Tommy gives us an in-depth look at our Saab 900 Turbo convertible and a little Saab history. (Images: TFLcar)
Our 1991 $2,500 Saab 900 Turbo convertible is epic!
At least, our Saab 900 Turbo feels epic to us. One of the reasons we like this car so much is that it was, and always will be unique. No other car was made like the Saab 900, and it was a hoot to drive. Sure, it was a beast to work on and the turbo-lag was legendary, but it had tons of personality.
Production of the convertible began in 1986. What’s interesting is that the convertible came about because of potential sales in the United States. The president of Saab-Scania of America, Robert J. Sinclair, pitched the powers that be to work up the model to sell to American customers.
For Saab, the convertible was a good seller and they saw strong enough demand to keep building convertibles after the original 900 production ended. Unfortunately, the GM-based newer Saab “Next Generation” or “NG” 900 lost a lot of what made the original special.
Our Saab 900 Turbo is a steal at $2,500
The 1991 Saab 900 Turbo convertible we bought comes with a turbocharged, 160 horsepower four-cylinder that makes 188 lb-ft of torque. Unfortunately, finding a manual is problematic (and not really what most people wanted in a top-down cruiser anyway), so we opted to buy one with a three-speed automatic transmission. Sure, it’s not quite as engaging, but it’s still a nice ride.
Many Saabs like this one, in similar condition are commanding $3,000 – $5,000 price tags. It can go up from there with special edition models and low mileage cream-puffs. Our 900 was a one-owner vehicle (rare) that has very little rust (very rare) and a very clean interior (extremely rare).
In time, we hope to do many videos featuring this gem and begin the process of updating along with restoring it as well. Roman and Tommy like to drive convertibles in the summer, so it’s an excellent time to own one. Not only that, this is the first Swedish vehicle the TFL Studios bought for a project.
Our Saab is sad that it’s alone in the world
As many of you know, Saab is not really around anymore. For a while, it was part of GM. That, in many ways, was a shame. Sure, some of the cross-pollinating was good for larger sales, but the corporate giant eventually bled the uniqueness out of Saab.
If you look at the Swedish marque’s automotive history, you’ll see why it was such a cool and unusual company. They were revolutionary and did things their own way. In some ways, they remind me of old Citroen; completely unique and unafraid to try new things.
With that in mind, check out the video and let us know what you think!
