It’s a little-known fact that in the early 1980’s revival of the James Bond 007 franchise, the selected author, John Gardner, chose a silver Saab 900 Turbo as the car for the new, updated Commander Bond. Mr. Garder explained his choice with these words:

If you’re going to have a man of the eighties — conscious of the recession, with limited resources — he’s got to be a bit more like an ordinary human being. He’s got a bit of private money, and I wanted to put him into very much an eighties motor car.

The James Bond copyright owners, Glidrose, readily agreed saying that, “Ian [Fleming, the original Bond author] would have liked him to have this car.”

Here’s the sketch:

The complete story is here. Specs after the jump…

Can Q trick out a ride or what? Check these mods:

- Water-cooled turbo engine modification per Saab Law Enforcement specs, producing a top speed in excess of 170 MPH.
- Modified fuel system capable of running on gasoline or gasohol. Sound familiar?
- Halon 12 fire extinguishing system and fire-proofing. Unfortunately, also life-proofing; Halon 12 will generally suffocate humans!!
- Digital heads-up instrument display.
- Remote text-messaging system via black box phone hook up to landline.
- Mobile phone.
- Four external tear gas ducts.
- Filter to stop deadly gas from entering the car’s passenger cabin.
- Oxygen masks under the seats in CO2-operated compartment.
- Several hidden compartments in dashboard containing TH70 Nitefinder goggles (for driving without headlights), grenades, one unauthorised Ruger Super Blackhawk .44 Magnum revolver, and one Browning automatic handgun. Having just returned from South Texas, this describes half of the four-wheel-drive pickups there!
- Fully armor-plated body.
- Bulletproof glass.
- Steel-reinforced ramming bumpers back and front.
- Heavy-duty Dunlop Denovos tyres self-sealing even after being hit by bullets.
- Side gun-port.
- Remote starter kit.
- Rotating license plates.
- Two Halogen fog lamps.
- Aircraft headlight hidden behind front license plate.

Whew! The alternator on the Silver Beast must be the size of a basketball to power all of that stuff!

A great part of Saab lore.