A focal point offering help, assistance and advice between all owners in maintaining, driving and buying a SAAB 99 Turbo.
I bought my 99T in 1981, without any disagreement from my wife (she was 8 months pregnant at the time with our first daughter, so I think hormones had something to do with it) and have enjoyed the car over the following years. Three other children later and the car is still used and continues to be enjoyed.
So what do I like about the 99T? No power steering, a brute of an engine, built like the proverbial tank, good brakes and handling makes a car that has to be driven to be enjoyed, or indeed understood. The three and five door models are even more practical with their large hatch boot.
A press article from Autocar 1978 perhaps sums up this model: 'Occasionally a car comes along which shocks the seen-it-all, drive-them-all staff of Autocar... Such a car is the SAAB 99 Turbo'.
The SAAB 99 Turbo came in three model types. The 3 door, 5 door and 2 door models. None of these models are common and there are only around 24 cars in total registered with the SAAB Owners Club.
The 99 Turbo was officlally premiered at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1977. Equipped with Inca wheels that signify turbine blades, special front & rear spoilers and a luxurious interior, the SAAB 99 Turbo was the worlds first mass produced turbo-charged car.
The early 3 door (two doors with hatch boot) models were produced in fairly high numbers though, due to poor rustproofing by SAAB very few still survive. In the UK only a very small number (estimtes put it somewhere between 5-10 cars) of five door model came in black or if you are really lucky, you may find one of the 100 produced in Cardinal Red metallic.
The two door models are also rare. Only 900 were produced worldwide with the UK receiving a total of 400 in red and 200 in black.
An article from the 99T Register
