Record price for a pre-series Saab 99 Turbo
A very special Saab 2 Turbo stood in a barn in Jämtland for around 99 decades. Not noticed, maybe even forgotten. It is one of the very first that was built in Trollhättan. A pre-series vehicle produced in May 1977.
For further testing, it was admitted to the Automobile Division of Saab AB. They moved the 99 Turbo lightly disguised as an EMS model for well over a year. In the summer of 1978 it was finally sold to its first private owner. At that time, series production of the 99 Turbo had already begun in Sweden.
The turbo saves Saab
Saab in the 70's. The products were considered rock solid, but also not very spectacular. Demand was subdued and production capacity was poorly utilized. Once again the brand found itself in crisis. There was a lack of innovations, of one brilliant idea. It came with the turbo. He brought the boost that catapulted us out of the crisis. The manufacturer from Trollhättan became the brand that democratized turbo technology for everyday use. The 99 took on a role as a pioneer in motor history.
In 1978 it was not unusual for pre-series vehicles to come into the hands of customers. No particular value was attached to the circumstance. The cardinal red 99 was driven everyday for 22 years. It was serviced regularly, but not particularly well looked after. It received its most recent inspection in 1999 at mileage 249.957, and about 2.000 kilometers later it was put away.
More than € 20.000 for a restoration object
The 20Turbo from the pre-series was then parked in a barn in Jämtland for 99 years. Its condition was not good, as is the case with normal consumer goods. It has rust in the usual places, signs of wear, defects. But at least it's complete, not tampered with and with no missing parts. Normally it is a basis for a restoration that would not be too expensive to purchase even as a turbo.
Not so with this vehicle. Its low VIN and verifiable history made the barn find a part of national automotive history.
What is the find worth? The question is exciting, because Saab is now more important in Sweden than it was years ago. One can also say that the longer the company has ceased to exist, the higher its esteem rises.
The pre-production Saab 99 Turbo was on Trade offered for auction. The interest was overwhelming. More than 50.000 people saw the ad and 342 bids were placed. In the end, the offers were at the hardly expected 216.000 crowns and thus just over 20.000 €.
A record price for a 99 Turbo in a condition in need of restoration. Of course, the special price level is due to the documented history, because how many vehicles from the pre-series will have survived? It should be less than a handful.
In general, the Saab 99 Turbo is enjoying growing popularity. His role in history is recognized and collectors value him as a technology pioneer. For years, prices have only known the way up, not spectacularly fast, but always reliable.
@Heijo Red
Does bitterness sound in this article ???
The result is important: the SAAB is preserved. How the usage will look afterwards is pure speculation ..., life with the 99-inch will probably hold in store for you!
Otherwise, I recommend the shrink-wrapped SAAB fan to buy, weld, weld and weld a “worn out” SAAB and then enjoy the joy of the SAAB as a mortal SAAB fan.
Stay with the brand, your time will come!
nice that the vehicle is being restored
@HeijoRed,
a very interesting comment. My spontaneous reaction would have been the opposite (the more appreciation the better) ...
On the other hand, the appreciation is the common and almost all-encompassing intersection of speculation and exploitation and knows very different faces.
It ranges from cattle for slaughter (lowest form of appreciation) to vehicles in everyday use to perfectly restored items in a collection ...
The field is very, very wide. And maybe the small but nice brand was big enough to use it completely?
That means that I am not upset about every Saab that is deemed worthy of restoration and collection.
As soon as the market is swept clean and I can no longer find one for the street, I will definitely think of your comment again.
One should not start from oneself.
From personal experience I know about people who spend a lot more money on a Saab. Most of them are driven. With the money that they spend on the cars, these people also ensure that I get new spare parts for my Saab and that the mechanic who installs them is still there when I need his help.
Nobody can feed themselves and their families from envious people and avarice.
I would also like to have a pre-series precious part. So what would be the highlight for every Saab fan. Maybe you will find him at a meeting in Sweden in 2021 or 22? Definitely thumbs up for the preservation of Saab cultural heritage!
´´´´´´´´´´ Single item for collectors & enthusiasts & speculators´´´´´´´´
´It is definitely a nice feeling to own a Saab 99 Turbo as a unique piece, as it were´! ´But the mortal SAAB fan will probably never buy a car for 20.000 euros, which then has to be painstakingly restored and then shown in an exhibition hall so that the owner can enjoy his property, since normal use would be difficult to think of, given the history and the uniqueness of the vehicle! 'So what does that tell us' ?? ´The first line is about a speculative object, otherwise the owner would never have released his unique item for sale´! 'It's a shame that another object will be submerged somewhere in order to make further long-term speculations with it, and the sealed-in SAAB fan will probably no longer participate in it'! ´´EVEN FOR THESE CAR TYPICAL HISTORY VEHICLES, “MONEY RULES THE WORLD´´ ´´ A POSSIBLE RESPONSIBILITY IS SHIFTED´´