Saab 900

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The new Saab 900 was introduced in 1978 and used an extended version of the 99’s floorpan.

Anticipated crash protection legislation in Saab’s important US market dictated a change to the front of the car, adding much heavier and more substantial bumpers. The new car was initially available as a three- or five-door hatch, being joined in 1980 by a saloon version which came in two- or four-door formats.

Its most technically interesting feature was the front-drive layout, which had the engine mounted on top of the gearbox. The drive was delivered at the front of the power unit, dropping down into the five-speed gearbox mounted beneath, similar in many ways to the Mini except that it retained its own supply of oil. In order to keep the bonnet-line and centre-of-gravity as low as possible, the engine was canted over at 45-degrees.

Double wishbone front suspension and a beam rear axle gave this front-driver extremely sure-footed handling, anti-roll bars being added from 1985 onwards.

The 900 gained Saab’s characteristic wrap-around screen, supposedly inspired by their Viggen fighter aircraft, along with front-lit instruments which, along with the switchgear, were carefully laid out in front of the driver in order of frequency of use. The base 900 had a single carburettor engine producing 99bhp, a figure which rose to 116bhp for the injected range-topping model.

This 1985 900 three-door was purchased by the vendor’s late mother as a new car from Ashley Parva Garage, the local Saab dealer. Garaged throughout its life, the car was taken off the road in 2003 by which time it had covered 79,000 miles. Although it still runs and drives, it will doubtless require some precautionary recommissioning after a dozen years in storage.

Described by the vendor as a very sound example, this one-family-owned car retains its original handbook and is being offered at no reserve.