Swedish Car Day 2025

David: My first ever Swedish Car Day! With Daniel's Chili Red Saab 9-5, Rumen's '89 740, and my '78 99 EMS, we made the trek up to the Larz Andersen car museum in Brookline, MA for a day of Saabs and Volvos. There was a great turn out, and the weather was beautiful. Many great cars were seen and photographed, and we've included them here for your enjoyment. My parents, who also attended the show, won the best Saab 9-3 category, with their rare one of 11 2010 9-3X, the only car there like it. 

Above: 1983 Volvo 242 Turbo

A very classy looking 242, this car was one of our favorites from SCD. It's also got a "Flathood," giving the car a very sleak and handsome appearance. The Flathood is a rare factory option featured on some early 240 Turbo models, and has since become desirable for 240 enthusiasts to put on their cars. Only 500 flat hood equipped cars were built, in order to satisfy a requirement for Volvo to compete with Group A's touring car racing team. 

Above: 1979 Saab 900 GLE

The 1979 Saab 900 is a one of the most interesting 900s produced during its production run. The '79 was what I consider to be a hybrid of the 99 and the 900. Besides having the distinction of being a first year production car, the 1979 900 is unlike any 900 that would follow from 1980 until 1993. 

The '79 900 has a few key distinctions. First, is its double vented hood. Where 1980 and later 900s would feature an air intake vent on the left hand side of the car (facing the front), the '79 has a second located on the left side. This was discontinued the following year. 

While a 900 by appearance, these featured the same power plant as the 99: The 2.0 liter Saab B-Motor. The 900 would continue to use the B-Motor into 1980, but would use the redesigned H-Motor in 1981 and onward. 

Also for '79, the single rear tail light lens as seen on the Saab 99 was used as a carry over into the new model. They're the same lens too, and like the double vent hood, would be switch over to the extended tail light on the lift gate in 1980. 

Inside, these cars feature the same interior panels, seats, and center console from the 99. The only difference is the dashboard, which would be the only design feature to remain consistent from 1979 to 1993.

Above: 1983 Saab 900 Turbo T5 Conversion

This is easily one of the nicest Saab 900s in New England. The owner, Jake, has put a lot of work into making this car what it is today, and it certainly shows. Besides the appearance, car's most prominent attribute is the Saab Trionic 5, or T5, conversion. The Saab T5 system is an ECU that was introduced in 1993 on the Saab 9000. It controls the ignition timing, fuel injection, and controls the turbo boost. A T5 conversion has become popular for 900 enthusiasts because it helps make the driving and engine functionality of these old cars a lot more responsive and easier to work on. This is certainly a car worth being proud of.

Above: A Closer Look at the 900

Here you can see the very clean engine bay of Jake's '83 Turbo. 

Above: 1978 Saab 99 Turbo S

Here is my personal favorite from SCD. This is the nicest 99 Turbo I've ever seen, and probably will see for that matter. This 1978 99 Turbo S has quite the story, as its appearance brings many questions, even to the casual Saab enthusiast. First off, this car has E-code headlamps, a color not available on the Turbo in 1978, and an unusual trim designation of "Turbo S." Fortunately, I was able to meet the owner and learn the story of his car. 

This 1978 99 Turbo S was a post production model after the original batch of 99 Turbos for '78. See, the 99 Turbo was such a hit, that Saab still had demand for the model. Most of these 99 Turbos were to be ordered in black, but Saab no longer had any more cars painted in that color. So, Saab had a limited number of 300 or so cars finished in Sterling Silver, and, to meet the needs of their buyers, sold these as the Turbo S. These cars were also fitted with a factory mounted water injector, which gave the car an extra 20 pounds of boost. Because Silver was not an available color for US spec cars, Saab equipped them with the E-code headlamps, and shipped them over. 

This specific 99 Turbo has won many shows, and has been present at the concours at the national Saab Owners Conventions. It won best Saab 99 at SCD, for obvious reasons, and has probably won many other shows. This car is one of the nicest 99s I've ever seen, and not just in person. I would argue its probably one of the nicest in the US too. 

Above: Details on the 99 Turbo

Here you can see the flawless red velour and MoMo Saab steering wheel. This upholstery was redone at some point in the past to match the original factory color. The Inca wheels are also in fantastic shape. 

Above: Dueling Saab 99's!

Here's my 99 EMS with Keith's 99 Turbo. It was great having both these cars together, and a first for me. I've hardly ever seen two 99s in the same place before. 

Above: Heavily Modified Saab 96

Here is a really clean and really modified Saab 96. This V4 motor is certainly not making the same power it once made from factory, that's for sure!

Above: Rumen's 1989 Volvo 740 GLE "Swede Sled"

Here is our friend Rumen's 740 that he officially named Swede Sled, by spraying the name on the underside of the hood. This car was my pick for best Volvo 740/940 car, and not because of my bias towards it, but because its got character. Name another 740 with a side exhaust, a slightly lifted rear end, and its name painted on the hood... I'll be waiting!

Above: 1973 Saab Sonett III

A visitor from Minnesota! This Sonett features Incas, which I've never seen on a Sonett, but look really good. They're also finished in chrome, which I've never seen before either. These were definitely refinished in chrome, as chrome was not a factory option for the Inca wheel. 

This Sonett recently sold on Bring a Trailer, so click the link here to see the listing: https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1973-saab-sonett-iii-14/