Customer Reviews

Saab 99 and 900: The Complete Story (Crowood Autoclassic)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The author has several automotive books to his credit and it shows. In his history of this classic car, told from a British perspective, the text is easy to read, and the author displays a thorough understanding of how cars work. There are plenty of excellent photos, some in color but mostly not. I learned *why* the ignition key is on the floor (safety feature), and got further insights into this small company's heritage as an innovator, e.g. how, with the 96, they had an extremely aerodynamic car rivalled only by the Citroen DS, or how they insisted, for safety reasons, on using heavier sheet metal than other makers, explaining its enduring status among automotive brands.

A Saab 900 has always been dear to my heart, since my first in 83, my second in 89 and my last in 93. It was in 2001, when I traded my 93 in on a Mercury Sable wagon, but by then Saab had turned from a car that was unique, sophisticated and ahead of the artistic game into just another arm of GM. After reading this book I am reminded why I had purchased three cars from the same maker. It was the best thing on the road at the time and now I sadly wish I would never have given that beauty away. Mr. Cole has done a wonderful job of capture the allure of a car company that was way beyond the mass produce trash on the american roads at the time. Even today a Saab 900 in good condition looks far better than most of the new ideas out on the road. Sadly GM stepped in and that was the end of it.

This is a nice book for any 99 or 900 owner who truly enjoys their car and its history. The book concentrates on the history more than the mechanics of the vehicle and makes for a fun read. One can open up to any page and begin reading to find an interesting tid bit on either of the cars or SAAB in general. There are many different photos exploring the different variants and trim of the cars as well as demonstrating interior and x-ray shots of the car. The book is in no way a technical manual though it does give basic specifications of the car and accounts of the mechanical build; this makes for a fun read. I own a '76 99GL and the book has offered valuable insight and concise knowledge that was scattered or not even available on the net about the build and history of the car.

If you're a fan of the Saab 99 or 900 this book should be in your personal library. Along with a succinct history of Saab up to the creation and production of the 99, on through the introduction of the turbo to Saab engine design and then working through the early 900 series up until the purchase of Saab by GM, this book is pretty comprehensive. You need to keep in mind it was written with Great Britain in mind, but it does make pretty thorough references to the USA spec cars for those of us Saabists here on the American continent. I wish there was a book this good covering the 900 after GM's purchase of Saab and continuing through the 9-3, but there's not (yet). If you like or are interested in Saab design and some history, this book is worth picking up.

I really enjoyed reading this history on Saab cars. There are plenty of pictures and the chapters are well organized.

First of all, I love this book! Despite the title, this book tells of
the entire history of Saab. The short length of the book is merely
reflective of the small number of Saab models that have been produced
over the years.

I can only reflect on what Saab could have been. Saab could have built
on the success of the turbo model to equal or better BMW. That would
have been a tall order but it was possible. Instead Saab is now on
life support and soon production will be moved to Opel factories in
Germany. But we'll always have the 92, 93, 95, 96, 99, C900 and
the "brilliant" 9-5.