The classic Saab 900 is a fast-appreciating model from the halcyon days of the 1980s. The uniquely Swedish design combined a racy profile with front-wheel drive and a warm embrace of turbocharged powerplants. The 900 Turbo is most desired with the SPG box checked, which added a variety of performance goodies that transformed the already-quick 900 Turbo into a seriously hot hatch. Find this super clean example here on eBay with bids to $14,655 and the reserve unmet.
The SPG package gave drivers a trick APC box, otherwise known as a knock-and-boost controller. With boost levels increased via the iconic “red box” (if you see a 900 Turbo in the junkyard with a red box attached to the inner driver’s fender, grab it), the chassis was also upgraded with stiffer suspension components, and those sweet tri-spoke alloy wheels to round out the package. Additional aero enhancements were also bolted on, including front and rear spoilers.
As you can see in this example, the leather interior is in fine shape as are the gray carpets. The photo gallery reveals what appears to be a crack-free dash, which is nigh impossible to find in a 900 of this vintage these days. The shifter is always a point of concern with Saabs of this vintage, as a grinding gearbox can indicate a rebuild awaits (and parts are getting scarce); fortunately, the seller reports this 900 SPG has no such issues at the moment.
The selling dealer indicates the owner has spared no expense in its upkeep, with numerous replacement components from shocks to engine mounts to the A/C compressor all replaced under his ownership. Some paint work has been performed to make the 900 present better than it already does, and its California location seemingly indicates rust isn’t an issue. The current bid price is a fair number, but these have been trending higher lately for the best examples. Would you pay $20,000 for a Saab 900?
Seller is a friend and a former SAAB dealer who cut his teeth working on these. He now owns one of the best SAAB indy shops in SoCal. Great car from a good guy.
Chip are you in Palm Springs too?
Not on my watch it won’t happen! Too many rear wheeled drive cars with 300 to how much was the King of the Hill Corvette rated at 375 hp? Front wheel drive turbos are for the not so serious about performance in my world not that there is anything wrong with it just not for me , now Audi or all wheel drive rally cars are a different story so there are exceptions
I respect your opinion as Saab cars are not for everyone. Personally for me I was not a Saab guy when I started working on them. There was a learning curve with the engine installed backwards and a transaxle that forms the oil pan (always torque your drain plug) but after I would say a year of working on them and eventually owing several I got it. It was a car that did so many things well which made it the Swiss Army knife of a car. I’m talking about the 2 door hatch models where the rear seat folds flat to turn this car into a station wagon or a dry place to camp for the night. Car handled well and was tough enough to take on logging roads. Good power and good fuel economy. Unfortunately in 1994 when the new body 900 came out the soul of the car was long gone.
I will say the 9-3 and 9-5 models recaptured some of that Saab feel but nothing beats a classic 900.
I have said it before on here and I will say it again gone are the days when different auto manufacturers had their own feel and soul. New cars are not all that bad. They are safer, more reliable, and have all the creature comforts that everyone expects but they all feel the same. Like eating vanilla ice cream with BMW sprinkles or Chevy hot fudge I think you get my drift.
I had 9 Saab’s over my younger years from 93 all the way to the 9000 Turbo my favorite was a 99 I ran a couple yeast in John Buffnms personal winter rallies! Always did great and I never worried about going off the road I’ve seen these grapefruits roll over and over without loosing a piece of glass and still able to open and stut the doors. One of my saddest days was when they stopped making them, I would still be driving one!!
Some by someone who probably has never even driven a Saab turbo. Comparing it to which horsepower corvette, seriously
?
These are good SAABs.Before GM started making them and then canceled the brand in 2009.
Oh wow. My stepfather (RIP) was a huge Saab fan, and owned this exact year and model—though his was modded and seemed constantly in danger of blowing up in some entertaining way or another. I drove that car quite frequently, and Turbo Saabs of this era are incredibly entertaining and incredibly maddening at the same time.
Plusses: Big whacks of turbo boost, surprising room and visibility, flat handling, and the world’s best manual sunroof. Plus, it’s a totally unique car in a sea of blandness.
Minuses: A shifter that feels like rowing a broomstick in a bucket of tennis balls, hilarious torque steer, climate controls that are about as understandable as hieroglyphics.
That said, it’s a car I miss. There won’t be another car like it, and if I had the space I would consider grabbing this one.
Thanks for mentioning the input resistant climate controls. It was totally possible in SAABs of this era to have hot air blowing out the floor vents and A/C coming out the dash!! Loved my 900 Turbo as much as any car I have ever owned.
I’ve had an ’85 SPG for six years and I love it. It’s reliable, fun, and charismatic. Also a terrific highway car with a great midrange (mine has some powertrain upgrades) and an enormous cargo area. Gets decent fuel economy, too. I just bought its replacement but I’m kind of reluctant to get rid of it.
Re: J_Paul’s comments, I don’t think the shifter is bad at all. Certainly a lot better than the stock shifter on my 911 was before I improved it. Climate controls are pretty conventional for ’80s cars.
Get a Modern Classic Saab made short shifter (I’m putting one in my ’91 SPG) and a lot of the shifter vagueness will disappear. Separately, the climate controls are some of the best designed – simple, easy to understand and once you know the dial positions, the driver does not need to take their eyes off the road to adjust the temp or function. Always safety first with Saab.
My feeling on the, shall we call vagueness, of the shifting is a built in feature that prevents your teen from power shifting through the gears and working around this might shorten the life of your transmission. I would be curious to hear other’s thoughts on this though. I find with mine I am a little more gentle with my shifts in my 900s (2) as a result, which will hopefully add to the longevity. Perhaps this is wishful thinking.
@ David P – I could be wrong, but wasn’t ’85 the first offering for the SPG? Personally – I am a bigger fan of the flat noses, which would prompt me to keep that one forever. OTOH – if you do decide to sell…… Oh. Wait. Where am I going to hide another one?
I bet that leather interior smells soooooo good , miss my SPG…glws
It sure does – the interior smells glorious.
@Fogline Yes, ’85 was the first year for the SPG. Mine is an early ’85 Canadian car. I love the flatnose look. I *swore* when I bought it that this would be catch and release, but it’s gonna be tough to follow through. Still, the “replacement” is paid for already so I may have to even if I have a change of heart. I’ve already got three forever cars (!) and there are so many cars I’d like to try – the only way to try any of them is one in, one out.
I find that shifting does benefit from being just a bit deliberate about it, like shifting the 915 box in my 911 but at like 30% of that. I’m happy with it as it is and feel no need to change it. I agree that the climate controls are very well-done, and my other old-car references are the 911 and my Fiat Spider, both of which are utterly baffling to someone who is only used to a conventional three-dial setup. Nice thing about the Saab is that all the controls are easily operated with heavy gloves.
Worked for a MB / Saab franchise in the late eighties an nineties. These would haul a** and had a funny torque curve like my 73 H2 Kawasaki!
Ah, the SPG. I have an ’88 that, alas, is missing her left front floorboards. If I could weld, she would be back on the road by now. I will never, ever part with her….I have seen a lot of fabulous real estate from behind Edwina’s fishbowl windscreen. She kept me safe and out of the weeds for well over 4 years and 100,000 miles before the tinworm finally sidelined her.
This ’89 is uncommon, as there were more black cars produced in ’89 than Edwardian grey cars. SPGs were sent over here from 1985 through 1991..the rarest of the rare are the 109 Beryl green ’91s. Only available with a five speed, they were the perfect combination of performance, handling and fuel economy.
Sorry, BA…..if you tried to follow me in your rear-wheel drive whatever with 350 HP on tap, you’d be hard pressed to follow me through the twisties in any of my Saabs. Well, maybe not the 99 GL…with a slushbox, she’s just not that fast.
Alphasud, you hit the nail on the head. Saabs are truly the Swiss Army knife of the auto world. I’ve moved rooms of furniture with my Saabs. They are true five passenger vehicles. You can track them or you can do a gymkhana with them. I have not yet found anything that works as well as a Saab.
I have a NewGen 900 in the fleet…..and she does have a soul. The real 9.3s and 9.5s (the 9.3s produced through 2002/2003 ‘vert) have that Saab soul as well. I’ve got two real 9.3 five doors and a Viggen. The GM 9.3 (“sport sedan”….which I found were short on sport) had zero soul whatsoever. I drove every version of that car made for sale in America and hated each and every one.
This car could very well sell for upwards of $25K…….the SPG and the C900 convertible are the holy grails of the Saab world.
The center vent was fresh air all the time without heat to keep the driver alert and awake .
I owned a 1987 Black Carlsson Turbo Saab. These had the Aero ground effects with the whale tail rear spoiler. I prefer these over the more common SPG. I’ve always liked the unusual and do regret letting that car go. Have been looking for a replacement since. Such a great car. This car would plow through snow covered roads with ease.