More than the sum of its parts

March 5, 2024 Eleven

The decision has been made (for now) to work on the Nocturne Blue Aero and see if we can get it fighting fit again. As many of you will know, this was bought as a donor car to save the beautiful Graphite Green Aero, but needless to say, it has won me over and I can’t bring myself to break it for parts. After an initial inspection, it needs plenty of maintenance items; genuine DI pack, starter motor, spark plugs, oil trap hose assembly, discs and pads, tyres, handbrake return springs, a good service and stopping the power steering fluid leak.

However, amongst its long list of modifications and equipment, it came with a number of Hirsch parts, one being a Hirsch front grille, sadly though, the two side kidney grilles were missing. After a catch up with a Saab friend in the US, he happened to have a pair of them spare, a few weeks later, the entire 3 piece grille has now been reunited. It’s a small detail, but one that fills me with joy, apart from the kindness of the person who helped me out, it provides a positive step forward to bringing this Saab 9-5 back up to the level it deserves. In the next few weeks, I’m hoping to get the headlights de-misted, the maintenance work done, and maybe even repair the heater and uneven dual exhaust pipes.

Although I’ve been used to modified 9-5 Aeros in the past, most have been running around 300hp, this one however, is 350+hp. It really is a weapon to drive, especially on quiet country roads where it’s refined handling really proves its worth, the limited slip differential also transforms the traction and gets the power down rapidly and confidently.

I wasn’t entirely sure about the 18” Team Dynamics wheels, but again, they’ve grown on me and suit the car’s aesthetics perfectly, in fact, once some of the more urgent work is done, I’ll be refinishing them and treating them to some decent new types; I’m not convinced the Landsail rubber is up to coping with the amount of power, although so far, I’ve been surprisingly impressed with their performance. Now all I have to do, is find yet another engine and gearbox for the Green Aero.

Saab dilemmas

February 19, 2024 Eleven

I currently have yet another Saab dilemma playing off in my subconscious mind; to break or not to break?

I purchased this 9-5 Aero from Peter Raw a few months back with the intention to use its considerable list of parts to finally rescue my Graphite Green Aero, which is basically a gorgeous body with a knackered engine.

Such is the draw of the 9-5 Aero to me, that I’m now struggling to let this one go. The bodywork is tatty, it needs some rust taken care of, holes in the bonnet, dents on the front wing and boot, and numerous other areas of aesthetic attention. However, despite it’s 200,000 plus miles, mechanically, it’s been lavished with attention, the engine completely rebuilt a few years back; forged, Wossner pistons, massive turbo, intercooler, Noobtune 260 map etc, together with a manual gearbox fitted with a limited slip diff, upgraded clutch and endless modifications, all making it a pretty riotous Saab.

The interior is also tatty, it smells of stale smoke and has plenty of burn holes in the A pillar covers, the Hirsch steering wheel and pedals will need some love, but it feels as though it could be turned around still. The huge, 4 pot Maptun brakes desperately need new discs and pads, and there’s no heating either.

And yet with all that in mind, I can still see this as a usable and exciting Aero, the Nocturne Blue Metallic is a colour I’ve rarely seen before, and the overall look and stance of the car is pleasing. The dual stainless exhaust system, Racing Dynamics 18” wheels, rear bridge spoiler and Hirsch front grille all give the car a rather strong allure. Does the search continue for an engine and gearbox for the Graphite Green Aero, or do I push on with my original plans to use this one?

9000 Carlsson

February 5, 2024 Eleven

From the moment you sit inside the Saab 9000 Carlsson
with its unique upholstery of suede and leather,
it is immediately apparent that this Saab is truly something special.

Excerpt from the 1991 Carlsson range brochure.

A Saab acquaintance urgently needed another car, and ideally he wanted a Saab 9000, so the decision was made to let my Aero go, as part of the exchange, I've now become the custodian of a non-running 9000 Carlsson.

Whereas the Aero needed a minor amount of work, I have a feeling this needs more major work; it has corrosion that needs urgently addressing, the ABS system has failed and is currently un-drivable and there's no key, so the lock mechanism needs changing before I can even move it. My immediate thought was to break it for parts, but my ardent nature has got the better of me, and wants to attempt to save it.

Let's see where this one guides us...

Saab vs. the ordinary

January 23, 2024 Eleven

Over the years I’ve been doing Saabvs, I’ve always had my favourites; the 9000 Aero and 9-5 Aero are the obvious ones, and of course, the iconic 900, but one I hold a particular fondness for is the original generation 9-3 HOT Aero convertible.

I designed the Saab vs. the ordinary poster to honour both the original campaign and also this particular Saab. This one single image has repeatedly persuaded me to buy this stunning Saab, and imagine it will do again and again.

I’m never sure why, but believe it’s the idea of utter freedom, roof down in all weathers and embracing the beauty of the world around us, it allows us to experience a feeling of calm and of elevated awareness. It’s a sensual experience that envelops you in its Swedish elegance and style. This generation 9-3 felt both restrained and decedent at the same time, its purity of design, clean lines and provenance giving it utter individuality.

Good ones are getting harder to find now, Viggens are often expensive and the automatic versions don’t appeal in the same way, but one day soon, I’ll find the right one again, always imagine.

New Events Page

January 23, 2024 Eleven

I’ve been meaning to add this new feature to the site for some time now, I know there are other decent resources for what’s going on, but in the UK at least, I’ve never been able to find a straight forward guide. Supporting our friendly community is important to me, meeting new Saab folk is always inspiring, and if I happen to grab a few photos of the events too, even better.

This does however, require audience participation, if a Saab event isn’t on here, feel free to chuck me an email or message over on Facebook or Instagram, and I’ll get it up on here to share with everyone.

Saab Life

January 22, 2024 Eleven

It’s been a busy few weeks as far as Saabs are concerned, coming and goings, parts arriving and respected folks finally met.

As anyone having kept up with my various Saabs will now, I have a gorgeous, Graphite Green 9-5 Aero rescued from the breakers about a year ago, It needed a lot of work to get it back on track, which we did, but then the replacement engine let me down. Last week, I was offered a hugely interesting donor Saab with a highly modified engine and gearbox; maybe the perfect answer to get the Graphite Green Aero finally running. I made a deal to px a lovely, low milage Vector 2.3t for it and also had the pleasure of meeting Peter Raw, who’d offered me the car and kindly drove it down for me.

Although not running great yet, the engine is indeed a bit special; running around 350hp and with a superb, lsd, manual gearbox, the car also comes with huge MapTun brakes, Bilstien suspension and a hoist of other goodies I can rescue. It would mean converting an Auto to a Manual though, and we’re just weighing up the costs of doing such a conversion. It would, however, give me, my perfect Saab 9-5 Aero.

I’ve also bought a few old Audio units from Peter, old school, high end audio for a Saab 9000, we’re not entirely sure what each one does, but I’ll have a lot of pleasure working with you guys them all out and hopefully, fitting them to the 9000 Aero. I’ve also managed to get hold of a great condition high level brake light and rear light bar for the 9000 too, all details to help give a bit of life to the black Aero.

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Lastly, the beautiful Saab 9-5 Hirsch Sportwagon was collected on Sunday, designed for its new home in Ireland. It’s one of my nicest cars to date, and hopefully, will be enjoyed for many more years now. I have to admit, I was a little sad at letting it go, the rare Hirsch Performance package, classic wheels, heated and vented interior and HK audio upgrade made it a very special Saab, they’re getting difficult to find in normal specification now, let alone a Hirsch wagon.

I’m sure there’s more to share, but felt I needed to scribble down a few whilst I remembered, finger’s crossed for the Graphite Green resurrection, I can’t let it go just yet.

The Future from the Past

January 10, 2024 Eleven

One benefit of hoarding, is that I have an entire library full of Saab photos to flick through when I’m searching for inspiration. During a recent wander through the archives, I came across this absolute beauty of a car; the then newly launched 9-5.

Back in 2011, I borrowed a 9-5 TTiD 4 Aero demonstrator from my local Saab dealer; Bond Street Saab. It was beautifully specified with virtually every available option and had also been subtly enhanced by them.

Arctic white solid paintwork with a satin black, panoramic roof, 10 spoke edge silver 19" alloys, tuned and lowered sport chassis and jet black leather ventilated sport interior, when inside, the beautifully designed, white sunroof blind gave the entire space an etherial feel, very Nordic, and the overall sense was of a wonderfully crafted car, unlike any other on the market at the time.

We all know its life was cut short by the events that overwhelmed Saab, but I still feel it was a last, brave creation that showed a little bit of Saab’s true spirit again, a design that looks as fresh today as it did in 2011. For the entire time I had the car, it rained, but to be honest, I really couldn’t think of a better environment to photograph the gorgeous Arctic White 9-5.

Another Saab Year Begins

January 3, 2024 Eleven

I woke up on the first day of a new year, and was welcomed by beautiful sunlight. The constant rains had stopped for a moment, and blessed us with a bit of much needed sun, what made it even more rewarding, was the light gleaming off the freshly cleaned super Aero alloys on the 9000.

It made me think of two things; firstly, that life moves fast, here we are at the start of year another year already, and as I get older, it seems to go even faster. Secondly, how stunning are those Super Aero alloys?

Designed by Saab in the early 90’s, they have become some of the most iconic wheels in Saab’s history, in fact, I’d go so far to say, they’ve become iconic in the wider automotive world too.

Despite their petit 16 x 6.5 size, these alloys look large against the 9000’s silhouette, the expanse of bright metallic silver and matching hubcaps hide the wheel bolts and are aesthetically, perfectly balanced. Tyres are 205/55/16 and enhance that wonderfully comforting, old school look even further.

Here’s to another year, of health, happiness and Saabs.

Lighten Up

January 3, 2024 Eleven

What do you do with a good Saab that has terrible paintwork and is just too good to scrap? If you’re the team at GT. Paxton Motor Co. you have a bit of fun and turn it into the ‘Ratatouille Special’.

Specialising in Volvo and Saab cars, the company had mechanically maintained this 1.9 TiD convertible for a number of years, but when it came in as a part exchange, flew through an MOT and only had 85,000 miles, it left them with a bit of a dilemma.

Rather than breaking it for parts, or even attempting to fix the paintwork issues, they decided to give the car a bit of Rat Look treatment. The entire car has been sanded down to reveal the various layers of bare metal, undercoat and topcoat paints, and then given a satin seal to prevent further change, plastic trim has been removed and left bare, headlights and foglights given a Euro tint, and even a single spotlight added for detail. The clean, cream leather interior, has been ‘enhanced’ with vinyl graphics to the door caps dashboard and gear surround, whilst an aftermarket gear knob has replaced the standard black leather one.

It might only appeal to a few people, but it’s a well maintained, clean Saab convertible, has a new service, six months warranty and for a 2006, is a great price at just £1695.00. I personally couldn’t live with the interior transformation, but would happily enjoy the carefree ‘f**k it’ attitude the exterior exudes. As the ad says “a bit of fun in an all too serious world”

More photos and full ad here (until sold).

In Saab We Trust

December 12, 2023 Eleven

At least, I’m sure it goes something like that, either way, I’ve taken a leap of faith and embarked on another Saab project, this time though, it jumps straight in as one of the leaders of the High Mile Club, currently having enjoyed nearly three hundred and eighty thousand miles, that’s six hundred and eleven thousand kilometres.

Originally purchased from Abbott Racing some 20 years ago and mechanically maintained by them regardless of cost ever since, I see it as a calculated risk. Also, being a Saab 9000 Aero, they tend to have gained an almost legendary reputation for surviving double the amount of miles without breaking a sweat.

It was an opportunity to put my trust in Saab to the test, an opportunity I just couldn’t say no too. It comes as a nicely modified, manual 9000 Aero; ECU upgrade, delivery pipe, Intercooler, full stainless exhaust, front and rear strut braces and anti roll bar.

Saying all that, it’s looking seriously tired; corrosion on the front wings, some nice holes in the B pillar bases, a bit tatty inside and the lower rear quarters are disintegrating, in fact I have absolutely no idea how it passed its recent MOT. The question is, can I give it a bit of a refresh and reliably run it as another daily Saab? We’ll see, one thing’s for sure, I couldn’t see it become just another parts car without trying, if saved and enjoyed, it also means one less 9000 Aero we lose.

In Saab I Trust…

Transparency

November 28, 2023 Eleven

Sometimes, leaving that stone unturned, is by far the best option; what you don’t know, can’t hurt as the saying goes, but sometimes, a little transparency allows you to take stock of a situation and ‘sensibly’ decide which road to take next. Over the years, I’ve bought, modified, rescued and enjoyed quite a few Saabs, I roughly keep track of what I spend on each, and when I come to sell them, I try and be as fair as I can with the asking price.

I suppose I’ve always known I overspend on each Saab, and often lose money, but until my recent projects, I’d never been totally honest and added up the spend. I’m annoyed with myself for not doing this exercise before now, but I enjoy the process, the sourcing of parts that make each and every Aeroriginal Saab a bit special.

Six months ago, I purchased the silver 9-5 Aero sport wagon, the idea was to hold on to this one and use it as my everyday Saab, but not one to leave things alone, I set about creating a car as close to a factory modified Hirsch Performance 9-5 as I could, obviously certain parts just aren’t available any longer, but thanks to a number of other Saabists, fantastic alternatives can be easily found.

For complete transparency, I thought I’d reveal the costs involved in getting a Saab to this level. Just to note, this is absolutely not a Concours car, it still has things to do and you’ll find daily wear and signs of its 20 year journey, but it’s a genuinely fantastic Saab and another I’m proud to have helped build.

Is it worth anywhere near the cost of doing it? Financially, the market for these amazing cars would never achieve enough to cover the costs. However, the satisfaction of seeing them honoured like they deserve to be is, in itself, hugely valuable.

Car £4995
Hirsch Performance Pack £1200
Hirsch Wheels £1200
Refurbishment £480
Tyres £440
Bodywork £2050
Mechanics £1250
Steering wheel £350
Badges, wheel centres, stickers £120
3” downpipe £345
Abbott Springs £312

Total Costs £12,742

Holding Back the Years

November 20, 2023 Eleven

My great friend; Ward, kindly shared a video of his exquisite black 900 Turbo 16 S being treated to a full detail. Vermijl Car Detailers in Belgium have literally transformed the car back to showroom condition with multiple wash stages, machine polish and ceramic coatings.

Obviously it's hard to resist staring at a beautifully iconic 900 Turbo, but I found the process video so mesmerising I had to watch it twice. It's a genuine credit to not only Ward but it's past custodians that have helped keep a Saab like this so wonderful for the future.

Watch the full detail process here.

Made in Sweden. Powered in Switzerland.

November 20, 2023 Eleven

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I promised myself, that when I bought this 9-5 Aero Sportwagon back in June, I wouldn't modify it, I'd keep it completely standard and use it as a Saab daily driver. Needless to say, my will power is terrible when it comes to Saabs and almost 6 months later, I've just added the final touch to the transformation; the fully refurbished, Hirsch 18" six spokes alloys.

The trigger was access to a full Hirsch performance upgrade which included intercooler, exhaust, cobra and ECU, the original mods that took the standard 250hp to a conservative 280hp. However, we all know how addictive Noobtunes maps are, so the ECU was overwritten with one of Karl's 295hp maps together with an upgraded fuel pump and a sport cat downpipe.

Areas of the bodywork didn't come up to scratch, so it's had the front and rear bumpers, bonnet, rear lower arches and 2 doors repainted, the aluminium wing mirror casting refurbished and the wiper arms refreshed.

Aesthetically, the Hirsch boot spoiler and rear bumper diffuser have been added, the suspension upgraded with lowered springs and after a road trip up to Wales, a set of iconic Hirsch 18" six spoke alloys fitted. These have just been fully refurbished by Perfection Alloys and treated to new Saab centre caps, black Hirsch rim stickers and new Goodyear tyres.

Internally, it came with a superb factory specification, with full black heated and vented leather, the AS3 audio upgrade and beautiful dark wood dash, the only addition I’ve made here, is the perfectly crafted, Nappa leather steering wheel by Tunstyle. I’ve even kept the original Saab phone mount accessory, as it just felt period correct for the car.

It is indeed, Made in Sweden, but with the Hirsch Performance pack, it’s not only powered in Switzerland, but give it the style and precision it truly deserves.

Hirsch Perfection

November 17, 2023 Eleven

Over the years of owning Saabs, I’ve always loved the opportunity to chose just the right wheels for each project, and without doubt, these are some of my all time favourites. The original Hirsch 18” six spokes are a perfect match for early 9-3 and 9-5 Saabs, they’re designed to enhance the car’s lines and aesthetically, feel as close to perfection as any wheel choice I’ve ever made.

These wheels, as with most Hirsch modifications, have become increasingly difficult to find, there seems to be a better supply in Europe, but here in the UK, very difficult. I asked around a few months ago, and luckily, another Saab owner had a set he’d been keeping for a future project, but with a little persuasion and an enjoyable road trip up to mid Wales, I had them safely stored in the back of the Sportwagon.

At some point in the past, they’d been refurbished, but having sat for a while, they’d picked up some marks and also began to corrode and peel on the inside, they’d also been finished in a darker metallic grey. As I wanted to create a Sportwagon as close to the original silver Hirsch one launched back in the early 2000’s, I decided to have them fully stripped again, realigned and powder coated in a bright metallic Silver.

To finish off, the’ve now got a new set of genuine, Swedish made, Saab wheel centres, a set of new black Hirsch performance rim stickers and freshly wrapped in new Goodyear tyres. They’ll be going back on to the Sportwagon in a the next few days, but I couldn’t resit taking a few photos of the precious cargo in the back of the 9-5.

The team at Perfection have done me proud once again, going above and beyond to help me give another Saab the wheels it truly deserves, their work is quite literally perfection.

Spotlight on RBM Performance

November 9, 2023 Eleven

For years, when I’ve begun my search for parts for yet another Aeroriginal build, I often come across RBM Performance. I’ve gone on to order numerous parts, but until recently, knew little about them, the more I looked around their website, the more I found, and one thing’s for sure, they seem to care about supporting the Saab community for the long term.

Launched over 10 years ago by French entrepreneur; Romain Mariani, RBM has become one of Europe’s largest supplier of both new and used parts for not only Saab, but Volvo too. They claim to stock some 60,000 parts and also invest in manufacturing items you won’t find elsewhere. I’m sad to say, they produced some stunning 19” turbine alloy wheels for Saabs, but seem to have stopped selling them now. They’re also in partnership with MapTun Performance and Abbott Racing.

As if, just to prove a point, RBM have owned, built and run a number of exceptional Saabs themselves, one being this rather beautiful 9000 CDE. I know I’m partial to any 9000, but this one is rather special. Not only has it been fully renovated inside and out, but has also been kept close to factory specifications, in fact, it wouldn’t look out of place in the Saab Museum. A few discreet touches have been added to improve the overall exclusivity; a full wood interior, Alcantara roof lining and a rare 3 spoke steering wheel.

The car seems to be for sale at a very reasonable €10,000 and considering the level of finish, I’d say this is an absolute dream for someone in Europe, sadly, the steering wheel happens to be on the wrong side for me, or I’d be very, very tempted myself. Further details.

What is it about Saabs?

November 8, 2023 Eleven

A typical Autumn morning, it’s been raining, it’s windy, leaves are falling heavily, and the landscapes are looking more baron by the day. I’m driving along in the Saab 9-5 in silence, no radio or disruptions, just me and the Saab, and I ask myself; What is it I like about them. Why Saabs?

The spectacular interior of my 2001 9-5 Aero with Hirsch carbon dashboard and Nappa leather wheel by Tunstyle

Don’t get me wrong, I adore my Daimler Super Eight, Lexus LS600h and even the Aston Martin Vantage, but more often than not, I’ll choose to take a Saab. They’re not quieter, nor faster, they’re no more comfortable than some of the others, and the audio system isn’t superior either, but there’s just a feeling of ease, of comfort and affinity.

It starts with the clarity and simplicity of the dashboard, everything you need and nothing you don’t, the green and orange lights are both comforting and uncomplicated, the centre console is a masterclass in Swedish design and the materials used have aged exceptionally well. The headlining and pillars are all covered in a luxuriously soft fabric that feels premium, whilst the seating is superior to most other marques. The design and sculpturing of the front seats is phenomenal; generous, supportive and perfect for comfort, the heating is highly efficient, and the electric movement gives you just enough adjustment without superfluous settings.

You sit slightly higher in the cockpit compared to others, but the whole interior wraps around its passengers like a protective hug and visibility is excellent with no real blind spots. Everything feels responsive, from the performance to the handling, this is a car that just feels right.

What is it about Saabs? They make me feel calm, they make driving a pleasure and they feel familiar. I feel utterly at ease in a Saab and always have.

Privileged

November 2, 2023 Eleven

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Every once in a while, I take a moment to try and remember the Saabs I’ve owned, some thirty five plus from memory. I didn’t always take photos of them, so sadly, a few older ones aren’t featured in the gallery above; a 900 T16S Coupe, 900 Turbo convertible, a few 9-3 HOT Aeros, an exceptional 9-5 2.3T and a 9000 S. My fascination started in the early 90’s, and hasn’t diminished over the years, in fact, you could say it’s grown deeper.

As they’ve become rarer, I’ve gone from owning to rescuing them too, some are light renovations, others more dramatic (stupid if i’m honest). I feel privileged to not only have had the pleasure of saving so many, but of also being able to share what i’ve done with like-minded Saab folk globally, it really is a blessing and I’ve met so many amazing people, some, I now call great friends.

I remain constantly in awe at how my efforts inspire others to enjoy Saabs too, recently, I received this wonderful email and felt I needed to share it:

Hello, I’ve been enjoying Saab vs. Scepticism for about a year now. You are living my dream. I love Saabs deeply. Many people do not understand, but with your beautiful photographs and thoughtful text you really capture what is special about Saab and why these cars and the company matter. I really appreciate your efforts. Thank you for providing such a beautiful tribute to Saab and with your restoration efforts keeping these interesting cars on the road.

I bought my first Saab with my lawn mowing money when I was 14 (1987 900 turbo convertible M/T with 260k miles) I’ve owned a 92 9000 turbo, 96 9000 CSE, and NG900 convertible turbo, a few 99’ 9-3s (my favourite!) an 01 9-5 Arc and many other Saabs; classic 900s and beyond. I actually paid some of my college tuition but parting out rear ended Saabs from auction and selling the parts on eBay about 10 years ago. But I’ve always wanted to just spend time (and money!) fixing the remaining Saabs and just sending them back out there to share with others.

Thank you again for your efforts and sharing them with the community. I think that your efforts have a huge impact in-terms of how much they are enjoyed and appreciated.

I always love to hear other Saab stories, some I share, some I add together with a High Mile Club Saab, but always enjoy hearing how Saabs are part of your lives too, don’t stop.

Night Panel Season

October 31, 2023 Eleven

As we change the clocks for the onset of Winter here in the UK, the nights draw in and the pleasure of comforting, warm car interiors spring to mind. I’ve loved the feeling it gives since I started driving; the soft glow of dashboard lights, the comfort of a great driver’s seat, your favourite tunes playing and clear roads to travel.

Increasingly though, car interiors and illumination have become total monstrosities, seats that are far too firm, not generous enough and as for the lighting, I find most new cars more distracting than comforting. I hop from our Jaguar I-Pace with it’s numerous bright screens, buttons and ‘ambient lighting’ in to the Saab, and immediately realise how much more calming the space feels. The soft, consistent green glow from buttons, dials and displays and the highly visible orange of the more important gauges and it feels harmonious and inviting.

As the dark draws in around you, press the inspirational ‘Night Panel’ button and your space becomes even more enveloping, all displays close down, the centre console dims, and everything besides the speedometer on the cluster immediately goes in to black mode. It’s perceptible at how much more focused on the road you become, no distractions, no neon glow catching the corner of your eye, just a single dial offering complete clarity.

What’s interesting, over the years I’ve heard numerous comments about safety ‘you can’t see what’s happening’ ‘what if a warning light comes on’ and ‘it only illuminates to 90mph’. Of course, Saab thought of that, we’d expect nothing less, If any vital warnings need to be seen, or your fuel level drops below a quarter of a tank, then your full instrumentation comes back on, if you go above 90 mph, the remainder of the speedometer magically lights up, and if you need to adjust the volume on your tunes, or change media, then the audio display lights up momentarily and then fades out again, clever stuff.

In all seriousness, I honestly don’t know why other marques haven’t adopted similar innovations, it focuses the mind and allows the driver to concentrate on the road, it also looks incredibly cool. Of course, it does mean that we keep this exclusive pleasure to ourselves.

Fettling

October 23, 2023 Eleven

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Anyone who knows me, will agree that I have strong views on aesthetics, I'll get an idea in my mind and will do everything possible to get it to that stage; homes, graphics, photography and of course, cars. Often, I like to modify them just enough to know something's been changed, but could easily be OE+, on other occasions, I feel a certain look was perfect already.

Hirsch managed to modify the Saab 9-5 Sportwagon in to something close to perfection in my view; a more aggressive stance, but not too low, a unique dual exhaust, iconic wheel design and engine upgrades that somehow enhanced the already impressive 9-5 Aero.

Having been lucky enough to source a full Performance upgrade pack from a friend, I then had to find a set of original 18" wheels and modify the suspension to recreate their masterpiece.

It's been through a few rounds of work, and it has just come back after more fettling, it's had the front bumper fully refurbished and resprayed, it's had a noisy air conditioning condenser replaced and system regass, a handmade 3” downpipe with sport cat, and also the front suspension changed again; we still had some knocking from the driver's side. It’s now running Bilstein B8 shocks and Eibach springs up front.

Overall, it's pretty close to what I wanted to achieve with this one, of course, there's always more to do, details to change and refinements to be made, but I have to keep reminding myself, these are daily drivers, cars to use and enjoy, they're not show cars and probably never will be. They're relatively low value compared to a lot of cars and investment in further fettling becomes pointless.

These Saab Aeros are exceptional value for what you get, increasingly rare, they offer wonderful comfort, enjoyment and individuality, they still feel quick alongside more modern comparisons and give you a wonderful sense of contentment, add the superb Hirsch touches, and it becomes something rather special in an everyday way.

Revival

October 18, 2023 Eleven

For as long as I can remember, I've loved the aesthetic stage of my Saab builds, not only the modifications made, but also reviving the exterior and interior. I'm no professional detailer, but like the process of detailing itself; returning things to as close to factory as I can manage. Time takes its toll on materials, and often, things can never be 'as new', but if that's what you aim for, it'll end up better than it was.

The plastic headlights always degrade and become cloudy, yellow and visually unappealing, it'd be easy to just replace them, but again, the revival process is very rewarding. Using a headlight restorer and a few hours, leaves you with lights that look better and also far more effective.

As they're not the upgraded Bi Xenon units, I'll replace the bulbs with brighter ones, but overall, really pleased with how these turned out again, and another step to this Saab looking great again.

From the moment you sit inside the Saab 9000 Carlssonwith its unique upholstery of suede and leather,it is immediately apparent that this Saab is truly something special.

A typical Autumn morning, it’s been raining, it’s windy, leaves are falling heavily, and the landscapes are looking more baron by the day. I’m driving along in the Saab 9-5 in silence, no radio or disruptions, just me and the Saab, and I ask myself; What is it I like about them. Why Saabs?

From the moment you sit inside the Saab 9000 Carlsson
with its unique upholstery of suede and leather,
it is immediately apparent that this Saab is truly something special.