You could call this another one of my white elephant Saabs, after all, you can pick up a halfway decent TTiD for £2 - 2.5k. Then again, I don't know of any other one in the UK that came specified with almost the entire Hirsch Performance catalogue, on top of that, I purchased it new back in 2011.
This particular 9-3 Turbo Edition 160 TTiD was in stock at my local Saab dealership; Bond Street, it was not only in my most desirable colour, Carbon Grey Metallic, but had the Infotainment Plus, Bluetooth Integration and Bi-Xenon headlight options. I'd already test driven and discounted the other usual suspects; BMW, Mercedes, Audi and Lexus and had my heart set on the 9-3. With its striking design, individuality and handling, it shone brighter than the others, but it also had one more unique benefit - Hirsch modifications whilst still retaining the factory warranty.
Together with Bond Street, we set about creating a standout Saab 9-3 Hirsch TTiD, and a few months later, we'd transformed the car :
200 hp / 420 Nm map
5 Twin spoke 18 x 8" alloy wheels
Stainless steel dual exhaust system
Rear boot spoiler
Rear dual diffusor
3 piece mesh front grille
Lower mesh front grille
17" 345 mm brake upgrade
Sports suspension
Carbon leather instrument panel
Carbon leather door and glovebox panels
Leather interior handle set
Aluminium pedals
Having inspired the beginning of Saabvs, I kept the 9-3 for 3 years, before upgrading to my next company car, but somehow it remained a bit of a poster car for other Saab and Hirsch fans, and even to this day, I get comments on this unique 9-3. Then, a few months ago, I had the opportunity to buy it back again, as luck would have it, the car had remained intact, and with all Hirsch modifications. It had however, not been particularly well looked after, either mechanically or aesthetically, so work began on giving it some much needed tlc, the bodywork feels tired and will eventually have a light refresh, but firstly, the mechanics had to be done. Once again, a huge thank you to my friend and Saab genius; Jason Miles, who’s patiently done the following work :
Dual mass flywheel
Clutch kit
Slave cylinder
Starter motor
Aux drive belt
Belt tensioner
Tension pully
Front drop links
Oil pick up pipe O ring to oil pump
Flexi front pipe to DPF
Full service and filters
K&N Hi Flow Filter
Bilstein B6 shocks + Eibach Pro Springs
Fully reconditioned Hirsch alloys
Goodyear Eagle F1 225/40/18
This had already made a huge difference to the way the car handles and drives again, it's smooth, torquey and confident, with the 200hp / 420Nm really proving just how capable and economical these TTiD's are. So, with the mechanics covered (for now) we set about changing one huge issue I had with the original car, upgrading the standard Turbo Edition interior to the desirable, premium natural sport leather, full electric and memory interior. It's given the car the final luxurious touch it truly deserved, and feels as good as any other luxury car I can think of.
What has seriously impressed me, is the quality of the Hirsch interior parts, they've worn exceptionally well, showing few signs of the current 122,000 miles, 14 years and 4 extra owners, in fact, apart from a slightly shinier steering wheel and leather handles, if feels factory fresh, especially after a full detail and leather conditioner.
Next up will be the bodywork, the front and rear bumpers need fixing and repainting, there are some signs of light corrosion on the rear arches and numerous scuffs and poor repairs that need addressing, once again, I don't want to aim for perfection, I want it to share it's journey, but it does deserve a light refresh. White elephant? Cost wise, absolutely, I've already spent £2.5 - 3k on it, so currently standing at around £6k investment, but being such a unique Saab, I feel it deserves to be looked after and cherished.
