From Police School To Collector’s Market
When the Swedish Police School in Sörentorp took delivery of a fleet of Saab 900s in 1984, they were never meant to become collectibles. These cars were workhorses – training tools for cadets who would one day drive the same machines on patrol. Most were used intensely for just three years before being decommissioned, stripped of equipment, and quietly sold off.
This particular 1984 Saab 900 GLi Polis was different. Instead of three years, it served eight, leaving the force only in 1992 with just 50,000 kilometers on the odometer. For decades it passed through civilian hands, gradually shedding its identity as a police car—until 2020, when an enthusiast with a very specific mission acquired it. His goal: restore it to its original police service condition, down to the smallest decal, lamp, and radio unit.
That restoration made headlines across the Saab world two years ago, when the car appeared at Bilweb’s 2023 auction, where it sold for 125,000 SEK. Now, in 2025, it is back on the block with a new valuation of 130,000–160,000 SEK.
The Restoration: Attention To Period Detail
Restoring a former police car is no small feat. These vehicles were deliberately stripped of all police insignia and equipment before sale, making authentic restoration projects a logistical nightmare. But in this case, the owner sourced New Old Stock (NOS) decals from the 1980s, including the iconic “hockey stick” stripe that curved over the rear wheel arches.
The police lettering – set in the distinctive open-ended “P” typeface introduced in 1984 to symbolize transparency – was recreated using period specifications. Inside, the owner tracked down an Ericsson C-602 police radio, period blue light bar, and even door-mounted equipment holders.
The attention to detail is what made this Saab 900 Polis a sensation in 2023. Today, its restoration still stands as one of the most faithful recreations of a Swedish law enforcement Saab ever attempted.
A Rolling Archive Of Police Equipment
Part of the car’s allure is not just the vehicle itself but the arsenal of vintage police equipment that comes with it. Unlike stripped-down decommissioned cars, this Saab is accompanied by a catalog of authentic police gear, much of which is now sought-after among collectors.
The current auction listing confirms the car still carries:
- Blue light bar
- Ericsson C-602 police radio
- Baton holders and extra mirrors
- Police spades, batons, traffic cuffs, and reflective armbands
- Vintage flashlights, flares, and a fire extinguisher
- Maps, directories, and fine books used by Swedish police in the 1980s
- Even unusual survival tools such as a collapsible shovel and custom broom
All of these items form a snapshot of what Swedish police officers carried in the mid-1980s. For enthusiasts, it’s not simply about owning a Saab—it’s about owning an intact piece of cultural history.
Imperfections That Tell A Story
While the car is mechanically sound – starting and driving well, with functional brakes, suspension, and electrics – it is not a flawless showpiece. And that, oddly, makes it more appealing.
The interior bears scars from its service days: a sagging headliner, wear around the rear pillars, and two small holes in the passenger seat. The exterior carries scratches, stone chips, and even a missing trim strip on the rear bumper. There are traces of improvised fixes, such as grommets sealing cable holes from the light bar.
Yet these marks of use are precisely what validate its authenticity. A former training vehicle without imperfections would feel suspicious. Here, the flaws narrate a service life, a reminder that this car once carried recruits preparing for the realities of Swedish policing in the 1980s.
Legal Quirks: Driving A Police Car In 2025
Owning a former police vehicle in Sweden is not without its quirks. Since 2017, Swedish law requires owners to cover the word “Polis” when driving on public roads. The idea is to avoid confusion, preventing private citizens from appearing as active officers.
To show the car in public – at exhibitions, film shoots, or car gatherings – owners must apply for a special police permit. That permit is personal, meaning each new owner has to reapply. To make compliance easier, this Saab is sold with magnetic covers for the “Polis” lettering, a clever period-correct workaround that preserves its look when displayed but makes it legal to drive.
A Saab With A Paper Trail
Collectors often worry about provenance, but here the story is unusually well documented. Along with its police service record, the car comes with a Saab police instruction manual, service book, and a binder of period documents. It has appeared at exhibitions, won a trophy at Classic & Dream Cars, and was even the cover car of the book Saabs Polisbilar.
Perhaps most importantly, it comes with a signed copy of that book by its author, further validating its historical importance. For a niche like Saab police cars, this kind of documentation significantly boosts value.
Saab Police Cars: A Broader Context
The Saab 900 wasn’t the brand’s first foray into law enforcement—its predecessor, the Saab 99, paved the way. But the 900 became ubiquitous in Swedish police service from 1979 until 1993.
In 1984, the year of this car, the National Police Board introduced the now-famous all-white livery with reflective stripes. It was supposed to be cheaper, easier to decommission, and project a modern image. Among officers, it became controversial – less visible in traffic, prone to stripe damage, and, ironically, not as cost-effective as intended. By 1989, the livery changed again, this time to blue and white.
Export markets also adopted Saab police cars. Saab 900s served not only in Sweden but also in Finland, Oman, Dubai, Taiwan, Russia, and even the United States – where Aspen, Colorado, famously ran a fleet of Saab 900 patrol cars adapted to mountain duty.
Why This Auction Matters
Despite the production of around 1,000 Saab 900 police cars in various forms, very few survive today in correct, restored condition. Neither the Swedish Police Museum nor the Saab Car Museum in Trollhättan houses a 900 radio car with the 1984 “hockey stick” livery. That makes this particular car historically significant.
Its return to Bilweb Auctions – just two years after its last sale—underscores both the car’s rarity and its enduring desirability. The raised estimate (130,000–160,000 SEK) reflects growing recognition of Saab police cars as a collectible niche, alongside Saab Turbos, Cabriolets, and Viggens.
For Saab enthusiasts, it is a reminder that heritage comes in many forms. Not every collectible Saab is a turbocharged Aero or a convertible. Some, like this 900 Polis, derive their value from stories written in service, not on racetracks.
More Than A Collector’s Car, A Cultural Artifact
The 1984 Saab 900 GLi Polis returning to auction is not simply another listing – it is the rare reappearance of a cultural artifact. Its scars, decals, and equipment speak not just of Saab’s engineering but of Sweden’s social history in the 1980s.
At its core, this is a car that straddles two worlds: a functional vehicle that still drives reliably, and a historical exhibit that belongs in a museum yet remains in private hands. Whoever wins it at Bilweb Auctions will not just own a Saab but a story—one that has been told across magazines, books, exhibitions, and now, once again, under the auctioneer’s hammer.
Where I can find wheels like this?
Automatic :(
My first NEW SAAB was an 84′ 900 “base” model. Drove it 275000 miles over 8 years. Replaced the clutch once. Sold it to a young man from dorset Vermont for 1500 bucks. The Alpine stereo was kick ass. Pretty sure that’s what he liked about it. =-)