Saab 900 Turbo: PH Heroes

Saab may not still be with us but the 900 Turbo lives on as a true hero

Saab is no more, and since the Swedish manufacturer left this mortal coil, those with a penchant for black roll-neck sweaters have been left struggling to buy a car that really speaks their language. But back in the yuppie era, nothing made more of an anti-statement for these guys than a black three-door 900 T16S. And today, that sheer non-conformist nature remains core to the 900's appeal as a retro performance car.

A USP worth shouting about back in the day

The Saab 99 it was based upon was first shown in 1967, and boasted an advanced specification. Like all Saabs before it, the 99 was front-wheel drive, and aerodynamically-styled, with a drag coefficient of 0.37. It was strong, capable, and more than a little bit bookish. But when Saab bolted a Garrett turbo to its rally car in 1977, events took a decidedly interesting turn. The Group 4 challenger was homologated for the road in 1978 - and the Saab Turbo legend was born.

A year later, and around the time the 99 Turbo took its one-and-only international rally victory - fittingly in Sweden, with Stig Blomqvist at the wheel - the range mutated into the larger and more prestigious 900. Aside from its new dashboard and longer front- and rear-ends, weren't enough to disguise the fact that it was almost pure 99.

As distinctive to drive as it is to look at

99 Flake
But central to Saab's upmarket ambitions was the 900 Turbo - a car that boasted high equipment levels and a price tag to match. Its blown 2.0-litre 145hp challenger found itself up against some tasty six- and eight-cylinder rivals. But the 900 Turbo acquited itself well, and found a growing fan base thanks to a combination of timeless styling, brilliant dealers, and laggy performance. Early road tests excitedly reported the whooshing turbo, vivid acceleration and huge mid-range grunt.

Saab didn't leave it at that. In 1982, the engine-managed APC version was launched, and civilised the lag without compromising performance; while in '84, the intercooled 16-valve 175bhp T16S burst on to the scene. You could buy the 16-valve turbo in standard trim - but no-one did.

Always one for the non-conformist in a hurry

It was the T16S that everyone wanted. It was instantly recognisable thanks to a sleek de-chromed look, three-spoke alloys, sill skirts and front and rear spoilers. Suspension was stiffened and lowered, improving the stance and new anti-roll bars further tightened up handling. Performance was claimed to be pacesetting, too - maximum speed was on the right side of 130mph and 0-60mph was down to the low sevens, placing the T16S firmly in Rover Vitesse or BMW 528i terriory.

Bork, bork, bork
And when the T16S went on sale in the UK early in 1984 for £14,390, the marketing push really began. Lavish TV and magazine adverts emphasising the (distant) family links between the 900 Turbo and the Viggen jet fighter. Seems cheesy now, but it was an overwhelmingly successful campaign, perfectly judged for the image-conscious 80s. In 1987, the 900 was mildly faceifted with a smoother front-end and lean-back nose - and from that point on, the T16S didn't really change until it went out of production in 1993. That event is still mourned today by many Saab fans.

Logical yet quirky and idiosyncratic

Today, a nice 900 T16S is still a very special thing to drive, and more than capable of turning heads. From the moment you open the vault-like doors, noting that there are no sills to climb over, and make yourself comfortable in the supremely supportive driver's seat, you can't fail but be impressed by how unconventional it all feels. The view through the wraparound windscreen is unrivalled while the dash itself is a no-nonsense affair, with chunky controls and wonderfully calibrated instruments.

Starting it using the floor-mounted ignition key reveal a characterless four-pot idle, overlaid by a lovely burbling exhaust note. But once you're off, the T16S's character begins to shine through. There's appreciable gear whine in first, which - truth be told - just adds to the unique flavour of this car. It's overlaid by plenty of turbo whistle once you're pushing, and the boost gauge is heading into the red. Most people will adore this.

Few others can make three-spokers look cool

Think about it
The notchy, long-throw gearbox is hardly sporting, though. But but you won't mind too much, as the T16S is blessed with strong acceleration to the red line when you're on it, and oodles of mid-range torque when you're not. Either way, you'll be going a fair bit more quickly than you thought you were at any given time. The T16S is a cereberal car that makes going fast in a straight line a gratifying process.

Speaking of which, it's time to put to bed that old myth that Saabs don't go round corners. This is simply untrue in the case of the T16S. Thanks to a fiendishly clever rear beam axle fitted with a Panhard rod and a pair of Watt's linkages, handling is never anything other than neutral - with the added bonus of a touch of passive rear steer when grip levels were reduced. It also generates huge amounts of lateral adhesion, and will post excellent A to B times in the right hands. In snow, a T16S is simply brilliant - even more so on a post-'87 car with rear handbrake.

Wrap-around screen makes for a great view

Steering is also precise and well-weighted, if slightly low-geared. It does have one foible, though - it doesn't self-centre. So, just like a Lamborghini Miura driver, a T16S pilot will end up winding off their own lock on demanding roads - some will like it, other will hate it. But given the dynamic excellence of a well-sorted T16S, that's not too much to complain about.

Thinking man's hero
T16Ss are still well respected, and good ones can easily fetch £5,000. They're not without issues - all are old now, and despite being fashioned from thick steel by Swedish craftsmen, the 60s underpinnings mean certain corrosion honeytraps lurk underneath. The gearboxes are notoriously weak, too. But these cars eat high mileages for breakfast, and it's not unusual to see show-standard cars today with more than 200,000 miles on the clock. Because they're so capable and tough, it's extremely hard finding one with low miles - and those that are out there have already been snapped up by collectors.

Motoring landscape less interesting without Saab

But don't let that put you off a T16S - it really is a thinking man's PH Hero. Those who truly 'get' these fast Saabs love its idiosyncracies, and quirky styling, finding jumping back into a 'normal' car a bit of a soul-sapping experience. But for the rest of us, there's still no denying its all round excellence and unflappable, super-cool, Swedish character. It may be 20 years since the last example rolled off the line in Trollhättan, and Saab stopped being Saab, but even today, there are still plenty of well-fancied cars that will be left trailing in its whistling, whining, wake given the right piece of road...

SAAB 900T16S
Engine: 1,985cc 4-cyl
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Power (hp): 175@5,300rpm
Torque (lb ft): 201@3,000rpm
0-62mph: 6.9 sec (to 60mph)
Top speed: 135mph
Weight: 1,340kg
On sale: 1984-1993
Price new (1989): £18,395
Price now: £1,000-£6,000

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LordFlathead

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