A 1980 Saab 99 Turbo is currently at Bilweb Auctions in Gothenburg, chassis 99806007504, built in Finland and finished in Acacia Green with matching textile upholstery. Bidding closes June 3, 2026 at 12:20. The highest bid at time of writing stands at 80,000 SEK, against an estimated value of 160,000-180,000 SEK. The reserve has not been reached.
That gap is the real story here.
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Why this particular car matters
By 1980, the Saab 900 was already in production, but the 99 Turbo had not finished making its point. The short two-door body, the blunt front end, the deep glasshouse – it remained the sharpest expression of what Saab had been working toward since the Frankfurt debut in September 1977. The SaabMuseum records 0-100 km/h in 8.9 seconds and 80-110 km/h in fourth gear in 7.4 seconds, in a front-wheel-drive compact that never pretended to be a sports coupe.
Only 1,363 Saab 99 Turbos were produced for the 1980 model year. Finnish-built 1980 cars ran from chassis 99806000001 to 99806013808, placing this example squarely in that sequence. The Acacia Green color is not incidental – SaabMuseum notes that a special two-door 99 Turbo was offered in Marble White or Acacia Green metallic on selected European markets including Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. This is one of the correct visual identities for a late 99 Turbo.
What has been done – and what hasn’t
The mechanical history is documented in the listing. At some point the car received a new five-speed gearbox, along with a new clutch, head gasket, injectors, ignition leads, distributor cap, ignition coil, and air and fuel filters. According to Bilweb, the engine starts well, feels responsive, the turbo functions, gauges work, and the brakes operate evenly.
The remaining faults are stated clearly: rough idle with a suspected intake leak, non-functioning immobilizer, inconsistent turn signals, and a handbrake with no function at all. Those are real issues – but for anyone familiar with K-Jetronic behavior, vacuum leaks, and old Saab electrical logic, they are also manageable ones. The listing frames this accurately: close to road-ready, but not there yet.
The body is the strongest argument
On a Saab 99 Turbo, rust is not a cosmetic problem. It determines whether a car can be returned to the road without becoming a structural project, and it affects long-term value in ways that mechanical faults rarely do.
The Bilweb description is specific: an older repaint that still presents well overall, a shade difference on the driver’s door, minor paint bubbles with age, scuffs on the bumpers, a small dent or two. But the lower door sections are described as fine, and the rocker panels as very solid and undamaged. The overall body summary calls it “exceptionally sound and well preserved.”
That is the foundation the estimate is based on. A 99 Turbo in Acacia Green with solid structure and a complete, matching interior is not easy to find.
The paperwork context
Transportstyrelsen data shows the car has been off the road since October 19, 1992. The last approved inspection was April 27, 1992. It currently carries a driving ban and is tax-exempt in Sweden. Nine previous owners are on record.
That long inactive period shapes what a buyer is actually purchasing. The engine may run, the brakes may work – but tires, brake hydraulics, fuel lines, cooling hoses, turbo oil lines, suspension rubber, and the handbrake components all become part of the real budget. Bilweb states the buyer’s fee is 5 percent, minimum 2,900 SEK including VAT. The winning bid is only the first number.
What the auction result will show
At 80,000 SEK – roughly €7,400 or $8,600 – this car is substantially below both the reserve and the estimate. The question before June 3 is whether bidders value rare specification and solid structure enough to accept the recommissioning work still ahead.
For a buyer who understands why intact rockers matter more than a rough idle, this is a credible project. The faults are real but listed honestly. The bones – Finnish build, Acacia Green, 145 hp Turbo, solid body, complete interior – are not easily reassembled from parts.
The reserve is waiting, and the full listing is on Bilweb Auctions, open until June 3 at 12:20.
In Moscow, Saab service has one like this and the color is also the same.