Though at first I was nostalgic for my old 240 and wanted to get another one, my time off between classic cars allowed me to consider what it was I truly wanted. The 240 was fun to own, but it was essentially fun because it was old and quirky, and offered that unique driving perspective where newer cars didn't. I began to consider what I really wanted from an old car. I knew I wanted that unique old car experience that the 240 gave me, but I wanted something more engaging, sportier, and unique. It was here where I began to look at 240s with manual transmissions, but these were much more expensive than a 240 with an automatic transmission. 

    But what got me into Swedish cars in the first place? I had become so fixated on trying to recreate my 240 experience, that I forgot to consider where, or what, had led me to become fascinated with these old reliable cars. It was Saab after all that made me fall in love with Swedish cars. It was learning my family's history of owning them and learning to drive on my grandmother's 2010 9-3X that allowed me to develop a personal attachment to the brand. A Saab 900 was the first classic car I truly wanted when I had the money to afford one, and it was the first classic car I ever drove. Rekindled with a renewed interest in classic Saabs, I changed course, seeking out a classic 900.

     However life rarely ever pans out as you'd intend it, and I inevitably came across a car I really liked, though it wasn't a 900. It was the father of the 900, the Saab 99. The 99 was also the first Saab model my grandfather owned, as his 99 was a blue 1973 99 LE. The car infamously got him home during the Blizzard of '78. From that moment onwards, my grandfather always owned a Saab.

    The '78 99 was a rather nice looking car, all there minus its front bumper, and was riding on some beautiful Saab "Inca" style rims, which were original to a 99 Turbo. Most importantly, it featured the Saab "Combi Coupe" hatchback styling, a body style I had wanted since my original interest in the brand, and something truly unique to Saab. 

     This car was a 99 EMS finished in Anthracite Gray, and the sportiest Saab available prior to the introduction of the 99 Turbo in 1978. The 99 EMS was introduced for the 1973 model year. EMS stood for Electronic fuel injection Manual transmission Special, and was only available with those features. It also included a stiffer suspension, no power steering, and a tuned 2.0 liter engine that made 118 horsepower, and had a top speed of 106 MPH. It was essentially a factory rally car that would set the standard for what Saab would become known for; safe cars with a sporty edge. 

     The 99 EMS from the Facebook ad was a 1978 car, in the all original, and included a very detailed history. It was owned by its original owner until 2018, where it was sold on Bring a Trailer to a Saab enthusiast in New York, and converted into a rally car, where it was used in the Great American Mountain Rally Revival race. It was then sold to its third owner in 2021, located in New Jersey, and the same person who I would later purchase the car off of in December of 2024.