Description
For sale is my February 1985 Saab 900 Turbo, 175 bhp, flat front , in Alabaster yellow, with the 5 speed Manual gearbox. This Saab is in totally original and immaculate condition and has only covered 33550 miles, which must make it one of the lowest mileage Saab 900 turbos in existence?
The car is the earlier and rarer 'flat front' model, and something I didn't know when I bought it, but the 900 turbo of 1985 was fitted with high lift camshafts for that year only. This gives the car eye watering top gear acceleration between 60 and 90, such that most customers preferred the standard pre 1985 spec and these camshafts were no longer fitted after that date. . This information came from a Saab master technician who used to work on these cars back in the day .
The 900 has the factory sunroof and heated seats and the 'Aero' wheels.
The story behind the car is that apparently it was purchased by a man for his wife who found it too powerful, and it was therefore put away in an obviously dry garage for years, until the man died. The Saab then entered an auction and was bought by a classic car dealer, and then onto the man I bought it from.
The term 'timewarp' is often over used, but in the context of this car is truly applicable! It is completely original with the paint almost unmarked. The interior is practically as new, the underneath is rust free, assisted no doubt by the fact it was long ago undersealed. Basically extraordinary, and it drives as well as it looks, much as it would have done when it left the factory 40 years ago. Given its age it has not long had its last legally required MOT, because as from 1st April next year it will officially be a Historic vehicle. Ie no tax, Mot, just about £90 for the insurance! Almost free motoring and ULEZ compliant to boot!
When I bought the car, I took it to my Saab specialists, Abbott Racing, who went right through it and renewed all the fluids etc. Nothing other than that major service was required. It has been used only sporadically since then.
A full and complete book pack is present as are both keys. The service history has been mislaid, other than the receipts from Abbott Racing. However it is obvious from the outstanding condition of the Saab and the perfect way it drives, that it would have been serviced during its life. A car does not remain in this condition for over 40 years without having been cherished! As stated the car has been stored and barely used for the majority of its life.
So there we have it, a quite stunning example of the full fat 900 Turbo, in the earlier incarnation, and quite possibly the finest original example in existence?
As an amusing aside, many will not realise that this model of the 900 Turbo was in fact a 'Bond car' back in the day. John Gardner, who took over the writing of the James Bond novels in 1981, put Bond into a 900 Turbo in his books 'Licence Renewed', 'For Special Services', and 'Ice Breaker' . Naturally the car was fitted with numerous modifications, by Bond himself though, and not 'Q'. And in fact Saab themselves bought into the idea of the Bond car, and outfitted a real 900 turbo with the gadgets exactly as described in the novels! From 1982 and for 5 years thereafter Saab enjoyed increased sales; whether the 'Bond' connection was an influence is of course open to conjecture? At the time Saab's Bond car did the rounds and was much admired. In the books Bond's colleagues nicknamed the car 'The Silver Beast' which apparently Bond preferred to his previous Bentley. All a bit of fun and a long time ago now.
