∙Incredible low-mileage classic 900

∙One of the last ‘real’ SAABs

∙Ultra-rare saloon with auto transmission

∙Imported from Japan and extensively recommissioned

With its aircraft-inspired aerodynamics and unique looks, the SAAB 900 enjoyed an impressive 16-year production run, during which it became renowned for its incredible longevity, peerless build quality and an ability to completely defy convention.

It looked like nothing else on the road, and in 1979 it introduced a new innovation in the form of turbocharging – shared with the smaller SAAB 99 on which it was based. Almost every petrol or diesel car on the road today has a turbocharger, but back in the 900’s heyday the idea of forced induction was a real novelty. 

It also made the 900 one of the most entertaining cars of its era to drive, with incredible acceleration and barely checked torque steer. Even now, a good 900 is a thrilling car to drive. 

This example is particularly unusual in that it’s both a four-door saloon and an automatic, which used a three-speed Borg Warner transmission and is regarded by those in the know to be the smoothest and most driveable of the 900 Turbos – we’ll come to that. 

It’s a genuine low-mileage car, with the added benefit of never having been driven on salted roads.

The SAAB spent the majority of its life in Japan, where it was first registered in 1993. 

It was imported to the UK in 2018 by Valley Cars and Classics in Berkshire, which specialises in bringing in some of the more unusual models from Japan including low mileage European modern classics. 

Since its arrival in the UK, the 900 has had substantial recommissioning work including a brake and ABS overhaul, air conditioning recharge, new bushes and ball joints, new rubber and vacuum hoses, a new water pump and a reconditioned steering rack. 

The vendor is reluctantly parting with it to fund the purchase of an immaculate BMW E28, but has adored owning the SAAB for the past three years and 13,000 miles.

As a Japanese import, there’s not a huge amount of paperwork with the car, but it does have a UK V5C and MOT valid until August 2022. Also included is the original Japanese handbook, which is an interesting artefact in itself.

It also comes with service paperwork showing its last service just a few miles ago in June this year, along with paperwork from a selection of well-known SAAB specialists documenting its history since the vendor bought it, including one bill documenting a full underside clean-up and underseal.

Finished in Oderado Grey (known as Edwardian Grey on UK market cars), the 900 looks absolutely fantastic, sitting on classic SAAB three-spoke rims and with good tyres all round. The alloys are SAAB Super Aero wheels, chosen by the current owner. The original wheels are also available with the car, which would be a good option if you want a set of winter tyres as well.

The paint finish is superb and there’s no rust that we could see anywhere – one of the beauties of a Japanese import is that they don’t put salt on the roads there, which means you don’t see the same levels of corrosion. It has also had all of the drain holes, in the doors, sunroof and scuttle panels, cleaned out to avoid any corrosion risk.

All of the panels are straight with no dings or dents, and it really does look fabulous.

With the equivalent of just 37,000 miles on the clock, it’s no wonder that the 900 is in fine order inside, with none of the droopy headlining often seen in 900s – they all do that, sir, but this one has been attended to. Only the sunroof liner is a little droopy, but it’s by no means bad or noticeable.

It also has a near-perfect dashboard, free of any cracks. Again, highly unusual for a first-generation 900. The air conditioning and central locking are in perfect working order, as are the electric windows, sunroof, mirrors and cruise control.

It has also been fitted with a period correct Blaupunkt Frieburg CR42 Bluetooth stereo – a feature that makes the car even more enjoyable in today’s world of constant connectivity.

The SAAB B202 1,980cc turbo unit is in good mechanical health and fires up straightaway, settling to a sweet and steady idle. 

It has been specialist maintained since its arrival in the UK and has covered just 59,600km, which equates to around 37,000 miles. 

It delivers its 175bhp through a three-speed Borg Warner T37 automatic transmission, which is a notoriously tough unit also used in a number of big V8-engined cars. In the SAAB, it’s a curiously brilliant combination that makes a tremendous amount of sense – the combination of the turbo engine's prodigious torque and on/off turbo boost works brilliantly well with the two-pedal transmission and is arguably better than in a manual model. 

The tiny mileage means it’s not surprising to find a car that’s crisp and tight underneath a mint exterior – 900s will easily run to 300,000 miles without major overhaul, so this one is barely run in. It feels like it’ll last forever…

Pre-GM SAAB 900s are rapidly appreciating in value, especially the very best examples which are being snapped up by collectors. 

And they don’t really come much better than this. It’s not concours, but it’s a genuinely lovely low mileage car that’s as usable as it is admirable. It’s a lovely car, and to make it a concours example really wouldn’t require much.

It’s also an extremely rare 900 – both a four-door Turbo saloon, which is in itself a scarcity, and an automatic; a combination that is so, so much better than you might imagine. Indeed, the vendor believes it may be the only 900 Turbo of its type in the UK. 

It has been mechanically overhauled, beautifully maintained and properly undersealed to ensure it will last into future generations, and it looks absolutely stunning. 

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