Monte Carlo holds a special place in the history of Saab. The district in the little city-state Monaco is for ever associated with Erik Carlsson’s two wins in the prestigious rally, in 1962 and 1963. And, as we all know, he drove a two-stroke Saab 96 Sport.
The marketing department in Trollhattan of course saw the opportunity. In 1964 the Saab Gran Turismo 850 (the name of the Saab Sport in the US) was renamed Saab Monte Carlo 850. Now this little frugal car from up north could be associated with Mediterranean glamour.
One of these US-spec cars from 1964 was imported to Sweden in 2016 and meticulously restored until 2018: engine, gearbox, chrome, interior, paint - everything was carried out with detailed knowledge about original details. The restoration is thoroughly documented in a folder that comes with the car. The result is a pristine Monte Carlo that looks and sounds just like this Saab icon is supposed to. The characteristic 3-cylinder two-stroke engine, 52 horsepower, is adorned by three beautiful Solex carburetors, one for each cylinder. Newer aluminium wheels has been mounted, but the original ones in sheet metal has been restored and is accompanied by the sought-after hub caps and chrome rings.
The web auction of this Swedish classic with American history is ongoing and ends 1 September. The car is valued to between 350 000 and 400 000 SEK by Bilweb Auctions.
But Saab’s use of the Monte Carlo name didn’t end with the Saab 96. Now we move on to the early Nineties and once more it is the US market that is the target for the seduction.
For model year 1991 a striking new color, Monte Carlo Yellow, is developed for the successful 900 Turbo S Aero. In addition a limited edition of 300 convertibles is produced, all intended for the American market and named Monte Carlo Edition. However, 8 of these remained in Sweden and it is one of these that is up for bidding on Bilweb Auctions. This example was used for press and marketing purposes and can be seen in numerous articles in Swedish media from the time. In 1993 it was sold to a private person and has now covered a bit over 270 000 kilometers, still being in its original state. The turbocharged, 16-valve, 4-cylinder engine produces 175 horsepower and despite the fact it was aimed for the US it is equipped with a 5-speed manual gearbox.
The Saab 900 convertible was a success in the United States. It came to represent individuality in films like ”The Bourne Supremacy” and ”Sideways” - and of course as Jerry Seinfeld´s faithful companion in the tv-show ”Seinfeld”.
The auction of this very rare Saab ends 1 September and it is valued to between 230 000 and 280 000 SEK.
