- Doors and Seats
3 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
2.0T, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
118kW, 255Nm
- Fuel
NA
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Manual
- Warranty
NA
- Ancap Safety
NA
1989 Saab 900 Aero Turbo 16s: owner review
Saab’s Combi Coupe, created by Bjorn Envall, lasted 20 years and became an icon for Saab.
Owner: Peter
- Like nothing else
- Turbo performance
- Handling and roadholding
- 1980's luxury interior
- Exhaust and drivetrain sounds
- Around town turbo lag and gearing
- Parts and technicians increasingly rare
The wagon back silhouette also drove the styling of the GM900-9-3 (especially gorgeous in Viggen/Aero spec). After owning every kind of Saab my heart desired (Turbo X, Viggen, 9000 Aero, 900 Cabriolet etc) I kept coming back to that classic hatch style, specifically in 900 Aero guise.
The victim of my obsession appeared around 2006 in the form of a black, low kilometre, 1989 Saab 900 Turbo 16S Aero for sale via Saab Master Tech and Guru Steve (of Saab Salvage). Having sold my previous 1985 and 1988 900 Turbo Aero’s, my brother suggested to me that I should check out this car. Once I laid eyes on its completely unmolested soul, I vowed to make it my perfect Saab.
After 12 months of happy ownership, I began to desire more rare factory accessories, more performance, more everything! And so I began to challenge the boundaries of what could be extracted from a classic 900 within Australia - taking learnings from our past cars, local experts and the world wide web.
So after almost 15 years where are we at?
These premium 80’s cars were refined, went pretty well, handled great, stopped true and were built like tanks, and just like other period Euro’s these now older cars can drain a bank account repeatedly if not looked after consistently (the youngest classic 900 is now 28 years young). As a result pretty much everything inside and out has been inspected, cleaned, reconditioned, improved or upgraded.
The major stuff:
- Full UK 900 Carlsson specification - I’ve turned my Aussie Aero into the ultimate factory sports version of the classic 900, including squarer front and rear bars, Carlsson pinstripes, badging and steering wheel, >185hp engine tune, model specific twin tail pipes + stiffer Saab-Bilstein sports chassis.
- Easier breathing intake and exhaust, improved cooling system and ceramic coating for hot Aussie summers.
- Later Saab 3-spoke wheels with Wilwood classic car brakes and sticky modern Bridgestones (whilst discs all around are 'in period', you can’t beat more modern stuff for safety).
- Reproduction fibreglass whale tail and integrated factory front fog lamps.
- Rare rear decor panel, NOS front grill, badges, light lenses, and more NOS bits.
- Genuine wooden dash and ashtray, leather gear knob with leather gaiter, genuine Saab branded VDO gauges.
- Reconditioned AU-only Saab branded Alpine cassette player, equaliser and centre ‘surround’ fifth speaker.
- Annual (over) servicing and anything it needs.
- Plenty more, but no one (other than me) really cares!
What’s next?
- Perhaps a more modern Saab engine management system with direct ignition to aid responsiveness and overall drivability. These Saab’s are geared for the highway, so the combination of 80’s turbo lag and low 1st-2nd gearing means they are not rapid off the mark, and a little tiring in stop-start traffic conditions (also an in-period criticism).
- Preventative maintenance. Watching the web for increasingly scarce parts and supporting the highly specialised remaining technicians / part specialists.
- Enjoying the car when I have the odd weekend moment to drive my special car!
Driving the 900 is a total sensory experience: touch, sound and smell. Thin leather Momo rim, factory turbo whistle and gearbox whine take me to a place when Saab existed ahead of the pack. Turning the ignition brings the forged 16-valve to life. My foot on the throttle connects me to its pulse urging me to stretch its legs away from Sydney’s thick traffic. It speaks with a deep, hollow, burble. Inside the cabin smells like a memory of leather, late summer nights with the sunroof open, and weekends invested detailing incessantly.
When the 900 is out and about people often stare, mutter “cool” and sometimes want to have a pleasant chat regarding how they remembered these special cars 'back in the day'. I’m not sure exactly why over the past 3-5 years people’s appreciation for this over engineered brand have positively shifted significantly. These were unloved cars circa 1998-2015. Whether it’s because of Top Gear UK's 2011 Saab send-off segment, or Mighty Car Mod’s 2016 $3000 WASAABI Turbo Car Challenge or because most cars are turbocharged today, I'm not sure. I’m super appreciative of any positivity, love and mojo that helps keep more Saab’s on the road and reinforce the brand overall!
Standing back, I ponder this car’s timeless enchantment over me. A seductive and graceful fusion of not needing to conform, with an upright body and long clamshell hood. The imprint of that iconic turbo boost gauge has been seared into my consciousness - I often daydream of it dancing back and forth. As I sit behind the wheel it’s as if I can see Erik Carlsson rallying through my own windscreen of memories.
I love the way my 900 makes me smile. I hope I can keep it for many years to come.
Thanks for reading the thoughts of a rev head obsessed with his Saab!
Owner: Peter
MORE: Everything Saab