Saab Sleepers

1989, the year I started driving and also the year I realised I had an uncontrollable desire for cars, over the years I’ve owned around 90, but one kind has always intrigued me more than others, Sleepers.

'A sleeper or Q-car is a car that has high performance and an unassuming exterior. Sleeper cars are so called because their exterior looks similar or identical to a standard car'

I started with executive, big engined BMW 5 series, 528, 530 and M5, then I tried an Audi S6 and a few wonderful Mercedes W124 320 coupes, all had the Sleeper feel, but it took my very first Saab 9-5 Aero to fully realise the beauty of a true Sleeper. Exceptional comfort, relaxed cruising, unassuming styling, yet put your foot down and it quite easily surprises many other drivers, even in its standard form and I loved that.

What followed was a growing passion for the Saab marque, but the 9-5 Aeros have always held a special place in my automotive heart, over the years I've owned eight 9-5 Aeros, all saloons and all tuned to at least Stage 3. I love modifying them just enough so that folks in the know, will know, but everyone else will presume it's just a nice looking executive saloon.

Of course there are always giveaways, the lowered, purposeful stance, the larger exhaust, the subtle whoosh from the upgraded induction kit, and in my case, always a set of purposeful wheels, but to the uninitiated, still no hint of what hides under the bonnet, and to me that makes the perfect Sleeper.

The 9-5 remains an underrated car in my eyes, ridiculous value for money with huge tuning potential and has to be one of the most comfortable cars ever crafted, and long may they stay that way, after all that means more for us Saabists to keep to ourselves.

From Field to Road

Having taken the 9-3 Aero from field to road in such a short space of time, I’d envisioned numerous teething problems before it settled down to be a trusted companion and that’s currently what’s happening.

We’ve changed a crank sensor to elevate a hot starting problem and had another remap done to ensure the ECU aligns with the performance parts correctly, but a few issues still remain unsolved. It has a flat spot under extreme acceleration, at around 5000 rpm it holds back a little, not much but it is there, it also holds the revs when I take my foot off the accelerator, so both of these will need to be addressed.

I also gave it a nice roof down 200 mile road trip to London last night for a quick bowl of pasta and pizza at one of my favourite haunts, and noticed it slipped out of 5th gear twice, a little unnerving when overtaking on the M1 so a few issues still to be sorted. A final and far less important issue is the subtle smell of mould, the entire interior has been stripped and cleaned, but there’s still a slight odour, especially when the car has been in the sun, roof down and this soon vanishes, but it’d be nice to clear completely.

Of course, I’m picking on details now, overall the transformation from a field find to an iconic, modern classic with undeniable road presence has been ridiculously rewarding, the Bilstein B8 setup has given it the final stance and handling it deserved again and the Turbo X 18’s are just perfection.

I happened to ask a question over on Twitter at the weekend “Still one of the most beautiful and timeless convertibles ever created, Y or N?” and had resounding agreement, although some still consider the Saab 900 to be the ultimate convertible, having owned both, I personally still believe this is more timeless, i’d give a joint first for beauty.

Saab Countryman

If you love taking photos of cars and you're like me, I'm constantly looking for the next perfect location, a hidden corner of a city, a wide open space, a secret country lane - it becomes a pleasurable obsession.

About 10 minutes from home, I've discovered an ideal place - shaded by trees, no though roads and peaceful, I can leave the car in the middle of the road and take time to get the photos I want.

Part of the pleasure of this blog is having the ability to share the beauty of Saabs, the timeless style that every Saab possess, from the early 99 and the 9000 to the later 93 and of course the gorgeous original generation 95 Aeros.

Nothing to prove

I find it hard to explain why I’m drawn to Saabs, despite having a choice of other marques to grab the keys to, I still choose the Saab ones. I think about this a lot, what makes them such emotive cars, yes they have smile inducing performance, they’re becoming rare and yes they’re ridiculously comfortable, all reasons to love them, but I keep coming back to one thought - they have nothing to prove.

They take you out of an increasingly banal world of shiny identikit cars, not competing on worth or ego, not ashamed to be different, they offer a kind of moving sanctuary from a world of meaningless superiority.

Saabs still have a presence that is rare, they sit alongside their peers with ease, they allow you to arrive anywhere in style and more often than not, induce happy conversation, “Do they still make Saabs?” “My Father used to own a Saab” “The most beautiful convertible ever built”.

In an age where everyone should be considering sustainability, I find it hard to comprehend why folks need to buy a new car every 3 - 4 years with huge manufacturing impact, when an older Saab offers luxury, reliability, style and efficiency.

Saabs have nothing to prove, and I love them for that

You got a fast car...

Sometimes, it’s hard to not just stop and stare for a while, giving yourself a moment to fully appreciate the aesthetics of a car, it’s form and stance, it’s simple, sharp design. For years I’ve found myself drawn back to the first generation Saab 93 convertible, the Ian Callum Aero bodykit especially adds a touch of genius to an already exceptional car. Even today, 17 years on, it feels timeless, the clean Swedish lines uncluttered and uncompromised.

Subtle enhancements are all that are needed to create my perfect convertible, a lowered stance and a gorgeous set of alloys to fill those arches.

Let the world around you pass by in a blur while you take in the moment.

Griffin from the flames

On Friday I collected the Aero convertible from Malcolm Miles, it had passed its MOT, the new wheels and tyres were fitted and it was more than overdue for a bit of clean. First stop at the local car wash proved that the roof indeed needs re-coating and waterproofing again, i left rather damper than i’d have liked but it reassured me that all of the windows seal beautifully though.

A rainy Saturday morning wasn’t a great start to a day dedicated to interior mould and dirt removal, but soon the Saab gods smiled, the rain stopped and I set about cleaning every visible surface, it really is amazing how years of dirt and use can build up, but it also never fails to impress just how robust and beautifully made older Saab interiors are. After several hours of hard work its starting to feel driveable again, the mould smell is still there but already less, the dashboard and buttons are all spotless again and various joints cleaned and greased.

It still has many hours of work left, but already feels special again, although I’ve changed the badly warn front Aero seats, they’ll need a good clean, colour and moisturise to bring them up nicely, and then it’s on to the roof lining, that to needs demoulding and refreshing.

With a couple of hundred miles under its belt, Ive also realised the original shocks are way too soft and floaty, it has lowering springs on, but without upgraded shocks, the ride still feels a little like a boat on waves so they’ll soon be replaced with a set of Bilstein B8s all round.

It’s also the latest addition to Aerorignal.

Aero Rescue Mission Report

I can't seem to keep up with the folks at Malcolm Miles, before I knew it, they've taken the old engine out, stripped off all of the performance parts and the new 57k block is already installed and running, all within a week.

They've literally replaced endless perished and missing hoses, clips, nuts, bolts and pipes, checked the lovely TD04 Turbo and installed a new clutch slave cylinder, 3" downpipe and an uprated Viggen clutch to handle the extra power. Brake pipes have also been replaced together with new discs, pads and cleaned calipers.

We've been slightly nervous about the inaugural roof opening, but besides the handle falling off, it opened perfectly, a bit glitchy and in need of a damn good clean and lubrication, but it opened and closed, we have a convertible!

Still one hell of a lot to do, but it now starts, stops and rolls without being dragged about on seized running gear. So what next? the new stainless steel Jetex exhaust system arrives tomorrow, Noob Tune will be matching an ECU upgrade to the new spec, another rare set of 18" Turbo X alloys are on their way together with 4 new Bridgestone Potanzas and the new Aero front seats have to be installed, once we've got the mechanicals sorted, hopefully it'll pass its MOT and on track to be another great Saab saved.

A Road Trip to...

…Cardigan, North Wales. Firstly, this is more about driving than it is about cars, and dare I say it, not all journeys need to be in a Saab, it helps, but let’s face it, a great Road Trip is a great Road Trip and if you love driving as much as I do, it’s pretty much always as exciting as the destination itself.

I was heading out to Makers & Mavericks, an event hosted by the inspirational jeans company, Hiut Denim based in Cardigan, North Wales and what promised to be 500 miles of pure driving pleasure.

The initial part of the journey to Wales is always laborious, 50 mph speed restrictions, endless traffic and mind numbing roads, but patience is a virtue and you’ll soon find yourself driving along immaculate roads and winding your way through ever more beautiful landscapes. Hit the A44 running alongside the River Wye and you’ll quickly gain altitude with majestic snow capped Alpine forests on one side and wild open mountainside the other, take the opportunity to turn off the main A44 and embrace the majestic wind farms and shear beauty of the valleys nearby.

A little further on and in to the valley with endless tree lined, sun dappled roads, wind down the windows and enjoy the raw, visceral sounds of the engine bouncing off the tress and hillside rocks. this opens up on to the A487 coastal road with immaculate sparkling blue ocean views and slate lined beaches, eventually leading to my temporary market town home.

After a weekend of meeting some inspirational and exceptionally talented creatives, I had the pleasure of the return journey home, and it didn’t disappoint.

Purity of Design

When it comes to wheel design, not many marques got it quite so right as Saab, they seemed to create an endless array of beautifully simple styles that remain just as timeless today as they did the year they were launched. From the early Inca and Aero wheels, the later double Y spokes and brutal nailhead wheels they’ve all kept a purity of Scandinavian design that’s hard to beat with any aftermarket alloys.

On my current project, the 9-3 Aero convertible, it already has a set of iconic nailheads, but I’ve always been tempted to push the size up slightly to a set of 18” and only one original Saab design keeps me coming back for more, the Turbo X. After fitting a set of the rarer 19” Carlsson versions to the 9-5 Aero project, it seems only right that the 9-3 should be treated equally, so once the brakes have been totally replaced, we’ll see how they look, I’ve only ever seen them on one other og 9-3 Aero and they looked exceptional.

Dirt don't slow you down

A few weeks ago, I got a great email from Mark, it simply said 'Too many shiny cars, let's have some contrast.' And let's face it, he's spot on, who drives around in perfectly shiny Saabs all of the time?

Mine for one, is constantly dirty, I actually like it to look dirty, means it's been driven and enjoyed, where others are careful not to go on grass verges to let a car pass, or enjoy a full on drive in the pouring rain, mine gets stuck in. Drive it, enjoy it all, come rain or shine, wind or snow, our Saabs are built like tanks and can pretty much cope with whatever nature has to throw at us, even a bit of old fashioned dirt, and all in sublime comfort and individual style. Cheers Mark.

Saabs United GB Gathering 2019

Whilst the Swedish SU sadly falls into complete ruin, a group of Saab folks here in the UK have taken up the gauntlet and seem to be raising the griffin from the flames so to speak. Saabs United GB have organised a second gathering to bring us all together, and this year it’s got the spectacular backdrop of the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre.

The inaugural gathering saw nearly fifty Saabs come together, but imagine it’ll attract plenty more this time around, there will be a number of our favourite Saab specialists including Raw Saab, Noobtune, Nordic and AP Tuning together with some decent food and coffee and plenty of gorgeous aviation stuff to explore too.

Not only is the entrance fee stupid cheap (£6 per person) but all funds will be going to a great charity, Pilgrim Bandits.

Saturday 8th June between 10am and 4pm at the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre, East Kirkby, Spilsby PE23 4DE, UK

Aero Rescue Mission

Not one to do anything by halves, I’ve jumped right in at the deep end with the second Aeroriginal, an iconic first generation 9-3 HOT Aero convertible, straight silver with (what used to be) black roof.

A Gumtree find and currently non running, it has been sitting sadly in a Welsh field for the past year, the rear brakes are completely seized, the engine is pretty much had it and requires replacing, and the interior has a velvet-like covering of mould.

Upside is, these things are truly stunning, the timeless Ian Cullum designed Aero body kit just never ages, and although the front bumper is badly ripped, it’s saveable and from initial inspection, the bodywork itself is exceptionally straight and rust free.

Interior wise I’m unsure if I can make the leather good again, deep cracks and a bad rip on the driver’s bolster seem make it seem unlikely, but I’ll reserve judgement for now, the original stereo unit has vanished, so has one door speaker, ashtray and even the leather gearknob, but again, all fixable.

Right now, the next stage will be to give the underneath a good inspection and make sure it’s solid, then breaks freed, engine out and begin the uphill battle to save another gorgeous Saab Aero.

Be Different

I've had this idea brewing for a while now, a personal obsession to rescue older Saabs, sort them out, add something unique and keep them on the roads for years to come. It always surprises me that folks are willing to spend thousands of pounds on terrible, middle of the road cars that are neither reliable or beautiful, it just so happens Saabs are both and offer exceptionally fantastic value too.

My obsession with Aero models specifically has led to me hunting out ones that are a little different, it might be they have some rare Hirsch Performance parts, or an unusual colour, or maybe just the wonderful heated and vented leather seats, but always something that makes them stand out from the crowd. Once I've had the amazing folks at Malcolm Miles ensure the mechanics are back on point, I set about adding more unique touches, subtle details that make all the difference, from handcrafted satin black and anodised mesh grilles to rare Hirsch spoilers or Nappa leather steering wheels.

Stance and sound are always important, so exhausts are changed to stainless steel Jetex sports ones and maybe paired with a commissioned APH Performance downpipe to really maximise the flow. Bilstein suspension together with MapTun, Eibach or Abbott Racing lowering springs and strut braces ensure drive is given a modern touch and all finished off with a decent set of alloys, usually Saab originals, but sometimes others that really give a unique touch to the overall style. Power wise, I aim for reliable but smile inducing, between Stage 3 and 4 with ecu upgrades by the very talented NoobTune, this is generally reinforced with upgraded intercoolers and filters to keep things beautifully smooth.

I genuinely do this to keep Saabs on the road, and much to my wife's upset, I usually lose money on each an every one, but if it works, other Saab folks will benefit from a unique desire to drive something a bit different, after all, why spend £5k on a boring car when you can drive a truly exceptional Saab - reliable, timeless and above all, individual?

SEE CURRENT AEROS FOR SALE

Shady Character

Each new day brings a reminder that Spring is well and truly underway, it’s one of the most amazing times of the year here in England - warm sun, cool breezes, trees, hedges and fields turning green again, a beautifully fresh scent in the air and of course the most important of all - dry, clean roads.

Drop the windows in the 9-5 and enjoy the sounds - the subtle turbo whistle as you accelerate, the deep bubble of the sports exhaust and the seamless power leading you on your journey, no destination in mind, just the joy of the drive.

On mornings like this, I take my trusty old Leica and head out looking for the perfect spots for a quick photo, the Saab isn’t clean and shiny, it’s dusty and enjoyed, but find a peaceful lane and the sun and shade create the perfect feel for a few photos of this timeless car. More and more I’m enjoying the Gen1 over most other 9-5’s i’ve owned, the Carbon Grey with the Matt Black Carlsson Turbo X alloys give it a menacing stance and with the updated interior, I can’t think of many other cars I’d rather drive through Spring in.

Obsession in Print

Loving Saabs is just the tip of the iceberg for me when it comes to an obsession, I find my passion for cars is all encompassing, yes the collecting, renovating, sourcing and driving of them is the primary desire, but being ever inspired by other folk’s car obsessions and projects is just as endearing. Recently us petrolheads have been given a series of exceptional printed car ‘porn’  to feed the passion that I just couldn’t resist sharing, not specifically Saab, but if you love cars as much as I do, they really are ‘must have’s.

A recent road trip to the wonderful Caffeine & Machine gathering space led to the discovery of the utterly beautiful Private Motor Club magazine which we avidly flicked through over a succulent handmade burger and ice cold beer. Bentley to Bugatti, classic Japanese street racers to the wonderful new Alpine and now on its sixth issue, Private Motor Club is an exceptionally elegant piece of print that warrants its very own bookcase space in any petrolhead’s library.

Secondly, The Road Rat, with a self confessed petrolhead philosophy, ‘A Thing for Cars’ which doesn’t disappoint. Immaculately curated spreads, beautiful photography, minimal fuss and even a stunning commissioned portrait of Lewis Hamilton on the first issue - it is a truly indulgent collection of stories dedicated to the love of cars.

Far from being dead, print has taken up the gauntlet of creating beautifully tactile inspiration that enhances my obsession - what will the next project be, the next change, the next road trip… We jumped in the Saab and headed off on a 100 mile journey to Calke Abby in Derbyshire, the perfect backdrop for an opportune photo of a timeless car.

Private Motor Club | The Road Rat

Förfina

Despite the ever distressing stories of Saabs being scrapped or used as donor cars for others, there also seem to be an ever growing number of folks who are more and more invested in keeping the Saab legend alive and fight fit. Not only that, but the ones that are passionate enough to keep them on the road are investing both time and money in them too.

I recently came across a new zine aptly named Förfina, literally meaning ‘refine’ in Swedish. It's dedicated to our global Saabs and the lives they touch, stories of intercontinental journeys, reimagined classic and gatherings in every corner of the world. The author, David, is asking Saab folks to contribute articles to build traction for Issue 2, and if all goes well with plenty of interest, he’ll be offering a lovely old school printed version too, and let’s face it, what’s better than a coffee and a quality zine in your hands at the weekend?

I for one will be offering the occasional post for him to share at his discretion, and hope other Saabists will do the same, contact him here.

Förfina | For Saab owners and enthusiasts around the world

Saab Youngtimers

I’ve long been rather jealous of the Netherland way of life, their laid back attitude, exceptional cuisine, beautiful cities, crisp clear air and endless driving roads, but reading about a company called Saab Youngtimer almost made me up sticks and move to the Netherlands.

Due to favourable company car tax schemes, any cars over 15 years old are only required to be taxed at 35% over their basic value, and as we all know, older Saabs are incredible value, so if you fancy a reimagined Saab for your company car, either leased or purchased, Saab Youngtimer might just be the perfect solution.

Youngtimer promotes an open conversation with their customers, what model, colour and spec do you prefer, fancy a 2nd generation 9-5 Sportwagon with 350hp, 480Nm and a Hirsch style steering wheel, no problem, oh, and you want that in Nardo Grey, no problem, yes, they’ll even repaint your dream Saab in the colour of your choice.

A 2004 9-3 convertible has been completely reimagined with full 2014 specification, and it really is a beautiful creation, and that colour.

Essentially, Youngtimer will source the perfect Saab for your needs and then put it through an impressive program for refurbishment and replacement, they use genuine Saab parts wherever possible and commission a series of bespoke parts when unavailable.

You end up with a nearly new Saab that has been subjected to rigorous testing to ensure longevity, reliability and enjoyment. Being a Saab of course, your young timer is pretty much a timeless design that you’re helping protect for the future and needless to say, it is a far more sustainable choice than opting for a brand new car.

They’ve left me dreaming about collecting my new youngtimer, experiencing the fresh, unique smell and comfort of a Saab leather interior as you climb in for the first time and heading out of Mappel towards Doosje on the N375, open countryside, trees, canals, the beginning of a new Saab journey

Saabs Reimagined in Holland | Saab Youngtimer Lease

The Morning After

The 9-5 has been under the knife for the past few days, the obligatory rust cut out on the rear wheel arch bases, welded and made beautiful again and some surface dents removed from the bonnet.

The front Aero bib had been broken and fixed poorly in the past, which has also been removed, plastic welded and resprayed again too.

And of course the icing on the cake - the rare Saab boot lip spoiler has now been renovated, resprayed and attached. Cosmetically it makes a world of difference to the look and style of the car, it adds a purposeful touch to the rear, discreet but a bit edgy, it really adds the finishing touch to the Saabs exterior.

The folks I use, Leicester Autobody, really are fantastic, they care about perfection and although the Saab was possibly the 'cheapest' car in the workshop, it felt every bit as pampered as the Porsches, Ferrari and wonderfully rare, early Subaru also their for a touch of cosmetic surgery.

The morning after collecting it, I returned to a car park and seeing the Saab felt proud to own such a stunning car, the details have made a huge difference to the overall style and in my eyes, is no a pretty much perfect 9-5.

Driven by Beauty

Back in 2011 I took delivery of a new Carbon Grey 9-3 TTiD Turbo Edition, it not only featured plenty of lovely Saab options including premium leather and navigation, but I managed to squeeze virtually every available item from Hirsch Performance, including the exceptional Nappa leather steering wheel.

More recently in 2017, I rescued a beautiful 9-5 Aero that also had a Hirsch steering wheel, and once you’ve had one, it’s very difficult to forget how beautiful they look and feel. Sadly, Hirsch no longer manufacture these steering wheels, but the kind folks at cardyourcar commissioned a number of exclusively crafted replicas, I’m not entirely sure if they came from the same factory, and some contouring it different from the Hirsch version, but non the less, it looked beautifully made.

I made the leap and ordered one on Monday from Germany, it arrived Wednesday and was on the car that same day. First impressions are excellent, the contours are different, but have been carefully considered and provide exceptional grip, materials seem to be equal to the Hirsch ones, and has definitely given a final bit of luxury to my newly refreshed Aero interior.

An early morning country drive with glowing sunlight seemed like an ideal opportunity to snap a few photos, I still can’t praise the Saab’s interior enough, it really is timeless, it just makes me smile every time I drive it, and with the new steering wheel, it really is pretty much perfect.

A Saab Life

If there’s one single thing I love about Saabs above all else, it’s how they bring people together, locally, nationally and globally, people are interested in talking about them, asking questions and sharing Saab stories. Whether you drive a modern 9-3 or a rare Sonett, a quirky 95 V4 or an iconic 900, they seem to inspire friendliness and conversation - a shared love.

Many marques have a similar following, but what separates Saab is the inclusivity and affordability to be a part of a lifestyle, young and old, families and teenagers are all able to share the Saab vibe. What usually starts as a connection to Saab through generations, becomes a life long affinity that’s sometimes hard to explain or reason with.

I recently happened across an Instagramer who clearly shares this feeling, she not only drives an exceptionally beautiful Ambassador Blue 900 classic, but also explorers every corner of Europe in it. She’s taken road trips to Sweden, Italy and Austria and in her words “My little Saab really made me connect with so many new people”. Having covered hundreds of miles, she returns safely to her home in the German Alps.

She also loves nature photography and videography and her page is a beautifully curated collection of everything that encapsulates her life passions, and her trusty classic Saab is very much centre stage "The best decision ever I made on my own against every other opinion was to buy this car".

As our Saabs get older and rarer, it's exceptionally heartwarming to see people like Janina not only take care of them for the future, but enjoy every moment and every journey, just as Saab imagined.

Janina Elisa | Instagram