Saab 900 Turbo 16
Saab doubled the valve count, added two camshafts and kept its turbo-and-intercooler idea, creating a 175 bhp 900 that could pass 200 km/h while retaining the practical classic 900 body.
1984 Saab 900 Turbo 16 · Niels de Wit from Lunteren, The Netherlands derivative work: Mr.choppers · CC BY 2.0
Research pending
A matching completed auction sale has not been verified for this exact year, body, trim, engine, transmission and market.
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More than a set of wheels.
Saab previewed the 900 Turbo 16 at Geneva in spring 1983 and put it on sale for 1984. Its two-litre engine gained four valves per cylinder, double overhead camshafts, centrally placed spark plugs and hydraulic valve lifters. With an intercooler, output reached 175 hp. The same mechanical idea could be ordered in several classic 900 body styles; certain markets also received the black-or-silver T16S Aero, called SPG in the United States. This profile stays with the early Turbo 16 engine and does not automatically claim Aero body parts or later flat/slant-nose equipment.
Look a little closer.
Saab offered the early 900 Turbo 16 as a four-door saloon and as three- or five-door Combi Coupé hatchbacks, not as just one body shape.
Photos show an example of the model or generation. The pictured vehicle’s year, equipment, or modifications can differ from the specification described here.
Sixteen valves were a complete cylinder-head rethink
Saab's 1984 engine used four valves per cylinder, domed chambers, centrally placed plugs, double overhead camshafts and hydraulic lifters. Those pieces worked with Bosch LH-Jetronic injection, a turbocharger and intercooler; the 175 bhp result was more than a simple boost-pressure increase.
Source: Saab period brochure · The Underlying Principle ↗Turbo 16 is mechanical scope; Aero/SPG is trim scope
The 16-valve Turbo appeared in several body styles, while the T16S Aero was a special extra-de-luxe version in selected markets; the US name was SPG. A cover or specification should not turn every early Turbo 16 into an Aero/SPG.
Source: SaabMuseum.com · 900 model-year changes ↗Where these facts come from
- Saab Car Museum · The story of Saab
- SaabMuseum.com · 900 model-year changes
- SaabMuseum.com · Innovations
- Saab period brochure · The Underlying Principle
Selected facts checked for this edition. Some source pages link to broader model families. Last reviewed 2026-10-02.