The Saab 900 is one of the ill-fated Swedish brand’s most recognizable designs – particularly the three-door version. It’s a shame that Saab as we know it is no more, because it was the kind of design savvy and technical innovation present in the 900 that led to Saab becoming a realistic alternative to the German brands.

Auto Express readers would love to see the Saab 900 make a comeback, that’s why they picked it as one of the star cars in our Most Wanted Cars 2014 feature. Our exclusive image gives you an idea of how a new 900 could look.

The 900 was introduced in 1978 and Saab said there were plenty of nods to its aircraft manufacturing heritage in the car’s design, including the curved windscreen and dashboard.

It was available with a variety of engines throughout its life, ranging from a 99bhp 2.0-litre, right up to a 185bhp Carlsson engine. The first 900 ran right up until 1994, when the second-generation model was introduced riding on the Vauxhall Vectra platform.

One of the most memorable 900 features was the Sensonic gearbox, which worked exactly like a manual but without a clutch pedal. The second-gen 900 also featured the Night Panel system, which blacked out all but the most important driver information to allow drivers to concentrate on the road.