With every Saab rescue comes the challenge of what I imagine a specific project to look and feel like. At its core, it's always been about getting a Saab back to a place where it can continue its journey, make people happy, and keep another Saab around for many more years. Generally, my largest hurdle is correcting things others have neglected to do; the difficult or expensive tasks that most will shy away from, probably because it is difficult and might not make financial sense. These hidden fixes, not only make the car less tired, but also give you a solid foundation on which to create your imagined Saab.
Towards the end of last year, I found this wonderful 2005 2.3t Vector Sport, being the late model, it had the highly desirable shark tooth front bumper, Aero side skirts and rear bumper, and best of all, was Smoke Beige Metallic, a Saab colour I've absolutely adored for many years - it changes as the weather and sunlight changes, one day it can feel like a pure grey, other days, it gives you a golden hue and metallic shine. It came with Saab Performance suspension featured on the Sport and Aero models, and also the half leather Sport seats. It felt a wonderfully comfortable and welcoming car to drive, and together with the more relaxed, automatic gearbox gave me the idea to keep this one as a comfort edition Aeroriginal, rather than a more performance focused 9-5 I've done in the past.
Of course, the lesser power felt a little underwhelming to me, and needed addressing, as these have exactly the same engine set up besides the Turbo and map, it seemed logical to convert the Vector to an Aero, and also give it a little boost on top, so we set about upgrading it with a Mitsubishi TD04 and a MapTun Stage 1 TD04 map, taking it to a very stealthy 270hp. It will also have a subtle Jetex stainless steel exhaust to give it a discreet but purposeful soundtrack too.
I've considered swapping the interior for a full leather Aero one, but in all honesty, they're the same shape as the Aero, have the same level of support and sculpting, but are supremely cosy, so will remain as it left the factory. I've already added the BlueSaab module, and this paired with the upgraded Harmon Kardon AS3 audio, allows you to steam music without taking away from the factory aesthetic. We took on the daunting task of replacing the gear skirt; which is a visually upsetting but very common problem, meaning the entire interior has to be removed to fix it correctly. I'll also be commissioning another Nappa leather sport steering wheel from TunStyle to enhance the interior feel of comfort and quality.
The exterior will also remain subtle, with small visual enhancements. The front and rear bumpers with get a full respray, as will the bonnet and lower rear arches; these are actually superb on this car, but to negate any future issues, the skirts will be removed and any minor corrosion addressed. I've also sourced another rare Abbott Racing rear boot lip which will be refurbished and added. The overall condition of the paintwork is good, it has marks and a few scratches, but to me, these are just part of its journey, I have no desire to renovate the cars until they become showpieces, I want them to be drive and loved, becoming a valuable part of a family, as they have done for me.
It came with the 17" ALU39 wheels, but to elevate the look, I've fitted the classic 18" Hirsch 6 spoke allows with Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres, as these perfectly compliment this generation 9-5. I've also added the 3 piece Hirsch grille, giving the front a distinct difference from the standard 9-5.
It's always a pleasure to give these Saabs a freshen up, and this one has been a joy so far, having had just one owner for it's entire life and less than 100,000 miles, it's a Saab that felt a bit special, and with the modifications so far, is slowly transforming in to the comfort edition I've imagined it being.