Today, thanks to this interesting retro video, we go back to the distant 1982 – 37 years back in the Saab past. Striking looks and unusual technology make the Saab 900 the flagship of the brand in 1978. The car has now become a cult and makes the hearts of car lovers beat faster. It was 1982 when Saab launched the 900 Turbo with APC Control, a new generation of engines with Turbochargers. Also interesting, from that moment on, a Saab Turbo could also burn gasoline with a low octane number without any problems.
This great promotional video, it is a cute retro film with a length of 15 minutes, that takes us back to the advertising world of the early 80s:
APC stands for Automatic Performance Control an it was a Saab exclusive. According to promo material from Saab at the time, All Turbochargers deliver extra power, but there is Achille’s heel. They must compesate for varying octane levels in gasoline (at that time in the early 80’s). Performance suffers because much of the time the turbocharger simply cannot operate at peak efficiency.
Through a brilliantly simple system of electronic sensors and regulators, APC solution continuously monitors engine performance and optimises turbo response. The result of this solution is: you get consistently exceptional turbo performance – the kind that quickens your pulse and bristles the hair on the back of your neck. That’s how Saab used to describe this revolutionary solution that complements Turbo efficiency. That is why Saab called this APC supplement “brain”, and so Saab’s turbo had a “brain”.
This and other numerous innovations created by Saab at the time allowed Saab to advertise cars as one of the most intelligently built cars in the world.
