1988 Saab 900 "Springtime In Sweden" Edition

I like Saabs. One of my closest friends drives a Saab. I looked for information about Saabs prior to her purchasing it. When the time comes to replace my BMW, Saab will be on the short list of cars I'll look at. I've read about the various models, trying to figure out which one, if any, would be right for me. I thought I knew quite a bit about Saabs, yet until tonight I had never heard of a "Springtime in Sweden" edition.

At first I thought the title of this eBay listing was a joke. It's not. There really was a "Springtime in Sweden" Saab.

From Wikipedia...
In 1988, Saab commissioned 288 special convertibles as gifts to its US dealers. Dubbed the Springtime in Sweden, or "SiS" model these cars are differentiated by their color scheme and Aero/SPG-like bodywork and 3-spoke wheels. Each car was painted black, with buffalo grey leather interiors and black convertible roofs. Each car was marked with a special "Springtime in Sweden" emblem that was attached to the lower left of the glovebox door. All were Turbo models. Of the 288 built, four were automatics and the remaining 284 had 5-speed manual transmissions. Emblems on the exterior body were deleted in the scheme of the SPG, with only the word SAAB and the Saab-Scania roundel on the trunk appearing on the car. The car was fitted with the standard Saab grille for the period. In addition to the car, each dealer also received an Orrefors crystal vase, engraved with the Saab-Scania logo, packed in the trunk when they were delivered stateside as a surprise additional gift.

There are, apparently, counterfeit Springtime in Sweden Saabs out there. If you have doubts about a car's authenticity, the best way to check if it's a real SiS is to look for the build decal. It's located behind the drivers door panel and was applied to the metal of the door. It should read CABRIO and AERO. I'm not so sure anyone selling an SiS will be thrilled about removing the door panel for you, but, since the VIN numbers were not sequential or unique to the SiS, it's the only way you can tell if you're getting the real thing.

The car listed on eBay is being offered by a dealer. This car is a little, um, fishy. The listing states that it's 1 of 400 built. Really it's 1 of 288.The steering wheel doesn't look like the picture I saw of the "special" wheel found on the SiS and I can't see a plaque on the glovebox door. I don't know if all that means anything - as I said I just found out about this model tonight, so I'm far from being an expert - but you may want to do some homework before considering purchasing this car. (Or you can just ask the seller to remove the door panel...)

Located in Cranston, RI, click here to see the eBay listing.