Built not Bought

August 29, 2019 Eleven

A fellow Saabist, Jonas Kakarikas from Sweden has recently posted a time-lapse film of him building his dream Gen1 9-3 Aero convertible.

Jonas's build is similar to how I tend to like my Aero convertibles too, he's added around £5,000 worth of performance parts including upgraded and lowered suspension, sports exhaust with rear muffler delete, DO88 intercooler, an induction kit and the ever gorgeous BBS CH alloys.

I rarely see any other colour besides silver now, so this exceptional blue one is a real treat. Well worth a few minutes watch, and the smile at the end says it all, that's what Saabs are about.

Jonas Kakarikas | Instagram

Aero Rescue Mission

April 12, 2019 Eleven

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.

Saab Youngtimers

March 6, 2019 Eleven

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

Saab Alchemy

December 21, 2018 Eleven

Is it just me or have you ever dreamt of how the Ian Callum designed 9-3 Aero bumpers would look on a 9-5, or how a late 9-3 one would suit an earlier 9-3.

Well, recently I came across the personal Instagram of one very talented Rickard Karlsson from Sweden, it seems there's nothing he can't do to perform cosmetic surgery on a Saab. What makes it even more impressive is the quality of the work, it looks completely factory fitted.

Rickard retro fits different components to various Saabs giving them subtle facelifts, uses ng colours on og cars and seems to be able to get stance perfection with just the right choice of alloys, even fitting 20" to his divine and exceptionally individual 9-3 Sky Blue 308 Sportwagon, in short, Rickard performs Saab Alchemy for family and friends

If we're going to keep our Saabs on the road and looking mighty fine, we need more people like Rickard around, I just wish I lived in Sweden, my 9-5 Aero would be going under the knife right now.

Rickard Karlsson Instagram

Saab vs.

November 26, 2018 Eleven

A few years ago, SAAB created a series of ads based on the theme Saab vs. When I first saw them, they somehow reflected how I felt about SAAB; stylish, elegant, individual and timeless, they also became the inspiration for naming the blog Saab vs. Scepticism.

To this day i’m always happy to flip through and see them all again, from the exquisite Puritans to the beautifully simple Vivaldi and Nakedness.

Wonder Wheels

November 23, 2018 Eleven

If shoes maketh the man, alloys maketh the car.

I’ve somehow gone through 65 + cars in the past 30 years, at least 15 of those have been Saabs, I’m truly a self confessed petrolhead much to the continued despair of my wife, family and friends.

It hasn’t mattered what marque or value, from a very cool Lancia Delta Integrale to an iconic, air cooled Porsche 911 and everything in-between, there are 2 items that have to be right on each and every car - exhausts and wheels.

I’ve long admired Saab for their iconic wheel designs, from the early Super Inca and Super Aeros to the 3 Spoke Double Y and wonderful Turbines, all are absolutely timeless and perfectly harmonious. Wheels can truly make or break the entire look of the car, choose the wrong style or size and it can be a complete mess. Before I choose alloys for a car, I will have a play in Photoshop, trying different wheels and sizes to make sure the idea I had in my head works. I love keeping Saab cars and wheels together, but have often thought they look just too small, 16” or 17” when they should be 18” or 19”, and wheels from different models switched up and put on a different model, classic 900 Super Aeros and a 9-3, Aero X alloys on a 9000 maybe.

One company in Shanghai STR Forged had the same idea, they custom forge Saab designed alloys to new and exciting sizes, they look at offset and stud patterns to ensure fit and they craft some exceptional pieces of art for classic and modern Saabs alike, a real petrolhead dream come true, no limit to you imagination. Have a set of the most beautiful Viggen alloys upscaled to 19” maybe. As far as I can tell, sizes range from 17” - 22” and bespoke widths from 7” - 12”, how about a set of staggered classic Viking Double Y’s.

I don’t know if they export to the UK or not yet, but when I find out, I’ll be sure to share the Saab love, in the meantime, go drool over some of the sexist Saabs I’ve seen.

STR Forged Instagram | STR Forged Website

Respect

November 15, 2018 Eleven

A couple of years ago I came across a site in the Czech Republic dedicated to Saabs called Saab Stance, if features some exceptional cars, but what makes it all the more special is the quality of photography - truly inspiring.

I recently checked up on the latest posts and happily found it’s still alive and well. The owner, Lukáš has an immaculate 9-3 Aero convertible, same colour as my old one, but is finished to perfection with a set of the iconic six spoke Hirsch alloys, all I can say is ‘respect’, for the car, the photography and the dedication to honouring Saabs.