They nailed the styling of the 9-5 NG, especially the rear end in my opinion. The Ford Scorpio also tried to have a tail light going across the boot and people called it ugly, but Saab managed to pull it off. Now everyone does it! The gearstick looks the same as the one in my mums Vauxhall Viva, would prefer an auto.
It may have been based on the Insignia’s platform but Saab worked their magic and made the 9-5NG a tremendous car. It was miles better and more reliable than the equivalent 5 series, E class and A6 of the day and it was so much more stylish than all of them too, rivalled only by the Jag XF in my opinion. The 9-5NG deserved success. Even the last model 9-3 was a great car, while the convertible must surely rank as the best saloon based 4dr drop top in its class ever, it looks stunning.
I had one for 7 years, 2.0T Aero XWD auto with every option available. Absolutely loved it, I'm sad I had to let it go for tax reasons...it was my last ICE car and it will keep a special place in my heart. I've testdriven a few Saab 9-5NG and there is a big noticable difference between the different suspensions and drivetrains. Drivesense and XWD are a must have in my opinion and a good ECU tune, especially on the 2.0T makes it more economical and more fun at the same time 🙂! Very reliable if well maintained (XWD and gearbox maintenance every 100k is necessary!). I've put 330.000km on mine before I had to let it go...I still hope its spiritual successor "Project Emily" will make it into production!
Well now I want to try one with drivesense! And that Hiper strut too. It's nice to hear they can do big miles when cared for. I am taking a guess that you are in Norway if you got taxed out of the Saab into an EV
As a Swede I love SAAB as well my mom had a 9000 and my stepdad a 9-5 but they weren’t first with those back lights going across the entire back. I’m fairly certain many American cars had that in the 90s.
I'm a Saab enthusiast in Sweden and I bought one of these in May. 2011 Aero XWD automatic BioPower. 148k km. Made March 28th 2011 and among the last 225 made. I absolutely love it - except the fact that it will not play music from your phone over Bluetooth. Sure the solution to that is simple, but this capability lacking annoys me. Getting one of these, you also have to consider that there are parts no longer available new, and cost a small fortune if you need it. Examples of this are the headlight assemblies, tail lights or that lightbar/trunkbar. Common failure is heated seats and the lightbar/trunkbar. There are videos on how to fix both but, it's still something good to know. My heated seats don't work for instance, but since it will be a summer car, I'm in no rush having that fixed.
I have never even driven a car with broken heated seats. Saab has had heated seats since at least 1972, they should have it figured out long ago, shouldn't they?
I've been driving Saab cars since 1989. I just got my 6th Saab a 9-3 cabriolet with 60K on the clock. I am a blessed man and say Saab is and always will be the best cars EVER made.❤❤❤❤
Nice video. Thanks! Best car I’ve ever owned (and I didn’t expect that.) In the USA, I have the Aero XWD (300 shot, all wheel drive.) there is nothing “fidgety” about my auto transmission w/ paddle shifters on steering wheel. It’s big, comfy, and a rocket! The smaller than standard flat bottom steering wheel adds to tight handling, the power, the uncluttered and ahead of it’s time style sets it apart (blacked out A&B pillars on a white one w blacked out windows, etc.)- every time I have it out, total strangers have positive comments from “is SAAB back, is that new?” To “what is that? I thought it was a Porsche at first?” … glad to see someone give it props!
Nice one. They really do still look modern. And I can see why someone could see Porsche in it, like a Panamera or something. But actually better looking 😂 Cheers!
GM scalped SAAB 😢 I have a 9-5 Aero a 9-3 convertible (the same as the one you featured). I gave a Saab 9-5 to my daughter but she had to rebuild the motor 1st .. she did... so proud... Noone is allowed to touch her Saab on fear of death. 😅 I would have 1 of these in a shot. I ❤ Saab and thank you so much for featuring this. I just wish they would come back... best car ever.
I have 4 Saab 9-5 OG's. 3 Aero Wagons and an Aero Sedan, all 5-speeds. I have them all in the hopes that I will never drive another car again. They're that good. The only thing they're missing is a 6th gear and I plan on swapping an F40 six speed into my 03' wagon, which is my favorite and the one I'm really building up. I have no desire to own one of these. I'm not sure why. Maybe if i could get one of the sportcombi's with a stick, which is almost impossible, but even then I still think I'd rather have a 02-05 Aero wagon. They're the best looking wagons ever for my money. Thanks for posting this for us Saab people, I appreciate it.
OG 9-5 is simply The Be(a)st. Well, maybe along 9000 Aero. I have only two, 2005 9-5 2.0T stw automatic w/ bigger turbo and Bilstein/Koni chassis some 240hp 400Nm on 98E (limited due to slushbox) and 2007 9-5 2.0t stw A. Ex-SAABs 1977 99GLs 4d, 1989 900c 2d, 1994 9000CSE 2.3 A, 1995 9000CD 2.0i. In snowy, harsh winter-conditions of The Arctic Circle 9000 really shines, have to get one. Or maybe two, and a 2004-5 9-5 Aero.. 🇸🇪🇫🇮💪
I've considered a SAAB 9-5, but ultimately went with the 2001 Lexus IS300SC. I know, it's a bit different category, but the thing that sent me the Lexus path was one thing: part availability. On my Lexus it's not perfect already (try finding a new heater fan, good luck), but buying a car from a manufacturer defunct for more than a decade... that must be TOUGH. So all the praise to the people who've decided to keep those awesome vehicles on the road, despite the odds.
I remember driving one of these and genuinely enjoyed the styling and drive. If I remember correctly it even had the built in hard drive to store music? I found that incredible at the time. Beautiful looks, you’re right, they did get it right with this.
1st off, that car is in phenomenal shape for 120,000 miles on it. Kudos to builder and owner(s). 2nd, yes, the soulless GM Product Managers finally achieved the cost cutting homogeneity they had long battled with SAAB over. Bob Lutz, the then GM product guru, had wanted to ditch them in 2008 because a) they were losing money on every single one sold, and b) he perceived the market to be tiny, perspective was “they are quirky/weird expensive to build cars” that maybe 300,000 customers globally would ever buy. I had a 2004 95 Wagon, a 9000 CSE, OG 93 Sedan, then NG 93 hatchback, and I can honestly say the 2004 era was the best of both worlds. The Auto transmissions, indeed all SAAB transmissions for that matter, left a lot to be desired. My 95 had what I’m sure was a GM Tremec 5SP which had been the best experience I ever had in a SAAB. Eleven the 5SP Manual I had in the 04 93 Convertible was a revelation. The A/C units were industrial strength, and the brakes, like a lot of other components, became waaay cheaper. But the bottom line is the 95, and by then all SAAB’s suffered from an identity crisis. They more or less did everything competently, but excelled nor bested their competition at nothing.
In the US, the Aero only came with the 2.8 V-6/XWD/autotragic, but the FWD 2.0T was available with that 6-speed. I test-drove one back in the day and quite enjoyed the 9000/OG 9-5inspired interior and how that big car seemed to shrink around me as I hustled it. I’ve always wanted to own one, but have been scared of parts problems. Sadly, most survivors here are ragged since they had little resale value and weren’t necessarily owned by Saabistas who valued them for what they represented.
That's a great description of how it feels to drive. I wonder if they are worth more in certain countries - they seem to go for good money here in the UK.
Oh yes, I was thinking of including that in the video but then.. forgot haha. There was one at Millbrook proving ground for years that got saved and taken back to Sweden. I agree it's absolutely stunning 👍 Where did you see the two?
@@JJonCars I've seen the Millbrook car and I was also overtaken on a Swedish motorway by one in early 2011. A few of us had been ice driving in Sweden in early Feb of that year and we were driving back to the port at Esbjurg in Denmark. We were on the motorway en route and two new 9-5's came past us. One was an estate version. It looked superb and I'm sure it would have been a strong seller had it made it on to the market.
Spyker is one of those who buried Saab by making money of its downfall with the kind words that their intention was to help 🤔. And the last Saab was the greatest but sadly all to late. Owned one Saab 99 Turbo and two Saab 900 Turbo and overall they was great cars by its time.
this last one was NOT the greatest saab in any sense at all. Many of us know each generation inside and out. This isn't a bad car but it's not much of a saab at all in any sense whatsoever really. Design is wretched!
When working at Millbrook Proving Ground in Bedfordshire they used a 95 to train drivers on the high speed bowl to +150mph I can tell you it was an amazing experience
The last and rarest Saab is the 9-4X. Only 814 were made, all at GM's Ramos Arizpe, Mexico plant. It was on the same platform as the Cadillac SRX and related to the Chevy Equinox (I'm not sure what Opel-Vauxhall was doing in that segment at the time).
The face lift 9000 CS is actually one of the best Saab design and still look modern even today. The New 9-5 still looks like it was made today. Seem to be a swedish thing as even the old 240 looks pretty modern.
Bravo for 3:50, "Release me" by Oh Laura. It was a soundtrack to one of the most beautiful and meaningful saab ad. Beautiful touch and suits the car. Well done!
To be quite honest, I had no idea about that! It must be on the hard disk drive of the headunit... so maybe Simply Saab put that on there, we can give them credit 😄
I love this model too because of its modern design language. It's a kind of masterpiece I would say. It deserves love and respect for being different in such a good way.
Like you, I love SAAB’s and I’ll hold my hands up and freely admit that I’m biased towards them all. I think this is a great car and it pains me to this day to think that SAAB no longer exists. Great video, thanks for making
Looking forward to finding and owning one soon. Test drove a turbo4 a few years ago and LOVED IT. A very cool final iteration of Saab, and yes, there is saabishness all over the car, if you drive and look at it closely. I owned a 2017 Regal Turbo, pretty much the same overall car, but the Saab was light years better. Engine management, throttle response, ride, interior, exterior, handling, just every part of the Saab was an improvement over the 7yr newer buick.
and this is NOT one of them, fyi. Same w/ the '08+ 9-3: ask a woman to describe it and if she has sense of design etc, she'll probably say 'droopy' and frumpy. NOT good! lol!
It's as if someone sprayed a bit of Saab on an Opel/Vauxhall Isignia. The styling seems only slightly different to me and the inside looks really cheap to me but the changes in the outer details make it look like a much better looking car than the Vauxhall oddly enough. I know they were already on the way out but cheaping out on loads of things while wanting to compete with brands like BMW seems insane to me and it's not surprising this didn't turn things around at all. A shame really as Saab was an excellent car manufacturer and it's sad it's gone now.
Well done review of this Saab in extremis . My father had 2 Saabs back in the day , a chocolate brown 99 and a light beige 900 and loved them . The 99 was manufactured in Belgium with an appalling paint job . It required a respray after 18 months because of rust spots . This wa done under warranty .
What a gorgeous car. Who cares about the Opel chassis when it looks like this. Its external aesthetics look like it could survive ~15 years of continuous production with only a couple of facelifts here and there. There are probably less than a handfull of brands that have a record of creating such instant classic designs. I was never able to own a Saab while they were still around, but their uniqueness is greatly missed. Thank you for this video.
It's absolutely beautiful ! There are resonances with the David Bache- designed Rover P5 , particularly the roof. Very elegant with a lot of road presence.
Have just discovered your link thanks to TH-cams algorithm! Have watched your 900 Turbo convertible and now the 9-5 NG - well done. It's amazing how some of these 9-5 NG's actually made it to Australia new?. 3 to 5 years back there was a flurry of secondhand cars 4 sale - but nothing since. You say your a SAAB fan and you seem to have tested quite a few SAABs, well done - but dare I say have you missed that last crucial link between the 'last true SAABs ' and the 'GM SAABs' in the form of the 9000 series. Have you tested any of those, especially the face lifted mid to late 90s AERO, 5-speed manual?
Glad the algorithm has sent you my way! This is a good point - I haven't yet tested a 9000 series, and would love to. As soon as someone offers one up I'll be right on it
Thanks for doing this. good review. There are very few NG 9-5s here in Australia. The first one I came across was a 2.8L Aero XWD in March 2014. It had a heads-up display, which I thought was very cool. Great looking car. Until this review, I thought that all 9-5 NG Aeros were 2.8 V6. My current Saab is a 2007 9-3 Aero manual 2.8L with Hirsch stage one and a Do88 intercooler. Very nice car to drive - powerful and super flexible. It replaced a 1989 900 aero manual. I was still using it as a daily driver and doing long trips with over 300,000 km on the clock. I didn't need to make any concessions for its age. Driving at 110 kmh with occasional bursts to overtake road trains when the outside temp is 44C or higher and the AC is on caused the temp needle to move by about 1mm. Pretty solid cars.😀
Thanks and you're welcome :) I used to own a 2006 9-3 2.8, though no modifications - pretty darn quick as standard! That's very impressive that your old 900 reached those miles/kilometres. Great cars for sure, cheers!
@@JJonCars The modified version is a huge improvement. Faster, of course, but much more flexible. I don't do it very often, but I can gently pull away in 4th gear from around 600 rpm and plant the foot at 1,000 rpm. A friend in Melbourne has a 9-5 NG, a turbo X manual, and a couple of others. Her daily driver is a 9-5 aero (Hirsch modified) that is just about to hit 500,000km. Thet can last if you look after them.
Spot on jj easily one of the best looking saab's ever......gorgeous even today! That lightbar on the rear is on my new cupra formentor 13 year's later!! ❤
I own the 2.8 V6 and readily admit that, in many respects, it’s not a true Saab anymore. However, that’s precisely its strongest feature. Parts are easily available across numerous GM brands, so you rarely have to search for long. XWD components come from Haldex and can also be found with other European brands. I love this car.
@@18_rabbit No issues, as long as you use the same parts as those used in the Saab. Haldex parts used in a Saab are not entirely unique to the brand, the same specifications can be found in Haldex systems for other manufacturers. You just got to do your homework.
It didn’t help. But it didn’t kill GM-Saab. Good intro. People say this gen 9-5 riddled. I’m a car trader got within a tenner of buying one Motorway. Still never been in one. It’s a nicely styled Saab !!!! Cheap ish inside and out but styled beautifully. Well to me. Guess others think it looks like sick. Yip switchgear dire. Even use stalks in cheap cheerful Chevrolets.
There is also a (very rare) estate version of this 9-5. My first car was a Saab 99 (in 1985..). Owned 4 more. The last one was a ‘91 900Turbo 16e Aero. Should have kept that one. It was over when GM took over.
Another fantastic video JJ! I always wanted one of these (I had two 9-3s previously) but I never did manage to get hold of a 9-5NG. The exterior styling was (and still is) absolutely spot-on. The interior does suffer a bit from 'GM cheapness' (but it's not bad) - and the AERO model was extremely well equipped. I'm still gutted they are no more - I'm a huge fan of SAAB.
Nice and honest video. I own a 2011 Tid4 manual myself, and have for the last 6 years. By far one of the most reliable cars ive had. One thing though, I am pretty sure they all came with the keyless start, but keyless entry was a separate option. So is the nav screen, so you could get that in a lower spec car if you wanted, you can also watch movies on there if you have dvd. There were 3 specs for them, lowest was Linear, then came Vector, and lastly, the highest spec was the Aero. There are also multiple different seat options, aimed for different types of customers, some are stiffer, some are more aimed at comfort. You could also get cooled front seats and rear seat entertainment.
Thank you and thanks for the information. It was quite hard to find details about these cars! I think in the UK you only got Vector SE and Aero but other countries had a few more models. Cheers :)
Thank you for vid.....Saab, what a shame they went bust....to bore you to death, my dentist in the late 80's and early 90's always complained about the price of parts, and servicing...but he still traded in and bought another.. .best wishes from Edinburgh
I have an ng 9-5 aero with over 233k miles on it. Mine has the 2.8 turbo v6 and awd. The car has held up amazing aside from some cosmetic defects. The HiPer strut setup with adaptive shocks is actually some version of GMs magnaride, so parts really arent too bad to find for it. Very comfortable vehicle on the highway. Its very easy to find most of the parts, since its on the same platform as a buick of vauxhall. I will own this car till I die, I love the thing so much. A real shame that the sport combi version didn't really make it to the market with only around 30 being built.
Another great vid JJ, it is a shame about SAAB, I think that last SAAB they released was a lovely looking car, yes based on the Insignia platform but with just enough individuality to make it a bit better.
It's very good looking especially the wagon version(only handful of preproduction/presentational examples exist as it was shown off on geneva motorshow the same month Saab was killed off). It shown how new Saabs would look, even if its based on GM/Opel partbin it is all the better in terms of spare parts for mechanical/driveline parts at very least. It's a shame Saab had to share fate of Pontiac and other brands GM killed off. between 2009 and 2012.
That wagon version I agree, was really great looking. I intended to mention it in the video but then forgot 😂 Shame it never got properly produced beyond those prototypes!
Former GM CEO Bob Lutz has more than once explained why GM ditched SAAB. BTW: Not based on a Vauxhall, it's based on an Opel and Vauxhall had by that time been badge engineered Opels for decades. Scania soon found out that SAAB were no good so they unloaded it in GM's lap. Viktor did the rest and lights out in Trollhattan....
I’ve got an OG 9-3 convertible. The only GM parts in that that I can spot is the mirror adjustment switch from what I can see. i’ve had a Holden a couple of times in Australia and the mirror switch is identical.
I have owned five different Saabs in my lifetime, I had to modify each one to really bring it up to be able to compete with the German cars. But on the good side, they were much cheaper and for 3000 in mods it was still a bargain. RIP Saab 😢
Hi JJ, forgot to get back to you about my two (been busy with my own stuff). Will drop a reply shortly. And the last 95 still looks like it could be released today, and not look dated.
I've got the same model, owned it 7.5 years already. agree with the styling comments. Don't forget about the other Carwow tests, at least the 9-5 Aero had proper exhaust tips, not fake ones. Couple of things: Satnav was not standard on the Aero, it was part of an option pack, and even then cars with Nav did not have DAB (mine doesn't). Vectors did have the push button start. Looks like the car has had a new windscreen as all UK cars had rainsense, looks at though the car has a plain screen (no console behind the rear view mirror), so Rainsense won't work. Mine is on 90k miles and is rattle free, agree about the gearbox - in the summer it is intransigent, and I can't help just glancing back when walking away. Sat in a 2017 A6 estate last weekend and that feels like a 9-3 inside....Shame Saab is no longer around. Very few appealing cars for sale now.
Haha, don't want to get accused of plagiarism 😄 Thanks for the great info! Well spotted - the windscreen has been replaced without rainsense. Good to hear you're happy with the car enough to keep it so long 👍
It’s a terrific car - reminds me a lot of the Rover 75 - another great car that was never going to rescue a brand that, frankly had everything else going against it. In the 9-5s case, years of poor management by GM, SAABs reluctance to compromise on certain engineering choices, leading to unnecessary expense when developing new cars, and a strange mismatch of SAAB / GM components, which meant, for instance, the 9-3 and 9-5, when first fitted with diesel engines, wound up with a wheezy, underpowered, dated and unrefined lump, which did nothing for their image. Eventually, GM stopped investment in new models, and SAAB soldiered on with an outdated model range, which no matter how many poorly executed facelifts and odd badge engineering choices (the awful rebadged Subaru for instance) could not be rescued.
Thanks for the great video and your love of Saab, I bloody love a Saab too... On my 4th 9-3 now, also have a 99Turbo. The NG 9-5 is a beaut of a car, might have been better in automatic? My current 93 is auto and so much nicer than the notchy manuals in my opinion.
Maybe you should have mentioned that a caravan was meant to be built. In fact they produced 29 preseries caravan. that look awesome. In my opinion this is the best looking caravan of that era.
IMO they should've built the wagon first with the sedan to follow. It would've been the volume model in Scandinavia and the one the Saab faithful in places like the US were waiting for. The sedan and its' bid for the Chinese market and more mainstream appeal in America could've waited until production was fully ramped up.
I worked all my working life in Saab dealerships starting in 1975 as an apprentice panel beater and body repair specialist. In those days i was working on 96v4, 99 etc. I then moved into the parts department and ultimately into car sales. My saab career spanned 35yrs so i have lived through many phases of the Saab era. I currently own 6 different model Saab's including a 900T16s SALOON, one of only 265 ever built solely for the UK market, a 9000 Aero, a 93 2.0 Aero Sport wagon, a 2001 9-5 2.3 SE saloon, a classic 900i convertible and one of these NG95's. Yes, i have Saab DNA running through my veins! Whereas I usually get complimentary comments about whichever Saab I am driving I can honestly say I get most on the classic 900T16s and the NG 95. People just adore the styling of this last 95 and often ask "thats a lovely looking car, what is it?". When i tell them its the last Saab ever built they are shocked! One think i slightly disagree with in this video is about the handling. My car is a 2.0 SE manual Tid but I can honestly say I find the handling especially under full speed quite exceptional for such a large car and all my Saab friends are equally impressed. Anyway, thank you for reading my comments and I hope you enjoyed. Martin in Cardiff
Thanks Martin! That's quite the history and collection :) You're right that the 9-5 is a proper head turner. I have another video coming up very soon on the 900 Turbo Convertible (1988), should be right up your street. Thanks for watching and commenting.
It is not a Vauxhall. It is Opel. Vauxhall was just the same as SAAB at the end from the mid 70-ties, Opel based. That was what Opel wanted and it suited the GM strategy as they did the same with their brands, which were all Chevrolet based. Buick were allowed to do their version of the Caprice and so on. Vauxhall was just more or less an Opel for the U.K.
I ordered the estate with 160 hp diesel but the order got cancelled😢 Wonderful car to drive even tough that engine was to small to that very heavy lady.
I bought one TiD4 Vector cus here in sweden a Aero that has good or decent specs dont get off under 20k euro. Sold it in 2021 after 4 years and it was my first saab, i wanted a turboX but i knew id regret this 9-5 NG more. So i sold it after 4 years only cus of the wear. I needed a car so bad like it so i traded it for a Cadillac ATS from 2014. However back track here, my sister and bf had test driven my saab i bought 2017 a few years prior and it took them 3 monthas to buy one NG themselfs. And seen them driving up with theres made me trade the caddilac in after only a year for a NG again, SO... i have a turbo4 1.6engine and YES i had to change the transmission than you i know the issue. I LOVE THE NG!! It is the best looking saab and i know it is a bit of insignia but what car in todays market isent a bit of seat, VW, Skoda ECT! After i bought the NG i went on and buying a OG 95 aero, a 900i from 87 and a saab aero cabriolette so iv tested the other aswell. Love my FYM240 even tho it has issues! I loved my LNN090 (my first ng too) Great work! Have seen a few now so ill suub thx to this NG vid but it pains me to watch it since of my enthusiams i dont doubt you undestand i have by this point.
At least here in Sweden, ALL cars have heated seats! ALL of them, at least since the 1980's. Even the cheapest cars. So it's a bit of a shock to me to hear heated seats mentioned in the same sentence as some luxurious equipment. To me it's the same as saying that the car has doors.
Haha, yeah. It's not so common over here, with our mild and wet winters. My Mercedes CLK doesn't even have heated seats :( Someone didn't tick that box when it was new
Good question, I'd be happy with either. I think the 9-3 would possibly be easier to maintain given there's more of them around. And it's a bit smaller and nimble. But the 9-5 is so rare and interesting. Cop out answer but I really don't know
Opinions on the design vary - but I think the design definitely did not help the Saab brand: Gone is the marquee face, that face that made every Saab a Saab for decades. It’s as if Mercedes would abandon the three-pointed star. Gone is all edginess, all quirkiness, hallmark of a Saab. What’s left is a well-used bar of soap, ready for badge engineering (and the tail light strip doesn’t save it). If there’s one thing that this car shows - it’s that GM never understood Saab.
I’d like to see the unfinished 9-5 project that was cancelled around 2004/2005. It was going to be based on the GM platform - same as the Alfa Romeo 159. I’m surprised that in all these years nothing has surfaced on it. Side note: what happened the Aero wheels on the 9-5 being driven? Why would someone downsize the wheels?
@@JJonCars if that’s a UK spec vehicle then you had two trim levels: Vector SE or Aero. The standard alloy for the Vector SE was the 18” ‘Carve’ alloy. The Aero featured the 19” ‘Turbine’ alloy. You could option the 18” ‘Rotor’ alloy to the Vector SE. On the Aero you had the option of the 19” ‘Edge’ alloy. At some point in its life, that Aero has had the alloy downsized from a 19” to an 18” ‘Rotor’ alloy (ALU103). I also noticed the non original book pack in the glovebox. Some changed it to a leather Saab/Scania wallet from the 1999-2001 era.
SAAB considered itself as a posh brand what they weren’t at all.The brand became too expensive.In the beginning it was affordable car for almost everyone ,but as said too expensive both SAAB 99 to 900 .
Love all Saabs, the world is a duller place without them in it.
They nailed the styling of the 9-5 NG, especially the rear end in my opinion. The Ford Scorpio also tried to have a tail light going across the boot and people called it ugly, but Saab managed to pull it off. Now everyone does it! The gearstick looks the same as the one in my mums Vauxhall Viva, would prefer an auto.
I think it would really suit an auto better tbh
Wagon is just as good, sadly only handful of examples of it exist as it was showcases in geneva the very same month Saab and 9-5 were killed off.
The Scorpios rear light was lovely. If they had just changed the front lights 🐸
@@psions555 True, but everyone nowadays drives big blobby frog eyed SUVs.
@@Sid3300 yes sadly this is very true. Pedestrian safety especially has changed the height and frontal profile of vehicles.
I agree with you, it's by far one of the best looking Saabs. I love the exterior and interior.
Last minute substitute. Perfect analogy
It may have been based on the Insignia’s platform but Saab worked their magic and made the 9-5NG a tremendous car. It was miles better and more reliable than the equivalent 5 series, E class and A6 of the day and it was so much more stylish than all of them too, rivalled only by the Jag XF in my opinion. The 9-5NG deserved success.
Even the last model 9-3 was a great car, while the convertible must surely rank as the best saloon based 4dr drop top in its class ever, it looks stunning.
I had one for 7 years, 2.0T Aero XWD auto with every option available. Absolutely loved it, I'm sad I had to let it go for tax reasons...it was my last ICE car and it will keep a special place in my heart. I've testdriven a few Saab 9-5NG and there is a big noticable difference between the different suspensions and drivetrains. Drivesense and XWD are a must have in my opinion and a good ECU tune, especially on the 2.0T makes it more economical and more fun at the same time 🙂! Very reliable if well maintained (XWD and gearbox maintenance every 100k is necessary!). I've put 330.000km on mine before I had to let it go...I still hope its spiritual successor "Project Emily" will make it into production!
Well now I want to try one with drivesense! And that Hiper strut too. It's nice to hear they can do big miles when cared for. I am taking a guess that you are in Norway if you got taxed out of the Saab into an EV
As a Swede I love SAAB as well my mom had a 9000 and my stepdad a 9-5 but they weren’t first with those back lights going across the entire back. I’m fairly certain many American cars had that in the 90s.
Weren't those just reflectors? Or cat's eye - I dont know what is it called...
Seat Toledo mk1 (1991) & mk2 (1998) by Giugiaro
What an honest review of that car. Realistic but enthusiastic too.
Thanks Chris! :)
I'm a Saab enthusiast in Sweden and I bought one of these in May. 2011 Aero XWD automatic BioPower. 148k km. Made March 28th 2011 and among the last 225 made.
I absolutely love it - except the fact that it will not play music from your phone over Bluetooth. Sure the solution to that is simple, but this capability lacking annoys me.
Getting one of these, you also have to consider that there are parts no longer available new, and cost a small fortune if you need it. Examples of this are the headlight assemblies, tail lights or that lightbar/trunkbar.
Common failure is heated seats and the lightbar/trunkbar. There are videos on how to fix both but, it's still something good to know. My heated seats don't work for instance, but since it will be a summer car, I'm in no rush having that fixed.
I have never even driven a car with broken heated seats. Saab has had heated seats since at least 1972, they should have it figured out long ago, shouldn't they?
@@johnnyrosenberg9522 they only break in the NG's, and considering all the stuff GM cheaped out on, I bet it's a GM-issue, not a Saab-issue.
I've been driving Saab cars since 1989. I just got my 6th Saab a 9-3 cabriolet with 60K on the clock. I am a blessed man and say Saab is and always will be the best cars EVER made.❤❤❤❤
Beautiful styling inside and out.
Nice video. Thanks! Best car I’ve ever owned (and I didn’t expect that.) In the USA, I have the Aero XWD (300 shot, all wheel drive.) there is nothing “fidgety” about my auto transmission w/ paddle shifters on steering wheel. It’s big, comfy, and a rocket! The smaller than standard flat bottom steering wheel adds to tight handling, the power, the uncluttered and ahead of it’s time style sets it apart (blacked out A&B pillars on a white one w blacked out windows, etc.)- every time I have it out, total strangers have positive comments from “is SAAB back, is that new?” To “what is that? I thought it was a Porsche at first?” … glad to see someone give it props!
Nice one. They really do still look modern. And I can see why someone could see Porsche in it, like a Panamera or something. But actually better looking 😂 Cheers!
GM scalped SAAB 😢 I have a 9-5 Aero a 9-3 convertible (the same as the one you featured). I gave a Saab 9-5 to my daughter but she had to rebuild the motor 1st .. she did... so proud... Noone is allowed to touch her Saab on fear of death. 😅 I would have 1 of these in a shot. I ❤ Saab and thank you so much for featuring this. I just wish they would come back... best car ever.
Thanks for watching, I wish they'd come back too
I have 4 Saab 9-5 OG's. 3 Aero Wagons and an Aero Sedan, all 5-speeds. I have them all in the hopes that I will never drive another car again. They're that good. The only thing they're missing is a 6th gear and I plan on swapping an F40 six speed into my 03' wagon, which is my favorite and the one I'm really building up. I have no desire to own one of these. I'm not sure why. Maybe if i could get one of the sportcombi's with a stick, which is almost impossible, but even then I still think I'd rather have a 02-05 Aero wagon. They're the best looking wagons ever for my money. Thanks for posting this for us Saab people, I appreciate it.
Awesome, I will hopefully review that first generation of 9-5 soon. You're very welcome :)
OG 9-5 is simply The Be(a)st. Well, maybe along 9000 Aero. I have only two, 2005 9-5 2.0T stw automatic w/ bigger turbo and Bilstein/Koni chassis some 240hp 400Nm on 98E (limited due to slushbox) and 2007 9-5 2.0t stw A. Ex-SAABs 1977 99GLs 4d, 1989 900c 2d, 1994 9000CSE 2.3 A, 1995 9000CD 2.0i. In snowy, harsh winter-conditions of The Arctic Circle 9000 really shines, have to get one. Or maybe two, and a 2004-5 9-5 Aero..
🇸🇪🇫🇮💪
I've considered a SAAB 9-5, but ultimately went with the 2001 Lexus IS300SC. I know, it's a bit different category, but the thing that sent me the Lexus path was one thing: part availability. On my Lexus it's not perfect already (try finding a new heater fan, good luck), but buying a car from a manufacturer defunct for more than a decade... that must be TOUGH. So all the praise to the people who've decided to keep those awesome vehicles on the road, despite the odds.
Cool car 👍👍
I remember driving one of these and genuinely enjoyed the styling and drive. If I remember correctly it even had the built in hard drive to store music? I found that incredible at the time. Beautiful looks, you’re right, they did get it right with this.
I'm not sure about the hard drive - quite possible!
1st off, that car is in phenomenal shape for 120,000 miles on it. Kudos to builder and owner(s). 2nd, yes, the soulless GM Product Managers finally achieved the cost cutting homogeneity they had long battled with SAAB over. Bob Lutz, the then GM product guru, had wanted to ditch them in 2008 because a) they were losing money on every single one sold, and b) he perceived the market to be tiny, perspective was “they are quirky/weird expensive to build cars” that maybe 300,000 customers globally would ever buy. I had a 2004 95 Wagon, a 9000 CSE, OG 93 Sedan, then NG 93 hatchback, and I can honestly say the 2004 era was the best of both worlds. The Auto transmissions, indeed all SAAB transmissions for that matter, left a lot to be desired. My 95 had what I’m sure was a GM Tremec 5SP which had been the best experience I ever had in a SAAB. Eleven the 5SP Manual I had in the 04 93 Convertible was a revelation. The A/C units were industrial strength, and the brakes, like a lot of other components, became waaay cheaper. But the bottom line is the 95, and by then all SAAB’s suffered from an identity crisis. They more or less did everything competently, but excelled nor bested their competition at nothing.
In the US, the Aero only came with the 2.8 V-6/XWD/autotragic, but the FWD 2.0T was available with that 6-speed. I test-drove one back in the day and quite enjoyed the 9000/OG 9-5inspired interior and how that big car seemed to shrink around me as I hustled it. I’ve always wanted to own one, but have been scared of parts problems. Sadly, most survivors here are ragged since they had little resale value and weren’t necessarily owned by Saabistas who valued them for what they represented.
That's a great description of how it feels to drive. I wonder if they are worth more in certain countries - they seem to go for good money here in the UK.
I always liked that Saab, shame they stopped production.
First time I've seen one of these. True Saab style statement. Love it
I had four 99s over 30 years. Great cars. Still miss them
The estate version looked stunning. Just 25 or so prototypes sadly made, but I'm privilileged to have seen 2 of them.
Oh yes, I was thinking of including that in the video but then.. forgot haha. There was one at Millbrook proving ground for years that got saved and taken back to Sweden. I agree it's absolutely stunning 👍 Where did you see the two?
@@JJonCars I've seen the Millbrook car and I was also overtaken on a Swedish motorway by one in early 2011. A few of us had been ice driving in Sweden in early Feb of that year and we were driving back to the port at Esbjurg in Denmark. We were on the motorway en route and two new 9-5's came past us. One was an estate version. It looked superb and I'm sure it would have been a strong seller had it made it on to the market.
There's a lot of estate versions
@@dovydas4036 Only about 25.
Spyker is one of those who buried Saab by making money of its downfall with the kind words that their intention was to help 🤔. And the last Saab was the greatest but sadly all to late. Owned one Saab 99 Turbo and two Saab 900 Turbo and overall they was great cars by its time.
this last one was NOT the greatest saab in any sense at all. Many of us know each generation inside and out. This isn't a bad car but it's not much of a saab at all in any sense whatsoever really. Design is wretched!
When working at Millbrook Proving Ground in Bedfordshire they used a 95 to train drivers on the high speed bowl to +150mph I can tell you it was an amazing experience
The last and rarest Saab is the 9-4X. Only 814 were made, all at GM's Ramos Arizpe, Mexico plant. It was on the same platform as the Cadillac SRX and related to the Chevy Equinox (I'm not sure what Opel-Vauxhall was doing in that segment at the time).
Yeah! We never got that car here so it's completely off my radar
The face lift 9000 CS is actually one of the best Saab design and still look modern even today. The New 9-5 still looks like it was made today. Seem to be a swedish thing as even the old 240 looks pretty modern.
Bravo for 3:50, "Release me" by Oh Laura. It was a soundtrack to one of the most beautiful and meaningful saab ad. Beautiful touch and suits the car. Well done!
To be quite honest, I had no idea about that! It must be on the hard disk drive of the headunit... so maybe Simply Saab put that on there, we can give them credit 😄
I love this model too because of its modern design language. It's a kind of masterpiece I would say. It deserves love and respect for being different in such a good way.
I do like the interior and green lighted dials.
Like you, I love SAAB’s and I’ll hold my hands up and freely admit that I’m biased towards them all. I think this is a great car and it pains me to this day to think that SAAB no longer exists. Great video, thanks for making
Thanks fellow Saab guy, glad you enjoyed it 😁
Respect to Saab, also well done review.
Thanks :)
Looking forward to finding and owning one soon. Test drove a turbo4 a few years ago and LOVED IT. A very cool final iteration of Saab, and yes, there is saabishness all over the car, if you drive and look at it closely. I owned a 2017 Regal Turbo, pretty much the same overall car, but the Saab was light years better. Engine management, throttle response, ride, interior, exterior, handling, just every part of the Saab was an improvement over the 7yr newer buick.
Sabb has some of the most beautiful cars ever made.
No one has made a convertible as beautiful as SAAB! Audi were very close, but there is something special in the proportions of the SAAB 9-3.
and this is NOT one of them, fyi. Same w/ the '08+ 9-3: ask a woman to describe it and if she has sense of design etc, she'll probably say 'droopy' and frumpy. NOT good! lol!
Not a fan of the styling of this particular Saab but I have very happy memories of my time with the 9-3!!
Nice touch to make the A-pillar black. It makes the roof appear to float.
Yes, this is true. I think this is the other part of the design that I find similar to the Nissan GT-R :)
It's as if someone sprayed a bit of Saab on an Opel/Vauxhall Isignia. The styling seems only slightly different to me and the inside looks really cheap to me but the changes in the outer details make it look like a much better looking car than the Vauxhall oddly enough. I know they were already on the way out but cheaping out on loads of things while wanting to compete with brands like BMW seems insane to me and it's not surprising this didn't turn things around at all. A shame really as Saab was an excellent car manufacturer and it's sad it's gone now.
I love all the saab cars I have had 5 of them from the 99 to the 900 and 93 fantastic drive
Well done review of this Saab in extremis . My father had 2 Saabs back in the day , a chocolate brown 99 and a light beige 900 and loved them . The 99 was manufactured in Belgium with an appalling paint job . It required a respray after 18 months because of rust spots . This wa done under warranty .
Thank you. I guess the old ones weren't perfect either :)
I don’t even drive Sir,, but love cars especially SAAB they were special cars when they were owned by their original company.
What a gorgeous car. Who cares about the Opel chassis when it looks like this. Its external aesthetics look like it could survive ~15 years of continuous production with only a couple of facelifts here and there. There are probably less than a handfull of brands that have a record of creating such instant classic designs.
I was never able to own a Saab while they were still around, but their uniqueness is greatly missed. Thank you for this video.
Agreed :)
beauty is the original 99 and the 9000 aero
It's absolutely beautiful ! There are resonances with the David Bache- designed Rover P5 , particularly the roof. Very elegant with a lot of road presence.
Lovely. Mrs P has a 9-3. more comfortable than my E-Class....BUT, the VED is astronomical.
I still have original sales brochures of the 9-5 sedan as well as the 9-5 wagon version, which never even made it to the showrooms.
Have just discovered your link thanks to TH-cams algorithm! Have watched your 900 Turbo convertible and now the 9-5 NG - well done. It's amazing how some of these 9-5 NG's actually made it to Australia new?. 3 to 5 years back there was a flurry of secondhand cars 4 sale - but nothing since.
You say your a SAAB fan and you seem to have tested quite a few SAABs, well done - but dare I say have you missed that last crucial link between the 'last true SAABs ' and the 'GM SAABs' in the form of the 9000 series. Have you tested any of those, especially the face lifted mid to late 90s AERO, 5-speed manual?
Glad the algorithm has sent you my way! This is a good point - I haven't yet tested a 9000 series, and would love to. As soon as someone offers one up I'll be right on it
Thanks for doing this. good review. There are very few NG 9-5s here in Australia. The first one I came across was a 2.8L Aero XWD in March 2014. It had a heads-up display, which I thought was very cool. Great looking car. Until this review, I thought that all 9-5 NG Aeros were 2.8 V6.
My current Saab is a 2007 9-3 Aero manual 2.8L with Hirsch stage one and a Do88 intercooler. Very nice car to drive - powerful and super flexible. It replaced a 1989 900 aero manual. I was still using it as a daily driver and doing long trips with over 300,000 km on the clock. I didn't need to make any concessions for its age. Driving at 110 kmh with occasional bursts to overtake road trains when the outside temp is 44C or higher and the AC is on caused the temp needle to move by about 1mm. Pretty solid cars.😀
Thanks and you're welcome :)
I used to own a 2006 9-3 2.8, though no modifications - pretty darn quick as standard!
That's very impressive that your old 900 reached those miles/kilometres. Great cars for sure, cheers!
@@JJonCars The modified version is a huge improvement. Faster, of course, but much more flexible. I don't do it very often, but I can gently pull away in 4th gear from around 600 rpm and plant the foot at 1,000 rpm.
A friend in Melbourne has a 9-5 NG, a turbo X manual, and a couple of others. Her daily driver is a 9-5 aero (Hirsch modified) that is just about to hit 500,000km. Thet can last if you look after them.
Spot on jj easily one of the best looking saab's ever......gorgeous even today! That lightbar on the rear is on my new cupra formentor 13 year's later!! ❤
Cheers, yeah :) I quite like the Formentor even though I'm not really an 'SUV' fan
I own the 2.8 V6 and readily admit that, in many respects, it’s not a true Saab anymore. However, that’s precisely its strongest feature. Parts are easily available across numerous GM brands, so you rarely have to search for long. XWD components come from Haldex and can also be found with other European brands. I love this car.
Yes this is very true. Having easy access to parts for a company that has long gone bust is a great thing. Glad you like the car :)
best wishes with Xwd service!
@@18_rabbit No issues, as long as you use the same parts as those used in the Saab. Haldex parts used in a Saab are not entirely unique to the brand, the same specifications can be found in Haldex systems for other manufacturers. You just got to do your homework.
That car is beautiful
It didn’t help. But it didn’t kill GM-Saab. Good intro. People say this gen 9-5 riddled. I’m a car trader got within a tenner of buying one Motorway. Still never been in one. It’s a nicely styled Saab !!!! Cheap ish inside and out but styled beautifully. Well to me. Guess others think it looks like sick. Yip switchgear dire. Even use stalks in cheap cheerful Chevrolets.
" and now I'm gonna do Matt Watson" 😂
Lol, wrong channel for that
This car is a bizarre spec that we didn't get in the US. Turbo4 Aero, but FWD and no drive-sense. Neat.
There is also a (very rare) estate version of this 9-5. My first car was a Saab 99 (in 1985..). Owned 4 more. The last one was a ‘91 900Turbo 16e Aero. Should have kept that one. It was over when GM took over.
Another fantastic video JJ!
I always wanted one of these (I had two 9-3s previously) but I never did manage to get hold of a 9-5NG.
The exterior styling was (and still is) absolutely spot-on. The interior does suffer a bit from 'GM cheapness' (but it's not bad) - and the AERO model was extremely well equipped.
I'm still gutted they are no more - I'm a huge fan of SAAB.
Thank you! Yeah they're really thin on the ground and can be hard to find. You and me both, RIP SAAB
ugg on this design. I'm a mega saab fan but ask a woman about this design, and the final 9-3 design. Most ppl will say droopy, frumpy or dumpy
Nice and honest video. I own a 2011 Tid4 manual myself, and have for the last 6 years. By far one of the most reliable cars ive had. One thing though, I am pretty sure they all came with the keyless start, but keyless entry was a separate option. So is the nav screen, so you could get that in a lower spec car if you wanted, you can also watch movies on there if you have dvd. There were 3 specs for them, lowest was Linear, then came Vector, and lastly, the highest spec was the Aero. There are also multiple different seat options, aimed for different types of customers, some are stiffer, some are more aimed at comfort. You could also get cooled front seats and rear seat entertainment.
Thank you and thanks for the information. It was quite hard to find details about these cars! I think in the UK you only got Vector SE and Aero but other countries had a few more models. Cheers :)
Thank you for vid.....Saab, what a shame they went bust....to bore you to death, my dentist in the late 80's and early 90's always complained about the price of parts, and servicing...but he still traded in and bought another.. .best wishes from Edinburgh
I have an ng 9-5 aero with over 233k miles on it. Mine has the 2.8 turbo v6 and awd. The car has held up amazing aside from some cosmetic defects. The HiPer strut setup with adaptive shocks is actually some version of GMs magnaride, so parts really arent too bad to find for it. Very comfortable vehicle on the highway. Its very easy to find most of the parts, since its on the same platform as a buick of vauxhall. I will own this car till I die, I love the thing so much. A real shame that the sport combi version didn't really make it to the market with only around 30 being built.
That's interesting about the HiPer strut. I'd quite like to see what it's like. Glad to hear that the car has held up well over all those miles 👍
Another great vid JJ, it is a shame about SAAB, I think that last SAAB they released was a lovely looking car, yes based on the Insignia platform but with just enough individuality to make it a bit better.
Cheers Will! Yeah exactly 👍👍
It's very good looking especially the wagon version(only handful of preproduction/presentational examples exist as it was shown off on geneva motorshow the same month Saab was killed off). It shown how new Saabs would look, even if its based on GM/Opel partbin it is all the better in terms of spare parts for mechanical/driveline parts at very least. It's a shame Saab had to share fate of Pontiac and other brands GM killed off. between 2009 and 2012.
That wagon version I agree, was really great looking. I intended to mention it in the video but then forgot 😂 Shame it never got properly produced beyond those prototypes!
Former GM CEO Bob Lutz has more than once explained why GM ditched SAAB.
BTW: Not based on a Vauxhall, it's based on an Opel and Vauxhall had by that time been badge engineered Opels for decades.
Scania soon found out that SAAB were no good so they unloaded it in GM's lap.
Viktor did the rest and lights out in Trollhattan....
Only one issue ...because it's so rare...things like rear lights...body parts would be difficult to obtain....but I do still love it
Chinese will produce everything if they have blueprints
@@Nakkisampyla old 9-5 is the basis for one of their electric cars and petrol cars right now!
I’ve got an OG 9-3 convertible.
The only GM parts in that that I can spot is the mirror adjustment switch from what I can see. i’ve had a Holden a couple of times in Australia and the mirror switch is identical.
I wish I could halve one I love the way it looks
I have owned five different Saabs in my lifetime, I had to modify each one to really bring it up to be able to compete with the German cars. But on the good side, they were much cheaper and for 3000 in mods it was still a bargain. RIP Saab 😢
Hi JJ, forgot to get back to you about my two (been busy with my own stuff). Will drop a reply shortly.
And the last 95 still looks like it could be released today, and not look dated.
Not the last ever, but, It's one of the last. The last was Saab 9-5 Sportcombi version which was only 33 ever produced.
Wellllll.... if you count a car that was never officially sold. And it's the same thing anyway but an estate.
I have a 2002 saab 95 aero and i love it. I will never part with it she has 270 000 miles and it drives perfect
I've got the same model, owned it 7.5 years already. agree with the styling comments. Don't forget about the other Carwow tests, at least the 9-5 Aero had proper exhaust tips, not fake ones. Couple of things: Satnav was not standard on the Aero, it was part of an option pack, and even then cars with Nav did not have DAB (mine doesn't). Vectors did have the push button start. Looks like the car has had a new windscreen as all UK cars had rainsense, looks at though the car has a plain screen (no console behind the rear view mirror), so Rainsense won't work. Mine is on 90k miles and is rattle free, agree about the gearbox - in the summer it is intransigent, and I can't help just glancing back when walking away. Sat in a 2017 A6 estate last weekend and that feels like a 9-3 inside....Shame Saab is no longer around. Very few appealing cars for sale now.
Haha, don't want to get accused of plagiarism 😄
Thanks for the great info! Well spotted - the windscreen has been replaced without rainsense. Good to hear you're happy with the car enough to keep it so long 👍
I just love Saabs, ive never driven one mind but they look awesome and lol at backseat JJ
Loved the way this car looks, it’s just a shame you get inside and it’s all Vauxhall. It’s the same issue Alfa Romeo has now.
It’s a terrific car - reminds me a lot of the Rover 75 - another great car that was never going to rescue a brand that, frankly had everything else going against it. In the 9-5s case, years of poor management by GM, SAABs reluctance to compromise on certain engineering choices, leading to unnecessary expense when developing new cars, and a strange mismatch of SAAB / GM components, which meant, for instance, the 9-3 and 9-5, when first fitted with diesel engines, wound up with a wheezy, underpowered, dated and unrefined lump, which did nothing for their image. Eventually, GM stopped investment in new models, and SAAB soldiered on with an outdated model range, which no matter how many poorly executed facelifts and odd badge engineering choices (the awful rebadged Subaru for instance) could not be rescued.
I've always liked the Saab 9-5 but tough to find in the US. Reminds me a lot of my old Volvo S80 V8.
I know I shouldn't, but I really want this car lol
Thanks for the great video and your love of Saab, I bloody love a Saab too... On my 4th 9-3 now, also have a 99Turbo. The NG 9-5 is a beaut of a car, might have been better in automatic? My current 93 is auto and so much nicer than the notchy manuals in my opinion.
Cheers! I agree with you that it would suit an automatic better :)
first 9000 is the best of saab
i like the '94+ design
Great video JJ
Oh I wish I still had my white 9-3 coupe!
the gm crap failing ignition switches was the end of them.
Maybe you should have mentioned that a caravan was meant to be built. In fact they produced 29 preseries caravan. that look awesome. In my opinion this is the best looking caravan of that era.
I was going to mention it and then forgot 😂 Beautiful design
IMO they should've built the wagon first with the sedan to follow. It would've been the volume model in Scandinavia and the one the Saab faithful in places like the US were waiting for. The sedan and its' bid for the Chinese market and more mainstream appeal in America could've waited until production was fully ramped up.
I worked all my working life in Saab dealerships starting in 1975 as an apprentice panel beater and body repair specialist. In those days i was working on 96v4, 99 etc. I then moved into the parts department and ultimately into car sales. My saab career spanned 35yrs so i have lived through many phases of the Saab era. I currently own 6 different model Saab's including a 900T16s SALOON, one of only 265 ever built solely for the UK market, a 9000 Aero, a 93 2.0 Aero Sport wagon, a 2001 9-5 2.3 SE saloon, a classic 900i convertible and one of these NG95's. Yes, i have Saab DNA running through my veins! Whereas I usually get complimentary comments about whichever Saab I am driving I can honestly say I get most on the classic 900T16s and the NG 95. People just adore the styling of this last 95 and often ask "thats a lovely looking car, what is it?". When i tell them its the last Saab ever built they are shocked! One think i slightly disagree with in this video is about the handling. My car is a 2.0 SE manual Tid but I can honestly say I find the handling especially under full speed quite exceptional for such a large car and all my Saab friends are equally impressed. Anyway, thank you for reading my comments and I hope you enjoyed. Martin in Cardiff
Thanks Martin! That's quite the history and collection :) You're right that the 9-5 is a proper head turner. I have another video coming up very soon on the 900 Turbo Convertible (1988), should be right up your street. Thanks for watching and commenting.
I don't like every Saab but have always wanted a Saab 900 turbo
You're gonna enjoy the next Saab video I release then 😁
Had a 2008 model. It wasn't a proper SAAB Open the hood and everything had a GM logo on it.
It is not a Vauxhall. It is Opel. Vauxhall was just the same as SAAB at the end from the mid 70-ties, Opel based. That was what Opel wanted and it suited the GM strategy as they did the same with their brands, which were all Chevrolet based. Buick were allowed to do their version of the Caprice and so on. Vauxhall was just more or less an Opel for the U.K.
I ordered the estate with 160 hp diesel but the order got cancelled😢 Wonderful car to drive even tough that engine was to small to that very heavy lady.
I bought one TiD4 Vector cus here in sweden a Aero that has good or decent specs dont get off under 20k euro. Sold it in 2021 after 4 years and it was my first saab, i wanted a turboX but i knew id regret this 9-5 NG more. So i sold it after 4 years only cus of the wear. I needed a car so bad like it so i traded it for a Cadillac ATS from 2014. However back track here, my sister and bf had test driven my saab i bought 2017 a few years prior and it took them 3 monthas to buy one NG themselfs. And seen them driving up with theres made me trade the caddilac in after only a year for a NG again, SO... i have a turbo4 1.6engine and YES i had to change the transmission than you i know the issue. I LOVE THE NG!! It is the best looking saab and i know it is a bit of insignia but what car in todays market isent a bit of seat, VW, Skoda ECT!
After i bought the NG i went on and buying a OG 95 aero, a 900i from 87 and a saab aero cabriolette so iv tested the other aswell.
Love my FYM240 even tho it has issues! I loved my LNN090 (my first ng too)
Great work! Have seen a few now so ill suub thx to this NG vid but it pains me to watch it since of my enthusiams i dont doubt you undestand i have by this point.
Excellent, thanks! Nice to hear from a Swedish Saab fan. Another Saab video is coming out in 30 minutes after I post this comment :)
I stop and stare at any Saab I see… specially the NGs
I like different and I like this.
Amazing that its almost the same length as a X350 Jag XJ!
Yeah, crazy isn't it!
Really? The Vector SE use traditional key? I’m happy they still keep it in this model.
I'm not sure now, someone else said they all have push button start...
i hade one loved it it was a real good wintercar but flooding took it
At least here in Sweden, ALL cars have heated seats! ALL of them, at least since the 1980's. Even the cheapest cars. So it's a bit of a shock to me to hear heated seats mentioned in the same sentence as some luxurious equipment. To me it's the same as saying that the car has doors.
Haha, yeah. It's not so common over here, with our mild and wet winters. My Mercedes CLK doesn't even have heated seats :( Someone didn't tick that box when it was new
Looks nice. Given Saab's history of innovation, pushing the tenuous aircraft link feels a bit desparate.
So, as a SAAB man which would you go for as a daily driver, 2011 9-3 Aero or 2011 9-5 Aero??
Good question, I'd be happy with either. I think the 9-3 would possibly be easier to maintain given there's more of them around. And it's a bit smaller and nimble. But the 9-5 is so rare and interesting. Cop out answer but I really don't know
Opinions on the design vary - but I think the design definitely did not help the Saab brand: Gone is the marquee face, that face that made every Saab a Saab for decades. It’s as if Mercedes would abandon the three-pointed star. Gone is all edginess, all quirkiness, hallmark of a Saab. What’s left is a well-used bar of soap, ready for badge engineering (and the tail light strip doesn’t save it).
If there’s one thing that this car shows - it’s that GM never understood Saab.
I’d like to see the unfinished 9-5 project that was cancelled around 2004/2005. It was going to be based on the GM platform - same as the Alfa Romeo 159. I’m surprised that in all these years nothing has surfaced on it.
Side note: what happened the Aero wheels on the 9-5 being driven? Why would someone downsize the wheels?
I don't think those wheels are downsized. Perhaps they were an option on this car, or it came with the 'Aero 4' trim level.
@@JJonCars if that’s a UK spec vehicle then you had two trim levels: Vector SE or Aero. The standard alloy for the Vector SE was the 18” ‘Carve’ alloy. The Aero featured the 19” ‘Turbine’ alloy. You could option the 18” ‘Rotor’ alloy to the Vector SE. On the Aero you had the option of the 19” ‘Edge’ alloy.
At some point in its life, that Aero has had the alloy downsized from a 19” to an 18” ‘Rotor’ alloy (ALU103).
I also noticed the non original book pack in the glovebox. Some changed it to a leather Saab/Scania wallet from the 1999-2001 era.
SAAB considered itself as a posh brand what they weren’t at all.The brand became too expensive.In the beginning it was affordable car for almost everyone ,but as said too expensive both SAAB 99 to 900 .
Its still the car for defying entropy.
Saab - no one bought when available, everybody cries that such good cars vanished.
What don't you understand? 😄
Saab always a favourite but never bought ...came close once but the salesman pissed me off so bought Mercedes instead
@8:40 The paint doesn't wear off the buttons in this car. Well.. I spotted the volume knob and the nav button below it @5:32 😉
well spotted 😛 They're just starting to go, but they look a lot better than some of the others I've seen
@@JJonCars Yes, it's not that bad yet. 2003-2006 9-3's are the worst in most cases.