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Used car choice: Saab 900 Turbo

Sturdy mechanicals and Swedish quirkiness make the Saab 900 Turbo a great used choice

Saab 900 Turbo
Turbo scores with its attractive looks, decent pace and solid build

By Luke Edwardes-Evans

04th August 2007

Is the Saab 900 Turbo the coolest Swedish car ever? With its wraparound windscreen, long bonnet and fastback styling, it’s certainly a contender.

Inside, the dashboard was designed to house all the controls grouped in order of frequency of use – that’s why the radio was placed so high up and close to the steering wheel.

Wearing three-spoke alloys, the 900 looks great, but it was the addition of a turbo model that sealed its status as Saab’s most memorable model. Today, its 145bhp 2.0-litre engine is nothing to write home about, but in the early Eighties, it was a different story. The flagship Turbo was offered as a three and five-door hatchback, a saloon and a convertible. Purists love the first cars, but if you’re looking for a modern classic to perform everyday duties, find a post-1984 example; these deliver 175bhp, and are far better performers.

It’s worth having an inspection carried out on any car of this age, although sturdy mechanicals make the 900 a reliable choice. What’s more, you get a raft of safety features, including a steering column designed to collapse to one side in an impact.

While the cabrio lasted until 1998, the rest of the range was replaced in 1994 by the curvy 9-3. Today’s Saabs share parts with modern Vauxhalls, and can’t match the 900 for charisma.

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Pictures

Saab 900 Turbo dashboard
Saab 900 Turbo

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Saab 900 Turbo stats

Prices: £1,000-£6,000
Production dates: 1979-1994
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl, 145bhp
Why? By modern standards, the 900 Turbo isn’t the most sparkling performer, but it looks great and features a comfortable cabin. What’s more, it’s solidly built and sails through big mileages. Convertibles hold the most mainstream appeal, but early examples are now becoming very rare.
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