The SAAB 99 Is A Quirky Swedish Sensation! (1980 GL Super Automatic Road Test)

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When we think SAAB, we generally think of solid, safe, dependable saloon cars with an understated class. The 99 arguably cemented that reputation in the late 1970s and despite a shaky start with questionable reliability from the Triumph engine, the later SAAB 2-litre lump, hot Turbo model and remarkable rally success soon put the 99 on the map and made it a Swedish alternative to Mercedes or Audi. These days, it makes the perfect daily driver classic, with rarity on its side to turn heads at classic car shows, yet the 99 also makes us a bit sad that SAAB are no longer with us…
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[@gaufrid1956]

I've always loved Saabs. I never owned a 99, but I did own a two-door five-speed manual 900, and it was a joy to drive.

[@nigelbond4056]

Beautiful cars, Saabs. Such a shame the company was run into the ground. 😢

[@Brimstoneandfire]

If only they hadn’t been eventually forced to use so much Vauxhall engineering!

[@ngauruhoezodiac3143]

Yes, screw GM.

[@patrikpatrik421]

Nobody buy them

[@djgoldthing7166]

My dad had a dark green GL in 1986, he part exed his Granada Coupe 3.0 ghia for it ( 2 tone bronze and beige) because the diff was going. The Saab was the first car I drove after I passed my test 1987. Remember my dad was impressed that all the brake lines were internal. Great, solid car.

[@Blutnase]

Finally! Someone who gets it. Understanding about what's so awesome about this car. Would love to have seen a more in-depth look into this particular here.

[@thomasfrancis5747]

Safety - at the Saab dealership I worked at we had a 900 5 door which hit a kerb at 90mph and rolled. All doors opened perfectly - police said anyone in a car other than a Saab (or Volvo) would not have survived. Also worth mentioning the huge space in the rear of a hatchback 99. They do rust though, eg door bottoms.

[@jasonbernard1277]

Gorgeous car, timeless design, Turbo is smoking hot, probably my favourite classic. Great review :)

[@ClassicsWorldUK]

Thanks Jason!

[@TheBTG88]

Loved my first car - a 1980 99 GLi 4-speed. It was a wonderful car.

[@friedrichExplorer]

Back in 1974 my father purchased modell 99L with manual 4-speed transmission and later 1978 he bought a brand new modell GLS with 5-speed manual transmission and 110hp. The were both very good cars indeed, better than the average those times.

[@adamlee3772]

Big Saab fan here. Even the newer ones.

[@nickwebb9290]

I had two. First a 1.85 and later an EMS. Excellent cars. My wife’s first car was a 96 which we still remember with fondness. It was tragic that Saab got into a pickle in later times. Still believe it wasn’t helped by their attempt to chase the ‘executive market’ with the 9000.

[@roygardiner2229]

I always like the styling of this car. Thanks for the technical information and your explanation of the design philosophy.

[@johncarlton6689]

Lovely video. I had quite a few Saab 99s. My 1st was a 99 Gl. Then my friend asked if he could park his 99 Turbo on my mums drive while he went on holiday. So, of coarse I thought I would have a little sneaky drive round the block. So, I ended up buying that car when he got back. I sold it for a 99 combi coupe, missed the turbo too much, so bought another. I had 11 Saabs, but the 99 Turbo left the best memories. I tried a 90, which had a 900 front end, with a 99 rear. Havnt seen one for so many years. Thankyou for making this, so enjoyable. John.

[@ngauruhoezodiac3143]

I had a 1978 99 EMS Combi Coupe. It originally had a Borg Warner 3 speed automatic transmission. I replaced it with a Saab 900 5 speed manual transmission and the r 4:55 4:55 esult was great. The maximum speed went from 155 km/h to 170 km/h. ( 97 mph to 107 mph ) and the fuel consumption fell from 12 litres/100km to 9 litres. ( 19 mpg to 26 mpg ) it was a really good car and my friend who bought it was also very satisfied with it.

[@jamescoe764]

I used to have one years ago when I was 18. It was a superb car. Well worth the £200 I paid for it. I just couldn't afford to run it at the time. Would love another SAAB

[@howard51723]

The 99 was a stunningly beautiful car, im privileged to have owned one, my regret was i sold it

[@amigachris]

was a serial 99/900 purchaser, mainly as they were a bit different and great value used at the time.

[@Petrolhead912]

Great review, my first car was a 99 Gl , it was built like a tank and so so comfortable. The water injected turbos were bonkers

[@tadantoniak7121]

We had old 900s growing up, which cemented my love of Saabs. I'd love a 99 Turbo as a modern classic tho

[@-DC-]

We miss SAAB ❤️

[@noahman27]

Here I am 4 months later watching SAAB videos...again :)

[@vibingwithvinyl]

My dad taught me to drive in an '84 Saab 99. It was a 5-speed, two door car with beige interior and red extrerior. I miss that car.

[@richardshiggins704]

My father had this car in 1978 , a 99GLS of the same colour . A beautiful car and very distinctive in looks . It's main problem was the paintwork . The car was assembled in Belgium with obviously a poor paint shop setup . Within a year of purchase blisters appeared which eventually required an on the house respray .The next car was a 900 GLS . The GLE was very well finished with sunroof and fuel injection .

[@jaguarrroman]

My cousin used to drive a 9-3 aero. It was a plane of a car.

[@AdurianJ]

The Revised SAAB 99 is just gorgeous

[@noahman27]

The 99 was one of the most handsome models SAAB made...IMO. Two of our favorites - the 77 EMS 2 dr and the 79 Turbo 5 dr hatchback.

[@ClassicsWorldUK]

A great car!

[@thomascatford2627]

Good accurate video, thats an Edinburgh car , i have probably worked on it as i worked for the Saab main dealer back then .

[@ronaldderooij1774]

I owned a 1981 99GL and my father drove (for work) a 900 Turbo from the same era. I also had a 1981 900 GLs sedan. I have mixed feelings about all of them. The driving was indeed superb, maybe the best I ever had. I drove the 99 from Stockholm to Amsterdam in one go (with pauses) and was not even tired at arrival. How that was possible with only 4 gears, I will never understand. But, the 99 was completely worn at 250.000 km. Everything was worn. Engine used a lot of oil, we fell through the front seat, the roof padding was coming loose, the cooling system leaked, the gearbox went out, so it was scrapped. As for the 900 turbo, it blew an engine and then another one before being sold. I heard that Saab almost broke because of the warranty claims on the engine and I spoke with several 900 turbo owners that said they would never, ever buy a Saab again. As for the 900GL, I only had it for four weeks before somebody crashed into my rear end, totalling it. But it never ran properly and it rusted a lot. So. I do not agree with the durability and reliability of your assessment, sadly. And oh beware that it can run on lead free petrol. I think it needs the 2 liter H engine for that.

[@badstep7637]

your Modelyears where realy hardly not the best / 99 finish SAAB-VALMET Production with H-Engine 82-84 and SAAB 90 (85-87)were high quality products and better than swedish 900s same years. 900 was always a problem with rust around the front axle tunnels and rear wheel arches and doors bottom halves.

[@baldwizard1]

My first car a Saab 99! Fab. 🙂

[@ChrisPinCornwall]

Why, oh why did they let Saab die? My wife has an ancient 9-3 and it's still wonderful and the most comfortable car I've ever been in.

[@Wilantonjakov]

Love Saabs but also love old BMWs and after owning an E12 let me tell you they have loads of character. Just a completely different kind.

[@SiccoJanBier]

Quirky: the wrap around door (door folds under the treshold). Keeps your trousers clean on your night-out-in-town evening dress...

[@simonhodgetts6530]

I’ve always admired SAABs, the original 900 series in particular. I loved the design, the brilliant interiors, the durability and the thoughtful safety features. I believed Quentin Wilson’s Top Gear features when he waxed lyrical about the reliability. Then I bought one. Admittedly, a later GM financed model, a 9-3 5 door hatch, bought from a main dealer. The styling was brilliant, as was the interior. The safety features were still there. Sadly, everything else that had made a SAAB a well regarded, quality brand, was gone. The diesel engine was crude, old fashioned and smoky (this wasn’t an old car by SAAB standards - around 80k on the clock). It handled like a Bedford bus, it wasn’t that quick, and then it started to break down. A lot. And it was very expensive to fix. I finally got it sorted, then traded it in for an Alfa 156 Sportwagon - which was the one car I regret selling. I still love the classic SAABs, and often look at classics for sale and think ‘that would be nice’ - but my experience with the brand was poor (I also had a later 9-3 Sportwagon as a company car, and that was unreliable too). Nevertheless, I’m still sad that SAAB has gone - the cars were genuinely different and interesting, but what GM did to the brand was nothing short of scandalous!

[@bbggttry]

I still have a saab 99GL from 1983 and i use it as my summer car. My other Saab is a 9-5 from 07

[@kennethzullick6897]

I had a 78 Saab 99 L and later a 79 Saab 900 EMS, both were great cars.the 79 EMS finally dies with 266,000 miles on it.

[@paulc9588]

Great video, lovely car. To me the 99 and the 1st generation 900 (1978-1994, particularly the pre-facelift model built up to 1987) were the best of Saab. They should have concentrated on cars of this size and smaller rather than trying to play out of their league with the unsuccessful 9000/9-5. A 'C' segment Saab to compete with cars like the Golf/A3, Rover 200 and small Volvos would have been a better move.

[@amigachris]

The original 9000 was a good car, id have another...

[@badstep7637]

Drive a 9000 turbo and u will see -> this was the car they wanted to be in all kinds a quality jump against the last 900s and a success at all And I love my 99s also !!

[@jimmyquinn9639]

Lovely car and another good video 🚘🚙🚗⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@davidevans4089]

One of my motoring regrets is that I have never owned a Saab.

[@howard51723]

You have got to get one

[@Richard-Bullock]

I want one! I find it is difficult to find an automatic classic that isn't a Merc or a Beemer, or some such similar expensive car.

[@thomascatford2627]

Saab fitted bw35 auto to 99 models and bw 37 to 900 models all very low geared both 3 speed

[@trinitronxx779]

Any reason for the 'wonky steering wheel'?

[@thenotanclan]

I got 99 problems but a Saab ain’t one

[@tauncfester3022]

Owned a 1970 99 which the PO had shoe-horned in a 1973 EMS B engine. And what a hoot that car was once it was running. The D-Jetronic first year 2.0 liter with the hotter cam, I think the last year of that before the MAF controlled injection and their more sensible power. That this twerpy youngster thinks their earlier cars were sketchy. Son, let's take a long steamy look at yourself, bravely pontificating about something you've never owned or driven.

[@bediluhabtmichale2961]

Very good comfortable, but in my country, I can not find spear part saab GL 1982 model sedan car

[@president_leo_hewingtion]

i like saab 99

[@fasthracing]

What's that slightly annoying tapping noise in the background? Very off putting.

[@burhanbudak6041]

1:13, main competitor was their neighbor Volvo.

[@procarpetcleaners1505]

Who works on them and where do you find parts these days?

[@johncarlton6689]

My comment may have been wrong, i think the 90 had a 99 front and 900 rear. John.

[@adamkeys1548]

You are right, it was a 99 front and 900 saloon back end, I had one, not SAAB’s best but competent enough

[@andystephenson7157]

nice car but the train running in the background was annoying.

[@lewis72]

IMO, Saab were the Apple of the 1970s & 1980s... and the 99 & 900 were better engineered that the E21 & E30 BMs.

[@billoddiea]

Doing a James May knock off

[@welshwizard645]

V4 was NOT 2-stroke. it replaced it.

[@fasthracing]

As driven by nearly all architect's.

[@stephenmcclean7500]

Old man had 3 Saabs in his time , two 96’S and a 900 GLS , still to this day , I cannot understand what he seen in them , I’m still traumatised

[@zsdrumchannel6672]

🤍

[@Nakkisampyla]

Suappi

[@clangerbasher]

The 92 was sketchy. Really? Gosh.............

[@iliketobathify]

After all these years, I still can't decide whether Volvo 264 or Saab 96 is the ugliest car ever. 99 isn't far away though, scarily ugly appeal to millennials. Edit: Old Audis also had longitudal engines, regardless if FWD or AWD.