Quote:
Originally Posted by 360beast
The last proper Saab was the 9000 Dave, shares the platform with a Lancia and I think the Alfa Romeo 164 but the rest of the car is distinctly Saab. I've grown up around Saabs as my Dad has had a few 900s and 9000s. The first GM/Saab made was the NG900 which is where it all went downhill.
I'm currently trying to convince him to buy a 900 turbo 2 door I've seen for sale to restore but he isn't playing ball haha.
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Fiat Croma, Lancia Thema (which may also have a B280E or a Ferrari V8, 32 valve under the bonnet), Saab 9000 and i believe, Vauxhall Vectra Luke. The Vectra was a bit late coming to the party so may have been the Mk3 Cavalier instead, a good platform and a nice looking car. Still not convinced that makes it a proper Saab as it was an "alien" platform. It definitely did go downhill with the next generation though.
I think it's one of those things where opinions are divided, much like many believe the last proper Volvo was the 700 as it was fully designed by Volvo, Ford had some influence over the 940 (which was essentially an updated 700) from 1996 which seemed to take things downhill a bit and i'm not impressed by any of the 1999 on Volvos. Depends on your viewpoint, to some the 700 is the last proper Volvo, to others it will be the 900, there's arguments for and against on both counts, difficult to say definitively which is right but both have their merits. Likewise on the Saab 900 Vs 9000 argument. Either way, what Tom has is still towards the end (irrelevant of where you make it) of the proper Saabs. Good cars then but sadly not for me, the offset pedals gave me backache in the 900i that i had.
If your dad is a Saab man and from everything you've said, i'm sure he is, he should be champing at the bit to get a 900T to restore, especially a 2-door. Is that the 2-door saloon or the 3-door "Combi-Coupe" hatchback variety?