We photographed this remarkably well-preserved Saab 99 L parked in the shade in Seattle, Washington. It was a surprising sight as it’s the first 99 we’ve seen on the road in several years. Often overshadowed by more mainstream imports, 99s were never that common to begin with but they’ve almost literally vanished from the automotive landscape over the past decade.

This entry-level, naturally-aspirated two-door L model from the 1970s is still fitted with its original steel wheels and hubcaps, and it appears to be wearing an older respray that has held up well over time. It has minor dings and dents on both ends but overall it has managed to avoid the battle scars typically associated with parking in big cities.

We were not able to track down the 99’s owner to get more information about it but both of the headlight bezels are gone, indicating that it might be undergoing a minor restoration. The car is mostly rust-free so it wouldn’t take a lot of work to get it in tip-top shape, but we’d personally continue to drive it as-is.