Marble White Saab 99 Turbo Sells for 236,000 SEK: A Former Saab Mechanic’s Restoration Finds Its Buyer

A restored 1979 Saab 99 Turbo 2.0 in rare Marble White closed today on Bilweb Auctions at 236,000 SEK, roughly $25,000, after a Swedish pre-auction story had already framed the car as another example of rising early Turbo values.

The estimate had been set at 250,000–280,000 SEK, so the final price landed below the guide. But the more important auction line was clear: reserve reached. This was not a speculative no-sale. The car found a buyer, at serious money, with a result that says more about condition, provenance, and Saab-specific credibility than a simple “classic values are rising” headline.

The car itself was offered as a SAAB 99 Turbo 2.0 – 1979, with a manual gearbox, Turbo interior, Inca wheels, sunroof, and 123,397 km shown on the odometer. Bilweb noted that the mileage could not be verified, but presented the car as inspected, roadworthy, and ready to use.

Below Estimate, But Still a Strong Saab 99 Turbo Result

Before the auction closed, Swedish outlet Carup picked up the listing and focused on the value angle: a Saab 99 Turbo now worth several times its original new-car price.

That comparison needs a little precision. Bilweb’s model background notes that the 99 Turbo’s launch-period price ended up around 63,700 SEK. At 236,000 SEK, this sale equals roughly 3.7 times the nominal new price – not inflation-adjusted, but still a useful marker of how the model is now being treated.

The final number did not break through the estimate. That actually makes the result more interesting. It suggests a market that is willing to pay for a properly restored Saab 99 Turbo, but not blindly. Buyers still read the details: originality, upgrades, documentation, paint, interior, tires, small faults, and the story behind the restoration.

Restored by a Former Saab Mechanic

The strongest part of this car’s story was not only the model designation. It was the owner behind the work.

According to the auction description, the seller is a former Saab mechanic who worked professionally at an authorized Saab workshop on both the 99 and 900. He bought this car in 2005, when 99 Turbos were already becoming scarce on Swedish roads.

The owner described it as an unwelded northern Sweden car, tired but fundamentally promising, with a failed gearbox. Instead of rushing the project, he stored the car while searching for the right parts.

That decision matters with a Saab 99 Turbo. Restoring one properly is not the same as tidying up a later Saab with easier parts support. Early Turbo-specific components, injection parts, exhaust pieces, trim, and body panels can turn a restoration into a long hunt.

The owner eventually found two unused doors, a new genuine Saab turbocharger, a new injection distributor head, and several other hard-to-find NOS parts. Bilweb did not list every replaced component in detail, but made clear that the restoration was carried out with unusual care.

Marble White Paint, Correct Details, and Two Days on Door Fitment

The body was dismantled and sent to a respected paint shop in Åmål, where the shell, doors, hood, and panels were painted separately. One line in the auction description stands out for anyone who knows old Saabs: no rust repair was needed before paint.

On a Saab 99, that is not a casual detail.

The color is listed as Marmorvit / Marble White, a rare shade that can appear white or slightly green depending on light. On this car, it works especially well with the black Turbo trim, green-tinted glass, Inca wheels, and the upright 99 body.

Another small but revealing detail concerns the doors. After paint, the owner reportedly spent two full working days adjusting them, using knowledge gained during his Saab training. On a two-door 99, door alignment is not decoration. The long doors, latch feel, shut lines, and sealing all affect whether a restored car feels genuinely sorted or merely repainted.

Bilweb even pointed viewers to a video showing the door-closing action. That is exactly the kind of detail Saab buyers notice.

Five-Speed Conversion: Not Factory, But Understandable

This Saab 99 Turbo originally had a four-speed gearbox. During the restoration, it received a five-speed manual conversion.

For strict factory originality, that will always divide opinion. For driving, it makes sense. The extra ratio improves long-distance use, and this car was not presented as a sealed museum object. It was restored to be used.

Mechanically, the engine was inspected during the restoration and found to be in good enough condition that it did not require boring. The work included cylinder honing, new piston rings, a new turbocharger, a new injection distributor head, and other NOS components. The braking system was renewed, and the owner also sourced an original Saab Turbo exhaust system.

A new starter battery was fitted in June 2026.

The main noted fault is specific: the headlamp wipers are not working correctly. The owner explained that the Turbo differs from the standard Saab 99 in this area because of the turbocharger’s engine-bay packaging and the position of the electric fan. The next owner will need to continue the search for the correct parts.

Turbo Interior, Sunroof, and Period Details

Inside, the car keeps the correct Turbo/EMS-style sport interior, including the turbo boost gauge and tachometer. Bilweb stated that the interior is original apart from the headliner, which was renewed using correct material from the Saab Club’s parts inventory.

There is some wear on the driver’s seat and a small repaired area on the backrest, but the cabin presents strongly and does not look over-restored. Two additional VDO gauges are mounted in the center console, though they are not connected. A period Pioneer stereo is fitted; the cassette function works, while radio reception was uncertain.

The sunroof will probably remain one of the talking points. Bilweb noted that this type of roof appeared in Saab’s accessory catalog, although it is not known exactly when it was installed. It may have been fitted close to the original sale, or later as a period accessory.

Purists may question it. Others will see it as exactly the kind of late-1970s addition that belongs to the car’s life.

TURBO79 Plates Not Included

The auction photos show the car wearing TURBO79 plates, which gave the listing an instant visual identity.

Bilweb made clear that these are Swedish personal plates issued by Transportstyrelsen and do not follow the car. The buyer will receive the car on its ordinary registration plates, AMF 602.

It is a small note, but an important one. The plates helped sell the image. The car sold on its restoration, color, history, and condition.

Why the 99 Turbo Still Matters

The Saab 99 Turbo was introduced publicly at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1977 (World Premiere of the Saab 99 at a Teknorama Show in 1967) and reached the market with a very clear technical message: turbocharging could be used in a practical road car, not only in racing or exotic machinery.

The period figures still read well in context: 145 hp, 0–100 km/h in 9.2 seconds, and 197 km/h top speed from a turbocharged two-liter engine in a usable family car.

Then came the result that fixed the model’s place in motorsport history. In 1979, Stig Blomqvist won the Swedish Rally in a Saab 99 Turbo — the first World Rally Championship victory for a turbocharged car.

That is why a good 99 Turbo still carries weight. It is not only an early performance Saab. It is one of the cars that made Saab’s turbo identity credible on road and stage.

A Real-World Result for a Serious 99 Turbo

At 236,000 SEK (~ 25,000 USD), this car did not become a runaway auction story. It closed below estimate, but with reserve reached, which makes the result more useful as a market signal.

This was a rare-color, restored, roadworthy Saab 99 Turbo with a credible owner, a long restoration story, NOS parts, renewed mechanicals, and a five-speed upgrade. It also had details that kept the bidding realistic: unverified mileage, budget tires fitted after the old Pirellis developed flat spots, non-working headlamp wipers, unconnected auxiliary gauges, and a sunroof that will not suit every purist.

That combination produced a fair result rather than an inflated one.

The seller owned the car since 2005 and said it had never really been intended for sale. The buyer now gets a Marble White Saab 99 Turbo restored by someone who understood these cars from the workshop side, not only from auction photos.

For the Saab 99 Turbo market, that is the real point of this sale: not a record, not hype, but a properly sorted early Turbo finding money that reflects both its rarity and its imperfections.