Over the past few months, I been slowly coming to terms with the fact that my constant mission to buy and rescue Saabs is proving more and more painful for both my soul and my bank account. It’s become obvious that the way I like to do each project is just wasting time and money, and the resell value can’t ever match what I put in, let alone make a tiny profit.

It fills me with sadness really, as it’s one of my ways to stay buoyant and inspired, but, there is an upside to this reality, I needed to find another Saab that was exceptionally special, one to keep for longer, one for myself. As luck would have it, I was recently contacted by a great guy who asked if I might be interested in buying his Saab 9-5, he hadn’t driven it for 4 years due to personal circumstances and needed to sell it.

After further talks, he told me it was a factory Hirsch Aero with a hefty specification;

Performance enhancement to 305hp
Intercooler
Intake
Air filer housing
Exhaust system inc sport catalyst
Turbo
Fuel pressure regulator
Sports chassis including shocks and springs
4 piston brake system
3 part mesh grille
Rear spoiler
18” six spoke alloys

What really tipped it over the edge for me was the generous Saab specification too, it comes in the beautifully rare Smoke Beige Metallic, has an almost immaculate Sand leather interior and also has the factory sat nav and Harman Kardon Audio upgrade. It’s been lovingly cared for by specialists, most notably Abbott for a big chunk of its life and the paintwork is superb.

Of course, having sat in a garage for 4 years, it’s going in for recommissioning immediately, together with a new Hirsch front brake kit that also came with the car. It’ll get all new fluids, filters and air con clean and regas and a new MOT.

It’s a genuinely stunning find, and as far as I know, there’s only a handful of these heavily specified Hirsch Aeros left in the country. I feel privileged to have been offered such a great Saab and will be working hard to get it spot on, but for myself this time.