doesn't exhibit torque steer because the engine is mounted longitudinally and the half shafts are equal length.
Until 5 years ago when a truck decided to slam into it I drove mine everyday - 1987 900 turbo convertible. I live in Calgary, Alberta and with winter boots on it was brilliant in the snow - and we get a fair amount. Loved it and still still miss it.
Owning several Saab 900s over the years, I was pleased to hear you remark about the this car. It is especially solid with design and build characteristics that are pleasing. Since I’ve had one for over 40 years I sometimes take all of that for granted. I’ll be forwarding this on to fellow Saab nuts. Thank you for what you do.
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Am I the only person who gets more excited about a video on an old Saab compaired to some modern hypercar? 😅
No!
I'm sure any car he talks about will be interesting for a lot of people. For me, this is the first video I did not watch the whole way through.
I adore my Saabs! I’ve a 99 & 900. I’ve had 9 x 900’s. 3 x 99’s.
Nope
I prefer videos about cars that I could actually afford, which doesn't include the latest £200k Ferrari!
We asked for the Saab, we got the Saab. This guy is great!
Excellent vid, just one glaring error: the car tested was a 900 S Aero, not a 900 Turbo 16S (no boost gauge!)
@@zm321 Would you get a boost gauge with an automatic gearbox option? It wouldn't be of much use.
@@jamesdecross1035 Yes you do.
its a 900s lpt, you can see it at the intake pipes. The 16s has an intercooler
It made me all nostalgic for my ‘87 900 turbo.
I Worked for a guy in the early 90's who was very wealthy indeed & could have had any car in the world, but he insisted his Saab that he thrashed every day was the best car he had ever had, such a workhorse & never let him down, very good advert coming from him trust me.
Proud owner of a black 1991 Saab 900 SPG turbo (US spec car). These are wonderful vehicles that can easily be used as a regular driver and of course, look like nothing else on the road. The 5-speed is a more satisfying driving experience than the 3-speed auto, especially at highway speeds and for carving through rural B-roads. Engines are very robust, racking up hundreds of thousands of miles. And yes, Ian, you could get AC. In the US, all turbo Saabs came with AC as standard. Biased, but one of my favorite Tyrrell's videos.
RIP Saab, you were too good for this world
My late uncle was a car nut and living with him as my aunt and mum ran a business together I got to ride and drive all of them. At one point in the late seventies early eighties he owned several cars at the same time. A Rolls Royce, Jensen, Spitfire, 1930´s Lagonda and for everyday use a Saab. He owned over the years several, a 99GLE then one of the first 99 Turbos in the UK in the classic black with red interior then one of these and the last a 9000. He loved all his cars but its fair to say Saab was where his heart really was. I loved them and the 900 turbo was one I learned to drive in.
They felt so special back then, all the competitors just felt ordinary incomparison. I was a big fan of Stig Blomqvist who used to rally Saab and met him once through Saab. Terrific happy memories of these wonderful cars and such a shame they are gone now.
When I was groving up my family always had SAABs. In 1970 we where on holiday in the UK with our "99". At the hotel in London we had reserved parking and someone from the staff was going to put in a garage. My father just handed the man the key and then he wispered to me "I'm not going to tell him where the ignition is". We stood giggling watching him desperately trying to find it!
On a different model, they moved the gear stick instead of moving the keyhole. Also had the reverse gear locking that required those controls to be near each other. Moving the gear stick allowed a really big parking brake lever to become the entire center section (rear seat ventilation ports were under the front seats).
Saabs in this era we’re legendary design & built cars, quirky that just adds to there charm! Until GM took over & killed them off! 😢Thankyou Iain for another great video!🙏🏽
I worked with any brand of car you might encounter over 37 years in the automobile business, but SAAB is without guestion my favorite. Owned 6 or 7, all 900 turbos, all with 100,000 miles plus, and never had to do any internal driveline work on any of them.
Unbreakable! And I drove them hard....on poor roads, rain, snow, inclement weather, etc. they could outrun anything...I chased down and persecuted countless "fast cars".
Its cousin, the 9000, was also superb.
Thank you, sir.
Love to see a bit of Swedish metal from your shop. Seasons greetings from Saab-town in Sweden.
Me too. Opeth rules 🤘
DId it get renamed to Vauxhall town? :P
Hello Trollhättan!
Hi Mats, I've been driving Saab turbos (manual) since 1988. My current car is a 2007 9-3 Aero manual in laser red. I live in Nelson Bay, NSW, Australia. About 3 years ago I was turning round at the end of the Shoal Bay beach road, when a guy walked up to my car and said that he really liked the car. He said that he lived about 20 or 30 kms from where my car was made and that he was a design engineer for Volvo. We talked for a while. He got a little excited when I told him about the Hirsch chip upgrade and the Do88 inter cooler. Maybe next year we'll be able to travel again. Happy Christmas to you and may your future years be bountiful.
I also love the fact that your name is Kalsson. Saab enthusiasts know why 😁
I miss the old SAAB’s, they were great cars.
YES...Yes they were.
Yes, untill damn GM messed them up. Trying to "americanize them" i.e. dull them up. Damn GM. 😡
I don't. I have a Lemans blue 1993 900S Convertible with the Aero-exterior package and the car is absolutely gorgeous to drive a hot summer day
I have to say my 2008 9-7x is a wonderful and reliable driving experience. There's way more engineering in it than just sheet metal and badges. I get compliments on it all the time. It's a shame consumers killed the mark.
Shane Isaacs, they still are. My 4th Saab, a 2002 9-5 Aero, is going strong to this day. Rock solid.
Drove a ‘91 for three years. Watching this got me all weepy eyed. One of the finest cars I’ve ever driven.
SAABs where great, people who purchased them where very loyal to the brand. The ultimate dentist jet.
oh yes true ... my dentist had one.
Can confirm, my dad is a dentist with a SAAB and I’m a designer with a SAAB
I couldn’t own any other car, SAAB or bust!
And teachers with beards..
@@spotty_cat26 ... and architects and air pilots...!
I had plenty of Saab's and I wasn't any of that just a regular citizen that wouldn't drive any other car
Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati… everybody wants to see a SAAB.
Resonates more with the 'normal' owner/driver!
Everyone wants to see'em now.. Shame no one wanted to buy them in the noughties...
@marcus price I am sure but if enough ppl bought them; SAAB would still be with us, don't you think?
Maybe..... it's like "the list" husband & wife draw up lists of people they'd like to hook-up with were they to ever get the chance. Wifey has Brad Pitt, Chris Pratt the usual movie star supects... husband's list, Paula out of accounts at work.
I reckon you are quite a devotee of these cars, James, and technically knowledgeable. Yes, like others who love the model it is possible to relate to the 900, as they were designed and priced to be daily drivers while still being rather exotic. Back in 89 my dad wanted to treat himself to something sporty but practical, and opted for a 900. turbo with full boost , 16 valves. I loved the driving experience. and it felt rather more solid and better handling than the Triumph equivalent that I had then, the Dolomite Sprint., though dad's was the cabrio. You're quite correct, the head bolts on the Saab weren't a weak point. The triumph needed good, regular maintanance and a gentle mechanic
I was working at SAAB at the time, and was inwolwed in the develpoment of the turboengine, we where at MIRA and tested, not the turbo but the 2,0 new engine, 1974 inthe beginning of the Turboera! It was Per Gillbrand ho came with the ideeas about how too control the power after a wisit to Porsche! Then a friend of my developed the 16 valve head! Aguy called Gunnar Axelsson both for Volvo and SAAB
Thanks for your testimony! It always great read about these stories!
Wowzers. I own a car similar to the one in this video (except it's a manual) and enjoy the work you and colleagues put in every time I drive my gorgeous, capable, reliable car
This gentleman and this channel are in a different league. Genuinely class. Please keep them coming
One of the most beautiful, iconic cars ever produced...
This and Harry Melcalfs channel keeps me sane during these times of covid
Agree Try Jethro Bronner also a talented guy .
Yes both great channels
See also Allen Millyard and if really desperate and can tolerate septics, Hoovies Garage and the Wizard
A friend had several 900 turbos about 10 years ago and I often helped him with maintenance and repairs (I'm a car mechanic). I loved driving them, the cockpit with the canopy-like windshield in front, the solid feel of everything, and on the smaller roads here in germany these cars are properly quick while always feeling safe and controllable.
One of the most impressive turbocharger failures i've seen was on a VAG diesel, a two liter engine ran away until the bearing of the turbo failed, the exhaust turbine snapped off all full rpm, went down into the catalytic converter and basically milled it's way completely through it and came to rest in the exhaust pipe.
Saab 900’s have been and still are my daily drivers. I’ve had 9 x900’s in both turbo and injected versions. In total over some 40 years I must have driven at least 450,000 in Saab 900’s. The present one is a 1990 900i SE 5-door on about 160,000 with everything ok. It has a good body. Hasn’t had as must use due to covid, but never fails to start. My 1983 99GL 2-door has had a new head-lining and looks great, this car is a 1981 four speed but first registered in ‘83. No ecu’s to go wrong, and will go forever. Saabs of the pre-1994 period are the perfect companion. The 5 - door swiftly converts to have a huge load area with the back seat squab rolling forward and backrest dropping down! It’s amazingly versatile. On Winter Tyres they go anywhere and live outside.These are all-year round cars. 28mpg. And as fast as you need.
Hello. May I presume to make some contact with you? You seem to know stuff. How would a non-garaged classic 900 work as a daily driver now, in 2024? I'm not a mechanic and wouldn't know how to deal with issues and so would rely on someone else to do the work. But I'd hope to get a good one in the first place and then just keep it going with servicing and routine consumable replacement, but how realistic is that? My dad had a 900 full turbo automatic (I did have two 9000's myself later on) and I sort of crave my dad's car... Not uncommon that, like reliving old times. Anyway, would you have an opinion about getting one now and keeping it on the drive?
Lastly, I would want an auto. I know they rev high and real drivers want a manual, but my dad's was an auto and it was just great to drive. Any opinion on the auto?
Cheers,
And thanks if you read this.
For me the most iconic SAAB and those wheels 😍🇸🇪 It is absolutely criminal that GM effectively allowed this great auto maker to die. The contrasting fortunes of Volvo and SAAB couldnt be more extreme.
It never run with profit. Way too much engeneering and too little marketing and business savi.
And Volvo is now a Chinese Company with a bigger budget than ever.
@@iettord3124 I agree about the marketing. Most people did not know that Saabs were at least as safe as Volvos, but far more fun to drive.
David Hall, oh that Ford could have partnered with them!
@@erikadams4976 they may have been safer at one point because I can recall one of Saab's ads stating that insurance rates in Sweden for Saabs was less expensive than a comparable Volvo.
I have a 99 turbo in excellent condition. Just like the green one you had a picture of.
I had a couple of 900 16 valve non turbo over the years. Still my favourite car probably. Loads of long journeys. One massive motorway shunt. Hit a stationary car (It entered the motorway at 90 degrees in front of me and into the barrier) at 70mph.
Doors still opened and even the windscreen was intact. Saved me. What a shame they are hard to find now.
We hit a parked car in one sideways.... all doors still opened... poor Datsun we hit had the boot inside the car!
Hi ! I partially worked for a Saab workshop in the 1980s and drove the 900 fairly often. A/C was optionally available on them. But expensive back then and buyers weren't that much after "synthetic cooling" these days. All the heater controls are managed with vacuum actuators. And you'd forget to mention the odd (for us) position of the ignition lock between the front seats and that it has no steering lock - but the key comes out from the ignition lock only if the gearbox is in "P" on automatics and in reverse on manual shifting. The firewall is integral part of the crash structure and deflects engine and gearbox down under the car in case of a frontal crash. They were darned safe cars. A customer and his family (wife and two kids) survived a frontal crash with a VW Scirocco at 40 mph each car nearly unharmed. All four doors openend and if the inner mirror hasn't released from its fixing even the front window had been intact. We could still roll and steer the car on a towing trailer. The impact almost killed the Scirocco-driver, whose car was flattened to the A-pillar ...
The reason for the good steering is the neutral turning point, which line downwards from the linkage, and ends in the middle of the tire. So called "Zero radius". Old cars have positive, from the VW Golf and Polo frontwheel-driven mainly use a negative setup. Saab even brought out videos where drivers steer a 900 over a knife in the ground while lifting the hands out through the sunroof. Tire looses pressure, but the cars go straight on.
Don' t try that at home with Dad's Honda Accord ... :-)
Always yearned for a 99 Turbo, my dad test drove one in the wet in 1979, it spun its front wheels like he was driving on ice! Greetings from Estonia!
Absolutely Wonderful as always.
SAAB was special
Still are 👍
Thank you, Iain. Wonderful, solid cars. I had four 99s over nearly 30 years, including one of the last batch, built in the Finnish plant in 1982. When Saab went under, it became hard to get parts for older models, so I reluctantly sold the last one about five years ago. Still miss it. Saab modified the 1850 Ricardo engine very heavily to make it reliable - increased the distance between the bores and made them larger (increasing the capacity to 1985cc), fitted bigger main bearings and hollow crown pistons, got rid of the wedge-shaped combustion chambers (which solved the overheating issues) and uprated the timing chain to a duplex. That's why it worked and lasted and could take the power from the turbo. It was also the best car I've ever driven in snow. I live on a hill and I, my partner (who also had a 99) and a neighbour who owned a Saab were the only people in our street who could get up the hill when it snowed heavily.
I love triumph I have two but the angled cylinder head bolts (studs) were never going to work, a design to far.
These must be torked in sequence to avoid damage and gasket failer,
Wish they had collaborated with Saab on the more robust head design.
@@nicholaskelf5437 The problem with the Triumph/Ricardo engine was that Triumph specified that it had to be able to be doubled to make a V8 that was narrow enough to fit under the bonnet of the Stag (which also suffered overheating issues). The Saab mod's would have made it too large.
@@laurieharper1526 thanks for the info.
Triumph compromised on a single timing chain per bank and raised the pressure of the radiator cap to 13 psi to avoid looseing the coolant.
Timing tdc was on the no2 cylinder (On the master bank as the dolomite).
So many unusual issues, if you did not follow the guidance in the engineers manual the engines quickly packed up or overheated.
These were some of the first mixed metal engines and they needed special corrosion inhibitors in the coolant, somthing which we take for granted now.
I have rebuilt a few stag and dolomite 1850s and sprints.
Incedently there is a dealer in Enfield North London who specilised in the Saab 900s.
I've always regretted selling mine. Wonderfully quick without being a drama queen, supremely comfy and a practical daily drive too. So, so want another.
Are you still interested?
@@mark-ma2310 After I have finished removing the last of the rot from the once very rotten 62 Land Rover in my workshop, I'll be looking for one. Probably go for something that needs restoring, gives me the ideal opportunity to do some upgrades then.
As someone who lives just an hours drive from where this car was made, it is quite heart-warming to see it together with such exotics as the Countach, the Dino and the Espada. Always loved these, but still never got the chance to drive one, all though I have driven quite a few other 80s/90s Saabs. My very first car was the humble Saab 90 - at the very opposite end of the Saab foodchain - still it had the same level of robustness and quirkyness as the 900 Areo (as it was called in Sweden). Great video!
Not an Aero though. Just a 900 S low pressure turbo with the Aero/SPG body kit, badging and wheels. Nothing of the 900 Turbo much less 900 Aero/SPG trim level or performance is available in this car. No, AC, No leather, no APC and turbo gauge, no intercooler or knock sensing in the ECU much less the full pressure turbo's wallop with a shovel to your back when booting it. And everything muddled even further by a Borg-Warner automatic gearbox no less. Horsepower output is around 145bhp compared to the Aeros 175bhp. But what is much lower is torque. This having around 205Nm while the Aero is punching out 280-300Nm.
Yeah, it's a nice cruiser and despite the disenfranchising by the owner with the turbo badges, it is a nice car. The Aero body kit was available as an option. but they didn't put turbo badging on 900i or 900 S models which had it installed as a dealer option.
So, Tyrell not doing justice to the audience here. And owner is probably looking to scam someone out of money by trying to pass this off as an Aero spec car. Or is the victim of a scam... Legit mint Saab 900 Aero examples go for over 25 - 30k€ these days.
900 S about five grand or so and so...
I've had 3 Saab 900 Turbos.
One of them was a 3 door Turbo 900 T16S. Loved it. It went like stink.
Loved it.
I remember driving it at some speed* where the turbo was constantly boosting. You could hear the turbo whistle when going under a bridge with the sunroof open.
Must get another one at some point.
Brought back great memories . Used to be Saab main dealer in the 70,s. we jumped up and down on the bumpers to show how strong they were. Thanks for the memories. P.S we were the first garage in the country to fit air conditioning to a Saab.
@Edgar Miller Optional extra in the UK. Not a great need for it in the UK.
@Edgar Miller Yes our summers are getting hotter. Last time I see 100 degree F I was in Florida.
You still occasionally see these being daily driven; I've seen a few parked on the street & still in use in posh areas of London. They have that X factor.
These are classic 'old money' cars around London.
Defo still cool parts supply is a problem tho !
@@stuco81 I know what you mean (I own one and am in London), but you really don't need much money to buy and run one now!
Daily drive mine!
Ahh, before Detroit got their talons into Saab 100%. My last, best one from that era was a simple 16-valve, no-frills model (who could afford the turbo?). It was typical of all of mine, I drove it from new for twelve years, 240,000 miles, and gave it to a young kid. Now my last 9-5 screams GM! I still love it to death, though. I’ve kept one of its ancestral 1969 96s going after fifty years; if I can do anything similar here I’ll be very happy. Thanks, Iain. I hadn’t seen this in your shop or I would have joined the voices asking for your disquisition. A wonderful start to a day! Thanks again!
"Built like a tank" is not idle rhetoric. A Y Reg VW Polo went up my butt in one of these. I needed my bumper repainted. Her Polo was a write off. I've had 3 Saab's. Theyre terrificly good cars.
Great Vid Iain.
As a swed it was super cool that you did this car......but all your videos are very good!
I'd like to see the fiberglass-bodied jobs from the sixties and early seventies reviewed.
What was it the honchos at Trollhatten said when the first model 97 showed in the late fifties?
"Sa nett den ar!"
Yet again a thoroughly enjoyable episode.
Many thanks from Finland
Nice description, just a few details that missed the "bulls eye" ;-)
AC was indeed available, even as after-market upgrade. However, the air-filter for the interior was lost as the evaporator of the AC was installed in the filter-chamber. If you look closely at the vent-mode control, there is one "unused" position beyond 6'o clock -thats the "recirc"-position in cars with AC.
And truly, the 900S is the "ladies-turbo", charging like 60 kPa. Called "light-pressure" in ads, as opposed to "full-pressure turbo" that was one step further. (We were not supposed to say "low-pressure", as that could be seen as some nasty weather-condition that frequently appear to Sweden from the British Isles!)
Some-one said the venting is controlled by air/pneumatic, which is "sort of" true. It's vacuum, taken from the engine intake.
And while driving - give her some more throttle to drag you out of each curve! Especially important in winter-conditions, when the rear-end tries to overtake you....
And "engineered" - indeed. Try getting hands on the waste-basket originally available from the SAAB-dealer. Mounts under the passenger chair. I miss it in every other car, but I've spent some 600 000 km driving them (440 000 of those in one single 1989 with 128 bhp naturally aspired engine)... My last one, a 2.1l of the final year, 1993, is currently in repair. It has ABS-breaks and Air-bag.
I LOVED when you mentioned the "bank vault doors" almost right off the bat. That is the number one feature I recall when I once owned my '91 900. Just how solid it felt
Imagine a street full of Polski Fiat, and Zastava Yugo, hundred plus... and at the end of the street a rich family had an apartment whose father worked abroad (lord knows how he got that permit from the government) and brought back one of these. Saab 900 Turbo is the first luxury/sports/fast car I've seen in my life :) It looked like a rocket ship to us kids.
My father used to own one of those, a1986 900 T16 5-speed manual in dark grey metallic with beige leather interior. He bought the car in september -86 and the first owner was a director/manager at SAAB who probably hade done something with the engine, or perhaps SAAB themselves hade something to do with it? It was a hell of a car to go! and it was also lower and stiffer than a standard 900 T16. He kept it for as long as he lived and I regret that I or someone else in the family didn´t kept it. There is something special with SAAB! Love Your channel and Greetings from Sweden.
This is one of the many reasons why I love this channel. Countach and Dino casually sitting in the background, but the Saab 900 is the star. Fantastic!
Thanks!
Oh I miss all the old Saab's and Volvo's from the 70s. My grandfather had loads. I clearly remember a 99 turbo, and a silver 262c. He never did manage to get a limo Saab, or Volvo sadly. Love these videos.
Saab's engineering qualities were very much "hidden" , in as much you had to experience it as an owner. When they adopted the V4 Ford unit to replace the 2 stroke in the previous 96 model, Ford told them you won't get much over 90 bhp from it before it breaks , so Saab got 98 bhp no problems still winning rallies, 114 bhp no problems still winning rallies, 120 + bhp still winning rallies. It wasn't till they got to 140+bhp , that they realised they would probably need to change. With the 99, they adopted the Triumph slant 4 ,despite the car it came from, Triumph Dolomite 1850 not having the greatest reputation for reliability (much as I love Dolly Sprints) or durability, with Saab , as Iain rightly pointed out, seem to get monumental mileages with 200,000 or 300,000 are not unheard of with reliability. Pity people don't recognise this integrity in car purchasing so much these days but depend more on image and many accessories a given model has . Look up Top gears Saab tribute when they drop a Saab from a crane 8ft off the ground compared to a BMW. Wonderful video again Iain. Merry Christmas and hope everyone has a safer new year.
I think similarly they took the slant 4 and engineered out the known issues. I guess in this period of Saab taking something else and redesigning it worked for them, whereas in the later GM period it would be their downfall to redesign, re-engineer and re-badge GM cars bringing them into financial woes.
Saab had to redo things because the english had not constructed the engine properly, like fitting too small bolts on the engine head, a very weak flywheel, lazily done wiring and inadequate seals. Also the position of the water pump had to be changed. But when the engine had been redone and done properly it was reliable.
Thanks so much for telling everyone a bit about Saabs. I owned an 86 version SPG and thoroughly enjoyed all the attributes you mentioned. I've kept Saabs in the family to this day, my daughter drives a 2010 9-3; Saabs retained their essential character to the end.
Totally enjoyed my 89 Saab Turbo. Very solid car and fun to drive. Had the five speed gearbox on mine with the A/C. It had no problems climbing the hills Maryland into Pensilvania USA. It would climb effortlessly in fifth with the cruise control on. I put 200,000 miles on it before donating it my school. What a great car.
I remember driving a manual version of one of these when they were new and being impressed. The on paper performance figures weren't particularly spectacular, especially things like 0-60 times but on the move once the turbo started to kick in, the mid-range acceleration was pretty impressive and the whole car felt well put together and stable in all road conditions. Thanks for taking me back to a car I actually have firsthand experience with.
I have a Saab 9000 2.3T Aero which is slightly tuned. Its 0-60 is also not that amazing but around 5.2 if you can stop the wheels spinning. Where it excels is 70 to 100 in 3rd. Which is just 3.5 seconds. Quicker than an Audi R8 !.
@@dj_paultuk7052 Exactly; the performance comes in exactly where you would need it in a real-world situation.
I had a 1981 Saab 900 Turbo 5-door 5-speed. Only year that the 5-door was brought to the USA. I loved that car. Turbo lag was measured with a calendar, but once it got spooled up, watch out! We ran ours with minimal muffling when I was driving it in 1992-94, and it made the most glorious burbles and puffs.
My parents and grandparents had SAAB's when I was young in the 80's. Great memories of them. The key down in the centre console and the unique seatbeat clips amused me as a kid. My Grandad found the front seats so comfortable he found a spare, attached it to a 5 star base and used it as an office chair.
I used to live in Detroit and drove a 900 to New York City at least twice a year and I must say only because of the confort found in those seats was I able to drive straight through except for a fill up. I would arrive in NYC fresh without any discomfort
My first car was a SAAB 99LE coupe with a 2.0l engine and a 4 speed manual gearbox. It was a great car we purchased from a SAAB dealer and I remember drooling over the new SAABs in the showroom back then. They were built like a tank and had great weight distribution which made it fantastic in the snow.
As an architect- I have a natural urge to get one...
LoL. But yeh, an engineer's car no doubt!
Just get the rimless glasses instead....
Nowadays you have to buy a 5 series BMW
Do you also own a roll-neck sweater?
@@Matson757 An A6 is a better analog to the historic SAABs.
We had 5 in a row while I was growing up. Last 3 were the 16S variants. I'd have another in a heartbeat. My Dad was persuaded into them by a pal who worked for Saab Manchester, when they organised a demo day at Oulton Park. Another satisfied customer was born.
Not one to comment on TH-cam but a passion for classics and an acknowledgement of the beauty of these reviews made me break the pattern. Well done, you have a fan!
Thanks for showing this. Some knitpicking: the handbrake was moved to the rear and the wheel stud pattern was changed 1988.
And you definitely could get an AC, I had it in mine albeit a 1992, but in the US you would find it quite common I believe.
Had one exactly the same as the one shown. Never missed a beat in 5 years, gave it to a mate. It ended up with 537,000 miles on it. I moved onto a Carlsson.
Good to see a Saab featured. I had a 9000 with a HP turbo and loved every mile I travelled in it.
A friend of mine had a 9000 too, the main thing I remember is the fuel economy gauge. It was a LED bargraph, very 80s style, and when driving slowly in town it would quite often max out :)
Thank you for putting together this wonderful and thorough video and bringing it to your channel. It is quite the honor to the entire and closely knit SAAB community, for the SAAB brand to be featured on Tyrrell's Classic Workshop!!!
This video will provide an incredible boost in awareness for our beloved SAAB brand.
My dad had this exact model of Saab 900 in the mid to late 80’s. D Reg as far as I remember, his was a manual in silver but had the grey Bridge of Weir leather too. Awesome machine. This video brings back lots of memories. Thanks.
chaps really got a lovely way about him, that Saab was of no interest to me but i happily sat through it.
I had a 1990 900 turbo in Caliifornia. It had air conditioning and 5 speed gearbox. Very good car. The leather seats were so comfortable and the acceleration quite impressive. I didn't know it was a triumph engine. It had a distinctive sound I have never heard from another engine.
This was very interesting just as any of the more exotic cars, maybe because it's more relatable.
Thank you very much !!
My old boss years ago had a 1978 900 16v turbo 3door,which stuck to the road like glue, the reverse lock on gearstick was a great idea, turbo gauge on dashboard, and overtook like a plane taking off😁. It was a top notch motor.
1991 we have new Saab 900 Aero, I had a good childhood!!!
Bought my first one new in 1984. I've owned a total of 6, 2 were convertibles, but my favorite was my 1986 SPG which saved my life in a high-speed collision on the Interstate Hwy. I walked away after every panel but the driver's door was destroyed. I loved these cars and they were quite reliable. BTW: I had a 9000 Turbo that was amazingly fast and long-legged. I knew once General Motors got them they'd be ruined.
i miss SAAB
I had a red 99 Turbo back in the day. What a car it was! As was mentioned they were very quirky eg. the ignition was down by the handbrake and it had to be in reverse gear to take the key out. I sold it and then had a 900 similar to the one in the video but manual, both great cars.
So many memories, my parents had 900's all through my childhood. These were the most wonderful cars, we drove one of them across Australia and back, as Ian said they were solid things, my Dad had a roo jump out in front of us and it was only a minor ding, most other things would have been totaled. Its a shame they don't make the shells for these any more as they would be wonderful to make into a modern EV.
In my teenage years, being a sort of a buff I saw this car and loved it. Read the Road & Track and Car and Driver on it. Thanks Tyrrell.
Have owned a 1991 low pressure turbo one of these for 25 years. Love it. Really good video. Thanks.
Anorak moment...the handbrake on that will be rear. Saab changed it around 1987
Indeed, for production year 1987, when the front was made longer, and given some angle (as opposed to the 99 vertical front), the hubs, breaks etc was changed from "99-style" to "9000"-style. Girling beaks were replaced by ATE, and hand-brake moved to the rear wheels. Need for yearly break dismantling and rebuild disappeared!
I loved my '78 99 Turbo. Kept it salt free by driving a '74 99 EMS during salty winter driving . The 900 was introduced in 1979 with redesigned front , dashboard forward to accommodate air-conditioning. Steering wheel rearward was 99. SAAB slogan, "intelligent Cars"
Thanks Iain ✌️
CD in New Hampshire 👍🇺🇲
Can't believe you didn't show the bonnet opening.
Friend of mine had one of these in the late nineties, it felt so solidly built.
The shifting bonnet opening in the front like BMW! Yes!
I had a few 99's and 900's. Regularly had to open the bonnet as a party piece, just to show how it worked.
I recall my father breaking his wrist and arm badly and preventing him driving for some time so he bought a SAAB Turbo automatic and the combination was really great and he found that he could drive safely and really quite quickly. As you pointed out it was really well built and well finished. An excellent car it’s only problem was it came to an end. It’s a real shame that there were some really good cars which suffered the financial problems bought about often dare I say by bad management. But at least as a classic car enthusiast I can still enjoy them! Thanks for another excellent video.
I’ve owned Saab’s for 20 years, you’ll never forget owning one.
Me too, since passing my test in 1997.
@@jamesdecross1035 Nice one James.
I bought my 1st Saab, a 900 16v S, after my brother's mate stuck his automatic 900 in 'D' instead of 'R', drove through two walls, dumped this mum's washer and dryer on the back garden, driving the Saab to work after they'd phoned the insurers. Have owned 8 Saabs, including an Aero. Still have boxes of spares I've saved, just in case.
Those cars were tuff & ruff like tanks you could hit anything and keep on driving
Come back Saab, we miss you
Worth mentioning: The reason the 900 engine is backwards and longitudinal, other than better weight distribution over the front wheels, was to have equal-length front axle shafts which help prevent torque-steer greatly. Most FWD cars have the engine in line with the front driveline, but as a result one axle is much longer than the other, giving unequal leverage on the front wheels. Hence, torque steer. Great job on this video, love your videos and thank you!
"Take your mind off everyday worries with new Turbo"
A friend of mine recently finished restoring a black 900 turbo Carlsson, decided to have a break from his usual R5 turbo restorations.
I believe it’s one of 7 carlssons still on uk roads. It had one of the nicest driving positions I have ever experienced in a vehicle.
Sold it at auction for strong money, as you can imagine…
I’d exchange the use of the word ”70’s” here to ”80’s”, cause APC (the variable ingition to octane/knocksensor-system) and wastegate came in these 80’s Saab’s.
It was produced to 1993.
And the 1994 Convertible
1997 in the 9000 ;)
@@zforczek8653 The 9000 was produced until 1997, if thats what you mean
Waste gate was already there in the 99 Turbo from the beginning. Integrated waste gate (cheaper and less effective) was introduced with the APC system for 900 Turbo '82 model year. The 16 valve turbo engine shown on the video was introduced for '84 model year and had APC as standard.
@@varmastiko2908 Correct!
My pal's dad had one of these. We took it out for a thrashing along some country roads one night. The discs were glowing almost white hot by the time we were finished. Great car.
and up goes the value due to mister Tyrrell, thank you.
Wonderful video, i was a front seat passenger in a 9000 turbo which had a high speed head on accident with a sign post then a huge tree, nobody had a scratch on them thankfully, and the car survived after being straightened on a jig, incredibly strong vehicles.
I,remember the rocket engine max aircon setting! Great in Australia.... oh and coming back to in with the window smashed and the Alpine sound system gone... regularly!
I'm a magazine publisher. I had one of these in the early 1990s. The hatch back is huge and one day I had well over a tonne of magazines to move. The Saab swallowed them with no problem. It was only after the delivery that I checked the maximum load. It seems that I carried three times the limit. The car was fine. Also worth noting it had great seats. My girlfriend at the time had a bad back so she drove the Saab and I drove her Marcos. I bought it three years old for £3000 and sold it for the same price two years later.
Very good, well presented review thank you. I've a 900 Ruby and had it 17 years and won't get rid of it as it's my car! Probably spend more than it's value on it, but if I spent that money on a another car I'd never get the same thrill of driving a 900! Even owning it for 17 years I can't wait to get in it when I can! I'm not sure I agree about the sound of the car! I like it's burble, it's very distinctive and different, peculiar to a 900!
They are right now going up in value and demand quick, so whatever money you spent on it will be worth it soon if it isnt already
I've owned, loved and driven 7 or 8 of these... One of my favorite vehicles of all time, no doubt about it. I think I still have a Red APC Box and spare ball joints in my garage. Shame that Black Beauty is an Auto but...I sure do miss my 900's.
Hello Tyrrell, thank you very much for also doing not super top of the top cars, like SAABs and Citroën CX. Love the super top Lamborghinis and all that also!
Thanks, Iain. I'm on my third Saab turbo in 34 years, so I'm just a little bit biased.
I sold my 1989 900 Aero manual when it was a couple of months short of 24 years old with around 315,000 km on the clock. It was very tough. It was good for spirited driving as well as long trips. It didn't need to be treated gently. It thrived on spirited driving and seemed to spring to life driving down a windy, mountain road. Go-kart on steroids
It was similar to the black car, same sort of body kit, but it had the whale tail and the best leather seats ever. And it was white and looked dead sexy. I got around 7.5 L/100km on long trips with lots of accelerating, with the A/C on, and 40+C temperatures. The engine used less than 0.5 L of oil per year when it was over 300,000 km.
Saab said that they reduced torque steer by having equal length drive shafts.
*Can you imagine Iain Tyrell and James May in the pub at closing time and discussing the finer details of the classic sports car*
Thanks Iain for showing us the 900. I remember these very well back in the seventies and eighties. In the seventies especially, I always thought they were über cool, especially the Turbos. It was the period when ABBA were massive (before it became uncool to admit you liked them, driven mainly by the press at the time). Anything Scandinavian had real kudos. The UK has always had an affinity with Scandinavia and the Swedes in particular. IKEA and Volvo still do very well here, not to mention the Scandi-dramas and books, such as Wallander and The Bridge. Maybe it’s our Viking blood! SAABs were often driven by architects and the like; people who appreciated thoughtful design and good engineering. I remember trying to talk my Dad into buying a 99! To be fair, he even test drove one, but couldn’t get on with the driving position.
Nice video! Some small details though. Airconditioning was an option, and the more expensive models had them. Handbrakes on the slant nose are on the rear. No torque steer because saab mounted the gear box under the engine so that it would have two drive shafts with equal length. Normally they sound amazing, they should have a nice burple... i imagine this one has a leak somewhere. Primaries gear can be changed on the manual. This will greatly benefit the rpm.
First year of slant nose 900 still had the old wheel hubs and front hand brake (1987). 1988 models and newer had the new hubs and rear hand brake.
My first real job was working for a SAAB mechanic in my home town, mainly going out to his extensive graveyard with a breaker bar and trying to pry off old parts. These cars were one the coolest things going at that time -- who could forget that aircraft cockpit? Great trip down memory lane, thank you!
My dad had a B reg one of these brand new when I was a kid, silver with a velour interior. He also later had an Escort RS Turbo, the SAAB was much nicer.
What a thrill to se an automotive-expert reviewing an "ordinary" car. As much of a joy it is to see the dream-cars..........it is wonderful to see a normal car once in a while. Keep up the good work. Thank you
Wow used to love these iconic cars as a kid. Real monster from the 80s & 90s. In black of course👍 just the bumpers on those were enough to write your car off. I remember I had a collision with a Saab 9000 in Coventry. The escort estate front end was smashed to bits, the other drivers Saab just had a scuffed bumper. Luckily he admitted fault and I got out of working in Coventry as well😂
Just a small observation. Even though Saab 900 is FWD it doesn't exhibit torque steer because the engine is mounted longitudinally and the half shafts are equal length.
I remember being an apprentice a long time ago and going out in one of these and thinking they were the fastest car on earth!
I worked in a SAAB parts department when these cars were on the road.
We only really sold service parts and consumables as they were very reliable.
900’s are lovely! One of my favourites! I miss my 900 Carlsson, I sold her 20 years ago 😢.. 900 Turbo’s have a great burble on the exhaust note!! 👌🏼
One does not sell a SAAB..
Until 5 years ago when a truck decided to slam into it I drove mine everyday - 1987 900 turbo convertible. I live in Calgary, Alberta and with winter boots on it was brilliant in the snow - and we get a fair amount. Loved it and still still miss it.
Nothing like waking up to a Tyrrells video. Cheers lad!!!
Absolutely!
Owning several Saab 900s over the years, I was pleased to hear you remark about the this car. It is especially solid with design and build characteristics that are pleasing. Since I’ve had one for over 40 years I sometimes take all of that for granted. I’ll be forwarding this on to fellow Saab nuts. Thank you for what you do.