Before used car listings were crawling with recently legal oddball imports from Japan and Europe, Saab had the market for “quirky” cornered. For much of its time in the US, the Swedish company made just two models.
But in the 1980s, car connoisseurs who didn’t want to be associated with the conspicuous consumers of Mercedes or Jaguar, Saab provided just the right blend of sophistication, exclusivity, and motoring fun. What’s more, as other ’80s classics shoot up in value, the Saab 900, like the one recently sold on eBay in San Diego, Calif., is remarkably affordable.
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To the Beat of a Different Drum
The 900 lived an unusually long life. Saab produced it for two decades, from 1978 to 1998. But the 900 shared its basic architecture with the Saab 99 that dated back to 1968. In most vehicles, the engine mounts with the crankshaft output facing the center of the car where the transmission would be located. But the front-wheel-drive Saab’s engine mounts 180 degrees in the opposite direction. The crankshaft emitted power at the front. This required an extra series of chains and gears to route power under the engine to the transmission.
This unique layout allowed a car of relatively small exterior dimensions to be quite spacious inside. A tall curved windshield added to the sense of airiness. The hatchback body style swallowed a surprising amount of luggage while carrying four adults comfortably. A double-wishbone front suspension provided excellent road feel as well. Every Saab came with a quirk that became an inadvertent theft deterrent system: an ignition cylinder located in the center console rather than on the steering column.
Speaking of which, the Saab 900 introduced many design traits we take for granted in modern vehicles but were unusual at the time. Its seats were snug and ergonomic. The dashboard layout put the most frequently used items, like the stereo, close to the steering wheel. Saab was also an early adopter of turbocharging, though the car for sale is a naturally aspirated 900S model.
Perhaps due to Saab’s roots as an aeronautical company, the 900 resembled a Huey helicopter for the road. Its tall cabin and protruding snout provide visibility and uniqueness. Only a die-hard Saab aficionado would call it beautiful, but it looked like nothing else on the road.
For the Long Haul
The car for sale appears to be in excellent condition. It’s a 1987 900S, which means it came with a 16-valve four-cylinder good for 125 horsepower. Its red paint makes it a dead ringer for the star of the Oscar-nominated film Drive My Car. Its interior looks extremely clean. In short, it doesn’t look like a car with 173,000 miles on the odometer. Then again, there’s a Saab 900 that’s traveled a million miles.
These days, if you want a driver’s car that’s not from one of the status brands but also not as mainstream as a Mustang, you’d pick a Volvo or Mazda. Sadly, since General Motors’ acquisition of Saab in 2000 and subsequent bankruptcy in 2011, the brand’s been forgotten by all but the most dedicated Saab-heads. This well-kept 900S would make for an excellent driver and might be the perfect car to spread the Saab gospel.
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