As noted in comments, the final Saab 9-5 has rolled off the assembly line in Trollhattan and my guess is that like the final Saab 9000 hat rolled off the line many years ago, this one was made exactly to specifications requested by Peter Backstrom, director of the Saab Museum.
The car, which incidentally is the 483,593th Saab 9-5 since June 1997, is a Snow Silver model, with a 2.3t BioPower engine with 210 horsepower under the hood. It’s pretty much fully loaded, too, with similar spec to a Vector Sport Griffin Edition.
By way of comparison, the Saab 9-5′s predecessor, the Saab 9000, was made for a slightly longer period and hence around 22,000 more of the 9000 were made over its lifetime.
Here’s Peter getting the keys to the car…..and look at all those happy Saab workers in the background 
And introducing himself in the most appropriate way Gotta love those Saab hugs.
The stats and photos in this story have come from Teknikens Varld, and you can see a heap more photos of this car being produced there.
Related posts:
That Opel blurb...
{ 39 comments }
Very cool… and the picture, priceless!
Very cool… and the picture, priceless!
Very cool… and the picture, priceless!
This means that Me’s 9-5 Combi has already been produced? But he said no delivery until March? So what happens with these cars after they leave the line?
I get the impression that it takes about a month to pop one out, followed by two months of waiting.
Tasteful, that car looks very much like mine, but mine is Carbon Grey. Same engine, same beautiful rims also (how I miss them during winter) The OG 9-5 really looked it
Its SWADE!
http://www.teknikensvarld.se/_internal/cimg!0/3hbac0jb1d5fgaxbzd4jfxo5vphbhq5.jpg
You did good OG 9-5. Well done!
I hope they didn’t forget it…
Still a fantastic car.
I really do think that the MY06 “Dame Edna” is a seriously good looking car, the satin chrome grilles of the MY09 & MY10 car (Same as the Hirsch ones) finishing the look off. So much presence on the road when you see one coming towards you.
A truly great Saab that has stood the test of time so very well.
MY10 9-5 you have alot to live upto
Looking through the Tekniken pictures… that’s the LAST B235 to be fitted to a new Saab. Ever. It’s been around for so long.
WTF !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Correct me if I’m wrong, but is that a picture of a New Generation 9-5 “CONVERTIBLE” on this T-shirt?
Look at the wheels and nose of the car!
http://www.teknikensvarld.se/_internal/cimg!0/ci9duif3cstgf16w28223pzy4x62hdy.jpg
Well done Peter, beautiful car you have there. He’s a lucky chap, two new Saabs in a month, lol.
I thought the old 9-5 Combi was going to continue for awhile, through MY2011, until the new 9-5 Combi is ready.
Does this mean that the new 9-5 Combi is closer to production than anticipated?
Correction, I should have typed through the end of MY2010.
When I ordered my ’08 9-5 SC Aero in the summer of ’07, it took nearly 12 weeks before the car made it across “The Pond” to the US.
Hang in there…I’m sure your baby is on its way!
And Swade…just HOW did your alter-ego get to Trollhattan in time for that photo-op with the last 9-5 SC to roll down the line? Hmmmmm?
You are one truly impressive Aussie, mate.
Goodbye old friend. You have served us well.
I had 9-5 #204, and was forced to sell it when I moved to Germany. Still miss that car.
Once they sorted out the breathing problems of the B2x5 engines…. it did very good. where have the engines for these cars come from seeing as they sold the engine factory?
I’ll ask my dealer tomorrow.
O O
|
\___/
Haha gooooo Peter Wade, I mean, Steven Backtsrom… I mean, ARGFGH
MY2010 is almost done with, they already sold all the tooling to BAIC and the 1st-gen 9-5 wagon wasn’t a huge seller anyways. There really is no reason to keep producing it. Hopefully, the 2nd-gen 9-5 wagon is ready for MY2011 production soon.
Steven, your influence reaches far and wide, to the highest levels. Kudos, mate!
A fine car and still, after all these years, an elegant one. Moreso than most of the Beemers, Audis or Volvos from the late 90′s. (I’m feeling a bit nostalgic all of a sudden).
I remember being in Sweden in 1997 and driving the early production 9-5 sedans — That’s when I decided
it was a new car worth buying.
Since then I’ve bought 6 of them — all great cars and only 1 not around — got backed over by a Garbage truck — but it’s Aero drivetrain still runs strong in a 2k wagon with 150k.
In typical Saab fashion, they just got better — except for the interior. Great cars, and they will be around for a long time.
Actually, that’s the illegitimate love child of Swade and Andy. Hahahahahaha!
Seriously, the 9-5 served us very well for so long. Farewell old friend.
It deserves the “Swug” from Peter. And from many of us.
Don’t worry folks. My ’05 9.5 Aero is going to be tooling around for some time to come. If you get too nostalgic you can come visit it.
Just, y’know, let me borrow the keys to your NG9.5.
=)
Awesome!
Now Let’s bring in the New 9-5, and speaking of Nice cars check out # 15 in this list of cars.
http://autos.sympatico.ca/photos-videos/2776/20-future-classics-for-less-than-20-000
483,593 Saab 9-5s are a lot of cars. I’m ready for a new 9-5.
I loved the 9-5 from the second I saw it and the wagon is sooo versatile. Although the DE95 with its dumbed down interior and chrome face put me off its was still a practical and by all accounts a very quick car. Its also the last B235 equipped SAAB. It served SAAB very well.
Onward and upward with the new 9-5!
Griffin Up!
Jepp, and the B235 is related to the first and only 4 stroke engine developped by SAAB. It started as an 1854 cc engine in the 99 back in 1970. It lived for 40 years!!
Not intending to exaggerate Saab’s influence in the development of Opel’s Ecotec 2.0 l, but don’t you think that those aspects concerning the turbos, balance shafts and ECU might have been contributed by Saab?
Mr Biopower…
Actually started as a 1709cc in 1967, co-developed by Saab, Triumph and Ricardo. Triumph also used the 1854 for the Dolomite. The B20 didn’t come until 1972 with the EMS.
Thyl..
Saab were very involved with development of the later ECOTEC L850 engine, to make it suitable for turbocharging. The 150 and 210 PS units were unique to Saab, but other versions were used in Vauxhalls (Astra, Vectra and VX220). Sadly, Saab were denied the technology to get more out of the engine such as Variable valve timing, that’s why Cobalts could be specified with 240PS units….
My car is somewhere at SAAB in THN. My dealer spects to get the car in 2 weeks. I don’t know what takes that much time 8-(
Well, a red 9-5 is a sexy beast, so presumably it will be further admired for two weeks prior to shipping.
Congratulations!
Beautiful car. My wife drove me to work this morning in our 09 9-5 Griffin Edition SportCombi Twelve below zero (F) with snow on the roads, while we were safe and warm inside, listening to Bach on the XM radio. What a great car!
John.
When this mod came out in 06, I was really looking at it cagily but the time has proven its designers. On the contrary, I soon started to love this sleek great and elegant car the most among all 9-5′s by far.
It’s a historical moment, the retirement of the 12-year long iconic era of THE 95.
Besides I know the new and great 9-5 is here, I’m still taking a moment and nod my head a bit ruefully, and say goodbye. I will miss her much.
An end of a legendary era but a new successor is here to stay and rock!
I don’t get it. Is it a good idea to have no 9-5 out on the market at all?. The NG 9-5 sedan is due this summer, and the wagon even later. I also like this car very much, in fact I own an identical version myself. The new matte finish takes away the Dame Edna look, and it’s a great car! Saab don’t need less models on the market, it needs more!!!!
Comments on this entry are closed.