A sad day for Saab

[Milford Cubicle]

What variety is it?

[myglaren]

Daughter #3 had one of those, a 900 2.0 16v Turbo Aero-S and loved it.

Sold it as she was emigrating to the US, which all went horribly wrong, bought a 106 but couldn't live with it.

She now has a very bright yellow 900 2.3 cabriolet, identical to a 93 that I pass every day on the way to work, almost the same reg too.

She loves it but preferred the older 900.

[Justin Case]

I owned five over the years, 2 96s, a 99 and 2 Classic 900s, but I can't get very excited over any of the GM crop. GM hadn't a clue as to how a niche product should be designed or sold, and that was Saab's downfall.

 

Here's a painting a friend did of the 96L I owned. At least no-one can accuse me of being no oil painting

 

[dollywobbler]

It's a 16v non-turbo. Quite perky enough for the likes of me. It's also a much-hated ugly 5-door with a torn-down headlining, so it's scoring well on shite points.

[Richard]

The 5 door is the most desirable, for shite points you want a saloon- preferably one of the 2 door four speeders they made to use up their surplus gearboxes and carbs.

[dollywobbler]

Well, ok, I'll concede on that one, but several people have told me it's ugly. Which is nice. I would have loved a 90 to be honest - a lovely mix of 99 and 900.

[Milford Cubicle]

You've got the ultimate everyday SAAB engine too, no turbo lag but quite nippy.I always thought the 5 door looked like a bit of an afterthought - I suppose it was really.

[Justin Case]

I loved the way Saab only changed half the car at a time. The 99 started as a saloon, then they grafted a hatchback onto the saloon (hence the odd-shaped rear side windows on the 5-door). Next they grafted a new front on to the 99 hatchbacks to make the 900. Then they grafted a new back onto the 900 to make the saloon versions. Finally to complete the circle they grafted the 900 saloon back, back onto the 99 to make the 90.Completely bonkers, but it actually worked quite well

[Milford Cubicle]

You forgot the stretched 900CD alfisti

 

[Justin Case]

Thanks for reminding me Milford Cubicle

 

In return I offer the 99 Finlandia, an earlier and more half-hearted attempted at a Limo-Saab:

 

The prototype 99 had 'Daihatsu' badges to fool spying journalists:

 

 

perhaps an ingenious Autoshiter could now fit a Saab badge onto a Daihatsu

[VWPowered]

cant wait to see a spyker saab should the deal go ahead

[Mr_Bo11ox]

The 5-door 'Classic' 900 is the best shape of Saab I reckon, and one with a 16V non-turbo sounds very appealing. I've had an 8V carb one and while it drove well enough, the body was just too heavy for the engine with the result that it had a terrible drink problem. Do the 16V's have EFi or one of those old Bosch semi-mechanical carry-ons?Whatever, they are GR15 4 TOWIN & SLEEPIN IN

[wuvvum]

This made for a bit of an awkward sequence on Top Gear just now.

[Pillock]

Yeah, I was chuckling my way through that bit!

[alfetta]

Best looking was a 99 turbo sedan (nice and squat, minimal overhang..) or a 900 T16 2-door (with boot) I really liked the hatch praticality, but the 5-door was at best, odd....oh and the weakest heaviest body of all....3-door looks nice from the side, but still somewhat strange from the rear...Now the first GM 900, I actually quite liked the looks, and still has a touch of saab about it..Not a great car, but OK. The lastest 9-3 was better, but the interior was the worst ever, very cheap plastic.

[Mr H Sceptre]

Agreed, I always thought that the first shape GM 900 looked good.

[Milford Cubicle]

The last 9-3 facelift looks quite sharp, having seen a few on the road they look a lot better in real life. Aggressive and defined, but not in a bad way.