A Different Kind of Luxury

May 30, 2024 Eleven

The Graphite Green Aero has been somewhat of a nemesis over the past year for me, all originating from an oil light that kept haunting me on tickover; two bottom end engine changes, and finger’s crossed, I think we might have finally sorted it.

Malcolm Miles, have somehow kept their cool, sourced another Aero block and brought it all together again, there are a few small snagging issues to sort; a whinny belt and a slight hesitation on full acceleration, but it’s back to being as nice to drive as I remember.

Having just had surgery, I have to suffer two whole weeks without driving, but today, I felt well enough to do some much needed work on the interior, lots of dirt and a general build up of grime left it feeling a little sorry for itself, sticky console buttons, film over all of the windows, disintegrating mats and the odd missing fitting here and there. Taking my time, I cleaned the dashboard, seats and door cards with soapy water to get the worst off, then moved on to Autoglym interior foam and a brush to give them all a thorough clean.

It’s not perfect, but after putting in a high quality set of new carpet mats and a final hoover, it’s starting to look how it deserves to look. Not to everyone’s taste, but the cream leather, carpet and headlining give the interior a beautifully calming and airy feel, whilst the dark wood dashboard and extended wood gear knob just add to the overall sense of luxury. The clear orange and green lights are a welcome relief from the harsh, bright instrumentation of many newer cars and overall, the Saab offers a rare, relaxed space in which to enjoy endless journeys; the Graphite Green Aero is finally coming together.

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.

Saab Interior Design

January 9, 2023 Eleven

When it comes to Saab interior design, the 9000 Aero has to win hands down, it is quite honestly, a work of art. Both form and function have been taken in to consideration in this sublime space with some of the finest seats ever crafted by Saab, not only that, but the quality, clarity and layout of the instruments is hard to beat.

But what has 26 years and 107,000 miles done to it, has it held up to the test of time? Well, put simply, damn right it has. With these Aeroriginal rescues, I have to rely heavily on the people around me to do the mechanical and body work, but the interior is one element that I absolutely love to do myself, it’s the icing on the cake of each project, the reward at the end of a long hard slog to save a Saab.

I can take my time and give the interior the attention it deserves, I use an Autoglym foam cleaner for the plastics and instruments, leaving it to do its magic and them using a toothbrush, I clean up each and every button and screen, I then use a micro cloth to remove any residue dirt and give any surfaces a coat of a refresh oil. The leather is treated to an intensive cleaner, followed by a touch of Mr Scuff where required and finally a few coats of moisturising liquid Leather, all by Gliptone.

It’s not always possible but any illumination bulbs and broken buttons are replaced, original audio equipment is repaired and reinstalled and finally, I give the glass a clean, inside and out with Autoglym glass cleaner. A Saab interior offers way more than the sum of its parts, it’s a feeling a recognition that you’re driving something a little more individual than other cars, it surrounds you in both comfort and style and quite simply, just feels like home to me.

No Place Like Saab

September 20, 2022 Eleven

A rather productive weekend in terms of getting things done, I’ve managed to spend the time required to give the spare 9000 Aero interior a total refresh. Doing this kind of detailed refresh really does give you a chance to see just how beautiful older Saab interiors are, this one for instance, came from a 1996 Aero, that makes it 26 years old. The undeniable quality of the leather, stitching detail, handles that just don’t show any signs of wear and the overall quality of design and form, all exceptional.

Then there’s the Saab smell of course, a smell that only older Saabs have, the interior has been deep cleaned, coloured where required and moisturised, all with the wonderful Gliptone range. It’s currently taking over my home office, but even there, it has the undeniable Saab smell.

I now have a difficult decision to make, do I fit this almost immaculate interior in to the Silver Aero, or hold on to is for another Aero rescue? With the same amount of time, I imagine I can get the current interior up to the same level, so maybe this one should be kept on the shelf for a rainy day project, I can’t quite decide, all I know, is that there really is no place like a Saab.

Interior Design

March 7, 2022 Eleven

No Saab project is complete without a bit of interior design, it’s the place we spend most of time, the place that gives us the sense of being in a car that is a bit special, a bit individual. Over the years, I’ve always looked out for the rarer parts that help with this feeling, the Carbon dashboards, Hirsch handles and pedals, or even just a new genuine Saab leather gear knob, but nothing makes quite so much difference as a new steering wheel.

This must now be my sixth or seventh wheel from TunStyle, and I’m always reassured by the quality of craftsmanship; perfect form, just the right level of chunkiness and absolutely superb Nappa leather, part perforated and beautifully stitched. Luckily the airbag and buttons in this 9-5 are in great condition, so with a little clean, it looks like a new interior again.

TunStyle tunstyle.eu | Instagram

Handcrafted Beauty

January 3, 2022 Eleven

As work starts on the silver 9000 Aero rescue, so does the search for new and unusual parts to give it a few desirable touches that us Saabists seem to cherish.

Currently the interior has a standard black plastic dashboard which although inoffensive doesn’t have the style this classic Saab deserves, so the first option to source was a wood veneer dashboard to replace it with.

Most available are now broken, faded and a little worse for wear, but managing to find two filthy ones at my Saab specialist gave me hope. I set about a full clean and polish and was surprised to discover the maker’s original production checklist hidden on the back of the dashboard; William Lawrence & Co. Ltd, a fine furniture maker in Nottingham, England founded in 1875 by a local Quaker named William Lawrence.

I’ve always been impressed by the quality of these pieces; genuine walnut veneer that helps create individuality in each car, but now realise that the process took some seven days, from first pressing and pigment to polish and final finish. Although not perfect, these dashboards really are works of art, small details that make Saabs special, this was a nice discovery to make and one I had never known before.

Illuminating

July 5, 2021 Eleven

I've always had a bit of a thing about the illumination in cars, so much so that whenever I buy a new car, I make a point of going out for a night drive, just to see how the interior looks and feels after dark. Having had over 30 Saabs, this pleasure still shows no sign of diminishing and despite knowing exactly have each model looks, I still can't help myself.

That first night drive inevitably leads to a 'to-do list' though; missing pixels, blown bulbs and worn buttons, and whilst this is a slightly easier challenge for the later models, the 9000 Aero has been more difficult with parts far harder to source.

After a few months though, I have a dashboard to be proud of, the aftermarket stereo has been replaced with an original radio and tape unit together with a separate CD unit and amplifier, the climate control unit has been replaced as have a number of bulbs in the instrument cluster, and whilst there isn't illumination, the wonderfully retro cup and coin holder adds a perfect finishing touch to the overall beauty.

Those with an eye for detail will notice the 217,000 miles, of course it’s a Saab 9000 Aero which has an almost legendary reputation for covering huge milage without issue, but to also get one with that milage and looking as great as this, that makes me a happy man.

Saab Sourcery

April 28, 2021 Eleven

When there's a new Saab project on the horizon, I find it increasingly difficult to relent in my search for parts, in fact, I find it one of the most enjoyable stages of the build. I'll spend hours looking at old brochures and images to see what works best; interior, exterior, engine mods, stance, wheels, even colours.

For many years, I've wanted what I class as one of the very best Saabs ever built; the 9000 Aero, and I think I've finally found the perfect one for me. It's a 1996 Scarab Green with Dover Interior, it's covered decent miles at 212,000, but for a 9000, that's relatively low and best of all, it's a manual with minimal rust.

One of the most exceptional design features of the Saab 9000 Aero is the interior. Beyond its time in both style and substance, the curvaceous seats, designed by Recaro are things of beauty, and even today, not many seats have come close to beating them for comfort of support, and then there's the absolutely gorgeous dashboard and centre console, full of analogue beauty, functionality and old school longevity.

Sadly, it's had the original stereo removed and a poor replacement fitted and that's where my sourcing began, I've already found a perfect tape deck with amplifier, but better still, I noticed the donor car also had a rather fantastic compartment with pop out coin tray and cupholders which I just couldn't resist.

I was also lucky enough to have procured a rather lovely full Aero interior a few years back, Rocky leather with all seats and door cards in amazing condition, so if the Dover interior feels a little too light, I'll be doing a full swap out for my reserve interior which might suit the Scarab Green even better.

The search continues for more parts, a wood and leather wheel is already on its way, but I'll be on the lookout for wood door caps and latch surrounds next.

Swedish Interior Design

April 14, 2021 Eleven

On each Saab Aero project I've done, there's one part that I always find most rewarding; the interior refresh. The early 9-3 and 9-5 both have beautifully designed, intuitive aesthetics, but they've also proved to be superior quality too, they've faired well over the past 20 years and with patience and hard work can be brought back to a seriously nice place to be.

They do of course have their Achilles heal, and these from experience are the seat bolsters, the dash buttons and screen pixels. The soft touch rubberised coating on the buttons wears off easily and can also become sticky to the touch, I always look out for units that have minimal wear, but these are getting harder to find now, there are fixes around, but originality to me is always key. For the 9-5 Aero, I've managed to source a set of new dash units that have excellent buttons and also no missing pixels, they slot in beautifully and always help to remind me just how exemplary Saab interior design was.

The seats are always another area of wear, mostly on the driver's bolsters, but if not looked after, the entire seat surface can become cracked and tired. I've found a set of sand coloured leather Aero seats from a 2005 model, these offer more side support and comfort and work beautifully in the gen 1, I've also added leather trimmed door cards from the later model, some minor adjustments to the boot and full buttons are required, but again, the results really add to the overall interior feeling. I'll be having some new leather handle covers made as the rubber coating on these too, tend to perish and flake off.

Ive removed the seats and given the carpet a good clean, the seats have been cleaned and moisturised, and all surfaces treated. Ive added a brand new Saab Carbon Fibre dash and also another beautiful Nappa leather steering wheel by TunStyle to finish it all of nicely. Ive even found a set of new, genuine Saab sand coloured carpet mats which really do work wonders.

Hirsch Interior Design

December 23, 2020 Eleven

Well, this has been a rather slower process than I’d thought, but yesterday, I finally had all the individual parts fitted to the 9-5 Hirsch interior. I’d sourced a new Saab leather gear knob and gaiter, the dashboard has been wrapped in a 3D carbon and taking pride of place; the Hirsch style Nappa leather steering wheel beautifully handcrafted by the folks at Tunstyle again.

I’d not loved the fake metal dash and steering wheel insets on this generation 9-5 Aero and always felt they lacked the quality and level of detail older 9-5’s had, but with these changes, the interior now starts feeling a little more special, I’ve also found some black steering wheel controls which work a treat, overall, the whole look just feels more premium. There’s more work required on the interior yet, but this is a great start and I’m hugely happy with how it’s turned out.

Details Matter

December 18, 2020 Eleven

It's been a few weeks since i've done an update on the current Aero builds, sadly, due to a lack of B12 Pro-Kits coming out of Bilstein currently, we've had to put the Green Aero on hold until we have all the parts ready to progress, we've been told January, so fingers crossed for that one.

I've been slowly making progress on the Hirsch 9-5; after all of the mechanicals were sorted back in October, the car has been driving absolutely beautifully, we've got to make a few adjustments on the new gear linkage, as 5th is hard to select and the Hirsch alloys will be coming off and going for a full refurbish together with a new set of rubber and balancing.

The main focus has been sorting the worn interior out, an exceptional flat base Nappa leather steering wheel has arrived from the folks at TunStyle, and as always, I truly feel to quality and craftsmanship is better than the genuine Hirsch ones I used to have, it really is a thing of beauty. I've got a new genuine Saab leather gear knob, gear gaiter and handbrake gaiter to fit, a new dashboard has been carefully wrapped in 3D carbon and the ugly Parrot system and wires will all be removed. The door card decorative strips have also had the carbon wrap and will be reinstalled next week together with a set of gorgeous MapTun carpets.

I'm still a little undecided about the seats, as usual, the dark fabric inserts are crumbling whilst the leather parts have worn beautifully, the cutting corners with materials really does show in these later 9-5s and just don't hold up as well as the earlier 'Saab' models, I might go with my heart and recover the entire seat set in a better quality Bridge of Weir leather, but always concerned that the value of these Saabs just don’t warrant that level of spend sadly.

As always, I'm truly inspired by the people out there that continue to work hard to craft parts to keep our Saabs looking sharp, in reality, it is getting harder to rescue them, the lack of Bilstein suspension kits has really hit me this time - will this continue to be the case, will Brexit make is far harder for the UK to get parts from the global community? will we slowly run out of Saabs worth rescuing? For now though, I have 2 beautiful Aeros that deserve to be pampered.

First Class Cabin

October 14, 2020 Eleven

Alongside my lifelong love affair with Saab, I also have a bit on the side; air cooled Porsches. In that world, it's not unusual to see folks ripping their entire interior out of their pride and joy and reimagining it to suit their personality, In fact, I did just that with my last 964 build and plan to do it again on my latest 993, but rarely have I seen it done to a Saab, until now.

I've been excitedly following a complete interior refit of a Saab Turbo X from Tartu, Estonia, where a design and trim specialist called Imredning has done an absolutely stunning job. The interior, in a deep rich brown colour features in-house handwoven leather door panels using a mixture of Alcantra and Nappa leather, genuine carbon fibre and some exceptional type embossing including 'Move Your Mind'. The dashboard and seats are all trimmed with matching Nappa leather and the contrasting orange stitching is exquisite.

Hopefully I'll get more photos of the completed project soon, but for now, just wanted to share and congratulate both the trimmer and owner for investing such care into yet another very special Saab.

Imrening Design | Instagram

Black and Blue

August 3, 2020 Eleven

It might sound strange, but one of my favourite parts of any new Saab rescue is the interior refresh, I look forward to it, I plan what I need to do and how to approach it, I even like stocking up on the products iv’e trusted for years.

After a good few months of the Viggen being made mechanically right again, the interior has languished in 5 years of dust, dirt and tiredness, the leather looked sad and neglected, cast off parts all over the back seat and numerous fittings missing, lost over its 20 year journey.

I like to remove all of the seats, that way, I can treat each one to a full clean and 24 hour feed with Gliptone, bringing the leather to life again, the distinctive Viggen blue leather has come up a treat, it looks bright and firm again, and although the drivers seat has some cracking, the moisuriser has given it a new lease of life and left it with a lovely patina to help tell the car’s story.

I used a foam cleaner by Autoglym for the carpets and plastics and finished it off with a light rub of Autoglym Trim Gel which brings out the grain and colour perfectly.

The new CD head unit replaces the old cassette unit and a subtle AUX input has been fitted, the gorgeous new Nappa leather steering wheel by Tun Style and a genuine Saab replacement leather gear knob.

Tomorrow, the Viggen will be pampered even more by Harry the detailer, the body gets a full clay bar treatment and polish and the roof gets cleaned and sealed again ready for its first outdoor Winter in 5 years.

Driven by Beauty

February 14, 2019 Eleven

Back in 2011 I took delivery of a new Carbon Grey 9-3 TTiD Turbo Edition, it not only featured plenty of lovely Saab options including premium leather and navigation, but I managed to squeeze virtually every available item from Hirsch Performance, including the exceptional Nappa leather steering wheel.

More recently in 2017, I rescued a beautiful 9-5 Aero that also had a Hirsch steering wheel, and once you’ve had one, it’s very difficult to forget how beautiful they look and feel. Sadly, Hirsch no longer manufacture these steering wheels, but the kind folks at cardyourcar commissioned a number of exclusively crafted replicas, I’m not entirely sure if they came from the same factory, and some contouring it different from the Hirsch version, but non the less, it looked beautifully made.

I made the leap and ordered one on Monday from Germany, it arrived Wednesday and was on the car that same day. First impressions are excellent, the contours are different, but have been carefully considered and provide exceptional grip, materials seem to be equal to the Hirsch ones, and has definitely given a final bit of luxury to my newly refreshed Aero interior.

An early morning country drive with glowing sunlight seemed like an ideal opportunity to snap a few photos, I still can’t praise the Saab’s interior enough, it really is timeless, it just makes me smile every time I drive it, and with the new steering wheel, it really is pretty much perfect.

Club Class

February 9, 2019 Eleven

I believe it’s pretty widely acknowledged that Saab have designed and crafted some of the comfiest seats in the world, take a journey in pretty much any Saab and I’m sure you won’t be in any hurry to jump out at the end, they really are that good.

Over the years I’ve had my favourites, certain models that have featured the epitome of Saab seats. Take the 9000 Aero for example, their design is almost legendary, perfectly sculptured to hold you in place on a spirited drive and yet comfortable enough to while away the hours on any motorway, and the 9-3 HOT Aero seats, smaller and harsher in design but no less comfortable.

And then there’s the 9-5 Aero seats which are truly exceptional, a perfect combination of the 9000 Aero and 9-3 Aero ones. The 2002 - 2009 model ones have more bolster support and are wider towards the top than the first generation 9-5 ones, and that’s exactly why I’ve had to search long and hard to find a full interior for my latest 9-5 project.

I’ve been lucky enough to find a set of the rare Anniversary seats from a 2007 Aero, they feature a discreet SAAB stamp in the backs, a subtle two tone leather structure and highlight stitching. They have literally transformed the car’s interior, together with the carbon dash it feels beautifully timeless, the quality of all materials is everything you’d expect from a Saab and hardly shows any sign of wear, despite being 17 years old.

Having been through many, many marques, I can genuinely say that Saab interiors are in a class of their own really, the comfort is second to none, instruments clear and highly considered, the aviation style map light and of course, the now famous intelligent cup holders all combine to offer something utterly unique, Club Class.

Inside Information

December 29, 2018 Eleven

Despite all of the ‘Born from Jets’ clichés that surround Saab, there can be little argument that the interiors share similar design details. From the green and orange illumination, beautifully crafted switchgear and toggle operated air vents to the genuinely unique ‘night panel’ function, ball joint map light, simple but effective ‘fasten seatbelt’ and the wonderfully functional fold out cupholder - a Saab interior can never be mistaken for any other marque.

Investing time and energy in to refreshing the interiors of all of my Saab projects has been an enduring love affair, worn buttons and blown bulbs replaced, leather cleaned, dyed and fed, carpets thoroughly cleaned and mats replaced with factory originals, hinges and locks lubricated and any squeaks and rattles detected and resolved.

Above all, I’m always amazed at just how hard wearing and timeless these interiors are, this 9-5 for example, was manufactured in March 2001, some seventeen years ago, it’s covered nearly 100,000 miles, had 3 previous owners and yet the interior could easily be mistaken for that of a new car, even the leather seats still offer an entirely unique aroma, one that is just so Saab and is an absolute joy to spend time in, it’s both relaxed and reassuringly refined.

I’ve sourced and fitted an original Saab carbon fibre dashboard rather than the plain grey one, and am currently searching for a 2001 sat nav head unit and rear parcel shelf bass speakers, but other than that, I can’t wait to just sit back and enjoy this unique and timeless interior a little more.