The last Saabs are disappearing from the road. Which cars – if any – should be picked up as Saab's last classics before they end up in the press?
“Is this car interesting to you?”
My wife occasionally takes pictures of old, rare, and exclusive cars. I post several of her pictures on my Instagram account. She has a keen eye for spotting nice cars. The pictures she showed me this time were of a white 2011 Saab 9-3. It wasn't terribly old, nor was it particularly rare or exclusive. But in her eyes, the car was special because it was a Saab.
What makes "her" car special is that it is one of the last Saabs to be produced – just a few months before production ceased for good. According to the vehicle register, the car has had the same owner since new. Many Saab owners were very loyal to the car brand. Both my father and father-in-law belonged to this group of car owners. Can loyal Saab owners keep the car brand alive? The cars are known to last a long time – in fact, more than 20 years.
Saabs are popular vintage cars all over the world. But the models that undoubtedly stand out as worthy of preservation today are the Saab 92, 93, 96, 99 and the first series of the 900 up to 1993. The next models in the ranks of the classics are the Saab 9000 and the new generation of the 900 series that was designed by Einar Hareide – especially the 3-door variant. A large proportion of these models have already been scrapped.
Saab 9000
In the mid-1970s, Saab realized that they did not have the resources to develop a new car model on their own. They therefore entered into a strategic partnership with Fiat. The goal was to develop a large car model in a joint venture between 4 different car manufacturers – Fiat, Lancia, Saab and Alfa Romeo. Part of this partnership was to sell Saab Lancia 600 as the successor to the Saab 96.
It was none other than Giorgetto Giugiaro who was commissioned to develop the 4 new car models on a common platform. The result was Fiat Croma, Launch Thema, Saab 9000 og Alfa Romeo 164.
Saab further developed the car with its own interior and safety features such as steel beams in the doors. Despite the Italian influence, the 9000 appeared as a true Saab. It was launched in 1984 as a combi-coupé with a 2-liter Saab turbo engine.
The Saab 9000 was produced from 1984 (as model year 1985) to 1998 in three different versions.
- 9000 CC (Combi Coupe).
- 9000 CD (Corps Diplomatique) sedan.
- 9000 CS (Combi Sedan) a new combi-coupé design that visually resembled a sedan.
From the 1991 model year, the cars got a slanted front and from the 1993 model year, a completely new, lower front section.
The cars were powered by Saab engines – 4-cylinder 2.0 and 2.3 liter engines with and without turbo solutions. But for a while you could also order the Saab 9000 with a 3.0 liter V6 engine from GM. GM bought a 50% stake in Saab in 1989 and took over the entire company in 2000 – that is, after the 9000 model was developed.
Saab 900 NG "Hareide model"
This model was developed while GM owned 50% of Saab, where the two automakers operated in a kind of "joint venture". The Saab 900 "new generation" is based on the same platform as the Opel Vectra. The engines were Saab's own, but now they were transversely mounted and not longitudinally mounted as in the original Saab 900. There was also a 6-cylinder engine option from GM, but no diesel yet.
Saab 9-3 version 1 (1998-2002)
Saab claimed to have made 1100 changes to the Saab 9-3 compared to the Hareide model, but visually it looked more like a facelift. The most noticeable change was that the rear registration number had been moved up between the taillights. Many improvements had been made under the skin. You could say that the 9-3 was an improved version of the 900 NG without losing Saab's brand identity.
Saab 9-5 (1998-2010)
In the same way, one could say that the 9-5 was an improved and more premium version of the 9000 CD (sedan). The combi-coupés were no longer part of the model range. The 9-5 was built on the same platform as the Vectra B, and thus more closely linked to GM than the outgoing 9000. Saab had raised the model to the same level as Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. One could say that it became a bit more mainstream than the 9000 model.
Saab 9-3 version 2 (2002-2012)
The last 9-3 was based on the Vectra C platform and a completely new design where only the front carried the classic Saab identity. No combi-coupe was made. The engines were either based on Ecotec gasoline from GM or diesel engines from Fiats MultiJet series. The model received a facelift in 2008 with changes to the front and white taillights. It is too early to call these cars classics. Many might argue that they are too influenced by the Opel Vectra from the same time period. But if you put a 2011 Opel Vectra next to a Saab 9-3, I think most people would point out the Saab as a future classic.
In any case, the very latest Saab models, such as the 9-3 from the last model year and the 9-5 NG (new generation), will be on display in car museums in a few decades.
The search for what characterized Saab
Saab did not have exclusive rights to "combi-coupé" and "turbo", but both terms were introduced by Saab. The sound of a 2-stroke, V4 or the warm, raspy sound of the 2-liter engine originating from Triumph evokes associations with Saab.
Some might say that Saab lost its distinctiveness after GM took over. Many thought the same when Saab appeared in Lancia clothing. The fact is that Saab would not have survived on its own. Then the gates would have been closed much earlier.
Saab was a car brand that until recently appealed to car buyers who wanted something special and who perhaps had fond memories of Saab. Whether a car model is considered a classic is as much about irrational emotions, enthusiasm and brand loyalty.
It's not always the best cars that become classics.
Real classics
About the pictures
The white car in the main image was photographed during a stay at a shopping mall in Oslo. It is a random car to illustrate a future classic. The red Saab 9000 was photographed in Skinnskatteberg, Sweden, by Trygve Finkelsen (Shutterstock.com). The photos of the gray Saab 9000 were taken at Harestua. It is probably a project for someone. The photos of a blue Saab 900 and red Saab 9-3 are press/catalog photos from Saab provided by FavCars.com. The photo of a blue 9-5 station wagon was taken by Tupungato (Shutterstock.com). Winter photo of the white 9-3 version 2 was taken by Art Konovalov (Shutterstock.com). The photo of a black 900 Aero was taken at the Sjøflyhavna outside Oslo. The photo of the green 900 was taken in Upper Kensington, London. The photo of a gray 9-5 NG was taken in Notting Hill, London. The Saab 900 Cabriolet participated in the Norwegian Sports Car Club's spring mustering at Øvevoll racetrack in 2025.
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