SWEDE SURRENDER
It’s easy to succumb to the charms of Saab’s 900 Turbo –a comfy, robust and stylish car that paved the way for today’s turbo era. Jack Warrick looks at this pioneer
HOW TO BUY A SAAB 900 TURBO
1,000,000 In 2007, owner Peter Gilbert from Wisconsin, US, passed one million miles in his 1989 Saab 900 Turbo. He donated it to the Wisconsin Automotive Museum.
Given how ubiquitous it’s become, it’s strange to think that turbocharging was once relatively rare. Although it all started for production cars in 1962 with the Oldsmobile Jetfire V8 and Chevrolet Corvair Monza, there were still only a handful of cars running a blown engine by the late 1970s. But with vehicles like the BMW 2002 Turbo and Porsche 911 acquiring legendary status, the technology was on the up.
In 1977, Saab revealed the turbocharged 99, featuring improved wastegate technology that proved turbo power was feasible for everyday driving – not just the track. The following year, the firm launched the 900 –a car that truly popularised mainstream turbocharging.