The Motor Forum

D. · Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 2:04 pm Post subject: Saabs

Saab C900 'Enduro'

The Saab C900 'Enduro' was a special limited-edition version of the 1980 Saab 900 turbo. Only 12 were produced officially by Saab Australia, while there are stories that at least one Saab dealer tried to copy the concept but was taken to task by Saab Australia!

The 'Enduro' demonstrated, amongst other things, Saab's very first use of water-injection for the turbocharger, and was featured at many Australian motorsport events in the early 1980's.

This variation of the C900 was uniquely Australian and was not available in any other country. It's the closest thing to an 'Australian Troll' that Saab had produced up to that time since Saab's had first come into Australia.

Key features of the car were:

* - Turbocharged Saab 8-valve 'B' engine,
* - Water-injection (Saab's first production use),
* - extremely wide flared fenders,
* - very wide Simmons wheels and matching tyres,
* - additional instruments in the dash (oil pressure, battery voltage, current drain),
* - special exterior paint styling and 'Enduro' decals.

The only other uniquely-Australian Saab car has been the 6 cars built as the Saab C9000 'SuperSwede' which were produced in 1989, but that's a very different vehicle to the Enduro.

Saab C9000 'SuperSwede'

In 1986 three of the then recently released SAAB 9000 turbos were run non-stop around a race track in Talledega, covering 100,000 kilometers in less than twenty days, driving with the speedo constantly on the 230 KPH mark. It was one of the most successful automotive promotions in modern history, and showcased the very fine engineering that went into producing these amazing motor cars.

In 1989, to celebrate the event (and sell cars of course) SAAB Australia released a limited edition special 9000 that they called the 'Super Swede', designed by a Swedish engineer living in Australia. The Super Swede came with a full body kit, suspension tuning kit, and engine tuning kit, (all original SAAB components), making it a very fast, very refined high speed tourer, that was also acceptable to insurance companies. It's believed only six of these were sold, and the one pictured here was the second off the line. It might well be the only one still in existence!

The car's impressive array of features included:

* - Turbocharged 16 valve Saab engine,
* - Matched 5-speed manual transmission,
* - 16 inch sport rims with Goodyear low-profile tyres,
* - Leather trim on the doors,
* - Wood veneer dash trim,
* - Iconic Saab 9000 automatic climate control,
* - Cruise control,
* - Power windows,
* - Powered and heated mirrors,
* - Heated leather seats,
* - Alpine/Saab CD player + cassette/tuner (remember this was the 1980's),
* - Power steering,
* - ABS braking,
* - Trip computer,
* - Map-reading lights both front and rear.

Saab 900 SPG Prototype

Saab Automobile introduced the Saab 900 Turbo 16 Aero which was the prelude and prototype to the Special Performance Group (SPG), at the Brussels Motor Show in Belgium in 1984. The Saab 900 Turbo 16 Aero known in Europe or Saab 900 SPG Prototype in the U.S. came equipped with a new engine which marked the 3rd generation Turbo and had 175 horsepower.

The Saab 900 Turbo 16 Aero or SPG Prototype arrived with a unique “Mother of Pearl” exterior paint job on the body and skirts and a Colorado red leather interior and same colored steering wheel and dash and A-pillars, body colored steer. In addition, the notable aerodynamic styling was first introduced in this vehicle known as an aerodynamic skirt kit, rear whale-tail spoiler, vent covers all also painted in “Mother of Pearl” paint, combined with unique three-pronged wheels that continued throughout all SPG models up until 1991.

BeN · Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 2:07 pm Post subject:

I like that Saab 9000.

Mmm...
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Humphrey The Pug · Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 2:43 pm Post subject:

I love the old school 900 Turbo's but not too sure on the Enduro but I love the SPG Prototype.
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kraftwerk · Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 3:54 pm Post subject: Re: Saabs

Frank Bullitt · Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 3:55 pm Post subject:

I love Saab's, but not too keen on lash-ups!

900 Aero 16S - hubba hubba. The interior of that 9000 does look remarkably modern for a car 23 years old.