Trued´s NG 9-5 Aero – First impressions & THN views

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Well it was bound to happen a NG 9-5. First time I saw one was after having led one of the convoys to Trollhättan one wintry day at the SaveSaab happening in 2010.

Still remember how graceful I thought the body was. So more or less I started to plan for the TurboX SC replacement. Earlier in the spring of this year I had a tentative order of an AERO. But due to circumstances that order was postponed. The idea was to have NG 9-5 with the SUHRT events in the summertime eg. The Midnaight Sun Historic Rally. But because of the temporarily shutdown of the factory the planned cars would not have had been delivered.

So I regained faith in Saab and having driven all engine alternatives I was ready to take the step to the best car Saab ever has made. First I started to look into the Saab Sweden “warehouse” zero milage cars that Saab has in Trollhättan and at dealers around Sweden. I had fallen for the Carbongrey metallic paintwork and Aero line of course. So I started to search the web in my quest for a suitable Saab 9-5 Sedan, I have never owned a Saab sedan. Just “practical” cars. Last sedan was a Lancia Prisma 1600 -1986. Knowing that I occasionally haul 99 B-engines in the cavernous TurboX could this be an issue??? But I guess a 9-5 sedan will take care of 98% of my transport needs ant that is in grand style.

Then a used Aero 6 speed manual 220bhp was found just south of Trollhättan. This was it. With Parchment Beige leather interior, something I never have had, I have always been sitting in dark coal-boxes in the blackness. To my big surprise the interior made the car to feel much more luxurious and bespoke. Satisfied that the car basically had all the bells and whistles. The car has chassis number 175 and was originally used by the Saab Factory who put some 7000 Km on it.

On the very first drive (Friday morning the day before the October Fest) I felt like a million dollar driver and kept thinking do I really deserve all of this luxury. Pilot Head-up display, CIS Controlled chassis, Navigation, Harman-Kardon stereo, DAB-Radio, Rear Entertainment and climate package, Advanced Parking assist, Lane departure warning, Traffic sign camera recognition, 19 inch Turbine wheels, Adaptive and cornering lights, U-rails, guess I have missed something. This was almost mind-blowing. Saab has made a real limousine. a car that beats the rivals in driving and on par with luxury.

What a magnificent car to drive. Puts the 9-3 and old 9-5 miles, if not lightyears behind. This car is so solid. Anyone who has a chance should drive one for an hour or so and compare to other cars. This first drive of the AERO from the dealer the 45 minutes to Trollhättan ended with a photo session in my dear Saab city. There are great places to take photos of a Saab near the rapids, locks and power stations. But that was after having had a Hirsch Quadpipe and an 260 bhp 400 Nm upgrade.

Picture gallery shows the car at the hot-dog stand now kebab near Erik Carlsson´s ex-gas station near the roundabout with his name. At the Saab Car museum. On the bridge over the rapids. Down at the locks. Outside Swania hotel and finally at the Viggen Rest area near the F7 AFB Såtenäs the present AF home of the 39 Gripen Center.
The pictures are taken with a SONY NEX-5 camera with standard zoom lens.
What about the blue and yellow stripes/thunderbolts?? One might ask.
The are prototype stuff by SUHRT sponsor Abshot Signs in the UK. The design is a remake/redesign of the thunderbolt the Saab team had on their cars in the mid 1970 ies. I redesigned them with some help of Ola Granlund ex-designer at the Saab Automobile Design department.
Through Abshot Signs we plan to sell this thunderbolt to all present Saab models 9-3 sedan and SC as well as the 9-5 and 9-4X.
Great way of showing the Saab Spirit and some Swedish national pride!

28 thoughts on “Trued´s NG 9-5 Aero – First impressions & THN views”

  2. Very nice car, I am usually not a fan of grey/black/white coloured cars but this one looks stunning! 🙂

    Interior pictures would be nice to see, but there is already a 56k-warning for this post. 😉

  3. What a beautiful car. I totally envy you as you have the possibility to buy it. My financial situation makes it impossible, but if it was I would also be driving around in NG 9-5, but then a Fjord blue.. 😉

  5. It has hirsch exhaust, can you describe how it feels comparing to stock? Are there more noise at idle and while driving slowly or on cruise control.

  6. Beautiful car and beautiful photos…. BUT, the SUHRT stickers have to go I’m afraid. I’m sorry to criticise, but they just do not look good on the car.

    The Hirsch badge looks lovely at the rear…. perhaps you could make yourself a miniature SUHRT Chome badge that match the other ones on the car? Perhaps a small one on the rear, and another small one on the front grille?

    Just a thought.

    Anyway…. Congratulations on your lovely purchase 🙂

  8. I really have to chuckle when I read these remarks made in almost every review posted on Saabs United of the NG 9-5 about how superior it is to the old 9-5 and current 9-3.A remarkable acheivement! It trumps the First Gen 9-5,intoduced in 1997 and virtually unchanged for 13 years and the non-competing 9-3 first introduced in fall of 2002! This is like having a Steak at Peter Lugers in N.Y.C and remarking that it is infinitely better than your last Outback Steakhouse meal!

    • Did you miss this part on purpose? 😉

      Saab has made a real limousine. a car that beats the rivals in driving and on par with luxury.

    • Saab Lance, I get the point. Saab would make a better car than the previous lines is obvious. The old lines have the engineering of last millennium that is true. So why should we be surprised when the NG 9-5 outshines the old ones. The competition has become stiffer and if You want to excel on the tough market You better have on heck of an automobile.
      All comparative testings I have read putting the 9-5 face to face with the competition, Beemer 5, AutoUnion A6, Merc E, ovloV S80, Saab has raised to the top on steering and “Fun to drive” something that always have been the sign of Saab. Call it the rally & racing heritage. Saabs chassis has always be superfine coming from such a small producer who should not according the its size have the muscles to to this.
      Just add to this the Humanfactorish super interior/workplace and systems to help the poor driver to perform better/safer is just the frosting of the cake.
      So Lance I kick in open doors but it has to be repeated and said again the 9-5 NG is unquestionably one of the worlds premier cars.

  10. What about the engine upgrade? I have driven the 220hp quite a lot of times but never witht he upgrade. Is it a big difference?

    • 900s & SandySaab, I sold the TX SC to a buddy who has been driving some rallies in the SUHRT. We swapped cars so the trade in for the 9-5 was his ovloV C70 Convertible… Also I sold the 9-5 Aero SC 2002 so I cleared up some space in the garage as well. So grand total of Saabs has gone down by ONE!
      —
      Anders, the Hirsch upgrade to 260 bhp and 400 Nm is significant a whole different engine compared to the 220 bhp standard, an upgrade that the car should have coming directly from the factory. Then comes the quad exhaust ginning it that subtle rich deep tone that only Hirsch can accomplish. Well done You Swiss sound engineers!

  12. The Turbo X (that one and mine [sedan]) are about to undergo ‘SUHRT Treatment’, courtesy of Donna C at Abshot…[think of the Black 99 CC replica driven by Jorgen and Bo in the Midnight Summer Rally]

    Stay tuned :).

    As regards Jorgen’s 9-5: I drove shotgun before and after the Hirsch upgrade (the engine part…I didn’t get a chance to experience the stock exhaust as he had that sorted before I arrived in Trollhattan!). It is indeed how the car should have left the factory– and I would think with XWD, even more so. For the eagle-eyed: Jorgen chose to forgo the diffuser –between the exhaust pipes — on aesthetic grounds. I would have opted for it. Vive la différence!

  13. Mmh, a Turbo4 isn’t it?
    But… is it a small deer head that I see beside 9-5 Logo?
    So it’s something more than a Turbo4! 😉

    (My deer head is near the Turbo4 logo instead!) 😀

    • Hirsch deer always goes on the AERO side. The car is tuned by Hirsch to 260+ bhp and a race exhaust also from Hirsch.
      Nicola what type of 9-5 do you have?

      • I know, but Aero side with deer becomes too cluttered IMHO, so I decided to stick the deer near Turbo4 label.
        I have a NG 9-5 Aero 2.0T with just upgraded sofware by Hirsch.
        Before, it had an adequate engine, now it’s really fun to drive. I think you know 😉

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