The Saab 900 Convertible became one of the company’s most iconic models in the 1980s, combining the lunatic practicality of the Saab Turbo with a soft-top made for a Swedish winter. But it wasn’t the only convertible the company was working on.
A Saab 9000 Convertible was considered in 1989 and produced by Saab’s longtime contract manufacturer, Valmet Automotive, which recently published a video of this two-door 9000 on its Facebook page.
Valmet, which currently makes the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, was also responsible for the 900 Convertible a few years before the idea of a more upmarket 9000 convertible was considered. It uses a power-folding fabric roof like the 900, although with a more clever hard tonneau cover over the folded top, much like a modern convertible from Audi or Mercedes has now. The look, however, is more distinctive than any 9000, helped by the much lower roofline and elimination of the rear doors.
The 9000 Convertible would’ve competed against the likes of the droptop version of the Mercedes W124, which means it would’ve been pretty expensive for the early ’90s. While undoubtedly stunning, cooler heads prevailed at Saab – the Swedes got into bed with General Motors the following year, after all. And the 9000 Convertible remains an attractive footnote in the automaker’s history.
Take a look at the video and finished car below.