Since buying my latest 9-5 Aero back in June, it’s been a whirlwind of activity to build my very first Saab wagon the way I’d always imagined they should be.

The Hazelnut Metallic gave me the inspiration to create something a bit different; embracing the beige exterior, the supple sea of tan leather and the rare light walnut dash and enhancing it with 19” JR18 alloys from Japan Racing to create a kind of Saab Café Racer, a retro wagon for today.

A few teething problems needed sorting in the first few hundred miles, the car stuttered under hard acceleration so a new genuine Saab DI pack has now been fitted and the Stage 4 tuning has also highlighted a need for upgraded brakes at some point soon. 

On to the part I relish doing on every new Saab I buy, giving the interior a deep clean. It took me an entire weekend, but the Aero is looking absolutely exceptional again, the comfortable tan leather seats have been cleaned and fed, the carpets and headlining have all been given a freshen up and the plastic, rubber and glass all cleaned and fed. This 9-5 also has a glass sunroof and that, together with the light interior just gives the whole car a luxurious, cosy and warm atmosphere, perfect for relaxed road trips and creating a genuinely impressive arrival at any grand café throughout the land.

The value for money of such a car is truly astounding, what other car could you buy with this much style, individuality and comfort for this sort of money, to say these Saab Aeros offer cheap thrills is an understatement, they really are exceptional cars that have stood the test of time. This is a very low milage example with just 80,000 miles, but double that and for a Saab, it’s still low, looked after and cherished, they’re built so well they’ll reward you for many years to come.

Mid August will see the Aero go to the bodyshop to have a few areas of rust cut out and fixed, the genuine rear Saab roof spoiler fitted and a front shark bumper to finish off the build beautifully.