SAAB 900 Turbo 16 Convertible, 1989
28,000 miles only
One previous owner
When the actress and writer Lynda La Plante decided to buy her new Saab 900 Turbo 16 Convertible, it was to Saab Wimbledon that she went. This franchised Saab agent was not only her local dealership, but also had a reputation for being one of the most enthusiastic and passionate of Saab’s appointed dealers.
And so it was, that on 26th January 1989, around the time Ms La Plante was creating the “Prime Suspect” television series starring Helen Mirren, F687 GGC was bought and first registered to Lynda La Plante. The car she had ordered represented the then top-of-the-range Saab 900, a (full pressure) Turbo Convertible in Black with Arizona (tan) leather trim and black electro-hydraulic mohair convertible top. Just the kind of car that the self-confessed car enthusiast would have bought. And is it co-incidence, or was it Lynda La Plante’s passion for Saab which translated into Helen Mirren’s character’s car in the series also being a Saab?
Specification of the car included the five speed manual gearbox (Saab had not yet dumbed down the impressive performance with that distinctly uninspiring automatic option), walnut dashboard and gear knob, leather rimmed steering wheel and integrated Saab cassette storage compartment. In car entertainment was courtesy a Clarion radio / cassette player with stacking cd player in the boot. Whilst this was replaced at the end of 2014 with a Sony receiver and cd unit, with USB connectivity and its own Sony cd stacker in the boot, the original Clarion system has been retained, carefully boxed and is supplied with the car.
Such was her fondness for the Saab, it was 2017 before Ms La Plante considered parting with it, by which time the mileage stood at just 27,500 miles. The car passed privately to a friend in whose care it remained until recently, covering just 500 miles in the last eight years, most of this apparently being to and from the MoT station each year.
According to the original service book, the car was always maintained by the supplying dealer, Saab Wimbledon, until such time as they ceased to exist. Thereafter, the Turbo was entrusted to specialist care. Well and truly over-serviced, this is the lowest mileage car I have ever seen with the service history running into a continuation service book.
In preparation for sale, this very low mileage Saab has been thoroughly recommissioned and now stands ready to be enjoyed on the open road once more, the very final work being the refinishing of the original alloy wheels and fitment of new Michelin 195/60 VR15 tyres, as would have been fitted when new.
Complete in all respects, with unused tool kit, spare wheel, jack and warning triangle, three section hood cover in its original bag, and all books, as well as documented ownership history.
Presented in highly original and quite exceptional condition, it is seldom indeed that such a low mileage example comes to the open market, let alone one which spent nearly thirty years in the hands of its original owner, and one which has effectively been in careful storage since.
*****
PRICE
£ 34,800
07968 094741
The car is presently UK registered. It is supplied with a UK registration document and has a current MoT certificate.
