# SaabPlanet.com – Archive of Saab Articles and Technical Automotive Content > SaabPlanet.com provides long-form Saab automotive journalism, technical guides, restoration documentation, model histories, auction analyses, and community stories. This file lists selected posts and pages to help large language models understand the structure and topics covered on the site. > The following entries contain structured metadata and partial content excerpts for a curated selection of posts and pages. Only publicly accessible, indexable content is included. Each entry provides information such as title, URL, publication date, taxonomies, and a limited excerpt to assist large language models in understanding the site's topics. ## Posts - [Rare Saab 9-5 Troll R Takes Center Stage in Germany’s Motor Klassik](https://www.saabplanet.com/rare-saab-9-5-troll-r-motor-klassik-2026/): A rare 310-hp Saab 9-5 Troll R stars in Motor Klassik’s November 2026 issue, with seven pages devoted to its Hirsch engineering and performance. - [Nearly 800 Saabs Registered: SAC Invites the World to Taiwan’s 45th Anniversary Celebration](https://www.saabplanet.com/800-saabs-taiwan-45th-anniversary-2026/): Nearly 800 Saabs are registered for Taiwan's 45th anniversary gathering on November 1, 2026. SAC invites Saab enthusiasts from around the world. - [Saab 9-5 Prices Are Rising: Norway's Classic 9-5 and Europe's NG Market](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-5-prices-rising-classic-ng-market/): Saab 9-5 prices are rising in Norway, while European 9-5 NG listings approach €30,000. We compare both generations, asking prices, and market trends. - [Inside Christoffer’s Rare Saab 9000 Collection: Prototypes, Racing Engines and the Ferrari Story](https://www.saabplanet.com/inside-christoffers-rare-saab-9000-collection-prototypes-racing-engines-and-the-ferrari-story/): A rare Saab 9000 collection reveals factory prototypes, Group A racing engines, unusual equipment, and the famous Ferrari comparison in a new video report. - [One of Just 70: Rare Saab 900 GT Aero Returns to the Market at €45,000](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-900-gt-aero-1994-france-for-sale/): Rare Saab 900 GT Aero from the 70-car French edition offered at €45,000, with 185 hp, Zegna interior, documented history and a one-year warranty. - [A Saab YouTuber Is Selling His Modified 9-5ng TTiD for €8,900](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-youtuber-modified-9-5-ng-ttid-for-sale/): Modified Saab 9-5 NG TTiD for sale at €8,900. Discover its 20-inch BBS wheels, Hirsch-inspired styling, and six-year history with Saab YouTuber Jonas Kakarikas. - [From Saab to Silverado: What a Good Screen Upgrade Should Preserve](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-silverado-infotainment-screen-upgrade/): From Saab 9-3 ICM4 retrofits to Chevrolet Silverado screens, see why factory controls, compatibility, and familiar functions matter in an upgrade. - [Four Saabs, Four Different Eras: October 14 Auction Puts Rarity, History and Condition to the Test](https://www.saabplanet.com/four-saabs-bilweb-auction-october-2026/): Four Saabs head to auction in Sweden on October 14: a rare 9-4X Aero, tuned Sonett III, low-mileage 9-3, and a 1955 Saab 92B rescued from a scrapyard. - [Saab 9-3 Aero Finished Last in MotorTrend's 2004 Test. What Are Those Four Sedans Worth Today?](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-3-aero-2004-motortrend-rivals-value/): MotorTrend ranked the Saab 9-3 Aero last in 2004. See how its rivals compare today through Bring a Trailer auction prices and ownership costs. - [France’s Abandoned Saab Dealership in 2026: 21 Cars Remain, but the Damage Continues](https://www.saabplanet.com/abandoned-saab-dealership-france-2026/): Inside France's abandoned Saab dealership in 2026: 21 cars, a stripped Saab 9000 CSE, and new footage documenting years of vandalism. - [A 1972 Saab Sonett III With 41 Years of Ownership and a Factory Tuning Kit Heads to Auction](https://www.saabplanet.com/1972-saab-sonett-iii-v4-tuning-kit-auction/): A 1972 Saab Sonett III with 41 years of ownership, a Saab V4 tuning kit and documented maintenance heads to auction in Sweden. - [Saab 2.0: Jalopnik Writer Would Spend $1 Trillion Bringing Saab Back](https://www.saabplanet.com/jalopnik-amber-dasilva-saab-two-trillion-dollar-revival/): Jalopnik's Amber DaSilva would spend an imaginary $1 trillion reviving Saab, despite never driving one. Her readers are joining the conversation. - [Four Saab 9000 Legends Under the Microscope: What Can We Actually Verify?](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9000-legends-history-facts/): Four Saab 9000 legends checked against factory records, period tests and Talladega documents, from the famous door story to Trionic ion sensing. - [Two Branches of the Same Tree: Saab's Turbo Legacy and the Very Different World of Diesel Truck Turbos](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-turbo-legacy-diesel-truck-turbos/): Saab made turbocharging about response and control. Diesel trucks use the same principle for sustained boost, towing torque and heavy-duty reliability. - [Think You Know Your Saab? The Car Window Sticker May Tell a Different Vehicle Story](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-window-sticker-vin-factory-options/): Get an original window sticker for your used car! Verify vehicle details, manufacturer MSRP, and purchase price to buy and sell with confidence. - [Victor Muller Says Koenigsegg Warned Him Before the Saab Deal - and €252 Million Never Reached Trollhättan](https://www.saabplanet.com/victor-muller-koenigsegg-saab-252-million/): Victor Muller says Christian von Koenigsegg warned him about Saab’s constraints before Spyker bought it, and claims €252 million was later blocked. - [FIVA Looks at IntSAAB 2026 - and Finds a Saab Community Still Very Much in Motion](https://www.saabplanet.com/fiva-looks-at-intsaab-2026-and-finds-a-saab-community-still-very-much-in-motion/): FIVA reports from IntSAAB 2026, where nearly 2,000 participants and 800 Saabs showed how the international Saab community keeps its history active. - [Saab Sonett I: What Really Happened in the Åsaka Barn](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-sonett-i-saab-94-super-sport-history/): The documented story of Saab Sonett I: the secret Åsaka project, Saab 94 engineering, six surviving cars and the facts behind Sonett folklore. - [Ken Payne’s 1960 Saab 93F Takes Two S5 Wins at Put-in-Bay](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-93f-put-in-bay-2026-double-win/): Ken Payne’s 1960 Saab 93F won S5 twice at Put-in-Bay 2026, finishing ahead of two Saab 96 entries in both September 17 races. - [Rony Lutz Originals Go to Auction: The Hand-Drawn Anatomy of Saab](https://www.saabplanet.com/rony-lutz-saab-originals-auction/): 89 original works by Saab illustrator Rony Lutz go to auction Oct. 11, including cutaways of the 900, 9000, Viggen and rare technical studies. - [Skandix Reproduces the Saab 9000 Rear Suspension Mount That Corrosion Can Destroy](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9000-rear-suspension-bushing-8957714/): Skandix has reproduced Saab 9000 rear suspension mount 8957714, solving a corrosion problem that can destroy the original aluminum bracket. - [1984 Saab 900 GL Toppola Camper Heads to Auction in Sweden](https://www.saabplanet.com/1984-saab-900-gl-toppola-camper-auction/): A 1984 Saab 900 GL with its detachable Toppola camper, lifting equipment and original tailgate is heading to auction in Sweden. - [Seven Years Later, Richard Bought Back His Old Saab 9-5NG and Had It Completely Rebuilt](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-5-ng-restoration-original-owner-richard/): Richard bought back his former Saab 9-5 NG after seven years and commissioned an extensive mechanical rebuild at Sweden's Mannes Bilservice. - [Saab 9-5 Returns to Its Owner After 1,000,000 Km and a Complete SAC Taiwan Restoration!](https://www.saabplanet.com/million-kilometer-saab-9-5-restoration-completed/): After 1,000,000 km, a 2006 Saab 9-5 returns to its owner following SAC Taiwan's complete mechanical, body, and interior restoration. - [Johnny Tipler’s Saab 9-3 Book Reveals the Stories Behind the Cars](https://www.saabplanet.com/johnny-tipler-saab-9-3-complete-story-book-review/): Our review of Johnny Tipler's Saab 9-3 book uncovers forgotten launch stories, the origins of the Saab Museum, and Per Eklund's racing adventures. - [A Surgeon’s Third Saab Sonett: The Remarkable Story Behind This Restored 1971 V4](https://www.saabplanet.com/1971-saab-sonett-iii-restored-auction/): A surgeon's restored 1971 Saab Sonett III heads to auction with a rebuilt V4, modified gearbox, and a remarkable ownership history. - [One Saab 9-5, Four Ride Heights: A Reader’s Suspension Project Is Looking for Builders](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-5-four-setting-suspension-project/): A Saab 9-5 owner's reversible suspension concept proposes four ride heights, from autocross to snow. The project seeks Saab technicians and precision engineers. - [A 1962 Saab 96 Two-Stroke With Its Original Interior Heads to Auction in Sweden](https://www.saabplanet.com/1962-saab-96-two-stroke-bilweb-auction/): A restored 1962 Saab 96 two-stroke with its original red and gray interior heads to Bilweb Auctions in Sweden, with an estimated value of 85,000–100,000 SEK. - [Before GM900 Became a Verdict: How the Press Read Saab’s New 900 in 1993](https://www.saabplanet.com/1993-saab-900-review-automotor-gm-era/): A 1993 Automotor review shows how journalists judged the new Saab 900 before GM900 became a label, from Opel hardware to Turbo, Black Panel and Sensonic. - [1993 Saab 900 Commemorative Edition #86 Sells for $68,000 on Bring a Trailer](https://www.saabplanet.com/1993-saab-900-ce-86-68000-bring-a-trailer/): Saab 900 CE #86 sold for $68,000 at no reserve on BaT, with documented SPG bodywork, Super Aeros and a detailed ownership history. - [Saab 9-3 MY2007+ Is Finally Getting IPC650GW Support](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-3-my2007-is-finally-getting-ipc650gw-support/): IPC650GW support is coming to Saab 9-3 MY2007+, with a hidden MIU, SID relocation, mileage sync and planned eSID3 turbo gauge support. - [After 20 Years, a Doctor’s Saab 9-3 Gets an Eight Month Restoration in Taiwan](https://www.saabplanet.com/doctors-saab-9-3-arc-restoration-sac-taiwan/): A Taiwanese doctor’s 2007 Saab 9-3 Arc returns after an eight month SAC Taiwan restoration spanning its Taichung and Tucheng service centers. - [From C900 Turbo Cabriolets to “LAST 95”: Saab Car Club Victoria’s 2026 Concours](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-car-club-victoria-concours-2026/): Saab Car Club Victoria’s 2026 Concours gathered C900s, 9-3s, 9-5s and a “LAST 95” NG 9-5 for its annual Greenvale showcase. - [Why Is a 178,000-Mile Saab 900 Carlsson Estimated at More Than Twice a 9-3 Carlsson XWD?](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-900-carlsson-vs-9-3-carlsson-xwd-auction/): A 178,000-mile Saab 900 Carlsson is estimated at more than twice a 2010 9-3 Carlsson XWD at the same Mathewsons auction. - [Saab 900 T16S (Aero/SPG) Original Designer Sketches](https://www.saabplanet.com/geoff-wardle-saab-900-aero-spg-design-sketches-charity-auction/): Geoff Wardle, designer of the Saab 900 Aero/SPG body kit, is auctioning signed reproductions of his original sketches for a Los Angeles mobility charity. - [This €300 Saab 9000 Now Makes 653 HP at the Wheels on Stock Pistons and Rods](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9000-b204-653-whp-stock-internals/): A €300 Saab 9000 now makes 486.8 kW at the wheels using stock B204 pistons, rods and crankshaft while chasing 300 km/h in the standing mile. - [More Than a Prop: How Cinema Chose SAAB](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-in-cinema-movies-tv/): Why does SAAB keep appearing in films and TV? Milija Šćepanović examines how filmmakers used the brand to reveal character, identity and emotion. - [Victor Muller on Saab in 2026: The Decisions He Would Change and the Fight He Still Does Not Regret](https://www.saabplanet.com/victor-muller-saab-2026-interview-regrets/): Victor Muller looks back at Saab in 2026, revealing the decisions he would change, the GM dispute and why he still does not regret trying. - [The £24,995 Alabaster Yellow Saab 900 Turbo Has Sold for €19,250](https://www.saabplanet.com/1985-saab-900-turbo-sold-19250-euros/): A low mileage 1985 Saab 900 Turbo once listed at £24,995 has sold for €19,250 after 44 bids, establishing a very different market value. - [How MotorTrend Saw the Saab 9-3 Convertible Against Audi and Mercedes in 2004](https://www.saabplanet.com/motortrend-saab-9-3-convertible-audi-mercedes-2004/): MotorTrend compared the new Saab 9-3 Convertible with the Audi A4 and Mercedes CLK in 2004. Here is how Saab measured up at the time. - [Saabfesten Returns to Trollhättan’s Test Track on September 12 for the 2026 Season Finale](https://www.saabplanet.com/saabfesten-trollhattan-motorfestival-september-2026/): Saabfesten joins Trollhättan Motorfestival on September 12 with a Saab exhibition area, track driving and a procession on the former Saab test track. - [A 275 HP Saab 9-3 V6 Hirsch With a Manual Gearbox Is Listed for About $9,000](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-3-v6-hirsch-manual-275-hp-denmark/): A 2007 Saab 9-3 V6 Hirsch with 275 hp, 400 Nm and a six speed manual is for sale in Denmark for about $9,000. - [Dension Gateway 500: The Expensive Saab 9-3 Audio Upgrade That Talks Directly to the Fiber-Optic System](https://www.saabplanet.com/dension-gateway-500-saab-9-3-audio-upgrade/): Dension Gateway 500 integrates USB, iPod and AUX audio directly with the 2003 to 2006 Saab 9-3 fiber optic infotainment system. - [Saab 9-5NG Vector Brings $27,700 as Aero V6 Misses Reserve](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-5-ng-vector-aero-v6-auction-result/): A 29,011 km Saab 9-5 NG Vector XWD reached 266,000 SEK, while a lower-mileage Aero V6 stopped at 151,000 SEK without meeting reserve. - [Saab Club Nederland Plans a Cross Border Noord Brabant Tour for September 20](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-club-nederland-plans-a-cross-border-noord-brabant-tour-for-september-20/): Saab Club Nederland’s Noord Brabant Tour takes place September 20, 2026, with a route from Gemert through Belgium to Reusel. - [New Zealand Scientist Sold Her Saab to Help Fund a Biotechnology Patent](https://www.saabplanet.com/scientist-sold-saab-biotechnology-patent/): New Zealand scientist Cynthia Hunefeld sold her beloved Saab to help fund a biotechnology patent for her pioneering ginger research. - [3D-Printed Saab 9-3 OG Headlights: How Alexey Korobov Reengineered the Original Design](https://www.saabplanet.com/alexey-korobov-3d-printed-saab-9-3-og-headlights/): Alexey Korobov used FDM printing, Hella modules and Fristom DRLs to redesign Saab 9-3 OG headlights inside the original housings. - [Lionsharp Built the Saab 999 as a Complete Alternate History, Not Just a Render](https://www.saabplanet.com/lionsharp-saab-999-turbo-design-story/): Lionsharp Studios built the fictional Saab 999 through research, sketches, Group B development, a virtual Design Lab, and a 1993 Turbo Cabrio. - [How a Living Room Saab 9-3 Test Bench Became Saabiste.net](https://www.saabplanet.com/saabiste-net-saab-wis-epc-browser-diagnostics/): French developer Paul Le Gall turned a Saab 9-3 module bench into Saabiste.net, combining WIS, EPC, diagnostics and Tech2 tools in a browser. - [TunStyle Hirsch-Style Aero Kit for Our Saab 9-3: First Test Fit and Gunmetal Finish](https://www.saabplanet.com/tunstyle-hirsch-style-aero-kit-saab-9-3-test-fit/): We unpack, test-fit and paint TunStyle’s six-piece Hirsch-style aero kit for our Saab 9-3 Aero Griffin before final installation. - [Before the Aero: This Imola Red 1987 Saab 9000 T16 Brings the Full Airflow Look](https://www.saabplanet.com/1987-saab-9000-t16-airflow-denmark/): An Imola Red 1987 Saab 9000 T16 with a five-speed manual, Airflow-style bodywork and 151,000 km is offered in Denmark for about $15,800. - [Hoovies Garage Bought a $9,000 Saab 9-7X Aero but Got Much of the Saab Story Wrong](https://www.saabplanet.com/hoovies-garage-saab-9-7x-aero-fact-check/): Hoovies Garage paid $9,000 for a rare Saab 9-7X Aero, but the video misstates its engineering, production numbers and Saab history. - [As Close to a New Saab as It Gets: This 29,011-Km 9-5NG XWD Is Up for Auction](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-5-ng-xwd-29011-km-auction/): A 29,011-km Saab 9-5 NG, one of 28 Vector BioPower XWD manuals built, heads to auction with an estimate approaching $28,500. - [Evergrande Founder Hui Ka Yan Gets Life in Prison: What His Fall Meant for NEVS and Trollhättan](https://www.saabplanet.com/hui-ka-yan-life-sentence-nevs-saab/): Evergrande founder Hui Ka Yan has been sentenced to life imprisonment. How his failed NEVS investment reached Saab’s former Trollhättan factory. - [A 1983 Saab 900 Turbo Has Until September 7 to Escape a 200-Car Scrapping Deadline](https://www.saabplanet.com/1983-saab-900-turbo-september-7-scrap-deadline/): A manual 1983 Saab 900 Turbo and rare Volvo 240D face a September 7 deadline as TC Robertson clears his 200-car South Carolina lot. - [A 260 BHP Saab 9000 S With the Paper Trail Most Modified Classics Lose](https://www.saabplanet.com/1991-saab-9000-s-23-turbo-ebay/): A 1991 Saab 9000 S 2.3 Turbo with a manual gearbox, Abbott Racing ECU, Bilstein suspension and full history is offered on eBay UK. - [A Belgian Magazine’s 2027 Saab 900 Render Echoes Castriota’s Lost 9-3](https://www.saabplanet.com/2027-saab-900-castriota-lost-9-3/): Moniteur imagined a 2027 Saab 900 with XPeng technology and an SVC range extender. Its shape closely echoes Castriota's unfinished 9-3. - [Perstad Restores the Full Trafikmagasinet Report From Saab’s Early-1980s Factory](https://www.saabplanet.com/perstad-saab-factory-trafikmagasinet-film/): Watch Perstad’s digitized Saab factory report, featuring early-1980s production, Sten Wennlo, Gunnar Larsson, and the coming Saab 9000. - [The 1963 Saab 96 Restoration That Never Happened: Inside YouTube’s New AI Video Phenomenon](https://www.saabplanet.com/1963-saab-96-ai-generated-restoration-video/): A convincing 1963 Saab 96 restoration video is entirely AI-generated. Wrong parts, an incorrect engine and changing details reveal the illusion. - [SaabFest 2026 at Foxfield Railway: Inside Britain’s National Saab Gathering](https://www.saabplanet.com/saabfest-2026-foxfield-railway/): Inside SaabFest 2026 at Foxfield Railway, with two-strokes, Sonett, 99 Turbos, Viggens, 9000 Aeros, NG 9-5s and a huge field of Saabs. - [Saab 96 From Ketil Solvik-Olsen’s 1,600-Car Model Collection Turns Up for Sale in Bryne](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-96-ketil-solvik-olsen-model-car-collection/): An orange 1:18 Saab 96 from Ketil Solvik-Olsen’s huge model-car collection appears for sale in Bryne, Norway, alongside another Saab. - [In 1986, This Saab 9000 Turbo Taxi Had a Mobile Phone, Pager, TV and VHS](https://www.saabplanet.com/1986-saab-9000-turbo-taxi-mobile-phone-vhs/): In 1986, Televerket Radio equipped a Saab 9000 Turbo taxi with a mobile phone, pager, radio, TV and VHS player for rear-seat passengers. - [Arlöv-Built 1980 Saab 99 Turbo Heads to Bilweb With a $30,000 Estimate](https://www.saabplanet.com/1980-saab-99-turbo-arlov-bilweb-auction/): Arlöv-built 1980 Saab 99 Turbo with UK history, 56,500 miles and documented restoration heads to Bilweb with a $30,000 estimate. - [IntSaab 2026 Returned to Sweden After 10 Years: Germans Were the Largest Three-Day Group](https://www.saabplanet.com/intsaab-2026-returned-to-sweden-after-10-years-germans-were-the-largest-three-day-group/): IntSaab 2026 brought Saab owners from 26 countries to Sweden, with Germans forming the largest national group among three-day participants. - [Erik Wankerl’s Saab 900 Turbo Concept Reaches Portuguese Print in autoDRIVE #91](https://www.saabplanet.com/erik-wankerl-saab-900-turbo-autodrive-portugal/): Erik Wankerl’s Saab 900 Turbo 2025 concept appears in autoDRIVE #91, illustrating a four-page Portuguese column about Saab and the dream of a new 900. - [Saab Session Slovakia 2026 Registration Opens for October Gathering in Liptovská Osada](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-session-slovakia-2026-registration-liptovska-osada/): Registration is open for Saab Session Slovakia 2026 in Liptovská Osada, October 2–4, with entries limited to 99 participant cars. - [French Saab Owners Face 500 km Trips for €475 Takata Airbag Replacement](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-takata-france-10-service-centers-475-euros/): Hedin Parts lists 10 French service centers for Saab Takata airbag replacement at €475, while owners report round trips of 500–580 km. - [SKANDIX Reproduces Saab 9-5 Windshield Washer Nozzle 5584917](https://www.saabplanet.com/skandix-saab-9-5-washer-nozzle-5584917/): SKANDIX has reproduced Saab 5584917, the twin-jet windshield washer nozzle used on early Saab 9-5 models up to chassis 43011867. - [One of 38: Saab 9-3 Independence Edition No.06 Sells in Paris After €57,900 Listing](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-3-independence-edition-no-06-mecanicus-paris/): Saab 9-3 Independence Edition No.06, one of only 38 completed, was listed by Paris dealer Mecanicus at €57,900 with 55,000 km. - [Paul Cowland’s Saab 900 “Parts Car” Passes Its MOT After 45 Hours of Welding](https://www.saabplanet.com/paul-cowlands-saab-900-parts-car-passes-its-mot-after-45-hours-of-welding/): Paul Cowland’s Saab 900i Convertible returns to the road after 45 hours of welding, major rust repairs and a fresh MOT from Auto Lass. - [Jason Castriota Explains Saab’s Lost 9-3, 9-2 and Sonett in a New Interview](https://www.saabplanet.com/jason-castriota-saab-phoenix-9-3-9-2-sonett/): Jason Castriota explains Saab’s PhoeniX, Project 540, the unfinished 9-3, and the separate 9-2 and Sonett plans in Alriks Bilar’s Fenix series. - [One of Australia’s 43 Saab 9-5NG Vectors Is for Sale - With the TiD4 the U.S. Never Received](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-5ng-vector-tid4-australia-sale/): A rare Australian-spec Saab 9-5NG Vector TiD4 is offered at A$14,990—one of 43 local Vectors and a diesel never sold in the U.S. - [BT Changer Moves to a New Connector, Fixes CAN Stability, and Expands Beyond Saab](https://www.saabplanet.com/bt-changer-firmware-3-0-7-new-connector/): BT Changer introduces a new connector, firmware 3.0.7 CAN-bus fixes, wider Clarion support, and early testing in Alfa Romeo and PSA models. - [Solstad Saab 9000 Camper Heads to Kronofogden Auction With a 40,000 SEK Estimate](https://www.saabplanet.com/solstad-saab-9000-camper-kronofogden-auction/): A 1991 Solstad Saab 9000 camper with a detachable living module is heading to a Kronofogden auction with a 40,000 SEK estimate. - [Three Saabs Worth Watching at Bilweb’s August Auction: Restored 96, 205-HP 9-3 and One-Family 9000 A50](https://www.saabplanet.com/bilweb-august-2026-saab-96-9-3-9000-a50/): Bilweb offers a restored 1978 Saab 96, a 91,239-km 205-hp 9-3 SE and a one-family 1998 Saab 9000 A50 on August 5. - [ChatGPT Found the Fault Two Workshops Missed - and Helped This Saab 9-3 Convertible Pass Inspection](https://www.saabplanet.com/chatgpt-saab-9-3-convertible-abs-wiring-fault-inspection/): Two workshops chased a Saab 9-3 ABS fault through a wheel bearing and control module before a wiring test exposed the real problem. - [Saab Had Around 100 BMW N18 Engines in Trollhättan: Peter Dahl Reveals How Far Project 540 Had Progressed](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-bmw-n18-project-540-peter-dahl/): Peter Dahl reveals how Saab chose BMW’s N18 for Project 540, built a running mule in three weeks, and had around 100 engines in Trollhättan. - [10,000 Saab Owners in France Receive Takata Airbag Letters - and Face a Reported €475 Repair Bill](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-france-takata-airbag-10000-owners-letters-reported-475-euros/): France has contacted roughly 10,000 Saab owners over defective Takata airbags. What the letters say, the €475 cost and what owners must do. - [SKANDIX Reproduces the Saab 900 Turbo Manifold - and Fixes Its Cracking Flaw!](https://www.saabplanet.com/skandix-saab-900-turbo-exhaust-manifold-reproduction/): SKANDIX has reproduced the Saab 900 Turbo exhaust manifold, revising its mounting holes to reduce the cracking that plagued original castings. - [He Wore a Tuxedo on His Last Day at Saab: Thomas Musanti Jr.’s Story](https://www.saabplanet.com/thomas-musanti-jr-saab-usa-warehouse-collection/): Former Saab Cars USA supervisor Thomas Musanti Jr. recalls Meriden and Fogelsville while offering his books, models and Saab-Scania memorabilia. - [Four Saab 9-3s, Four Different Chapters: Alex Hoogland’s Dutch Collection](https://www.saabplanet.com/alex-hoogland-saab-9-3-collection-netherlands/): Alex Hoogland’s Dutch collection includes a Griffin Aero V6, two 9-3 Convertibles and a modified 291-hp first-generation Coupé. - [For Sale in Serbia: 2009 Saab 9-5 Aero SportCombi with 260 HP](https://www.saabplanet.com/2009-saab-9-5-aero-sportcombi-for-sale-serbia/): 2009 Saab 9-5 Aero SportCombi for sale in Serbia with 260 HP, automatic transmission, 275,000 km and a €3,500 asking price. - [A Final-Year Saab 99 Named "Malin" Leads Bilweb’s Late-July Saab Lineup](https://www.saabplanet.com/1984-saab-99-gl-malin-bilweb-auction/): This original-paint 1984 Saab 99 GL combines 99,175 km, a documented Swedish history and period accessories ahead of Bilweb’s July auction. - [How TunStyle Turned a Saab Enthusiast Hobby Into a Growing Parts Catalog](https://www.saabplanet.com/tunstyle-saab-exterior-interior-parts-story/): TunStyle began as a Saab enthusiast hobby and grew into a source of hard-to-find exterior, interior and Hirsch-style parts for several Saab models. - [Built for the Procession: Inside the Six-Door Coleman Milne Saab 9-5](https://www.saabplanet.com/coleman-milne-saab-9-5-six-door-limousine/): AutoWeek reveals how Coleman Milne turned a 2004 Saab 9-5 2.3t into a six-door, eight-seat funeral limousine nearly 20 feet long. - [From a Brittany Rally to France’s Collector-Car Press: SaabZH Reaches the Front Page](https://www.saabplanet.com/saabzh-la-vie-de-lauto-brittany-rally-feature/): French weekly La Vie de l’Auto gives SaabZH a cover mention and full report after the association’s first official Brittany rally. - [The Saab 99 That Missed Reserve at $23,500 - Then Sold for $27,000](https://www.saabplanet.com/1984-saab-99-relisted-sold-27000-bring-a-trailer/): A modified 1984 Saab 99 missed reserve at $23,500, lost its high bidder, then returned to Bring a Trailer without reserve and sold for $27,000. - [When Saab Owners Tried to Buy the Company: The Forgotten Rescue Saab Campaign](https://www.saabplanet.com/rescue-saab-2009-owner-buyout-campaign/): In 2009, three Dresden enthusiasts asked Saab owners to fund a buyout and become shareholders - an early crowdfunding plan before Kickstarter. - [When a 218-HP Saab 9-3 Coupé Outran the BMW 328 Ci](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-3-coupe-bmw-328ci-automovil-1999-test/): A 1999 Automóvil test found the Saab 9-3 Coupé faster than the BMW 328 Ci—and still offers useful advice for youngtimer buyers. - [Inside the Saab 9-5NG SCL: Mark van Kampen Repairs the Motor and Broken Spindle](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-5ng-scl-repair-mark-van-kampen-km-tronics/): KM-Tronics' Mark van Kampen shows how Saab 9-5NG owners can repair a failed GM steering lock by replacing its DC motor or broken spindle. - [Through Bo Ulander’s Lens: Svenska Saabklubben Celebrates 50 Years in Ullånge](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-club-50th-anniversary-bo-ulander-ullanger/): Bo Ulander documents Svenska Saabklubben’s 50th anniversary in Ullånger with a firsthand report and a 279-photo Flickr gallery. - [32k-Mile 1991 Saab 900 S Convertible Sells for $14,250 - Despite Its Automatic and Accident History](https://www.saabplanet.com/1991-saab-900-s-convertible-bat-14250/): A repaired 32k-mile 1991 Saab 900 S automatic sold for $14,250 on BaT after intense bidding and detailed accident documentation. - [Low-Mileage 2011 Saab 9-3 Convertible Heads to Charterhouse's July Sale](https://www.saabplanet.com/2011-saab-9-3-convertible-charterhouse-auction/): A 2011 Saab 9-3 1.8t Linear convertible, owned two years by a retired army officer, goes under the hammer at Charterhouse's July 24 Antiques & Interiors sale, estimated at £3,000-£4,000. - [20 Saabs, Three Silver 2014 9-3s and Five New Bodies: Inside Joakim Bratell’s Working Collection](https://www.saabplanet.com/joakim-bratell-20-car-saab-collection/): Inside Joakim Bratell’s 20-car Saab collection: three silver 2014 9-3s, five new bodies, original interiors and cars still regularly driven. - [Autocar Still Wants a Saab in 2026 and That Is the Real Story](https://www.saabplanet.com/autocar-saab-2026-opinion-column-fact-check/): Autocar says it still wants a Saab in 2026. SaabPlanet checks the GM-era history behind the column - the 9-3, the 9-5 NG, and what actually happened with Project 106. - [The Second Million Starts Here: SAC Taiwan Strips a 999,999-Km Saab 9-5 to the Shell](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-5-million-kilometer-restoration-sac-taiwan/): SAC Taiwan dismantles a 999,999-km Saab 9-5, rebuilding its engine, automatic transmission, chassis, body, and interior for continued use. - [Saab 9-3 SID Relocation Kit Brings the Display Back to the Top of the Dash](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-3-sid-relocation-kit-ng9-5-cluster/): Developed by Ahmad Abu Maizer with eSID creator Henrik Glad, this new kit relocates the 2007–2014 Saab 9-3 SID to the top of the dashboard and supports a more complete NG9-5 cluster retrofit. - [The Only 300HP Saab 9-5 Aero Hirsch on AutoScout24 Is Asking €20,000](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-5-aero-hirsch-300-ps-autoscout24/): A documented 2007 Saab 9-5 Aero Hirsch with 300 PS, rare six-spoke wheels and 246,493 km is listed in Germany for €20,000. - [Before Buying a Saab 9-3 Convertible, Read This: Zach Mortin’s New 88-Page Guide Arrives in August](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-3-convertible-buyers-guide-zach-mortin-book/): Saab specialist Zach Mortin’s new 88-page guide covers 1998–2012 Saab 9-3 Convertibles, common faults, inspections, costs and restoration. - [NEVS Bought Protean, Emily GT Used Its In-Wheel Motors - Now Renault Will Put Them Into Production](https://www.saabplanet.com/protean-in-wheel-motors-nevs-emily-gt-renault/): NEVS bought Protean, tested its in-wheel motors in Saab 9-3 prototypes and used them in Emily GT. Now Renault is taking the technology into production. - [One of the Last Saab 9-3OG Aero Convertibles May Soon Need a New Custodian](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-3-aero-convertible-uk-sale/): This late 2003 Saab 9-3 Aero Convertible combines rare light leather, a strong MOT history and a reluctant owner who may soon let it go. - [Saab 900 Turn Signal Stalks Can Be Repaired Again - Skandix Has Brought Back the Fix](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-900-turn-signal-switch-repair-kit/): Skandix has brought back a repair kit for classic Saab 900 turn signal stalks that no longer stay engaged due to internal mechanical wear. - [What Happened After the Hammer Fell: The 7-Kilometer Saab 96 That Helped Fund Cancer Research](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-96-7-km-cancer-research-follow-up/): The 7-km Acacia Green Saab 96 sold for 500,000 SEK in 2022. Its late owner's estate later supported myeloma research in Borås. - [Bilweb's July Auction Pits a Manual Turbo X SportCombi Against a California Aero V6 Convertible](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-turbo-x-sportcombi-aero-v6-convertible-bilweb-july-2026/): Bilweb's July 15 auction features a manual Saab 9-3 Turbo X SportCombi and a California-supplied 2007 Aero V6 Convertible. - [42 Years, 152,000 Miles, One Paper Trail: This 1983 Saab 900 Turbo Is Selling at No Reserve](https://www.saabplanet.com/1983-saab-900-turbo-family-owned-bat-no-reserve/): A 1983 Saab 900 Turbo in Ivory, family-owned since circa 1984, brings 152k miles, decades of records and no-reserve BaT bidding. - [A Blind Date, a Blue Saab 96, and 53 Years: Ray and Pat Kopczynski’s Albany Saab Story](https://www.saabplanet.com/ray-pat-kopczynski-saab-love-story/): A blind date in Virginia led to 53 years of marriage and a lifetime of matching Saabs for an Albany, Oregon couple. Here is their story. - [37k-Mile 2005 Saab 9-5 2.3T Sells for $6,500 - Used-Car Money, Six-Saab Ending](https://www.saabplanet.com/37k-mile-2005-saab-9-5-23t-bat-6500/): A 37k-mile 2005 Saab 9-5 2.3T sold no reserve on BaT for $6,500, then joined a buyer’s six-Saab story. - [Paul Cowland's 20-Year-Dormant Saab 900 Turbo S Has a Red APC Mystery Under the Bonnet](https://www.saabplanet.com/paul-cowland-saab-900-turbo-s-garage-find/): Paul Cowland revives a Saab 900 Turbo S dormant for two decades, with original paint, 16S trim and a possible Carlsson APC clue. - [France Puts the Takata Recall Back on the Saab Agenda: What 9-3 and 9-5 Owners Need to Check Now](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-takata-airbag-recall-france-hedin-parts-vin-check/): France has reactivated the Takata airbag issue for Saab owners. Check the facts, VIN routes, and replacement options. - [Inside "The Box": Hoojies Garage Finds the Saab Museum Cars Most Visitors Rarely See](https://www.saabplanet.com/hoojies-garage-the-box-saab-museum-video-tour/): Hoojies Garage tours The Box in Trollhättan, highlighting Saab prototypes, mules, concept studies, and rare museum cars. - [Swedes in Swabia: Alte Schweden 2026 Puts Saab Motorsport and the 900 Cabriolet’s 40th Anniversary in Focus](https://www.saabplanet.com/alte-schweden-2026-saab-900-cabriolet-stuttgart/): Saab and Volvo classics meet at Motorworld Region Stuttgart on July 19, 2026, with motorsport exhibits and 40 years of the Saab 900 Cabriolet. - [From 18th Birthday Gift to Badgeless Aero Replica: Sebastian Hörnberg’s White Saab 9000 CSE](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9000-cse-aero-replica-sebastian-hornberg/): Sebastian Hörnberg’s family-owned 1997 Saab 9000 CSE became a badgeless white Aero-style build on Work VS-X9 wheels and Air Lift 3P. - [The “Most Expensive Saab” Is Back - This Sonett II Now Costs Nearly 20% Less](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-sonett-ii-chassis-19-returns-to-market-2026/): The pre-series Saab Sonett II described as linked to Erik Carlsson is for sale again, now through Ricond AB at 799,000 kr (~$82,000) - down from a 995,000 kr ask in 2024. - [Team O'Neil Runs a $700 Saab 900 Turbo Up Its Icy Rally Course](https://www.saabplanet.com/team-oneil-700-dollar-saab-900-turbo-rally-course/): Team O'Neil Rally School bought a 1985 Saab 900 Turbo for $700, fitted studded Nokian tires, and ran it up their icy New Hampshire rally course. Here's how a 214,000-mile car held up. - [A 42-Year Owner Is Selling This 1976 Saab 99 GL in Colorado](https://www.saabplanet.com/1976-saab-99-gl-colorado-42-year-owner/): A Sienna Brown 1976 Saab 99 GL in Colorado is listed at $14,900 after 42 years with one owner and a 2021 drivetrain rebuild. - [The 6,169-Kilometer Saab 900 T8 Special Has Sold for $46,000 - Twice the Bid We Saw Days Earlier](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-900-t8-special-sold-46000-bilweb-auction/): The 6,169-km Saab 900 T8 Special has sold for $46,000, doubling its earlier bid and setting a new 2026 Saab auction benchmark. - [At 20, Josh Is Proof Saab Still Attracts a New Generation](https://www.saabplanet.com/young-saab-owner-2008-saab-9-3/): A 20-year-old Saab owner named Josh is bringing his 2008 Parchment Silver Saab 9-3 back to life, proving the brand still inspires a new generation of enthusiasts. - [4,149-Mile Saab 9-3 Convertible Heads to UK Auction](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-3-vector-convertible-4149-miles-uk-auction/): A 2008-registered Saab 9-3 Vector Convertible with 4,149 miles heads to Manor Park Classics, with a VIN detail Saab buyers should check. - [When Should You Hire a Car Accident Lawyer After a Saab Collision?](https://www.saabplanet.com/st-louis-car-accident-lawyer-after-collision/): Table of Contents1 When Should You Hire a Car Accident Lawyer After a Saab Collision in St. Louis? 2 Why... - [50 Saabs, 10 Volvos, Oysters and a Bagad: SaabZH Turned Brittany Into France's Swedish Car Capital](https://www.saabplanet.com/saabzh-brittany-rally-report-2026/): Full report on the SaabZH Rallye Saab & Volvo 2026: route, contest winners, vehicle count, SNSM donation, and the Bagad de Kervignac at Château de Kerdurand. - [Saab Club Nederland's Maas- en Waalrit 2026: 100km, 50 Members, One Barbecue](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-club-nederland-maas-en-waalrit-2026/): Saab Club Nederland adjusted its annual Maas- en Waalrit for a heat wave, routing 50 members and their Saabs along 100km of river dikes to a member's home for a closing barbecue. - [Before the Aero X, There Was the Troll: This 2005 Hirsch-Tuned 9-5 SportCombi Is a Time Capsule](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-5-hirsch-troll-r-estate-for-sale/): Long before Hirsch Performance became synonymous with the Saab 9-3 Turbo X or the late-model 9-5 NG Aero, the Swiss... - [A 1993 Saab 9000 CD Photo Finally Brought Jan Goldenbaum Back to Trollhättan](https://www.saabplanet.com/1993-saab-photo-jan-goldenbaum-trollhattan-vip-weekend/): Jan Goldenbaum’s 1993 Saab 9000 CD photo led to a VIP Trollhättan weekend with Saab Museum, NEVS, Emily GT and LaserRed 278. - [Skandix Brings Back the Windshield Trim Set Saab 900 Convertible Owners Actually Need](https://www.saabplanet.com/skandix-saab-900-convertible-windshield-trim-set/): Skandix has reproduced the Saab 900 Convertible windshield trim set, including the lower strip and connectors needed for correct glass replacement. - [Why Your Saab 9-3 Lost Its Warning Sounds: The MIU Speaker Fix](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-3ng-miu-sound-repair/): Mark van Kampen shows how to repair Saab 9-3NG MIU sound faults caused by a failed internal speaker. - [A New Saab 900 in 2026? This 6,169-Kilometer T8 Special Was Parked in 1990](https://www.saabplanet.com/1989-saab-900-t8-special-6169-km-bilweb-auction/): A rare 1989 Saab 900 T8 Special with only 6,169 km is live on Bilweb Auctions, already above reserve before the July 1 close. - [What Started With 19 Saab 900s Is Becoming Something Much Bigger in Brittany - and France Is Taking Notice](https://www.saabplanet.com/saabzh-brittany-saab-volvo-expo-kerdurand-2026/): SaabZH expands from 19 Saab 900s in Étel to a wider Saab and Volvo gathering in Brittany, supporting France’s SNSM sea rescue service. - [Inside Saab's Twin-Turbo V6 Prototype: The Tear-Down Reveals How Saab Was Really Developing It](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-twin-turbo-v6-prototype-engine-teardown/): The latest KM-Tronics tear-down reveals how Saab developed its unfinished twin-turbo V6 prototype, exposing unique engineering solutions and prototype components. - [Who killed Saab Automobile?](https://www.saabplanet.com/who-killed-saab-automobile/): A close read of the Holweg/Oliver report on Saab’s collapse: GM, Spyker, China, the 9-5 NG, and the numbers behind it. - [Happy 80th, Pekka: Per Eklund, the Saab Driver Who Never Let Go](https://www.saabplanet.com/per-eklund-80-saab-rallycross-pikes-peak/): Per Eklund turns 80: Saab works driver, 1976 Swedish Rally winner, European Rallycross champion and Pikes Peak hero. - [The Cars Saab Owners Secretly Respect: Volvo Wins the Vote, but the Real Story Is Much More Interesting](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-owners-secretly-respect-volvo-subaru-alfa-romeo/): Saab owners named the non-Saab cars they respect most. Volvo won, but Subaru, Alfa Romeo, Citroën, Lancia and Polestar tell the deeper story. - [999,999 km and Still Chosen: SAC Taiwan Prepares a 2006 Saab 9-5 for Its Second Million](https://www.saabplanet.com/2006-saab-9-5-taiwan-one-million-kilometers-restoration/): A 2006 Saab 9-5 in Taiwan has reached 999,999 km, with SAC Taiwan preparing a full restoration for its next million kilometers. - [Same Day, Different Saab Market: Why a Monte Carlo Yellow 900 Convertible Missed Reserve While a 99 Turbo Sold in Sweden](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-900-se-turbo-convertible-monte-carlo-yellow-bat-99-turbo-bilweb-auction/): A Monte Carlo Yellow 1991 Saab 900 SE Turbo stalled at $14,000 on BaT, while a 1979 Saab 99 Turbo sold in Sweden for 236,000 SEK. - [Same Engine, Different Oil Doctrine: Why Saab and Lancia Chose Different Oils for the 1.9 Twin-Turbo Diesel](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-3-ttid-lancia-delta-twin-turbo-diesel-oil-comparison/): Why Saab specified 0W-40 C3 for the 9-3 TTiD while Lancia used 5W-40 Z2 for the same 1.9 twin-turbo diesel hardware. - [Marble White Saab 99 Turbo Sells for 236,000 SEK: A Former Saab Mechanic’s Restoration Finds Its Buyer](https://www.saabplanet.com/1979-saab-99-turbo-bilweb-auction/): Restored 1979 Saab 99 Turbo in rare Marble White sells for 236,000 SEK, below estimate but with reserve reached on Bilweb Auctions. - [Stolen Saab 900 Turbo Found in Groningen: Community Recovered It Before Police Could Act](https://www.saabplanet.com/stolen-saab-900-turbo-groningen-found-carpool/): A red Saab 900 Turbo stolen from a garage in Groningen was recovered within hours — thanks to the Saab forum community, not the police. - [Black 1989 Saab 900 Turbo Cabriolet Stolen in Prague: Owner Appeals for Leads](https://www.saabplanet.com/stolen-1989-saab-900-turbo-cabriolet-prague/): Black 1989 Saab 900 Turbo Cabriolet stolen in Prague. Owner shares VIN, plate, and identifying details as the Saab community watches for leads - [What Saab Drivers in South Florida Should Expect When Working With an Injury Law Firm](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-accident-injury-claims-south-florida/): South Florida Saab crash claims depend on photos, medical records, insurance response, and clear legal documentation before evidence disappears. - [KM-Tronics Installs First Saab 9-3NG Sedan LED Bar Prototype and Opens Testing to Owners](https://www.saabplanet.com/km-tronics-saab-93ng-sedan-led-bar-prototype-testing/): KM-Tronics has installed its Saab 9-3NG Sedan LED bar prototype and is inviting owners to join testing before a possible release. - [The Man Who Keeps Saab Alive: He Bought Two of the Last Cars Off the Factory Line – Then Brought Their Interiors Back to Life Too](https://www.saabplanet.com/joakim-bratell-two-last-saab-9-3-trollhattan-interiors/): Saab collector Joakim Bratell bought two final 2014 Saab 9-3s from Trollhättan and also helped revive Saab interior production in Sweden. - [What Evidence Matters After a Saab Accident Injury Claim in Boston](https://www.saabplanet.com/what-evidence-matters-after-a-saab-accident-injury-claim-in-boston/): Evidence that supports a Saab accident injury claim in Boston, from police reports and medical records to repair files, video, and wage loss. - [A 29,000-km 2002 Saab 9-3 Aero Cabriolet With ASI Historic Certification Surfaces in Switzerland for CHF 24,900](https://www.saabplanet.com/2002-saab-9-3-aero-cabriolet-with-29000-km-listed-at-chf-24900/): A 2002 Saab 9-3 Aero Cabriolet with 29,000 km, ASI paperwork, and a CHF 24,900 price appears on AutoScout24 Switzerland. - [How Medical Records Prove Injury Severity After a Saab Crash](https://www.saabplanet.com/medical-records-injury-severity-saab-crash-claims/): Medical records help prove injury severity after a crash, even when a Saab cabin holds. Saab safety context and Georgia claim basics. - [When a Saab 9-3 Sneaked Into the Monaco Grand Prix](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-3-monaco-grand-prix-ai-tiktok/): TikTok creator @abu_kabab used AI to place his Saab 9-3 into the Monaco Grand Prix, creating a short viral clip that has already passed 100,000 views. - [Key Steps to Take After a Saab Car Accident Before Filing a Claim](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-car-accident-claim-steps/): After a Saab crash, medical records, repair evidence and careful reporting can protect your claim before insurers or legal disputes begin. - [Money Pit or Labor of Love? Saab Owners Reveal Their Priciest Repairs and Rite-of-Passage Fixes](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-priciest-repairs-rite-of-passage-fixes/): Saab owners share costly repairs, from engines, gearboxes and turbos to DI cassettes, CIM faults, sludge, CPS sensors and rust. - [Saab Phoenix Chassis Secrets: How Project 540 Was Aiming to Give the 9-3 the World’s Best Chassis](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-phoenix-project-540-chassis-front-rear-suspension/): Saab Project 540 chassis secrets: Fenix front suspension, 5-link rear axle, electric rear axle preparation and Saab’s lost 2013 9-3. - [How Taiwan Became Saab’s 7th-Largest Market in 1994 - and Why Owners Still Remember It](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-taiwan-1994-seventh-largest-market/): Taiwan ranked 7th among Saab markets in 1994, with 2,300 cars sold and a loyal owner base still active decades later. - [Saab SAHR: The Rear-Impact Seat Technology That Cut Whiplash Risk by 75%](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-sahr-whiplash-risk-reduction-study/): A field study found Saab SAHR cut medium-to-long-term whiplash risk by 75%. Here is how the 9-5 and 9-3 seats did it. - [Securing Evidence After a Saab Accident: Why You Need a Dedicated Car Accident Lawyer](https://www.saabplanet.com/securing-evidence-after-saab-accident/): Why early evidence, medical records, witness statements, and Saab crash data matter after a serious car accident claim. - [Joel Artursson’s 3D-Printed Saab Manifold Enters Its Next Phase With Six Production-Ready Designs](https://www.saabplanet.com/joel-artursson-second-3d-printed-saab-manifold/): Joel Artursson’s 3D-printed Saab exhaust manifold project moves beyond the prototype stage with six optimized designs for multiple turbo setups. - [NEVS Thanks Saab Fans as Trollhättan Auction Pieces Head to New Homes](https://www.saabplanet.com/nevs-trollhattan-auction-saab-memorabilia-new-homes/): NEVS thanked Saab fans after the Trollhättan auction, where memorabilia and model cars found new homes across the Saab community. - [A 500,000-Subscriber Used-Car Channel Just Put the OG Saab 9-3 on Trial](https://www.saabplanet.com/redriven-saab-9-3-2026-review/): ReDriven reviews the OG Saab 9-3 in 2026, covering Viggen torque steer, firewall cracks, roof hydraulics, rust, parts and Saab ownership. - [One Owner Since New: 2007 Saab 9-3 Vector Sport Anniversary For Sale in London](https://www.saabplanet.com/one-owner-2007-saab-9-3-vector-sport-anniversary-london/): One-owner 2007 Saab 9-3 Vector Sport Anniversary manual for sale in London, with FSH, MOT to April 2027 and £1,995 asking price. - [The Saab 900 Convertible Was Hong Kong’s Sharpest 1990s Movie Car](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-900-convertible-hong-kong-cinema-1990s/): Flat Out Hong Kong revisits the Saab 900 Convertible, its 1990s movie presence, celebrity pull, and premium status in Hong Kong. - [The Box Opens In Trollhättan: 600 Visitors, 115 Saabs, And A Museum Built For The Global Saab Crowd](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-car-museum-the-box-opening-115-saabs/): The Box opened in Trollhättan with over 600 visitors, 115 Saab cars, Ursaaben at the entrance, and guests from across the world. - [Taiwan’s Orange NG 9-5 Aero Shows What 28 Years of Saab Loyalty Looks Like](https://www.saabplanet.com/taiwan-orange-saab-ng-95-aero/): A Taiwanese Saab owner’s 28-year journey reaches an orange NG 9-5 Aero, backed by SAC Taiwan and long-term brand trust. - [The 478 Saabs Built in Uruguay: The South American Chapter Saab History Almost Forgot](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-uruguay-478-cars-automotora-boreal/): Club Saab Uruguay documents 478 locally assembled Saabs, Automotora Boreal, rally history and a living South American Saab scene. - [Saab 9-3 Sport Sedan LED Bar Moves Into Testing - KM-Tronics Is Getting Closer to Production](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-93ng-sport-sedan-led-bar-testing-km-tronics/): KM-Tronics is testing the Saab 9-3NG Sport Sedan LED bar, with LED output, wiring, paint, heat cycles and final fitment now under development. - [Saab Club Nederland’s Maas & Waal Drive Turns a June Saturday Into a Proper Dutch Saab Route](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-club-nederland-maas-waal-drive-2026/): Saab Club Nederland announces the 2026 Maas & Waal drive, a 120-km SCN route from Druten to Horssen with museum visit and barbecue. - [Nina Selander After the Trollhättan Auction: "Saab Fan Clubs Are Still Growing"](https://www.saabplanet.com/nina-selander-sverigesradio-saab-auction-aftermath/): NEVS CEO Nina Selander spoke after the May 30 auction: Saab fan clubs growing, cash running out, and Emily GT still seeking a buyer. - [One of 1,363: Finnish-Built 1980 Saab 99 Turbo in Acacia Green Is Still Waiting for Its Reserve](https://www.saabplanet.com/1980-saab-99-turbo-acacia-green-bilweb-auction/): A rare 1980 Saab 99 Turbo in Acacia Green is at Bilweb Auctions with 145 hp, Finnish build, 269,240 km and reserve not reached. - [After 24 Years, Perry & Prouse Is Closing - UK Saab Owners Lose a Trusted Name](https://www.saabplanet.com/after-24-years-perry-prouse-is-closing-uk-saab-owners-lose-a-trusted-name/): Perry & Prouse, the Taunton Saab specialist, will close after 24 years, leaving South West Saab owners with a real service gap. - [Peter Dahl Explains the Last Saab and NEVS 9-3s - and What Trollhättan Really Sold](https://www.saabplanet.com/peter-dahl-saab-nevs-trollhattan-auction-context/): Peter Dahl explains the final Saab 9-3s, NEVS EV prototypes, Emily GT links and the engineering story behind Trollhättan's auction. - [Trollhättan's Last Saab 9-3s Find New Owners: The Complete Auction Results](https://www.saabplanet.com/trollhattans-last-saab-9-3s-find-new-owners-the-complete-auction-results/): Seven Saab/NEVS 9-3-based cars sold at Klaravik on May 30, 2026. Final prices, USD values, bid counts, and technical details. - [587 New Saab Engines, Six Lifts Always Full - How Meppel Turned Saab Bankruptcy Into a Business](https://www.saabplanet.com/saabpartners-meppel-587-engines-youngtimer-tax/): A Dutch Saab specialist built a business around 587 factory-new engines from Trollhättan. Now youngtimer tax uncertainty threatens the model. - [This £5,750 Lime Yellow Saab 9-3 Aero Convertible Has the Hirsch Spec Most Buyers Will Miss](https://www.saabplanet.com/lime-yellow-saab-9-3-aero-hirsch-convertible-uk-sale/): A Lime Yellow 2005 Saab 9-3 Aero Convertible in the UK is listed for £5,750 with Hirsch Stage 2 tuning and Maptun upgrades. - [Saab’s Lost 2013 9-3 Future Is Moving Again - Project 540 Returns After 15 Years!](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-phoenix-fenix-platform-project-540-griffin-cars/): Griffin Cars revives Saab’s Phoenix/Fenix Project 540 technology with NEVS parts, real 9-3 builds and an eight-car limited series. - [Garry Small Is Leaving the Saab Business at 86 - But Portland’s Saab Lifeline Is Not Closing](https://www.saabplanet.com/garry-small-saab-portland-retirement-official-service-center/): Garry Small is retiring at 86 and selling his Portland Saab business, but its official West Coast service role is expected to continue. - [Saab Saturday 2026 Turns Ten: Germany’s Biggest Regular Saab Meet Returns to Riesenbeck](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-saturday-2026-riesenbeck-saab-meeting-germany/): Saab Saturday 2026 returns to Riesenbeck on May 30 with up to 300 cars, free entry, jury awards, a parts market and OSRAM LED demos. - [Saab Owners Were Asked for the Perfect Color - Their Answers Became a Map of the Brand](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-colors-owners-scarab-green-nocturne-blue-laser-red/): Saab owners debate the colors that best define the brand, from Scarab Green and Nocturne Blue to Laser Red, Monte Carlo Yellow and Steel Gray. - [What Really Matters When Choosing 245/60R18 Tires for SUVs and Light Trucks](https://www.saabplanet.com/245-60r18-tires-suv-light-trucks-buyers-guide/): Learn how to choose the best 245/60R18 tires for your SUV or light truck. We compare HT, AT, and all-season options by load capacity, wet traction, and tread life. - [A Fully Rebuilt 1984 Saab 900 Still Ran Terribly - Until a Budapest Mechanic Found What Everyone Else Missed](https://www.saabplanet.com/1984-saab-900-carburetor-carclassics-hungary/): A 1984 Saab 900 arrived weak, smoky, and thirsty. Carclassics Hungary traced the fault through carburetor tuning and ignition timing. - [A 24-Year-Old Saab 9-3 Aero Is Already Around $16,000 - and Bidders Aren’t Done Yet](https://www.saabplanet.com/2002-saab-9-3-aero-bilweb-auction/): A 44,219-km 2002 Saab 9-3 Aero manual has cleared reserve at Bilweb, showing how strong the best OG Aero cars have become. - [1,000 Miles Tomorrow? Saab Owners Named the Engines They Trust - But Maintenance Won](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-engines-owners-trust-maintenance-1000-mile-trip/): Saab owners reveal which engines they would trust for a 1,000-mile trip, from TiD and TTiD diesels to B235R, B234, B207, V6 and V4. - [A 15-Year-Old Saab 9-3X Sold for Nearly US$25,000 - The Meppel Rebuild Explains Why](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-3x-aero-griffin-sold-nearly-25000-meppel-rebuild/): A rebuilt Saab 9-3X Aero Griffin XWD sold for 229,001 SEK, proving why Meppel’s SAAB Partners BV matters. - [6 Doors, 7 Seats, Saab Museum History: This 1989 Saab 9000 CD Turbo Is Listed in Germany](https://www.saabplanet.com/1989-saab-9000-cd-turbo-six-door-limousine-germany/): A 1989 Saab 9000 CD Turbo six-door long version, linked to Saab AB VIP use and the Saab Museum, is listed in Kiel for €19,499. - [What Non-Saab Owners Will Never Understand About Saab](https://www.saabplanet.com/what-non-saab-owners-never-understand-about-saab/): Saab owners explain the comfort, quirks, torque, safety feel and stubborn loyalty outsiders rarely understand. - [Why Saab Still Feels More Human Than Most Modern Cars](https://www.saabplanet.com/why-saab-still-feels-more-human-than-most-modern-cars/): Saab’s driver-first ergonomics, clear controls, safety culture, and real-world turbo response still challenge modern screen-heavy cars. - [Japan’s 28th SAABDAY Proves Saab Culture Is Still Alive Where Few People Expect It](https://www.saabplanet.com/japan-28th-saabday-saab-owners-club-of-japan/): Japan’s 28th SAABDAY gathered Saab owners, rare models, Tech2 tools, and younger drivers keeping the brand alive. - [SAABs@Carlisle 2026 Won First Place And Reminded America How Strong The Saab Scene Still Is](https://www.saabplanet.com/saabscarlisle-2026-won-first-place-and-reminded-america-how-strong-the-saab-scene-still-is/): SAABs@Carlisle 2026 won the Club Challenge at Carlisle, bringing together convertibles, Viggens, T5 builds and Saab owners from across America. - [SAC Taiwan launches 2026 summer service campaign for Saab owners](https://www.saabplanet.com/sac-taiwan-launches-2026-summer-service-campaign-for-saab-owners/): SAC Taiwan has launched its 2026 summer service campaign for Saab owners, with inspections, discounts, and upgrade offers running through July 31. - [Saabclub Belgium Brings Dozens of Saabs to Bosland for a 120-Kilometer Lommel Tour](https://www.saabplanet.com/saabclub-belgium-boslandtour-lommel-2026/): Saabclub Belgium’s Boslandtour brought dozens of Saabs through Lommel, Postel, Achel and the Belgian-Dutch border region. - [Mannes Bilservice Saab Showroom Is Now Officially Open](https://www.saabplanet.com/mannes-bilservice-saab-showroom-is-now-officially-open/): Mannes Bilservice officially opens its Saab showroom in Sölvesborg, filmed by Marcus & Manuela’s Saab Channel. - [The Saab 9-5 Aero Wagon That Raised a Future Doctor](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-5-aero-wagon-sac-taiwan-family-restoration/): SAC Taiwan restores a Saab 9-5 Aero Wagon owned by a doctor for 20 years, preserving a family story of safety, memory, and legacy. - [Skandix Reproduces the Front Brake Calipers That Keep Saab 99, 90 and Early 900s on the Road](https://www.saabplanet.com/skandix-reproduces-the-front-brake-calipers-that-keep-saab-99-90-and-early-900s-on-the-road/): Skandix has remanufactured front brake calipers for Saab 99, Saab 90 and early classic 900 models, including solid and vented disc versions. - [Is Saab a Good Car to Buy? What to Know Before You Buy One](https://www.saabplanet.com/is-saab-a-good-car-to-buy-what-to-know-before-you-buy-one/): Considering a used model? Learn about this unique vehicle's reliability, common specs, and what to know before you buy one. - [The Way of the SAAB](https://www.saabplanet.com/the-way-of-the-saab/): Goran Martić turns the memory of a white Saab 900 in Belgrade into a personal essay on resilience, purposeful design, aviation logic, and independent thinking. - [NEVS Fights to Survive as the Last Saab 9-3s Leave Trollhättan](https://www.saabplanet.com/nevs-fights-to-survive-as-the-last-saab-9-3s-leave-trollhattan/): NEVS is selling the last Saab and NEVS vehicles from Trollhättan as Nina Selander reveals the company is fighting time and possible bankruptcy. - [Saab Owners Just Gave the Clearest Answer Yet: A New Saab Must Not Become Ordinary](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-owners-new-saab-must-not-become-ordinary/): Saab owners say a future Saab must keep the seats, safety, Night Panel, turbo feel, center ignition, hatch utility, and independent thinking. - [A Saab Can Survive the Impact - But Can It Survive the Insurance Claim?](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-texas-car-accident-insurance-claim/): Why Saab crash claims in Texas can become complicated by insurance disputes, rare parts, vehicle valuation, and post-accident paperwork. - [From Two Days to 57 Years: Why Saab Owners Still Refuse to Let Go!](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-owners-how-long-kept-their-cars/): SaabPlanet asked owners how long they have kept their Saabs. Their answers reveal why these cars stay in families, garages and daily life. - [NEVS Opens the Gates: The Last Saab 9-3s Are Leaving Trollhättan!](https://www.saabplanet.com/last-saab-9-3-nevs-trollhattan-auction/): NEVS will auction the final Saab and NEVS test cars left at Trollhättan, including three 2014 Saab 9-3s and rare EV prototypes. - [40 Years Of Saab Convertibles: The Swedish Idea That Shouldn’t Have Worked, But Did](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-convertible-40-years-vezess-hungary/): A new Hungarian feature on Vezess.hu looks at 40 years of Saab Cabriolets through three local owners, and its strongest point is simple: Saab did not build convertibles as fragile summer toys. - [400 Saab Owners Just Said What New Cars Still Get Wrong](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-owners-what-saabs-do-better-than-new-cars/): Nearly 400 Saab owners explain what their cars still do better than new models: seats, controls, winter grip, turbo torque and character. - [No Reserve, 300 HP, XWD: This 2010 Saab 9-5 Turbo6 Aero Has Already Put the Saab Crowd on Alert](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-5-turbo6-aero-xwd-no-reserve-auction/): No-reserve 2010 Saab 9-5 Turbo6 Aero XWD with 66,538 miles, 300 hp V6, specialist history, and strong Saab club attention. - [Which Saab Would Owners Never Buy Again? The Answers Were Brutally Specific](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-owners-never-buy-again-models/): Saab owners named the models they would never buy again, from NG900 and early 9-3 to diesel Saabs, automatics and the NG 9-5. - [When Saab Turned Taiwan Into a Live Performance Stage](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-performance-team-taiwan-stunt-shows/): Saab’s Taiwan performance shows turned production cars into proof of control, from Erik Carlsson’s 1983 debut to the 2006 TIS return. - [KM-Tronics Builds a New Fix for the Saab 9-5 Wagon Third Brake Light Housing](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-5-og-wagon-third-brake-light-housing-km-tronics/): KM-Tronics now repairs the failing Saab 9-5 OG Wagon third brake light housing with a stronger ASA replacement. - [Saab Car Museum Is Closed, But The Box Will Show 114 Saabs And One Caravan In Trollhättan This Summer](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-car-museum-the-box-114-saabs-nova-arena/): Saab Car Museum moves to Nova Arena this summer with The Box, a temporary exhibition showing 114 Saabs and one caravan in Trollhättan. - [The Saab Daily Driver Debate: Which Model Could You Trust for the Next 10 Years?](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-owners-one-daily-driver-next-10-years/): 625 Saab owners picked one daily driver for the next decade. The debate split between 9-5 comfort, 9000 logic, C900 emotion, and Viggen passion. - [Victor Muller Is Back With Spyker: The Saab Owner Who Refuses to Disappear Returns With an 800-HP V8](https://www.saabplanet.com/victor-muller-spyker-c8-preliator-saab-owner-comeback/): Victor Muller returns with Spyker’s new 800-hp C8 Preliator, reviving old questions from his Saab years and a new fight for relevance. - [Your Biggest Saab Mistake: 175 Owners Confess What They Got Wrong](https://www.saabplanet.com/your-biggest-saab-mistake-175-owners-confess-what-they-got-wrong/): 175 Saab owners admit what they got wrong: selling the right car, buying cheap projects, trusting bad repairs, ignoring rust and diesel warnings. - [Saab Classic Cars Goes International: English Edition of Issue No. 2 Is Now Available for Pre-Order](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-classic-cars-english-edition-issue-no-2/): Saab Classic Cars No. 2 is available in Swedish and English, with pre-orders open through the Saab Car Museum webshop until May 29. - [Saab Design Under Pressure: Why Owners Still See the 99 and 900 as the Purest Saabs](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-design-purest-expression-owner-debate/): SaabPlanet readers debated which Saab best defines Saab design - and why the 99, 900, 9000, 9-5 NG, 9-2X and 9-7X split opinion. - [Jay Leno’s $35,000 Classic Test Ends With a Saab 900 Turbo Convertible Surprise](https://www.saabplanet.com/jay-leno-saab-900-turbo-convertible-35000-classic-test/): Jay Leno and Donald Osborne compare three classics under $35,000, with a Saab 900 Turbo Convertible delivering the market surprise. - [Saab Owners Reveal the High-Mileage Survivors They Refuse to Retire](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-high-mileage-owners-facebook-community/): Saab owners shared huge mileage figures, from 545,000 km to a claimed 2.7 million km. Here are five standout cars still proving the point. - [A Classic Saab 900 Gets the Treatment It Always Deserved - SAC Taiwan Delivers Again](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-900-sac-taiwan-full-restoration-bare-metal-rebuild/): SAC Taiwan restores a classic Saab 900 with bare-metal bodywork, structural repair, multi-layer paint and mechanical detailing. - [He Bought It in 1976 - and Drove It to 1,011,539 Kilometers: Inside Lennart’s Saab 99](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-99-1-million-km-lennart-50-year-ownership-story/): A 1973 Saab 99 owned since 1976 reaches 1,011,539 km. Full records, four engines, and decades of real use reveal how longevity actually happens. - [Manual vs Automatic in Saab? What 60+ Saab Owners Really Think - And Why the Answer Still Isn't Simple](https://www.saabplanet.com/manual-vs-automatic-saab-transmission-owner-poll-analysis/): Saab manual vs automatic debate analyzed through real owner feedback and 30 years of gearbox evolution across 900, 9000, 9-3, and 9-5 models. - [A Saab Enthusiast Built the Wireless Charging Console the OG9-5 Never Got - and It Fits Like It Should Have Been There](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-5-wireless-charging-console-9t-saabs-og95-upgrade/): 9T Saabs introduces a wireless charging console for the OG9-5 that installs cleanly, uses factory mounting logic, and integrates like an OEM solution. - [400HP Saab 9000 Aero Emerges from Hamburg Underground with Maptun Stage 6 Build](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9000-aero-maptun-stage-6-400hp-garage-11-hamburg/): 1998 Saab 9000 Aero with Maptun Stage 6, Porsche brakes, and custom H&R suspension listed in Hamburg at €26,900. - [Saab 900ng Turbo at 80 MPH Into a Concrete Wall - The Talladega Crash That Quietly Proved Saab’s Safety Claims](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-900-turbo-talladega-1996-crash-real-world-safety-test/): A 1996 Talladega crash involving a Saab 900 Turbo revealed how Saab’s safety engineering performed in a real 80 mph impact during a record run. - [Saab 96 Monte Carlo 850 Two-Stroke Stalls at $11K - Market Hesitation or Missed Opportunity?](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-96-monte-carlo-850-1966-bilweb-auction-analysis/): A 1966 Saab 96 Monte Carlo 850 two-stroke enters Bilweb auction with strong mechanical restoration but bids far below estimate. - [Taiwan's Saab Time Capsule: Inside the Workshop That Never Closed](https://www.saabplanet.com/taiwan-saab-workshop-where-the-brand-never-really-died/): Inside Taiwan’s surviving Saab network, a 1976 Saab 99, a classic 900, and veteran technicians reveal how the brand’s legacy still operates in practice. - [No Reserve, 42k Miles, Fusion Blue, V6, XWD: This 2008 Saab 9-3 Aero Manual Is Heading for a Serious Finish](https://www.saabplanet.com/2008-saab-9-3-aero-xwd-fusion-blue-manual-bat/): A 42k-mile 2008 Saab 9-3 Aero XWD 6-speed in Fusion Blue is live on Bring a Trailer with no reserve. Here is why this V6 sedan could finish strong. - [This 1976 Saab 99 GL Has the Mileage, the Interior, and the Price Gap That Could Wake Up Saab Collectors](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-99-gl-1976-low-mileage-auction-bilweb/): A 1976 Saab 99 GL with 68,169 km, documented history, and a remarkably fresh interior is still sitting far below estimate as the Bilweb auction nears closing. - [The Saab Owner’s Survival Logic: Managing Repairs, Value, and Rights After a Crash](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-crash-repair-structure-cost-insurance-value/): A Saab after a crash demands careful decisions. Structure, repair cost, and insurer value rarely align - here’s how to approach it correctly. - [The Last Perfect Saab: A 2011 9-3 Aero TX Hirsch Convertible With 17,000 km Just Surfaced in the Netherlands](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-3-aero-tx-hirsch-cabriolet-17000km/): A 2011 Saab 9-3 Cabriolet Aero TX Edition with the full Hirsch Performance package and just 17,084 km on the clock has surfaced at Saab Apeldoorn. - [Saab’s Electric AWD That Arrived Too Early - The 2007 Breakthrough That Never Reached Production](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-electric-awd-eaam-rear-axle-2007-innovation/): Saab’s 2007 electric AWD system cut weight and fuel use while enabling true torque vectoring. A production-ready idea lost after Saab’s collapse. - [Saab 9-3 Rear Subframe Is Back - But Only 20 Units Available for Order Starting Monday](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-3-rear-subframe-back-in-stock-maptun-20-units-april-2026/): Maptun Parts has just announced 20 new OEM-spec rear subframes for the Saab 9-3 II (2003–2014) and another 70pcs or so ready soon! Pre-orders are open now, with stock available from Monday, April 13. If you've been waiting, this is your window and it's a narrow one. - ["Car and Driver" Put the 1987 Saab 9000S Under Pressure - And the Verdict Still Holds Up](https://www.saabplanet.com/car-and-driver-put-the-1987-saab-9000s-under-pressure-and-the-verdict-still-holds-up/): We revisit Larry Griffin's classic 1987 Car and Driver road test of the Saab 9000S - a sharp, honest look at what the non-turbo flagship gave up and why, nearly four decades later, the test still reads as a masterclass in automotive truth-telling. - [Saab 9-3 Steering Lock Fix Evolves – Gen 3 SCL Emulator Adds Sound and Control](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-3-scl-emulator-gen-3-steering-lock-fix/): Saab 9-3 SCL emulator Gen 3 adds lock sound, acoustic feedback, and configurability while permanently removing ELV failure. - [Fixing the Saab 9-3 Convertible Ice Cube Brake Light – A Practical Approach by KM-Tronics](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-3-ice-cube-brake-light-fix/): KM-Tronics refines a repair and conversion method for Saab 9-3 Convertible ice cube brake lights, addressing cracking lenses and limited availability. - [Two Saab 9000 Turbos, Never Registered, Found After 35 Years - Zanetti Omero Recovers What Shouldn’t Exist](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9000-turbo-found-new-italy-zanetti-omero/): Zanetti Omero recovers two factory-new Saab 9000 Turbos from 1987 and 1988, stored for decades and never registered or driven. - [Inside an Abandoned Saab Dealership in the UK - What Was Left Behind Still Tells the Whole Story](https://www.saabplanet.com/abandoned-saab-dealership-uk-saab-heritage/): An abandoned Saab dealership in the UK reveals how Saab spaces were designed, with original showroom, workshop, and structure being carefully restored. - [A Blast from the Past: The Swedish Convertible Rarer Than a Bugatti Chiron](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-3-aero-cabriolet-25th-anniversary-edition-review/): A hands-on review of the Saab 9-3 Aero Cabriolet 25th Anniversary Edition - one of just 27 built in Champagne Metallic. Turbo, top down, Danube Bend. - [45 Years of Saab: SAC Taiwan Gathers at Jianhu Mountain in November 2026](https://www.saabplanet.com/45-years-of-saab-sac-taiwan-jianhu-mountain-november-2026/): SAC Taiwan celebrates its 45th anniversary with a Saab owner gathering on November 1, 2026, at Jianhu Mountain World Theme Park in Yunlin. - [A Secret Warsaw Collection Just Revealed Where the One-Off Saab EX Ended Up](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-ex-prototype-per-ekstrom-knack-racing-poland/): Built by Per Ekstrøm with Saab factory support for the brand's 50th anniversary, the one-off Saab EX sold at Bonhams in 2023 and now lives in a private Warsaw collection. - [Saab Parts Supply Never Stopped: SAC Taiwan Confirms It in Sweden](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-parts-supply-never-stopped-sac-taiwan-sweden/): SAC Taiwan visits Saab’s global parts network and Maptun in Sweden, confirming ongoing supply, upgrades, and a living Saab ecosystem. - [SKANDIX Is Rebuilding the Saab Parts Reality – One Failure Point at a Time](https://www.saabplanet.com/skandix-saab-parts-reproduction-real-failure-points/): SKANDIX is reproducing critical Saab parts - from OG900 exhaust manifolds to 9-3 seals - addressing real failure points that keep cars operational. - [Saabfesten Norway: The Saab Community Is Heading to Vålerbanen on August 29](https://www.saabplanet.com/saabfesten-norway-2025-valerbanen/): Saabfesten Norway takes place August 29 at Vålerbanen near Elverum. Saab exhibition, track driving, group dinner, and accommodation on site. - [1993 Saab 900 Turbo Commemorative Edition: High Miles, Deep Investment, and a Market That's Paying Attention](https://www.saabplanet.com/1993-saab-900-turbo-commemorative-edition-bat-auction-analysis/): 1993 Saab 900 Turbo Commemorative Edition, one of 325 built — 206k miles, $33k invested, bidding past $25k on BaT. - [Saab Sonett III Gets the Widebody Treatment in a Striking AI Concept Render](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-sonett-iii-gets-the-widebody-treatment-in-a-striking-ai-concept-render/): An AI concept render reimagines the Saab Sonett III as a widebody track machine. Here's what the Saab community thinks about it - [Sweden’s Saab Strongholds Shift: Why Mellerud - Not Trollhättan - Now Defines Saab Density in 2026](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-sweden-density-mellerud-2026/): Saab density in Sweden shifts in 2026 as Mellerud overtakes Trollhättan. New data reveals where Saabs truly survive - and why. - [Mackanized Expands Saab Tuning Network with Fordonsteknik Enköping](https://www.saabplanet.com/mackanized-fordonsteknik-enkoping-saab-trionic-service/): Mackanized partners with Fordonsteknik Enköping, a Saab-focused Autoexperten workshop, bringing advanced Trionic diagnostics and tuning locally. - [€2000 Saab 9-5 Aero Wagon With 250 HP Leaves a Spanish YouTuber Genuinely Confused](https://www.saabplanet.com/e2000-saab-9-5-aero-wagon-with-250-hp-leaves-a-spanish-youtuber-genuinely-confused/): A Spanish YouTuber buys a €2000 Saab 9000 with 250 hp. His reactions reveal what makes this Saab engineering approach unique. - [Saab Club Nederland Sets a June Date for the Friese Meren Route 2026](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-club-nederland-sets-a-june-date-for-the-friese-meren-route-2026/): Saab Club Nederland announces Friese Meren Route 2026 on June 14 - a relaxed 2.5-hour drive through the lakes of Friesland. - [IntSaab Heritage Tour 2026: Saab's Wheels and Wings on the Road to Stockholm](https://www.saabplanet.com/intsaab-heritage-tour-2026-trollhattan-linkoping-stockholm/): Saab Car Museum and Flygvapenmuseum are hosting the IntSaab Heritage Tour 2026 - a two-day pre-event route from Trollhättan to Linköping ahead of IntSaab in Stockholm, August 7–9. - [Saab Numbers in Sweden Drop to 184,950 - Scrappage Suddenly Slows](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-sweden-2026-registered-cars-scrappage-trend-analysis/): Saab registrations in Sweden fall to 184,950 in 2026, but scrappage rates drop sharply. New data reveals a structural shift in fleet behavior. - [This Saab 9-3 Viggen Cabriolet Should Cost Twice as Much - But It Doesn’t](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-3-viggen-cabriolet-rhd-auction/): RHD Saab 9-3 Viggen Cabriolet heads to auction with strong history, fresh service, and a price shaped by its unique configuration. - [Virginia Saab Community Gathers Again: SCNA Meet & Greet 2026 Expands a Proven Formula](https://www.saabplanet.com/scna-virginia-saab-meet-and-greet-2026-spotsylvania/): SCNA’s Virginia Meet & Greet returns March 28, 2026, bringing Saab owners together with tech sessions, swap meet and a new venue. - [$63,500 for a 1966 Saab 96: A Monte Carlo–Style Two-Stroke Sets a New BaT Record](https://www.saabplanet.com/1966-saab-96-monte-carlo-style-bat-auction-63500/): A Monte Carlo–style 1966 Saab 96 sold on Bring a Trailer for $63,500 - a record for the model on BaT. Full auction analysis, specification breakdown, and bidding pattern review. - [Three Saabs, One Stage: STCS Reveals Its Elmia Lineup for Custom Motor Show 2026](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-turbo-club-sweden-elmia-2026-viggen-9000-9-3-builds/): Saab Turbo Club Sweden reveals three standout builds for Elmia 2026 - a restored Viggen, 500hp Saab 9000, and Halil Kilic’s track-ready OG 9-3. - [The Second Saab Aero X Has Been Found - In a GM Storage Collection in Michigan!](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-aero-x-lost-prototype-found-sloan-museum-flint/): Saab's second Aero X prototype surfaced at Flint's Sloan Museum after 20 years in GM storage - found by a Reddit post, confirmed by museum staff. - [Saab’s Approach to Safety: Why It Still Matters Today](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-safety-philosophy-engineering-built-around-real-drivers/): Saab's safety reputation wasn't built on crash ratings alone. Explore the engineering principles behind occupant protection, driver awareness, and thoughtful design. - [Saab's Twin-Turbo V6 Build #2: The Turbo X Rescued From the Scrapyard Is Now the Foundation](https://www.saabplanet.com/km-tronics-twin-turbo-v6-build-2-turbo-x-chassis-nvh/): KM-Tronics rescues a scrapped Saab Turbo X for the twin-turbo V6 prototype build and starts with what Saab would have done first: making it exceptionally quiet. - [One of 90: A 2008 Saab 9-3 Turbo X SportCombi XWD Heads to Auction](https://www.saabplanet.com/2008-saab-9-3-turbo-x-sportcombi-xwd-bat-auction/): A 2008 Saab 9-3 Turbo X SportCombi XWD with 91k miles is on Bring a Trailer - one of just 90 US-market automatic wagons, offered at no reserve. - [Saab’s Earliest Engines Take Center Stage Again: 2-Stroke and V4 Owners Meeting Returns to Dalfsen in April](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-2-stroke-v4-owners-meeting-2026-dalfsen/): Saab 2-stroke and V4 owners meet April 4, 2026 in Dalfsen. Museum access, parts swap, and community gathering at Takt2Aero. - [SaabZH Asso Is Back - and Brittany's Best Saab Weekend Just Got Bigger](https://www.saabplanet.com/saabzh-asso-brittany-saab-rally-2026/): SaabZH Asso returns June 27–28, 2026 - a pre-1997 dynamic rally along the Lorientaise coast, a campsite dinner in Étel, and a Sunday château concours open to all Saabs and Volvos. - [Per Gillbrand: The Engineer Who Built Volvo's Immortal Engine and Gave Saab Its Turbo Soul](https://www.saabplanet.com/per-gillbrand-volvo-redblock-saab-turbo-legacy/): Per Gillbrand engineered Volvo's indestructible Redblock and Saab's landmark turbo technology. 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Share your SAAB Sharing pictures and videos of your... - [Saab Parts&Tuning](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-parts/): Saab parts Orio AB Skandix Neo Brothers Goldwing used Saab parts eEuroparts eSaabParts SAAB Tuners Tuning Style Hirsch Performance Maptun... - [Saab Clubs](https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-clubs/): ASIA Saab Day / Saab Owners Club of Japan Saab Owners Club of Korea SAAB OWNER’S CLUB OF JAPAN SAABSTANCE... - [SAAB Cars News - SaabPlanet.com Blog](https://www.saabplanet.com/): Saab cars news and features on Saab 9-3, 9-5, and 900 - restorations, prototypes, auctions, events, and buyer guides. # # Detailed Content ## Posts > A rare 310-hp Saab 9-5 Troll R stars in Motor Klassik’s November 2026 issue, with seven pages devoted to its Hirsch engineering and performance. - Published: 2026-10-19 - Modified: 2026-10-19 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/rare-saab-9-5-troll-r-motor-klassik-2026/ - Categories: SAAB News - Tags: Hirsch Performance, Motor Klassik, Saab 9-5, Saab 9-5 Troll R, Saab B235R, SAAB Tuning, Troll-R A rare 310-hp Saab 9-5 Troll R owned by enthusiast Dejan Kondić receives a seven-page feature in Germany’s Motor Klassik. The November 2026 issue revisits Hirsch Performance’s exceptional engineering, the car’s remarkable acceleration, and the challenges of preserving one of Saab’s rarest conversions. A rare 2002 Saab 9-5 Troll R, owned by dedicated Saab enthusiast Dejan Kondić, has received an extensive seven-page feature in the November 2026 issue of Germany's Motor Klassik magazine. For a car transformed by Hirsch Performance more than two decades ago, the attention is particularly welcome. It also brings recognition to an enthusiast who has spent years keeping one of Saab's most unusual performance conversions on the road. The feature, titled "Der galoppierende Hirsch" (The Galloping Hirsch), appears on pages 39–45 of issue 11/2026. Written by Kai H. Klauder, with photography by Achim Hartmann, it examines the engineering, performance, driving characteristics, and ownership considerations of the exceptionally uncommon 310-hp Saab. Motor Klassik dedicates seven pages to the rare 310-hp Saab 9-5 Troll R in its November 2026 issue. Photography: Achim Hartmann. The appearance in Motor Klassik also gives Saab enthusiasts another reason to appreciate the dedication of Dejan Kondić, whose earlier adventures were documented in The Last Saab Adventurers. A Rare Saab That Attracted the Attention of Motor Klassik Dejan Kondić is familiar to readers who followed his previous Saab adventures. His enthusiasm extends well beyond occasional meetings or the collection of rare automotive memorabilia. His Saab 9-5 Troll R represents a particularly interesting chapter in the relationship between Saab and Swiss engineering specialist Hirsch Performance. Seeing his own car presented in Motor Klassik gives the story a personal dimension. The November feature is not based on an anonymous museum exhibit or a vehicle briefly borrowed from a dealer. It concerns a car maintained and enjoyed by an enthusiast who understands what distinguishes the Troll R from a conventional Saab 9-5 Aero. The distinctive silhouette of the Saab 9-5 Troll R, with its Hirsch wheels and subtle aerodynamic modifications, reflects the Swiss tuner's approach to transforming Saab's flagship sedan. There is also something significant about the magazine's editorial decision. A major German publication specializing in classic cars and youngtimers has devoted seven pages to a relatively obscure Saab variant whose engineering deserves considerably more attention than its production numbers might suggest. Although the November issue's cover primarily promotes a comparison of sporting sedans, the Troll R receives substantial photographic and editorial treatment inside. Seven Pages Dedicated to "The Galloping Hirsch" The article opens with a full-page photograph of Dejan's black Saab 9-5, its distinctive Hirsch front bumper, mesh grille, and substantial alloy wheels immediately recognizable. The accompanying introduction emphasizes the rarity of the model and the considerable work involved in its construction. Motor Klassik describes a conversion process in which new Saab 9-5 vehicles from Trollhättan were extensively modified by Hirsch. According to the magazine, approximately 80 to 100 examples of the Troll R were produced. Exact production records and the number of surviving complete examples remain difficult to establish, but the figure helps explain why authentic cars attract such interest today. The editorial team then examines the vehicle from several perspectives rather than limiting its coverage to straight-line performance. The Troll R's understated appearance conceals an extensive Hirsch transformation, with distinctive alloy wheels, revised suspension, and a 310-hp turbocharged engine. The report includes photographs of the exterior, engine compartment, interior, seats, steering wheel, braking system, and distinctive Hirsch details. It also documents the practical consequences of transforming a comfortable Swedish executive sedan into a substantially more aggressive performance car. Particularly welcome is the magazine's attention to components sometimes overlooked in discussions of modified Saabs. The Troll R was not simply a standard 9-5 Aero fitted with different engine-management software. Its engineering depended on the interaction of mechanical, chassis, aerodynamic, braking, and interior modifications developed as a complete package. The 310-Horsepower Hirsch Transformation The subject of the article is a 2002 Saab 9-5 Troll R, powered by Saab's familiar 2. 3-liter B235R four-cylinder turbocharged engine. In the specification documented by Motor Klassik, the conversion produces 310 PS (306 hp) and 440 Nm (325 lb-ft) of torque, delivered through a five-speed manual transmission to the front wheels. Specification Saab 9-5 Troll R Model year 2002 Engine 2. 3-liter B235R turbocharged inline-four Power 310 PS / 306 hp Maximum torque 440 Nm / 325 lb-ft Transmission 5-speed manual Drivetrain Front-wheel drive 0–100 km/h 5. 8 seconds (published specification) Maximum speed 270 km/h / 168 mph Wheels 19-inch Hirsch alloy wheels The engine modifications are especially interesting. Hirsch replaced the original Mitsubishi turbocharger with a Garrett TB2811, while also revising the intake system, charge-air cooling, exhaust configuration, and engine-management software. A larger intercooler, upgraded air intake, and freer-flowing exhaust system helped support the increased output. The magazine also describes the optimization of Saab's Trionic 7 engine management, including how boost pressure and torque delivery were calibrated to work with the upgraded hardware. This was a substantial engineering challenge. With 440 Nm delivered exclusively through the front wheels, achieving effective acceleration was not simply a matter of increasing boost pressure. The interaction between engine torque, available traction, gearbox durability, and suspension geometry became central to the car's character. Hirsch's attention extended to the chassis, with substantial braking upgrades, revised suspension components, and distinctive 19-inch three-piece wheels. Those wheels remain among the most recognizable visual identifiers of the complete Troll R conversion. For additional historical context, the March 2002 Auto Bild test of the Saab 9-5 Troll 2. 3 R Evolution documented the 310-PS version when it was still a contemporary performance car. Its observations about turbocharging, suspension tuning, traction, and steering response provide an interesting comparison with the new Motor Klassik retrospective. Motor Klassik Revisits the Troll R's Remarkable Acceleration One of the most entertaining sections of the German article concerns acceleration. The writer describes the forceful response of the turbocharged engine when the driver accelerates hard, particularly with the car already moving in a higher gear. The report also revisits historical performance comparisons involving the Saab and contemporary exotic machinery. One passage refers to acceleration figures published by auto motor und sport, comparing the Saab's performance with that of a Ferrari 360 Modena. The figures quoted in the article give the Saab... > Nearly 800 Saabs are registered for Taiwan's 45th anniversary gathering on November 1, 2026. SAC invites Saab enthusiasts from around the world. - Published: 2026-10-19 - Modified: 2026-10-19 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/800-saabs-taiwan-45th-anniversary-2026/ - Categories: SAAB Community - Tags: Saab Events 2026, Saab gathering, Saab Taiwan, SAC Taiwan, Scandinavia Asia Corporation Nearly 800 Saab vehicles have registered for Taiwan's 45th anniversary celebration on November 1, 2026. Organized by Scandinavia Asia Corporation, the gathering will bring together generations of Saab owners at Janfusun Fancyworld, with an open invitation to enthusiasts worldwide. Taiwan is preparing for one of its largest Saab gatherings in recent years. With nearly 800 vehicles already registered for the November 1 celebration, Scandinavia Asia Corporation (SAC) is extending an invitation to Saab owners, clubs, and enthusiasts worldwide to join the 45th anniversary of Saab's presence on the island. On Sunday, November 1, 2026, the grounds of Janfusun Fancyworld in Gukeng, Yunlin County, Taiwan, will host an anniversary gathering marking 45 years since Saab established its official presence in the Taiwanese market in 1981. The event, organized by Scandinavia Asia Corporation (SAC), has already attracted registrations from nearly 800 Saab vehicles, an impressive response that reflects the strength and continuity of Taiwan's Saab community. With less than two weeks remaining before the celebration, SAC is reaching beyond Taiwan, inviting enthusiasts and Saab clubs from Europe, North America, Asia, and other regions to take part in the occasion. The gathering will run from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, bringing together classic Saabs, later-generation models, longtime owners, collectors, and members of the local Saab community. Nearly 800 Saabs Registered for One Gathering The registration figure is the most significant new development since the 45th anniversary gathering was first announced. Nearly 800 Saab vehicles have already been registered, according to SAC, placing the upcoming celebration among the most substantial Saab gatherings organized in Taiwan. SAC Taiwan 45th Anniversary Festival – November 2026 Although the final attendance will only be confirmed on the day, the number of registrations provides a clear indication of the event's scale. The organizers expect a broad representation of Saab generations, from early classics to the final models produced before the Swedish manufacturer's closure in 2011. The gathering will include vehicle displays, anniversary activities, and opportunities for owners to meet, exchange experiences, and reconnect with people who have been involved with Saab in Taiwan over several decades. For international enthusiasts, the occasion also offers an opportunity to see the Taiwanese Saab community gathered on this scale. The strength of that community has already been documented in an extensive examination of SAC's operations in Taiwan, which described a support network serving thousands of Saab owners and an estimated fleet of more than 10,000 vehicles still on the road. Against that background, the registration of almost 800 cars for a single event is particularly meaningful. Taiwan's Important Place in Saab History The anniversary commemorates 45 years since Saab began its official Taiwanese operations in 1981. While Taiwan may not immediately come to mind alongside Sweden, the United States, or the United Kingdom when discussing Saab's major historical markets, the island played a significant role in the manufacturer's international sales. As previously documented in Saab's Taiwanese market history, Taiwan ranked as Saab's seventh-largest market worldwide in 1994. Taiwan rose from 900 Saab sales in 1990 to 2,300 in 1994, placing it seventh among Saab’s most important export markets. That position is particularly notable considering Taiwan's relatively small geographic size and Saab's status as a premium imported European brand. During the 1980s and 1990s, Saab developed a loyal customer base in Taiwan. The 900, 9000, and subsequent 9-3 and 9-5 generations became familiar vehicles among buyers who appreciated Saab's turbocharged engines, distinctive engineering, safety systems, and Scandinavian design. The continuing presence of these cars, often maintained long after their original production dates, demonstrates how extensively Saab ownership became established on the island. The upcoming anniversary will bring together vehicles representing much of that history, with older generations sharing the venue with newer models that continue to receive specialist attention from Taiwan's Saab workshops. SAC's Continued Support for Saab Owners An important part of Taiwan's Saab story is the continued involvement of Scandinavia Asia Corporation. SAC has maintained aftersales support, vehicle servicing, and spare parts sourcing long after Saab automobile production ended. For owners of aging vehicles, particularly models requiring increasingly difficult-to-source components or specialist knowledge, the availability of an established support network remains particularly valuable. Jan-Philipp Schumacher in front of Scandinavia Asia Corporation headquarters with his hosts The company's continued technical work is visible in some exceptional restoration projects. One example is the restoration of a Saab 9-5 NG Aero in Polar White, a project that demonstrated the level of workshop attention SAC can devote to the final generation of Saab's flagship sedan. A Stunning Rebirth: This meticulously restored Saab 9-3 Aero in Glacier Blue stands proudly at SAC Taiwan, embodying Scandinavian design, precision engineering, and a family's enduring passion for Saab. Another involved a Saab 9-3 Aero restored in Glacier Blue, with substantial mechanical, bodywork, and interior refurbishment. These projects reflect a wider pattern: Taiwanese owners are investing in the long-term preservation of cars that are now well beyond their original production cycles. SAC has also maintained international technical relationships. Its cooperation with Swedish performance specialist Maptun has brought additional expertise, parts, and upgrade options to the local Saab community. That cooperation builds on an earlier relationship between the companies, documented during Maptun's involvement with SAC and the wider Taiwanese Saab scene. Maptun and SAC Strengthen Saab Legacy in Taiwan with a Visit to Remember For owners maintaining increasingly rare models, these connections between Taiwan and Sweden help sustain access to knowledge and components. SAC's relationship with Taiwanese Saab owners now extends across multiple generations. Some customers who purchased their first Saab decades ago have maintained their vehicles, acquired additional models, or passed their enthusiasm to younger family members. That continuity helps explain why a celebration marking the brand's 45-year history can still generate registrations approaching 800 vehicles. A Global Invitation from Salo Yang and SAC With preparations entering their final stages, Salo Yang, representing Scandinavia Asia Corporation, has extended an invitation to the international Saab community. The invitation welcomes Saab owners, collectors, enthusiasts, and members of Saab clubs from around the world, including those who may no longer own a Saab but remain connected to the brand. According to SAC, the anniversary is intended to recognize both the vehicles and the relationships developed through 45 years of Saab ownership in Taiwan.... > Saab 9-5 prices are rising in Norway, while European 9-5 NG listings approach €30,000. We compare both generations, asking prices, and market trends. - Published: 2026-10-17 - Modified: 2026-10-17 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-5-prices-rising-classic-ng-market/ - Categories: SAAB News - Tags: Saab 9-5, Saab 9-5NG, Saab Norway Saab 9-5 prices are climbing on both sides of Europe. Norwegian enthusiasts report sharply higher values for first-generation models, while desirable 9-5 NG Aero and XWD examples are now advertised for nearly €30,000. We examine what is driving the market for both generations. For years, the Saab 9-5 was one of the most affordable ways to own a substantial, well-equipped Swedish executive car. Even desirable examples could be found at prices that made major repairs difficult to justify. Today, two developments suggest that the market is changing: a new assessment from Norway concerning the first-generation 9-5, and increasingly ambitious asking prices for the second-generation 9-5 NG across continental Europe. The two generations occupy different positions in the used-car market. The original Saab 9-5, produced from 1997 until 2010, is gradually attracting buyers interested in preservation, condition, and long-term ownership. Its successor, the Saab 9-5 NG, is already being priced by some European sellers according to its rarity, equipment, and place in Saab's final production years. Neither development means that every Saab 9-5 has suddenly become valuable. But the figures deserve a closer look. Norway: First-Generation Saab 9-5 Asking Prices Have Tripled On October 17, 2026, Norwegian automotive publication TV2 Broom published an article examining the changing market for the first-generation Saab 9-5. Written by automotive editor Knut Skogstad, it includes observations from Christian Wærpen, president of Saab Turbo Club of Norway. Wærpen and the club regularly follow classified advertisements on Norway's Finn. no and Sweden's Blocket. Their observations indicate that asking prices for many Saab models have been moving upward, although certain versions remain undervalued. His most striking example concerns the original 9-5. Once available for 15,000–20,000 NOK, well-maintained first-generation Saab 9-5s are now advertised for around 60,000 NOK in Norway. According to Saab Turbo Club of Norway, the market is increasingly rewarding condition, maintenance history, and originality. According to Wærpen, a roadworthy, properly maintained Saab 9-5 with valid technical inspection could be purchased for approximately 15,000–20,000 Norwegian kroner a few years ago. Comparable cars are now advertised for around 60,000 NOK. That represents approximately three to four times the previous asking-price level, depending on which historical figure is used. The qualification matters: Wærpen is comparing market observations and advertised prices, rather than presenting a statistical index of completed transactions. Nevertheless, the change is substantial enough to suggest that sellers increasingly recognize the value of well-preserved examples. Wærpen also believes that prices for relatively recent Saab models, broadly covering the 2000–2012 period, have increased faster than inflation over several years. Not Every First-Generation 9-5 Has Become Expensive The Norwegian listings demonstrate why condition remains decisive. At the time of Broom's analysis, 18 Saab 9-5s were advertised on Finn. no. Seventeen belonged to the first generation, while only one was a second-generation car. With production cut short in 2011, the Saab 9-5 NG occupies a different position from its predecessor. Desirable Aero, XWD, and well-preserved examples now command asking prices approaching €30,000 in European listings. Six vehicles had asking prices of 15,000 NOK (US$ 1,600) or less. These were largely cars requiring repairs or restoration work. At the opposite end, several well-maintained examples were advertised above 40,000 NOK (US$ 4,200). The most expensive was a particularly interesting 2000 Saab 9-5 with the 3. 0-liter V6 gasoline engine. Showing 185,000 kilometers, it had reportedly remained with two owners from the same family. Its advertised price was 79,000 NOK (US$ 8,400). That V6 configuration is worth mentioning. Although Saab enthusiasts frequently concentrate on the four-cylinder turbocharged models, surviving examples with unusual engine combinations, documented ownership, and convincing maintenance histories can appeal to a different group of buyers. The Norwegian market is therefore showing a growing separation between inexpensive cars requiring attention and examples whose owners have already invested in preservation. Rust protection, maintenance records, correct mechanical operation, and the quality of previous repairs can make a far greater difference than mileage alone. Europe: The Saab 9-5 NG Is Entering a Different Price Category While Norwegian enthusiasts are observing a change in the market for the original 9-5, the European listings for its successor tell another story. A review of Saab 9-5 advertisements on AutoScout24 in October 2026 reveals an exceptionally wide spread of asking prices. The least expensive cars remain relatively accessible, particularly high-mileage diesel versions. However, gasoline-powered models with desirable equipment, XWD, Aero specifications, or Hirsch modifications are frequently advertised at considerably higher prices. Consider these examples from listings covering several continental European markets: Saab 9-5 NG Mileage Asking Price 2010 2. 0 TiD Linear 221,399 km €6,950 2010 2. 0T Vector 225,782 km €10,950 2011 2. 0T Vector 146,164 km €16,950 2010 2. 0T Vector XWD 175,087 km €18,900 2011 2. 0T Aero XWD 141,528 km €22,490 2010 2. 8T Aero XWD 194,895 km €24,990 2011 2. 8T V6 Aero XWD 176,357 km €29,500 2010 9-5 NG Hirsch 62,500 km €29,990 Source: AutoScout24 advertisements reviewed in October 2026. Prices and availability may change. These are advertised prices, not confirmed sales. Specifications reflect the sellers' listings and have not been independently verified. One particularly revealing example is the 2010 2. 8T Aero XWD advertised in Spain for €24,990 despite having nearly 195,000 kilometers. That is a substantial asking price for a 16-year-old executive sedan with considerable mileage. Meanwhile, another 2. 8T V6 Aero XWD in Germany was advertised for €16,900 with approximately 177,000 kilometers. The difference illustrates how inconsistent pricing remains even between cars with apparently comparable mechanical specifications. At the upper end, a 2011 V6 Aero XWD with a seller-advertised output of 330 hp was listed for €29,500. A low-mileage Hirsch-labeled NG was offered for €29,990. For comparison, some diesel examples with extensive mileage still appear below €8,000. See the current 2010 listings, 2011 listings, and Aero listings for an updated view of the market. The Gap Between Diesel, Gasoline, and Aero Models The NG listings suggest that buyers and sellers are increasingly distinguishing between drivetrain configurations rather than treating every example as another used Saab 9-5. The 2. 0 TiD and TTiD models generally occupy the more affordable part of the market, although condition and mileage still create significant exceptions. Higher-mileage diesel cars can remain reasonably priced, partly because prospective buyers must evaluate the mechanical and emissions-system costs associated with continued use. The... > A rare Saab 9000 collection reveals factory prototypes, Group A racing engines, unusual equipment, and the famous Ferrari comparison in a new video report. - Published: 2026-10-17 - Modified: 2026-10-17 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/inside-christoffers-rare-saab-9000-collection-prototypes-racing-engines-and-the-ferrari-story/ - Categories: SAAB News - Tags: Abbott Racing, Classic Saab, SAAB 9000, Saab 9000 Aero, Saab 9000 Carlsson, Saab 9000 Turbo, Saab Collectors, SAAB engineering, Saab Motorsport, Saab Prototypes Swedish collector Christoffer opens his extraordinary Saab 9000 collection to Motornörd, revealing pre-production cars, rare factory experiments, Group A racing components, and the story behind Saab's famous Ferrari comparison. Swedish automotive YouTube channel Motornörd has released another fascinating report for Saab enthusiasts. This time, the subject is Christoffer, a dedicated Saab 9000 collector from Sweden, whose remarkable collection includes early factory prototypes, rare performance versions, experimental components, and original material dating back to the model's introduction in 1984. The video's provocative title, "Saab 9000 – Snabbare än en Ferrari? " ("Saab 9000 – Faster Than a Ferrari? "), refers to one of Saab's most memorable performance comparisons. However, the real attraction is Christoffer's detailed knowledge of the Saab 9000 and his efforts to preserve vehicles that could easily have disappeared decades ago. Christoffer also attended the Saab Träff Åminne 2026, held near Värnamo on August 22, an event that brings together Swedish Saab owners, collectors, and enthusiasts. We recommend watching the full 28-minute report. The video provides an unusually close look at factory components, prototype equipment, and Saab 9000 details that are seldom documented so thoroughly. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=ewiYpoSdA0A A Saab 9000 Turbo Built Before the Official Launch One of the first cars Christoffer presents is a burgundy Saab 9000 Turbo, a pre-production example manufactured in 1983 for the 1985 model year. According to Christoffer, it was used for early promotional photography, possibly in Italy, before the model reached showrooms. The car was originally intended for development and presentation purposes. Christoffer explains that some early test vehicles, which would normally have been scrapped, were eventually released into everyday use because of their condition and the considerable expense involved in developing the new model. When he acquired this particular example, previous restoration work had introduced several components from a later Saab 9000 CS. He subsequently returned much of the car to its original specification. Among its unusual details are an early rear spoiler extending toward the rear quarter panels, the original exhaust arrangement, special interior trim, and prototype electrically adjustable towing mirrors. The towing mirrors are particularly interesting. They attach to the car externally but can be adjusted electrically from the driver's seat using dedicated controls. Christoffer demonstrates the complete arrangement and explains that the system apparently never progressed beyond the experimental stage. He also discusses the driving characteristics of the earliest turbocharged 9000s. Their noticeably abrupt boost delivery was subsequently refined to improve everyday drivability, a development that contemporary journalists also documented as Saab continued to revise its turbocharged engines. For additional historical context, Motor Sport's December 1984 examination of the original Saab 9000 provides a contemporary account of the engineering decisions behind the new model. Original Memorabilia From the 1984 Saab 9000 Presentation Christoffer's collection extends beyond the cars themselves. He also preserves original promotional material associated with the Saab 9000's presentation at Kolmården, Sweden, on May 24–25, 1984. Among the surviving objects are a Saab 9000 launch flag, an invitation to the presentation, and various items used during the event. The flag has a particularly memorable history. Christoffer initially discovered one at a vintage market without fully recognizing its significance. Unfortunately, mice subsequently damaged it beyond repair. After learning what he had lost, he eventually located another surviving example in Finland. This material belongs to an important period in Saab's development history. The 9000 emerged from the collaborative Type Four project involving Saab, Fiat, and Lancia, with Alfa Romeo subsequently developing the 164 on the related platform. Although the project shared its basic architecture, Saab introduced substantial changes to meet its own engineering and safety requirements. The original 1986 Motor Sport road test offers useful contemporary context about the relationship between the Italian models and the Swedish car. The White Saab 9000: An Experimental Car With Group A Racing Connections Another remarkable vehicle is a white Saab 9000 that Christoffer modified during the late 1990s. With its prominent aerodynamic body kit and large rear wing, the car reflects the touring-car-inspired styling popular during that period. Christoffer began the project in 1997, constructing much of the fiberglass bodywork with a friend. He also obtained a substantial quantity of unused Saab parts from a former parts warehouse, allowing him to rebuild much of the vehicle with new components. During the project, he discovered that the underlying car was itself a pre-production Saab 9000 originally built in 1984. The vehicle contains unusual experimental equipment, including ventilation fans in the rear doors and a glass sunroof arrangement that predates its introduction on regular production versions. One of its most unusual components is a steering wheel that Christoffer identifies as one of three experimental Pininfarina-designed, MOMO-manufactured examples. According to his account, one was destroyed during crash testing, while the others survived within Saab's development organization. Christoffer obtained his example from a former Saab employee who recognized the white car at a Saab Festival in Trollhättan and subsequently offered him the steering wheel. Under the hood, the story becomes even more interesting. The car now uses an engine that Christoffer identifies as originating from Saab's Group A racing program, with specialist components including a distinctive exhaust manifold, modified intake arrangement, and an unusual cooling system associated with the ignition components. He estimates that the engine currently produces approximately 280 horsepower, in a configuration intended to be considerably more manageable than its original racing specification. Saab's 9000 racing history is well documented through Abbott Racing's official motorsport history. The British specialists competed with turbocharged Saab 9000s from 1989, achieving championship victories and demonstrating the competitiveness of powerful front-wheel-drive cars against established racing machinery. A fascinating February 1990 Motor Sport track test of an Abbott-prepared Saab 9000 offers additional insight into the competition program and the development of these high-output turbocharged engines. The Rare 1991 Saab 9000 and Its Ferrari Connection The report also features an early high-performance 1991 Saab 9000, described by Christoffer as one of a limited number of special versions produced before the arrival of the better-known later 9000 Aero. According to Christoffer, 65 examples were produced, with 15 receiving an additional performance package. He attributes around 220 horsepower to the upgraded specification, while suggesting that actual output could be higher.... > Rare Saab 900 GT Aero from the 70-car French edition offered at €45,000, with 185 hp, Zegna interior, documented history and a one-year warranty. - Published: 2026-10-15 - Modified: 2026-10-15 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-900-gt-aero-1994-france-for-sale/ - Categories: SAAB News - Tags: classic Saab cars, Saab 900, SAAB 900 Aero, Saab 900 Classic, SAAB 900 GT Aero, Saab 900 Special Editions, Saab 900 Turbo 16S, Saab APC, Saab B202, Saab Collectors, Saab France, Saab heritage One of only 70 French-market Saab 900 GT Aeros is for sale at Saab Heritage for €45,000. The 185-hp classic comes with Zegna upholstery, documented history, extensive restoration work, and a one-year warranty. A particularly rare example of the final classic Saab 900 has appeared for sale in France. Saab Heritage, the specialist workshop and dealership based in Gennevilliers near Paris, is offering a Saab 900 Turbo 16S GT Aero for €45,000. The car has covered 207,700 kilometers (approximately 129,060 miles), has a documented history, and is being prepared for sale with a one-year warranty covering parts and labor. What makes this example particularly interesting is its specification. It belongs to the final-production GT Aero series, of which only 70 examples were allocated to the French market. These cars combined the 185-hp turbocharged engine, distinctive Aero equipment, and exclusive interior materials in one of the last variations of the original Saab 900. The car is advertised as a 1994 example, although the GT Aero series itself belongs to the final classic 900 production period in 1993. As with other late examples, the advertised year may reflect its first registration rather than the production date. One of just 70 French-market Saab 900 GT Aero examples, offered by Saab Heritage for €45,000 with 207,700 km and a one-year warranty. For enthusiasts who have followed the history of this edition, the listing offers another opportunity to examine a surviving GT Aero in specialist hands. The original Saab Heritage advertisement includes photographs and further vehicle details. The French GT Aero: 70 Cars From the Final Classic 900 Series The GT Aero was part of Saab's final series of special-edition classic 900 models, produced as the original generation approached the end of its long production run. Different markets received their own variations, including the British 900 Turbo Ruby Edition and the American Turbo Commemorative Edition. France received 70 GT Aero examples from a reported total production run of 204 cars, a distinction that has made the French allocation particularly interesting to collectors and marque historians. We previously examined the edition's history and identifying features in The Last Run Edition – Saab 900 GT Aero, including the details that distinguish these cars from standard Turbo 16S models. Interest in documenting surviving examples has continued well beyond the cars' original production period. In 2024, GT Aero owners gathered at the Saab museum in Dalfsen, the Netherlands, for a reunion dedicated to the rare final-edition model. The unmistakable front end of the Saab 900 GT Aero. This example is one of just 70 built for the French market and is currently offered by Saab Heritage for €45,000. French enthusiasts have also been particularly active in preserving the model's history. The SaabZH association maintains a census of surviving French-market GT Aeros, alongside other unusual Saab editions originally sold in France. For the Saab Heritage example, one detail remains to be established publicly: its individual number within the French allocation of 70 cars. Confirmation through the original documentation, VIN, or surviving identification plaque would be a valuable addition to the listing. 185 HP, Red APC, and the Distinctive Zegna Interior The GT Aero specification centered on Saab's 2. 0-liter B202 16-valve turbocharged engine, rated at 185 horsepower, paired with a five-speed manual transmission. The higher-output configuration was associated with the familiar red Automatic Performance Control (APC) unit, a component also linked to other performance-oriented versions of the classic 900. The B202 engine's development history provides additional technical context for Saab's final turbocharged 900 models, which retained the established 16-valve architecture rather than introducing a substantially different powertrain for the closing production series. Visually, the GT Aero was distinguished by its Black 170 paintwork, Aero body cladding, and characteristic 15-inch asymmetrical alloy wheels. The combination is recognizable without relying on additional decorative badging or extensive external modifications. The Saab 900 GT Aero's driver-oriented cockpit, featuring three auxiliary gauges above the center controls, a three-spoke steering wheel, and a five-speed manual transmission. Inside, the special edition featured one of its most desirable details: leather and patterned wool upholstery associated with Italian textile specialist Ermenegildo Zegna. The mixed-material seats distinguish the GT Aero from the full-leather interiors commonly encountered in other well-equipped Saab 900 Turbos. Their condition is especially relevant today, since finding appropriate replacement material for an accurate restoration can be considerably more difficult than repairing ordinary leather upholstery. These details explain why a genuine GT Aero attracts attention separately from a conventional Turbo 16S. The original combination of engine specification, exterior trim, wheels, and upholstery is central to the car's identity. The Saab Heritage Example: Restoration and a One-Year Warranty The car currently offered by Saab Heritage is described as having a complete history and undergoing extensive preparation before delivery. Model: Saab 900 Turbo 16S GT Aero Advertised year: 1994 Engine: 2. 0-liter, 16-valve turbo Power: 185 hp Transmission: Five-speed manual Mileage: 207,700 km (129,060 miles) Asking price: €45,000 Warranty: 12 months, parts and labor Location: Gennevilliers, France In its Facebook announcement, the company added that the vehicle had been fully restored approximately two years earlier. Saab Heritage also explained that the photographs show the car before its final preparation. Minor cosmetic imperfections, including details around the front and rear bumpers, are to be corrected before delivery. Perhaps the most notable commercial detail is the warranty. According to the dealership, the car will be sold with one year of parts-and-labor coverage, without a deductible or monetary coverage ceiling. That is a substantial commitment for a car more than three decades old, particularly one whose maintenance and restoration increasingly depend on specialist knowledge and access to model-specific parts. The full restoration record has not been itemized in the public listing. For a prospective buyer, documentation of the bodywork, corrosion repairs, mechanical refurbishment, and preservation of original GT Aero components would help establish precisely what work has been completed. The company also offers international delivery at additional cost, although overseas buyers would need to establish the applicable warranty and shipping conditions. Where Does the €45,000 Asking Price Fit? The asking price has prompted some debate beneath Saab Heritage's Facebook announcement. Several commenters questioned the figure in relation to the car's mileage, while others praised the condition... > Modified Saab 9-5 NG TTiD for sale at €8,900. Discover its 20-inch BBS wheels, Hirsch-inspired styling, and six-year history with Saab YouTuber Jonas Kakarikas. - Published: 2026-10-14 - Modified: 2026-10-14 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-youtuber-modified-9-5-ng-ttid-for-sale/ - Categories: Classifieds’ Saab Of The Day - Tags: BBS Wheels, Hirsch Performance, Jonas Kakarikas, Modified Saab, Saab 9-5, Saab 9-5 Diesel, Saab 9-5 TTiD, Saab 9-5NG, saab for sale, SAAB TTiD, SAAB Tuning, Saab YouTube A Swedish Saab YouTuber is selling his modified 2011 Saab 9-5 NG TTiD for €8,900. After six years of documented ownership, the car comes with 20-inch BBS wheels, Hirsch-inspired styling, modified suspension, and an extensive maintenance history. Well-known Swedish Saab enthusiast, YouTuber, and automotive DIY specialist Jonas Kakarikas has put his extensively modified 2011 Saab 9-5 NG TTiD up for sale. The black sedan, which has been part of his garage since August 2020, is currently offered for €8,900, complete with two sets of 20-inch wheels, a modified HiPer Strut suspension, and several Hirsch-inspired exterior upgrades. What distinguishes this particular car from most used NG 9-5 listings is its unusually accessible ownership history. Jonas has spent years documenting his Saab projects through YouTube, Instagram, and enthusiast communities, and this TTiD has appeared throughout that journey. Even the original trip to Germany to collect the car was filmed, giving prospective buyers an opportunity to revisit the beginning of its six-year Swedish ownership. Jonas Kakarikas' black NG 9-5 TTiD features 20-inch BBS wheels, modified coilovers, and Hirsch-inspired exterior details. The car now has approximately 263,000 kilometers (163,400 miles) on the odometer, has recently received important maintenance, and reportedly passed its latest Swedish vehicle inspection without remarks. Jonas has published the sale announcement in the Saab 9-5 NG Connection Facebook group, where interested enthusiasts can find the current offer. A 2020 Trip to Germany in Search of a Rust-Free Saab The story began on August 25, 2020, when Jonas traveled to southern Germany to purchase the car himself. His primary objective was not simply finding a well-equipped NG 9-5 at an attractive price. He specifically wanted an example that had spent as little time as possible exposed to winter road salt and the corrosion it can cause. That distinction matters in Sweden, where prolonged winter use can leave older vehicles with corrosion around suspension mounting points, wheel arches, underbody components, and other vulnerable areas. By searching farther south in Germany, Jonas hoped to start with a healthier body shell that would provide a better foundation for long-term ownership and modifications. At the time of purchase, the Saab had covered approximately 135,000 kilometers (83,900 miles). Six years later, the odometer shows roughly 263,000 kilometers, meaning the car has traveled another 128,000 kilometers (79,500 miles) while belonging to Jonas and his family. Remarkably, the original journey was documented on video. Published on his YouTube channel six years ago, the recording takes viewers back to the moment he traveled to Germany to bring home the TTiD that would eventually become one of his recognizable projects. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=hEAiSipWjHk For prospective buyers, this video provides a useful historical reference rather than merely another presentation of the finished car. Jonas also notes that several additional videos on his channel document the vehicle's history and modifications over the years. 20-Inch BBS Wheels and a Modified HiPer Strut Chassis The photographs immediately reveal one of the car's defining features: its low stance and 20-inch BBS multi-spoke alloy wheels. The bright silver finish provides a strong contrast against the black bodywork, while the wheel design suits the NG 9-5's relatively long, clean side profile. These are the car's summer wheels, fitted with tires Jonas describes as being in decent condition. The sale also includes a second complete set of 20-inch Fondmetal wheels with non-studded winter tires, making the two-wheel-set package a notable part of the asking price. The suspension has also received substantial attention. The car uses Saab's HiPer Strut front suspension architecture, combined with modified coilovers that give it its lowered appearance. In an earlier description of the vehicle, Jonas confirmed that the original suspension components were included alongside the modified setup. Buyers should confirm that this remains the case in the current offer, particularly if they want the option of returning the car closer to its factory configuration. Wheel fitment, suspension geometry, and ride quality are important considerations on a car with this degree of lowering. Nevertheless, the photographs show why the combination has attracted attention: the large wheels fill the arches while the body's original proportions remain visually intact. The rear of Jonas Kakarikas' modified Saab 9-5 NG TTiD, featuring an Hblom Hirsch-inspired diffuser, Tunstyle trunk spoiler, and the distinctive full-width LED light bar. Hirsch-Inspired Styling Without Excessive Bodywork At the rear, Jonas has installed an Hblom "Hirsch" diffuser and a Tunstyle "Hirsch" rear spoiler. These aftermarket components are inspired by the styling associated with Hirsch Performance, rather than being presented as original factory-fitted Hirsch accessories. The diffuser frames the twin exhaust outlets and adds a more pronounced lower section to the rear bumper. The spoiler follows the trunk lid's shape and introduces a subtle raised edge without substantially changing the original bodywork. Combined with the NG 9-5's continuous rear light bar, the modifications give the sedan a particularly distinctive appearance at night, as demonstrated by Jonas's recent photographs. The appeal of these changes becomes clearer when compared with other personalized examples of the second-generation 9-5. SaabPlanet has previously documented a restored Polar White NG 9-5 Aero in Taiwan, where the emphasis was on comprehensive restoration rather than modified ride height and aftermarket wheels. Jonas's car follows a different approach, retaining its familiar exterior lines while concentrating on stance, wheel fitment, and carefully selected accessories. A Well-Equipped TTiD with Panoramic Roof and AFL Headlights Beyond its exterior modifications, the car has several desirable equipment features. According to Jonas's listing, the specification includes: Panoramic glass roof AFL adaptive headlights Factory navigation system Factory-fitted 17-inch spare wheel HiPer Strut chassis with modified coilovers 20-inch BBS summer wheels with usable tires 20-inch Fondmetal winter wheels with non-studded winter tires Hblom Hirsch-style rear diffuser Tunstyle Hirsch-style rear spoiler Equipment details are particularly relevant to NG 9-5 buyers because certain model-specific components can be more difficult to replace or retrofit than on vehicles produced in larger numbers. The challenges and possibilities of updating these cars have been demonstrated by specialists such as Taiwan's SAC, whose NG 9-5 projects include factory-style equipment retrofits and restoration work. Recent Maintenance and a Clean Swedish Inspection Although the car has undergone numerous modifications, Jonas describes it as a vehicle that has served his family well since 2020 and continues to be driven regularly.... > From Saab 9-3 ICM4 retrofits to Chevrolet Silverado screens, see why factory controls, compatibility, and familiar functions matter in an upgrade. - Published: 2026-10-13 - Modified: 2026-10-13 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-silverado-infotainment-screen-upgrade/ - Categories: Saab Technology - Tags: Aftermarket Electronics, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Car Infotainment, Chevrolet Silverado, Dashboard Upgrade, SAAB 9-3, Saab ICM4, Saab Infotainment, Saab Retrofit, Tesla-Style Screen From Saab 9-3 ICM4 retrofits to Tesla-style screens for Chevrolet Silverado trucks, a closer look at preserving factory functions, physical controls, and everyday usability when upgrading vehicle infotainment systems. The owners’ request for physical volume and tone controls when they were added was highlighted in SaabPlanet’s February 2026 coverage of the ICM4 retrofit to Ahmad Abu Maizer’s car. They wanted modern phone connectivity with the familiar feel of turning a knob. For the early Saab 9-3 driver, those little touches are part of the cockpit charm. “The touchscreen opens up new possibilities, but the controls around it keep the car feeling like something its owner knows. That’s a good place to get started on a dashboard upgrade in any car. It’s also a way to check out the larger aftermarket displays available for trucks like the Chevrolet Silverado. The question is whether the new interface fits the car, its existing equipment and the habits of the person behind the wheel. Saab's Retrofit Projects Make the Connections Visible The early 9-3 offers a particularly clear example of why the original electronics deserve attention. Saab's workshop documentation for the 2006 model describes an optical network AUDIO between components, with the Infotainment Control Module acting as a gateway between that network and the vehicle's electrical buses. So the visible control panel is just one part of a connected system. You need to understand what is behind the dashboard to understand an upgrade. Adding physical controls to Ahmad’s ICM4 project addresses another aspect of the same problem: how a driver uses the finished installation. Old habits die hard for new functions. But if you like a volume knob, you might want to keep that interaction even as you change how the music gets to the speakers. The difference is that it leaves enthusiasts with two things to judge: does the installation play nice with the vehicle’s electronics, and does it feel nice to use? Both are worth a look before the dashboard falls apart. The Silverado Brings the Same Question Into a Different Cabin A Silverado has a different dash and a different set of compatibility requirements. The transferable idea is to start by having the whole system already fitted to the vehicle. For example, Merge Screens’ Chevrolet Silverado Tesla-style screen is listed for 2007-2026 trucks, with configs matched to year, trim and factory equipment. The listing indicates wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with wireless ability as an optional upgrade. Another factor is the product's factory-radio requirement: The original unit has to be there and working. If the customer already has a radio problem, they should have that fault assessed before concluding that a display upgrade is the answer. A good initial inquiry for a Silverado owner about this route is to include some dashboard pictures and description of the existing audio and camera kit. That description also covers earlier changes. We need to understand the truck as it is now. ” Preserving a Function Includes Preserving Access to It It is easier to judge compatibility if it is shown in everyday tasks. You can adjust the temperature while viewing a map, change the volume during a phone call, or select a camera view. Each has a practical sequence the owner may ask to see. Merge Screens’ Silverado page lists retention of functions like steering-wheel controls, factory cameras and Bose audio. Those are good starting points for a demonstration tailored to a particular configuration. Ask about the features of that particular truck, how they will be accessed and what changes their operation would have after installation. The example of Saab remains relevant here. Familiar controls are good because owners already get them. Two questions are worth settling: whether to keep a function available anywhere in the system, and whether to keep it convenient to reach. Before ordering make a short list of controls used on almost every journey. Have the installer or supplier explain each one using the proposed installation. The ensuing conversation is more informative than a quick demo of the home screen. A Larger Display Needs to Earn Its Space When you consider navigation, or browsing an audio library while parked, the appeal of a big screen is easy to understand. It also becomes a significant element of the interior, so the relationship with the surrounding dashboard is important. Begin with photos of the correct installation for the vehicle. Observe the position of the vents, the finish of the bezel, and the clearance around nearby switches. Observe it from the regular driver position and as it appears face on. A photo taken from the passenger seat can give the screen a very different look from what the driver will see. Request to see day and evening operation. See how bright they are and what information is displayed on the home screen. Before they decide a certain size is the right size, owners should be able to tell if they like the presentation. For someone who has had a car for years, these are the decisions that go along with living with that purchase. The novelty of a new display is soon over, its position, its finish and its daily behavior remain. Keep the Next Repair in Mind Documentation is a good thing for Saab enthusiasts to care about: modification may still be in the car when another workshop, or another owner, needs to understand it. That record is worth saving for a Silverado upgrade. Ask what original components are still installed, what other interfaces are used, and what would be needed to go back to the previous setup. See if any trim or wiring changes are permanent. Keep the vehicle’s service records together with the installation instructions, configuration details and photographs. Before committing, a Silverado owner can request confirmation of the proposed configuration and details of the support available afterward from Merge Screens. The quote should also include optional connectivity equipment, additional parts and installation cost. At handover, bring the phone that will normally be used. With the vehicle parked, work through pairing, audio, climate controls and the fitted camera views. Ask how to return to familiar vehicle menus, and how future software updates are handled These are good things... > Four Saabs head to auction in Sweden on October 14: a rare 9-4X Aero, tuned Sonett III, low-mileage 9-3, and a 1955 Saab 92B rescued from a scrapyard. - Published: 2026-10-13 - Modified: 2026-10-13 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/four-saabs-bilweb-auction-october-2026/ - Categories: Classifieds’ Saab Of The Day - Tags: Bilweb Auctions, SAAB 9-3, SAAB 9-4X Aero, Saab 92B, Saab Sonett III Four Saabs spanning 1955 to 2011 will go under the hammer at Bilweb Auctions on October 14. A rare Saab 9-4X Aero, factory-tuned Sonett III, low-mileage 9-3, and scrapyard-rescued 92B offer an unusual comparison of collector values, with only one having reached its reserve price so far. Four Saabs, built between 1955 and 2011, will face bidders in Sweden on October 14, 2026. The lineup at Bilweb Auctions' October Auction 2 brings together an American-imported Saab 9-4X Aero, a long-owned Sonett III with a factory V4 tuning kit, a low-mileage 9-3 Sport Sedan with Maptun upgrades, and a two-stroke Saab 92B rescued from a scrapyard in 1990. What makes this particular auction interesting is the contrast between the four cars and their current valuations. The rarest model by production numbers, the 9-4X Aero, has attracted a bid of 160,000 SEK, but remains below its undisclosed reserve price. Meanwhile, the 1972 Sonett III has already reached 170,000 SEK and cleared its reserve, despite a much more modest performance specification and an entirely different collector audience. At the opposite end of Saab's history, the 1955 Saab 92B stands at just 34,000 SEK, considerably below its estimated value. Between them sits a carefully maintained 2010 Saab 9-3 with fewer than 70,000 kilometers on the odometer. All four auctions close on Wednesday morning, October 14, with ten-minute intervals between their scheduled closing times. The results should offer an interesting snapshot of what buyers are currently willing to pay for four very different types of Saab. 2011 Saab 9-4X Aero: Back in Sweden After 15 Years in America Of the four cars, the black 2011 Saab 9-4X Aero 2. 8 V6 is perhaps the most unusual offering. Saab's final crossover was produced for only a few months in 2011 at General Motors' Ramos Arizpe plant in Mexico, with approximately 803 production vehicles completed before the program ended. This black 2011 Saab 9-4X Aero was imported from Ohio to Sweden in summer 2026. With 219,000 km recorded, it entered the October 14 auction with a valuation of 220,000–240,000 SEK. Photo: Bilweb Auctions. Most 9-4Xs were delivered to North America, where the model was intended to compete with premium crossovers such as the BMW X3, Audi Q5, and Volvo XC60. Based on GM's Theta Premium architecture, which it shared with the second-generation Cadillac SRX, the 9-4X was available with a naturally aspirated 3. 0-liter V6 or, in Aero specification, a 2. 8-liter turbocharged V6 developing 305 hp. The example now offered in Sweden spent most of its life in Ohio. According to Bilweb, it was purchased new by a woman who retained the SUV until approximately two years ago. Another Saab enthusiast from the same state subsequently acquired it, before the current owner brought the vehicle to Sweden during the summer of 2026. Its Swedish registration was completed on August 5, 2026. The vehicle, chassis number 3G0FNUE65BS800186, is therefore returning to the European market just months before this auction. Bilweb reports that only 21 Saab 9-4X Aero examples are registered in Sweden. Although that figure comes from the auction house rather than a separately verified registration database, it illustrates how rarely the model appears on Swedish roads. Substantial Mileage, but Recent Mechanical Work This is not a low-mileage collector example. Its odometer shows approximately 219,000 kilometers (136,100 miles), making it a vehicle whose condition and maintenance history will matter as much as its production rarity. The seller reports that the SUV received an oil and filter service, replacement front brakes, and a refurbished turbocharger. During August 2026, several additional components were replaced, including the boost-control solenoid, bypass valve, oxygen sensor, and mass airflow sensor. Bilweb's inspection describes a clean engine compartment and reports that the engine and automatic transmission operate without noticeable problems. No active warning lights were present during the assessment, and the vehicle passed its Swedish inspection without remarks. The equipment is typical of the Aero's premium positioning: Bose audio, panoramic glass roof, ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, xenon headlights, reversing camera, and rear-seat entertainment screens. The car also features LED lighting modifications in the rear light assembly. There are some imperfections. The metallic black paint has minor scratches, while a small defect in the left rear taillight has allowed condensation to develop inside the lamp. The auction report otherwise describes the body and underside positively, with no visible oil leaks or significant underside damage. How Much Is a High-Mileage 9-4X Aero Worth? Bilweb estimates the vehicle at 220,000–240,000 SEK, while the highest bid as of October 12 stands at 160,000 SEK. That is approximately 73 percent of the lower estimate, and the reserve price has not yet been reached. Its rarity certainly distinguishes the 9-4X from more familiar late-production Saabs, but prospective buyers must also consider the challenges of sourcing certain model-specific body, trim, and lighting components. Shared GM mechanical hardware can help with some maintenance requirements, although that does not make every part straightforward to obtain. For this particular example, the tension between its limited production and relatively high mileage creates the central question. Will bidders value the opportunity to acquire a rare 9-4X Aero more highly than the risks associated with maintaining a 15-year-old crossover built in such small numbers? View the Saab 9-4X Aero auction, photographs, and current bidding. 1955 Saab 92B: The Two-Stroke That Survived a Scrapyard The dark-red 1955 Saab 92B has a very different background. While the 9-4X represents the final period of Saab automobile production, this car comes from the company's earliest years, when the two-cylinder, two-stroke 92 was still establishing Saab's place in the Swedish automotive industry. Rescued from a Swedish scrapyard in 1990, this 1955 Saab 92B was restored and preserved by the same family for 36 years before its October 2026 auction. Photo: Bilweb Auctions. Its survival story begins in 1990 at Årjängs Bildemontering, a scrapyard in Värmland, Sweden. The father of the current owner, newly retired and interested in Saab automobiles, acquired the 92B as a restoration project. Importantly, photographs from the day the car was collected survive and are included in the auction listing. They show the Saab on a trailer before work began, providing a useful reference for the restoration that followed. The new owner repaired corrosion in the floor and around the rear shock absorber mounting... > MotorTrend ranked the Saab 9-3 Aero last in 2004. See how its rivals compare today through Bring a Trailer auction prices and ownership costs. - Published: 2026-10-11 - Modified: 2026-10-11 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-3-aero-2004-motortrend-rivals-value/ - Categories: SAAB Reviews - Tags: SAAB 9-3, Saab 9-3 Aero In 2004, MotorTrend ranked the Saab 9-3 Aero behind the Infiniti G35, Cadillac CTS, and Acura TL. Twenty-two years later, Bring a Trailer auction results reveal how these former premium rivals have depreciated, which examples still attract enthusiasts, and what it takes to keep them on American roads. In May 2004, MotorTrend brought together four premium sport sedans in California, looking for alternatives to the BMW 3 Series. The competitors were the Saab 9-3 Aero, Infiniti G35, Cadillac CTS 3. 6, and Acura TL, all equipped with automatic transmissions and priced between approximately $31,000 and $44,000. The results were straightforward: Infiniti G35 first, Cadillac CTS second, Acura TL third, and Saab 9-3 Aero fourth. For Saab, whose new-generation 9-3 Sport Sedan had arrived just over a year earlier, the result was hardly encouraging. Twenty-two years later, the original comparison, titled "California Dreamers," has returned to circulation through MotorTrend's republished 2004 road test. Today, however, the more interesting comparison concerns the surviving cars: how much they sell for, how difficult they are to maintain, and whether enthusiasts still consider them worth preserving. Four American-market rivals with very different engineering The original comparison reflected the North American luxury-sedan market rather than the selection European buyers would have encountered in 2004. The Saab 9-3 was an established international model, while the Acura TL was developed primarily for American customers. Europeans would have been more familiar with the smaller Acura TSX, essentially the North American counterpart of the seventh-generation European Honda Accord, rather than the larger TL. The Infiniti G35 was related to the Japanese-market Nissan Skyline V35, while the Cadillac CTS, although offered in selected European markets, was primarily an American-market proposition. All four were alternatives to German premium sedans, but they approached the category differently. Model Engine Power 2004 tested price Result Infiniti G35 3. 5L V6, RWD 260 hp $31,485 1st Cadillac CTS 3. 6L V6, RWD 255 hp $43,880 2nd Acura TL 3. 2L V6, FWD 270 hp* $35,195 3rd Saab 9-3 Aero 2. 0L Turbo, FWD 210 hp $38,755 4th *Acura's contemporary advertised horsepower rating, before subsequent SAE rating revisions. Prices refer to the original MotorTrend test vehicles with their respective equipment. The Saab was the only turbocharged four-cylinder car in the group and had the lowest peak horsepower. Its B207R engine produced 210 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque, while its chassis incorporated Saab's ReAxs passive rear-steering geometry and a substantially stiffer body than the previous-generation 9-3. One of the most revealing measurements in MotorTrend's original comparison was the relationship between ride comfort and handling. The Saab 9-3 recorded the lowest slalom speed of the four cars while also producing the least favorable ride-quality measurement. This was particularly disappointing because its firmer suspension did not translate into superior performance through the cones. The other three offered naturally aspirated V6 engines, while both the Infiniti and Cadillac used rear-wheel-drive platforms. The Infiniti additionally benefited from its mechanical relationship with the Nissan 350Z, making it a particularly credible alternative to the contemporary BMW 3 Series. Why did MotorTrend place the Saab last? The magazine acknowledged the 9-3's structural improvements, supportive seats, compact dimensions, and solid body construction. Its main objections involved the interaction between the turbocharged engine and five-speed Sentronic automatic transmission, inconsistent steering response, and intrusive stability-control intervention. The Saab's 0–60 mph time of 6. 9 seconds was slower than the Infiniti's 6. 2 seconds, Acura's 6. 3 seconds, and Cadillac's 6. 6 seconds. However, the 9-3 was more competitive under braking, stopping from 60 mph in 121 feet, better than both the Acura and Cadillac. The criticism of the automatic transmission was significant. During kickdown, the delay between the transmission selecting a lower gear and the turbocharged engine delivering its strongest response could make acceleration less predictable than in the naturally aspirated competitors. This distinction remains relevant today. A six-speed manual 9-3 Aero offers a different driving experience from the automatic car tested in California, although it does not eliminate the steering and chassis characteristics criticized in contemporary reviews. The original findings were valid for the specific vehicle and test conditions. But a twenty-two-year-old premium sedan is now judged by very different priorities. What does Bring a Trailer reveal about their values in 2026? At the time of the test, these were relatively expensive new cars. Today, they are aging premium sedans whose values depend far more on mileage, originality, maintenance records, mechanical condition, and transmission specification than on their original showroom prices. The American enthusiast auction platform Bring a Trailer (BaT) provides an especially useful perspective because completed listings show actual winning bids, detailed photographs, mechanical histories, and buyer discussions. Recent and historical BaT transactions illustrate the substantial differences between individual examples: Model Mileage BaT sale price Sale date 2004 Saab 9-3 Aero Convertible 38,000 miles $13,750 Mar. 2026 2004 Saab 9-3 Aero Convertible, 6-speed 88,000 miles $6,100 Jul. 2025 2004 Cadillac CTS 3. 6 Sedan 48,000 miles $4,750 Apr. 2026 2004 Infiniti G35x Sedan 22,000 miles $11,762 Oct. 2024 All prices are confirmed winning bids on Bring a Trailer, excluding applicable auction fees. These are individual sales, not market averages. The Saab examples are convertibles, while the Infiniti is an all-wheel-drive G35x rather than the rear-wheel-drive G35 tested by MotorTrend. A directly comparable 2004 Acura TL sale was not established for this selection. The Cadillac result is particularly revealing. In April 2026, a 2004 CTS 3. 6 with just 48,000 miles sold for $4,750, despite its low mileage, V6 engine, automatic transmission, and clean Carfax report. It attracted nine bids and 245 watchers, demonstrating that a carefully preserved early CTS does not necessarily command a substantial premium. The 2004 Infiniti G35x sedan sold for $11,762 with only 22,000 miles. Although it was the all-wheel-drive version, rather than the rear-wheel-drive car from the original test, its sale suggests that exceptional mileage can make an ordinary G35 sedan attractive to specialist buyers. For the Saab, the difference between individual cars is even more interesting. The 38,000-mile 2004 Aero Convertible sold for $13,750 in March 2026, while an 88,000-mile Aero Convertible with the desirable six-speed manual transmission brought $6,100 in July 2025. Condition, mileage, and buyer demand clearly mattered more than simply having an Aero badge. Looking at the broader Saab 9-3 auction history on Bring a... > Inside France's abandoned Saab dealership in 2026: 21 cars, a stripped Saab 9000 CSE, and new footage documenting years of vandalism. - Published: 2026-10-10 - Modified: 2026-10-10 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/abandoned-saab-dealership-france-2026/ - Categories: SAAB News - Tags: Abandoned Saab, Hubault Automobiles, SAAB 9-3, Saab 9-5, Saab 9000 CSE, Saab Dealership, Saab France, Saab History Six years after our first report, France's abandoned Hubault Saab dealership still contains 21 vehicles, including a dismantled Saab 9000 CSE. A new 2026 video from Decaying Midwest documents the damaged showroom, workshops, and surviving Saab literature. In February 2020, we published the first chapter of a story that has continued for six years: the discovery of an abandoned Saab dealership in northern France. The photographs showed a surprisingly complete showroom, with several Saabs still parked inside, including a first-generation 9-3 TiD, two 9-5s, one equipped for LPG, and a rare 9-7X. By the time we returned to the subject in July 2025, the situation had changed dramatically. The former Hubault Automobiles dealership in Amiens had been extensively vandalized. Windows were broken, vehicles stripped of components, and at least one Saab had suffered devastating fire damage. Turkish explorer Şevket Sahtiyan documented the destruction and spoke with a local man familiar with the former business. Now a third chapter has emerged. In early October 2026, the American urban exploration channel Decaying Midwest published a new video of the property. Its approximately 18-minute tour reveals the current condition of the showroom, workshop, offices, and remaining vehicles. The explorers count 21 cars across the property, including a Saab 9000 CSE without its engine, a convertible, several estate cars, and vehicles from other manufacturers. The footage also documents surviving Saab brochures, workshop materials, and genuine-parts packaging. How Hubault's Saab Dealership Changed Between 2009 and 2026 The dealership's history is already familiar to readers who followed our previous reports. Groupe Hubault was an established family business whose activities extended beyond conventional vehicle sales. Its Saab operation became particularly associated with LPG conversions, BRC fuel systems, and specialist service work. A historical Google Street View image reproduced in our 2025 investigation shows the building in 2009, with Saab flags outside and vehicles displayed behind the showroom windows. Groupe Hubault in 2009, when the dealership was still operating. Historical Google Street View image reproduced in our 2025 investigation. Its financial problems preceded Saab Automobile's final bankruptcy. Hubault entered reorganization and liquidation proceedings in 2010, while the relevant company was removed from the commercial register in 2012. The circumstances surrounding its closure help explain why so much equipment and inventory remained behind, although the legal status of individual vehicles is still unclear. In 2020, the showroom retained much of its original appearance. Several Saab vehicles still occupied the display area, and the building contained the furniture, signage, and printed material of an operating dealership. The former Saab showroom as documented in our original 2020 report. The photograph provides a useful comparison with the later damage. The 2025 investigation established how substantially the condition had deteriorated, including damage to vehicles once photographed in much better condition. It also identified the dealership's former operators and documented elements of its specialist LPG business. A New Exploration by Decaying Midwest The latest visitors, from the American channel Decaying Midwest, say they encountered the building unexpectedly while driving through the French countryside. A badly burned car outside attracted their attention. After checking Google Street View and noticing signs that the building was no longer in use, they returned to record an exploration. Unlike earlier coverage centered on the dealership's history, their video follows the interior room by room. The recording includes the remaining showroom vehicles, workshop storage, partially dismantled cars, customer waiting areas, and administrative offices. We recommend watching the full video below. It gives a much clearer impression of how many vehicles remain inside and how the different sections of the former dealership connect. Readers familiar with the original 2020 photographs will immediately recognize the contrast. Watch the complete 2026 exploration by Decaying Midwest. The video includes the showroom, workshop, remaining cars, and original Saab documentation. Watch directly on YouTube. Three Saabs Remain in the Showroom The exploration begins with the burned vehicle outside. Its seats, electrical wiring, and interior trim are extensively damaged. The visitors notice fire marks on the building and speculate that the car might once have been inside, although the video does not establish where it was located when the fire occurred. Inside the showroom, three Saab vehicles remain in position. One carries EcoPower branding, while another is identified as a TiD diesel. They have suffered broken windows, missing wheels, damaged lights, and removed equipment. Interestingly, several engines remain in place. The explorers express surprise that removable interior components have disappeared while complete powertrains have apparently been left untouched. Compared with the cars shown in the original 2020 photographs, the showroom vehicles have lost much of their remaining restoration potential. Their interiors are exposed, and repeated disturbance has added damage beyond the effects of ordinary long-term storage. Inside the Workshop: More Than Twenty Vehicles The most substantial part of the new video begins when the explorers reach the larger workshop and vehicle storage area. Rows of cars extend well beyond the showroom, and the visitors eventually count 21 vehicles, including the burned example outside. This figure is consistent with earlier observations rather than a newly discovered collection. In 2023, the French automotive publication L'Argus had already reported approximately twenty vehicles on the property. Several Saabs are visible, including sedans, estate cars, and a convertible. There are also cars from other manufacturers, among them a Citroën C5 and a Peugeot. Their presence is consistent with Hubault's role as a service business rather than exclusively a new-car showroom. The workshop contains vehicles in widely varying condition. Some retain their seats, dashboard assemblies, and interior trim, while others have missing doors, broken glass, damaged lighting, and extensive mold. Footprints across roofs and bodywork suggest that visitors have climbed over vehicles, contributing to the destruction. The Saab 9000 CSE Without Its Engine One vehicle that deserves particular attention is a Saab 9000 CSE, identified during the exploration. Its engine is missing, leaving a visibly empty engine compartment. There is no way to determine from the recording whether the engine was removed during legitimate workshop activity before closure or taken afterward. The same uncertainty applies to other dismantled vehicles inside the building. That distinction matters. A former repair workshop may contain vehicles already disassembled for mechanical work, and it would be inaccurate to attribute every missing component to vandalism without... > A 1972 Saab Sonett III with 41 years of ownership, a Saab V4 tuning kit and documented maintenance heads to auction in Sweden. - Published: 2026-10-10 - Modified: 2026-10-10 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/1972-saab-sonett-iii-v4-tuning-kit-auction/ - Categories: Classifieds’ Saab Of The Day - Tags: 1972 Saab Sonett, Bilweb Auctions, Classic Saab, Saab 1700 V4, Saab Auctions, Saab Sonett, Saab Sonett III, Saab Sports Cars, SAAB Tuning, SAAB V4 A yellow 1972 Saab Sonett III, owned by the same enthusiast since 1985, is heading to auction in Sweden with an original Saab tuning kit, Weber carburetor and documented maintenance history. A yellow 1972 Saab Sonett III 1700 V4, owned by the same enthusiast since June 1985, is currently offered through Bilweb Auctions in Sweden. Beyond its long ownership history, this particular Sonett has an interesting mechanical specification: an original Saab performance tuning kit, a twin-barrel Weber carburetor and the correct Sonett transmission gearing. The auction closes on October 14, 2026, at 10:10 a. m. Swedish time. At the time of writing, bidding stands at 121,000 SEK, below the auction house's estimated value of 170,000–200,000 SEK. The reserve price has not yet been met. Just 45,000 Kilometers in Four Decades The current owner acquired the car in June 1985, when its odometer recorded 82,584 kilometers (51,316 miles). According to the auction description, the reading is now approximately 127,710 kilometers (79,356 miles), representing around 45,000 kilometers (28,000 miles) of driving over more than 41 years. The Sonett has reportedly never been driven during winter under its present ownership, and the seller believes the same applies to its earlier life. It was used most frequently during the second half of the 1980s, when it also received a repaint in traditional Sonett yellow using Glasurit paint at Frittes in Lidingö. The underbody was painted during the same period, while the front suspension was slightly lowered. The yellow fiberglass bodywork retains the familiar black rear panel, early Sonett III bumpers and characteristic alloy wheels. A Saab Tuning Kit and an Important Gearbox Detail The most interesting feature is the Saab original tuning kit fitted to the 1. 7-liter Ford-derived V4. According to Bilweb, the package includes a twin-barrel Weber carburetor and increases the engine's estimated output to approximately 100 horsepower, compared with the standard 65 hp. That figure comes from the seller's description rather than a documented dynamometer test, but it indicates a substantial improvement over the standard engine. In a lightweight, front-wheel-drive Sonett, the difference would be particularly noticeable. Another detail concerns the transmission. An invoice from 1982 documents a gearbox replacement, and the auction house specifically notes that the car has the appropriate Sonett gearbox and final-drive ratio rather than the standard Saab 96 gearing. This distinction matters because the Sonett III used a taller final-drive ratio, allowing it to make better use of its available power at road speeds. The original Sonett III technical documentation specifies a 4. 66:1 final-drive ratio. Maintained Rather Than Completely Restored The maintenance history includes a substantial workshop inspection in 2012, when the radiator was replaced, followed by further work in 2016. More recently, the brakes were serviced and the carburetor rebuilt in 2025. The car also has relatively new tires and a battery. Bilweb describes the engine and drivetrain as functioning well, with smooth, even braking. The underside reportedly appears sound, while the older repaint shows normal signs of use. Inside, the upholstery has visible wear, and the headliner is loose in places. In other words, this is presented as a usable, maintained Sonett rather than a freshly restored show car. Documentation, two sets of keys and records covering part of its earlier mechanical history accompany the sale. What Will Buyers Pay for This Sonett? Registered in Sweden on June 30, 1972, the car carries registration CPS 043 and chassis number 97725001839. Swedish vehicle records list seven registered owners, with the latest approved inspection dated July 17, 2025. One detail worth clarifying with the auction house is the odometer information: the vehicle's technical-data table lists 27,713 kilometers, while the ownership description gives a total of approximately 127,710 kilometers. For collectors, the appeal lies in the combination of its long-term ownership, documented maintenance, period Saab performance equipment and correct Sonett mechanical specification. The older paint and imperfect interior leave room for cosmetic improvement without necessarily sacrificing the character of a car that has remained in regular, if limited, use. Whether bidders value that history enough to reach the reserve will become clear on October 14. Full auction listing, photographs and bidding: 1972 Saab Sonett III 1700 V4 at Bilweb Auctions. > Jalopnik's Amber DaSilva would spend an imaginary $1 trillion reviving Saab, despite never driving one. Her readers are joining the conversation. - Published: 2026-10-08 - Modified: 2026-10-08 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/jalopnik-amber-dasilva-saab-two-trillion-dollar-revival/ - Categories: SAAB Reviews - Tags: NEVS, Saab 9-5 Aero, Saab 900 Turbo, Saab Automobile, Saab Emily GT, Saab heritage, Trollhattan, Victor Muller A Jalopnik writer who has never driven a Saab would spend an imaginary $1 trillion reviving the Swedish automaker. Here's why her choice sparked interest. A New York automotive journalist who has never driven a Saab picks the Swedish marque for her imaginary trillion-dollar car company. Her readers have ideas of their own. There are countless ways to spend a trillion dollars in the automotive industry. You could develop a new global electric vehicle platform, build factories on several continents, acquire established manufacturers, or attempt to compete directly with Tesla, Toyota, and Volkswagen. With that kind of imaginary budget, practically every automotive fantasy becomes financially conceivable. But when Amber DaSilva, a Brooklyn-based writer for Jalopnik, was given that hypothetical opportunity, she didn't choose an emerging EV manufacturer, an exotic sports car company, or an established Japanese brand. She chose Saab. That decision appeared in her October 6, 2026, article, What Car Company Would You Build With A Trillion Dollars? , a deliberately provocative Question of the Day feature inviting readers to imagine the automaker they would establish if money were effectively unlimited. DaSilva's own proposal had a wonderfully straightforward name: Saab Two. And there's an unexpected detail that makes her choice particularly interesting: she has never owned a Saab. In fact, she admits she has never even driven one. A Subaru Enthusiast Picks a Swedish Car Company Anyone familiar with DaSilva's work might have expected a different answer. Her Jalopnik author biography lists motorcycles, Subarus, and car modification among her specialties. She joined the publication in 2021, and her personal automotive experiences include a Subaru Legacy GT wagon, motorcycle track riding, and considerable enthusiasm for two-wheeled transportation. She's also part of a generation of automotive journalists whose careers began well after Saab's strongest years in the American market. By the time she joined Jalopnik, Saab Automobile had been out of production for nearly a decade. Rony Lutz’s 1980 Saab 900 Turbo cutaway captures a period when Saab used detailed technical illustration to explain the engineering behind its rapidly evolving turbo cars, not merely to decorate a brochure. That makes her preference different from the familiar expressions of affection for Saab from former owners, longtime collectors, or journalists who remember testing a Saab 900 Turbo when it was new. DaSilva isn't recalling a car she once owned or a particularly memorable test drive. Her interest is evidently strong enough for her to imagine building an entirely new manufacturer around the Saab idea, despite having no firsthand driving experience with the original cars. Her proposal is brief, self-aware, and clearly intended as a joke rather than a serious business plan. She acknowledges that Saab AB still exists as a defense and aerospace company, recognizes that National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS) attempted to revive the automotive operation, and then suggests she could succeed where those efforts did not. The name she gives the project captures the entire premise without attempting to disguise its hypothetical nature: Saab Two, a sequel to Saab. We have seen plenty of proposed Saab successors over the years. This one is unusual because it comes from outside the established Saab community, from a writer whose automotive interests largely lie elsewhere. And that raises an interesting question: what does the Saab name communicate to someone who has never experienced the cars firsthand? The Readers Responded, and Saab Returned to the Conversation The story became even more interesting on October 8, 2026, when DaSilva published a follow-up titled These Are The Car Companies You'd Build With $1 Trillion. The article collected readers' proposals, including everything from reviving Pontiac and Saturn to producing affordable range-extended electric vehicles and building lightweight cars with conventional engines. But the first featured reader response supported DaSilva's original suggestion. Under the heading "Saab Two, Two," a commenter using the name Frosteeman wrote: "I'm with Amber, revive Saab. The world needs a car company that's safe, quirky, and sometimes performance minded again. " Those three characteristics are particularly revealing. They suggest that, for at least some enthusiasts, Saab remains associated with safety, unconventional engineering, and performance rather than simply with its discontinued model range. There was another familiar Saab connection in the presentation. Jalopnik illustrated this reader response with a photograph of Victor Muller at the 2011 New York International Auto Show, when he was still chairman of Saab Automobile. For readers who followed the final years of Saab, the photograph adds an unintentionally historical dimension. Muller was among the last people to lead an actual attempt to keep Saab producing cars. Fifteen years later, his photograph accompanies a reader's imaginary attempt to bring the brand back with unlimited funding. Muller's recollections of that turbulent period continue to attract attention. In a 2026 interview revisiting the decisions and regrets surrounding Saab's final years, the former chairman discussed the circumstances that shaped his attempt to save the Swedish automaker. That historical experience provides an interesting counterpoint to DaSilva's hypothetical proposal. Saab Two has unlimited money. The real Saab Automobile had to contend with financing, ownership, suppliers, and the consequences of years of restructuring. What Would a Trillion-Dollar Saab Actually Build? DaSilva doesn't propose a model lineup, powertrain strategy, manufacturing location, or new technology. Her brief contribution is an invitation to imagine what a revived Saab might look like. That's the right way to read the piece. It would be misleading to interpret a playful Jalopnik feature as evidence of a planned revival, an emerging investor group, or serious negotiations over the Saab name. Nevertheless, the premise encourages a useful exercise: identifying which parts of Saab's original engineering philosophy would still make sense in a new car. Saab 99 Combi Coupe Turbo: the Saab Combi Coupé stood as a testament to Saab's unwavering commitment to creating cars that were both beautiful and practical. Consider the development of the original Saab 99 Turbo. Its significance wasn't simply that Saab fitted a turbocharger to a production engine. The important engineering work involved making forced induction sufficiently manageable for everyday driving, eventually supported by innovations such as Automatic Performance Control (APC). The same willingness to reconsider established solutions appeared in the development of the Saab 9000, particularly in... > Four Saab 9000 legends checked against factory records, period tests and Talladega documents, from the famous door story to Trionic ion sensing. - Published: 2026-10-06 - Modified: 2026-10-06 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9000-legends-history-facts/ - Categories: SAAB News - Tags: SAAB 9000, Saab 9000 Talladega, Saab Trionic, The Long Run, Type Four Did a Saab engineer really stand on an open 9000 door? Did the Talladega team borrow NASCAR fuel cans, and could a 9000 Aero really out-accelerate a Ferrari? We trace four familiar Saab 9000 stories back to the surviving historical record. A Saab engineer standing on an open prototype door, borrowed NASCAR fuel cans at Talladega, a 9000 Aero embarrassing a Ferrari, and spark plugs doubling as combustion sensors. Four stories about the Saab 9000 have circulated for years, but how much of each can actually be traced back to contemporary documents? The Saab 9000 has now been around long enough for engineering history and enthusiast folklore to become difficult to separate. Some stories began with Saab's own publicity, some can be traced to engineers who worked on the car, while others have traveled through club magazines, conversations, forums and social media until a very specific event has gradually acquired extra details. A recent post shared by the Amigos de los Saab-Scania community brought four particularly interesting examples together, and they are good enough to warrant a closer look rather than either automatic acceptance or dismissal. Our approach is deliberately cautious. If we cannot locate a period document or a credible first-hand account, that does not prove an event never happened. Saab employed thousands of engineers, technicians and test drivers, and some genuine factory stories inevitably survived as oral history rather than archived paperwork. At the same time, repetition does not turn an anecdote into evidence. For each of these four stories, we therefore looked for contemporary Saab documentation, recollections from people directly involved, technical manuals and period road tests. Where the historical record is strong, we can say so; where it becomes uncertain, the uncertainty is part of the story. 1. Did a Saab Engineer Really Stand on an Open Door? Assessment: plausible in spirit, but the specific incident remains unverified. The story says that during development of the Type Four cars, a Swedish engineer opened the door of an Italian prototype, climbed onto or put his full weight on its upper edge and permanently distorted either the door or its opening. Saab's engineers supposedly considered this unacceptable and subsequently redesigned the pillars, hinges and surrounding structure until an adult could load an open door without disturbing its alignment. It is an almost perfectly constructed Saab anecdote, which is precisely why it deserves more scrutiny. Type four platform So far, we have not located a contemporary Saab engineering document, interview or period publication that confirms this particular test. That leaves the incident itself unverified rather than disproved. What is much easier to establish is that the engineering disagreement represented by the story was very real. The 9000 came from the Type Four joint-development program involving Saab and the Italian manufacturers behind the Lancia Thema, Fiat Croma and, later, Alfa Romeo 164. Italdesign's own history describes the project as one of Europe's major early automotive joint ventures, while the Saab 9000 historical archive notes that work on Saab's larger new model gathered pace in 1979 as the collaboration with Fiat and Lancia developed. Cost sharing and common components were fundamental reasons for undertaking the project in the first place. That makes one surviving account particularly valuable. In a detailed 2009 Automobil retrospective on the 9000 project, people who actually worked on X29 described some of the disagreements between Trollhättan and Turin. Project leader Rolf Sarsten recalled that during work on the second-generation E2 prototypes, vibration problems prompted Saab to request an increase in sheet-metal thickness from 1. 0 to 1. 2 mm in part of the structure. Lancia resisted because of the additional cost, leading Sarsten, managing director Sten Wennlo and Saab-Scania chief Georg Karnsund to travel to Turin and press the issue. Saab got the 1. 2 mm material it wanted. The same retrospective includes the recollections of body-construction engineer Dick Ohlsson, who explained that apparently similar doors on the Type Four cars did not necessarily contain the same internal structure. Saab required different reinforcement because its crash-protection targets were different, and Ohlsson recalled that by the end of development only a very small number of body items remained genuinely common. Other histories of the 9000 similarly emphasize how far the Swedish car diverged from the common starting point despite its obvious visual relationship with the Lancia Thema and other Italdesign Type Four work. There is also later evidence showing that Saab continued to treat body structure as an evolving engineering problem rather than something frozen when the original 9000 entered production. When the 9000 CS was developed, Saab substantially revised its side-impact structure in preparation for the U. S. test procedure that would become mandatory in 1994. Surviving Saab material preserved by the SAAB Veterans Association in Trollhättan states that the revised CS structure reduced body deformation by approximately 80 mm under that test method, increasing the available survival space for occupants. The famous door episode therefore remains in an interesting category. We currently cannot demonstrate that an engineer really stood on an Italian prototype's open door and forced Saab to redesign it, but we can document disagreements over structural specifications, heavier material demanded by Saab, different internal construction and later extensive side-impact development. The anecdote may preserve a genuine incident, may be an exaggerated version of another structural test, or may simply have grown around engineering decisions that are themselves well documented. Until a stronger source appears, it should remain an anecdote rather than a fact. 2. Did Saab Borrow NASCAR Fuel Cans at Talladega? Assessment: we found no documentary support for the borrowed-fuel story, although several genuine fuel problems occurred during the project. The second story concerns Saab's 1986 The Long Run at Talladega Superspeedway. According to the circulating version, a tanker carrying fuel arrived late and stopping the three record cars would have compromised the attempt, so the Saab crew borrowed fuel containers from local NASCAR teams and improvised rapid refueling until the main supply arrived. Unlike many events in Saab history, however, Talladega left behind an unusually detailed first-hand record. Olle Granlund, beaming with pride, celebrates the Saab 9000's world speed record at Talladega, having covered 100,000 kilometers with an average speed of 213. 299 km/h. Olle Granlund's extensive account of The Long Run is... > Saab made turbocharging about response and control. Diesel trucks use the same principle for sustained boost, towing torque and heavy-duty reliability. - Published: 2026-10-05 - Modified: 2026-10-05 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-turbo-legacy-diesel-truck-turbos/ - Categories: Saab Technology - Tags: Cummins turbo, diesel truck turbos, Duramax turbo, Power Stroke turbo, Saab Turbo, Saab turbo tuning Saab engineered turbocharging around response, knock control and everyday drivability. Modern Power Stroke, Cummins and Duramax diesels use forced induction for a very different task: sustained boost, towing torque and thermal control under heavy load. Saab built its reputation on turbocharging before most manufacturers treated it as anything more than a racing trick. The 99 Turbo landed in 1978 and did something unusual for the era: it took a small four cylinder block and made it feel like a much larger engine, without asking the driver to live with a race car on the street. That single decision shaped the brand for the next three decades. The engineering problem Saab was solving had nothing to do with headline horsepower. It was about drivability. Turbo lag on an early boost setup could make a small engine feel lifeless below 3,000 RPM and then violent above it. Saab's answer came in stages: better boost mapping, knock sensing tied to fuel quality through APC (Automatic Performance Control), and later the Trionic engine management system that let the turbo build pressure earlier and hold it more evenly. The goal was a four cylinder that behaved like it had two extra cylinders hiding somewhere in the block, usable in daily traffic and not just on a closed track. The inventor himself Per Gillbrand presents his invention: APC The Gift of the B-Series Block: Durability and Tuning Culture That approach left a strange gift for the aftermarket. Saab's B-series turbo blocks, especially the later B204 and B234 variants, have a reputation among owners for surviving well past their factory boost targets. It is common in Saab circles to hear about stock internals holding together at power levels the factory engineers never designed for, long after the cars themselves stopped being built. That kind of durability is exactly why grassroots Saab tuning has stayed alive decades after the badge left showrooms. Owners trust the block, so they keep pushing it. The turbo obsession did not stop at the daily driver either. Saab carried the same philosophy into cars like the Viggen and later the Aero/SPG editions, where a factory turbo setup was pushed hard enough that the aftermarket barely needed to reinvent anything, just refine what was already there. That is part of why Saab tuning culture leans so heavily on the factory block rather than swapping in something foreign. The turbo was already doing the right job. It just needed sharper boost control and better cooling to get the rest of the way. The Diesel Flip: Sustained Boost and Heavy Duty Demands Cross the Atlantic and change the vehicle class entirely, and turbocharging is still doing the heavy lifting, but the job description flips. Heavy duty diesel trucks built around the Power Stroke, Cummins, and Duramax platforms lean on forced induction just as hard as any Saab ever did. The difference is what the turbo is being asked to do. A Saab turbo motor needs to wake up fast for a quick pull out of a corner. A diesel truck turbo needs to hold steady boost for hours at low RPM with several tons hanging off the hitch, without cooking itself in the process. A cutaway view of a modern Cummins turbocharger shows the turbine, compressor and internal flow-control hardware designed to manage boost across a wide operating range. That difference shows up in the hardware. Modern Cummins engines use variable geometry turbos that adjust vane angle on the fly to manage boost across a much wider load range than a fixed geometry unit ever could. Some Cummins and Duramax setups go further with compound turbo arrangements, pairing a smaller turbo for quick response with a larger one for sustained airflow under a full trailer. Power Stroke platforms have run their own sequential and twin turbo layouts for similar reasons. Where a Saab tuner worries about knock and lag, a diesel truck owner worries about exhaust gas temperature climbing on a long grade, because an overheated turbo on a loaded truck fails in a much less forgiving way than a lagging turbo on a commute. Maintenance Culture: Nostalgia Versus Uptime There is also a maintenance culture difference worth noting. Saab owners tend to hold onto a car for a long time and expect the turbo system to outlast several other components around it, which is part of why a rebuilt or well maintained B-series motor still shows up making strong numbers decades after it left the factory. Diesel truck owners think in similar terms, but the stakes are tied to uptime rather than nostalgia. A turbo failure on a work truck does not just end a weekend project, it can end a job for the day, which is why so much of the diesel truck aftermarket is built around fitting the correct part the first time rather than trial and error. The Common Thread: Precision in Parts and Calibration What connects the two worlds is not the hardware. It is the mindset of the people running it. Saab owners learn early that you do not order a part by model name alone. You ask for the chassis code, the engine variant, the year break, because a part that fits a 2003 9-3 might not fit a 2004 built on the same badge. Diesel truck owners go through the exact same exercise, except the variables are engine code, cab configuration, and emissions equipment year range instead of chassis generation. Both communities learned the hard way that a generic part description is a warning sign, not a convenience. That instinct is also why the diesel truck aftermarket has organized itself the way it has. A decades old Saab turbo motor stays alive because someone matched the right part to the right block instead of guessing. That is the same logic behind how the diesel parts specialists build their catalog, sorting everything by exact engine code and year range rather than selling one kit and hoping it fits close enough. Readers who also happen to run a modern diesel pickup, whether for towing, work, or a personal project truck, might find it worth a look at how that calibration philosophy plays out on the diesel side. Anyone curious can browse diesel tuners built for... > Get an original window sticker for your used car! Verify vehicle details, manufacturer MSRP, and purchase price to buy and sell with confidence. - Published: 2026-10-05 - Modified: 2026-10-05 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-window-sticker-vin-factory-options/ - Categories: SAAB News - Tags: Monroney sticker Saab, SAAB VIN, SAAB VIN Decoder, vehicle window label A Saab window sticker can help verify factory equipment, option packages, MSRP, powertrain details and other original specifications before you buy or sell a used Saab. What a Car Window Sticker Reveals About Your Vehicle Window Label Picture a silver Saab 9-3 Aero convertible outside a coffee shop. The seller swears the car left the factory with every box ticked. Heated seats. Premium audio. The 2. 8-liter turbo V6. Sounds perfect? Mark from Ohio heard a similar pitch in 2019. He paid the asking price with a smile. Six months later a Saab specialist opened the hood. Half of the promised equipment never came with the car from new. Aftermarket parts filled the gaps. Could one sheet of paper have saved him? Yes. The original window sticker. The fix starts with the car's vehicle identification number. Enter the 17-character VIN here to request the sticker through EpicVIN. The service confirms whether the original window sticker is available before checkout. A free preview helps you decide. The report covers factory options and packages. It shows base MSRP with destination charges, engine specs, transmission details as built, EPA estimates and safety ratings. Your copy arrives by email and in your account. No sticker on file? You get notified before any charge. The Monroney Sticker Story Behind Every New Car Why does every new car wear a paper label on its glass? Thank Senator Mike Monroney of Oklahoma. His Automobile Information Disclosure Act became law in 1958. Dealers lost the freedom to hide the real price behind vague numbers. The Monroney label turned into a consumer shield. It shows the manufacturer's suggested retail price. It lists standard equipment beside every optional item. Collectors hunt for an intact Monroney sticker the way stamp fans hunt rare prints. Every new car sold in America carries one. Every Saab did too. What a Saab Original Window Sticker Shows The vehicle window label reads like a birth certificate for your car. Here is what each part of it tells a buyer. Section of the label What a Saab owner learns Model and trim 9-3 Aero, 9-5 Arc or 9-7X Optional equipment Packages added on the assembly line Price block Base MSRP plus destination fee Fuel economy EPA rating for city and highway Powertrain Engine size and gearbox Paint Exterior color where listed Each line acts like a fingerprint. Hold the paper next to the car. Walk around it slowly. Additional packages sit in their own block. A mismatch hints at swaps, crash repairs or a creative seller. Treat the label as a guide instead of decoration. An example of the vehicle window sticker format available through EpicVIN, combining factory equipment, pricing, fuel-economy data and safety information in one VIN-linked document. From Vehicle Identification Number to Sticker Where does the VIN hide? Look through the windshield at the dashboard on the driver's side. The door jamb carries it too. Registration papers and insurance cards repeat it. Swedish-built Saab cars start with YS3. That prefix points straight to the Swedish maker. Think of the VIN number as a passport. The sticker works as a travel diary. One proves identity. The other describes how the vehicle looked on day one. Used Car Traps for Saab Fans Ready to Buy Saab Automobile filed for bankruptcy in December 2011. The brand left the American market soon after. Every Saab on the road today is a used car. Specialists retire. Parts grow scarce. Many automakers still run VIN lookup tools on their website. Saab lost that option long ago. Paperwork gains weight with each passing year. Watch for these red flags during a test drive. Leather seats on a trim that listed cloth. A sunroof missing from the options list. Wheels that match no package on the label. Climate control panels taken from another model. A body kit the sticker never mentions. Each flag lowers the value of the car. Use it to make a fair offer. Before You Buy or Sell a Saab. Dealer Talk and Private Deals A dealer may print a spec sheet from memory. A private seller may lean on nostalgia. Neither replaces the paper from the assembly line. Linda from Minnesota wanted to sell her 2008 Saab 9-5 wagon. She attached the sticker to her listing. Three buyers called in one evening. The label proved her car carried the full leather package. She got her asking price without haggling. Owners who plan to sell gain the same edge. A clean label answers questions before anyone asks them. Store it with the service history folder. Find the VIN on the dashboard and door jamb. Request the sticker before you visit a dealership. Match every listed feature with the car. Check open recall status by VIN. Ask about warranty coverage on any replaced component. Compare the asking price with the original MSRP. Saab Vehicle Lines With Surprising Roots The company acquired full ownership of the brand in the year 2000. Those partnerships resulted in some strange siblings. For example, the 9-7X had the same platform as the Chevrolet TrailBlazer. The 9-2X was built on the body of the Subaru Impreza, making it known informally as the Saabaru. The 9-4X shares its platform with the Cadillac SRX. Various body styles were presented under the 9–3 name, including sedan, wagon, and convertible. Does a Subaru engine under a Saab badge ruin the deal? No. It still counts as original equipment. The sticker confirms the power and trim each car carried from the dealership lot. The same federal rule covered a Dodge minivan and a Saab convertible alike. Every vehicle got the same treatment. Conclusion Your Saab carries a story. Some chapters come from Sweden. Others come from past owners with wrenches and big ideas. The car window sticker separates the two. It protects your money before a purchase. It lifts resale value when the time comes to sell. Buy with the paper in hand. Keep a copy in the glovebox. The car will reward you in its own quiet Swedish way. FAQ Can a lost Saab window sticker be recreated? Yes in many cases. A Monroney label can be rebuilt from manufacturer records linked to the VIN. The... > Victor Muller says Christian von Koenigsegg warned him about Saab’s constraints before Spyker bought it, and claims €252 million was later blocked. - Published: 2026-10-04 - Modified: 2026-10-04 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/victor-muller-koenigsegg-saab-252-million/ - Categories: SAAB News - Tags: Christian von Koenigsegg, Saab Automobile, Spyker, Victor Muller Victor Muller says Christian von Koenigsegg warned him about the constraints surrounding Saab before Spyker completed the acquisition. In a new 2026 interview, Muller also identifies two risks Spyker underestimated and claims €252 million in funding was ready but could not reach Saab. When Victor Muller looked back at Saab earlier in 2026, one of his clearest conclusions was that he would not make every decision the same way again. He still did not regret taking the chance to rescue Saab, but fifteen years of distance had changed the way he judged some of the choices made between 2009 and December 2011. A new interview, published on September 22 by Cars and Culture with Jason Stein, adds several important details to that assessment. This time Muller does not spend much time revisiting the emotional cost of Saab’s collapse. Instead, he identifies two specific weaknesses Spyker underestimated when it bought Saab, recounts a private conversation he says he had with Christian von Koenigsegg immediately after the Koenigsegg Group abandoned its own Saab acquisition, and gives a precise figure for the Chinese funding he says was ready but could not be brought into Saab: €252 million. For readers of our earlier article, Victor Muller on Saab in 2026: The Decisions He Would Change and the Fight He Still Does Not Regret, this is not another version of the same story. The new interview fills in some of the mechanics behind Muller's earlier admission that, with hindsight, he would have made certain decisions differently. What Koenigsegg Allegedly Told Muller in November 2009 The most interesting new information concerns Christian von Koenigsegg. Koenigsegg Group had spent months working toward the acquisition of Saab from General Motors before withdrawing on November 24, 2009. At the time, the company’s public explanation centered on timing: the process had taken too long, and the resulting uncertainty meant the planned strategy for Saab could no longer be carried out with sufficient confidence. Koenigsegg Group’s official statement remains available through Cision. Muller now says there was another layer to the story. According to his account, after reading that the Koenigsegg transaction had collapsed, he called Christian von Koenigsegg and asked him directly why he had walked away. Muller recalls Koenigsegg telling him that the influence of governments, and particularly the Swedish government, had become so significant that he feared he would be restrained in operating Saab as he considered necessary. Muller reduces that concern to a single word: “Handcuffed. ” His own reaction at the time was very different. He remembers thinking: “I’ll deal with that. I’ll figure it out. ” That may be the most revealing new element in the September interview. Muller is not saying the risk was invisible to him. According to his own recollection, the previous prospective buyer effectively warned him about it before Spyker completed the acquisition. Muller simply believed that he could navigate those constraints. Fifteen years later, he describes Koenigsegg’s decision to walk away as, in hindsight, “the smartest decision on the planet. ” That statement should be read with one important distinction. Koenigsegg’s public explanation in 2009 did not explicitly blame Swedish government interference; it referred to delays, uncertainty and the increasing difficulty of executing the original business plan. What Muller provides in 2026 is therefore his recollection of a private conversation with Koenigsegg, not a newly documented Koenigsegg statement. Even so, if Muller remembers the conversation accurately, the warning is highly significant because it points directly toward the problem he now believes later constrained Saab’s ability to secure new capital. Two Things Spyker Underestimated The September interview also gives a much clearer structure to Muller’s criticism of the Saab acquisition. Rather than simply saying that the deal became more difficult than expected, he now identifies two separate factors Spyker underestimated. The first was the damage caused by General Motors’ decision to begin winding Saab down after the Koenigsegg transaction collapsed and the first Spyker negotiations failed. GM announced the Saab wind-down in December 2009. Spyker subsequently returned with another proposal, reached a binding agreement with GM on January 26, 2010, and completed the acquisition on February 23. At closing, GM formally confirmed that the previously initiated Saab wind-down was ending; that chronology is documented in GM’s announcement filed with the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Muller’s argument is therefore not that GM continued liquidating Saab after Spyker had taken ownership. His point is that the commercial damage had already been done during the period in which dealers, suppliers, customers and employees were being prepared for Saab Automobile to disappear. He again uses the analogy that appeared in his earlier 2026 interview: buying Saab was like buying a house after the seller had already set it on fire and was still expecting the buyer to complete the transaction. In the new interview, however, he explicitly identifies that as only the first mistake. The second, and ultimately more consequential one in his interpretation, was underestimating how dependent Saab would remain on approvals from governments, lenders, technology partners and other parties whenever new capital was required. That is what makes the Koenigsegg anecdote important rather than merely colorful: the constraint Muller says Koenigsegg feared in late 2009 became, in Muller’s account, exactly the constraint Spyker encountered when Saab needed fresh financing in 2011. The €252 Million Muller Says Was Ready Muller then supplies a number that did not appear in his previous interview. He says that he had €252 million in funding ready to be invested in Saab, but that the money could not be brought into the business. “I had 252 million euros of funding sitting ready to be poured into the business. And we couldn't. We were not allowed. ” He immediately follows that with the strongest formulation in the entire interview: “And that killed Saab. ” The existence of substantial proposed Chinese investment during Saab’s final year is well documented. On June 13, 2011, Saab’s then-parent company announced a memorandum of understanding involving Pang Da Automobile Trade and Zhejiang Youngman Lotus Automobile. The structure included approximately €245 million in aggregate equity investment, together with planned distribution and manufacturing ventures in China. The original announcement is preserved in the Dutch financial regulator AFM’s disclosure register. Muller’s new figure is €252 million rather than €245... > FIVA reports from IntSAAB 2026, where nearly 2,000 participants and 800 Saabs showed how the international Saab community keeps its history active. - Published: 2026-10-03 - Modified: 2026-10-03 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/fiva-looks-at-intsaab-2026-and-finds-a-saab-community-still-very-much-in-motion/ - Categories: SAAB Community - Tags: FIVA, intSAAB, IntSAAB 2027 FIVA General Secretary Gian Mario Mollar attended IntSAAB 2026 in Sweden, where nearly 2,000 participants from 26 countries gathered with around 800 Saabs. His report offers an unusual outside view of the clubs, parts support, technical knowledge and younger owners sustaining Saab’s historic-vehicle community. For those inside the Saab community, IntSAAB needs little introduction. What is much less common is seeing the gathering through the eyes of an organization whose field of view extends across the entire international historic-vehicle movement. That is why a new report published by FIVA - the Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens deserves the attention of Saab enthusiasts well beyond those who attended this summer's gathering in Sweden. “IntSAAB 2026: Everything You Wanted to Know About SAAB but Never Dared to Ask”, published on September 22, was written by FIVA General Secretary Gian Mario Mollar after spending the August 7–9 weekend among Saab owners at Bro Park near Stockholm. His account is worth reading in full because it does something that reports from within the Saab world rarely can: it shows what the present-day Saab community looks like when viewed from the wider historic-vehicle movement. And one detail gives the 2026 meeting additional significance. For the first time, IntSAAB was registered on the FIVA Calendar. IntSaab 2026 takes place at Stockholm-Bro Park, August 7–9. Registration closes March 31. IntSAAB enters the FIVA framework FIVA works internationally on the preservation, responsible use, documentation and cultural status of historic vehicles. Its activities range from technical matters and legislation to museums, events, cultural heritage and younger generations of owners. The organization's international events calendar is therefore a rather different context from the usual Saab club schedule. Having IntSAAB appear there places the meeting within a much larger historic-vehicle ecosystem. Mollar reports that nearly 2,000 participants from 26 countries came to Bro Park, accompanied by approximately 800 Saab cars. The gathering coincided with the 50th anniversary of Svenska Saabklubben, while the program also highlighted 50 years since the presentation of the five-door Saab 99. For comparison, SaabPlanet covered the previous Swedish edition a decade ago, when the IntSAAB 2016 pre-tour brought participants into the NEVS facilities in Trollhättan. The scale and institutional context are different in 2026, but the continuity between those gatherings is easy to see. The international meeting has been running since 1978, moving between host countries and national Saab clubs. In a period when there is no active Saab Automobile organization behind the cars, that continuity has become increasingly important. A Saab 9-5 limousine as the first introduction Mollar's weekend began before he reached Bro Park. He was collected from Stockholm Arlanda Airport in a particularly unusual 2004 Saab 9-5 Limousine. According to the FIVA account, the car had previously belonged to a British funeral home before entering the Swedish Saab Club's collection. The club restored it, refinished it in blue and converted it from right-hand drive to left-hand drive. It is a useful choice of car with which to begin the story. The limousine is not one of the usual headline Saab collectibles, nor is it a factory competition car. Instead, it represents one of those obscure branches of Saab history that can easily vanish if nobody considers it worth preserving. That is precisely where the FIVA perspective becomes interesting. Historic-vehicle culture is not limited to the most valuable derivatives or the cars that dominate auction results. Commercial conversions, unusual body variants, service vehicles, prototypes and cars with peculiar working histories all contribute to the surviving record of a manufacturer. Bro Park covered almost the entire Saab timeline At the event itself, Mollar found cars spanning Saab's production history - from the early two-strokes and Sonetts through the Saab 99, 900 and 9000 and into the 9-3 and 9-5 generations. Among the historically important cars were machines connected with the 1986 Talladega endurance run. Forty years ago, three standard-production Saab 9000 Turbos were taken to Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama, where they covered 100,000 kilometers at an average speed above 213 km/h while establishing a series of international speed and endurance records. The Talladega cars make an appropriate bridge between the two sides of the weekend: the cars themselves and the knowledge needed to explain why they matter. That same principle applies to the earliest Saabs. FIVA's report naturally touches on the two-stroke 93 and 96, Saab's rally successes and the Sonett. For readers interested in just how experimental Saab could be during those early years, our recent feature on the Saab Sonett I and the origins of Saab's first sports car provides another side of that period. The people behind the cars One reason the FIVA article works particularly well is that Mollar did not spend the weekend simply walking through rows of parked Saabs. The lecture program connected the cars with people who participated directly in Saab's history. Bo Lindman, former Saab rally driver, appeared alongside Peter Bäckström, curator of the Saab Car Museum in Trollhättan. Journalist Claes Johansson told the story of the two surviving Saab-based motorhomes, while former Swedish Air Force fighter pilot Jussi Halmetoja discussed the current Saab JAS 39 Gripen program. The subjects may appear unusually broad until they are placed within Saab's history. A weekend can move from two-stroke rally machinery to experimental recreational vehicles and then to contemporary military aviation without completely leaving the Saab story. Mollar also records the presence of Peter “Poker” Wallenberg, whose family history is closely intertwined with Saab and who personally served on the Saab Automobile board and competed in Saab cars. For an enthusiast community dealing with a manufacturer whose automobile operation disappeared in 2011, access to people with first-hand knowledge is increasingly valuable. A document can record a specification. It is considerably harder to replace the memories of engineers, drivers, designers, technicians and employees who know why particular decisions were made. FIVA noticed the younger owners One observation in Mollar's report should not be overlooked: he was struck by the number of young - and very young - people attending IntSAAB 2026. That matters because the preservation problem is changing. Two-stroke Saabs and early V4 cars have been established historic vehicles for decades. The classic 900 and 9000 generations have followed them. At the other end of the spectrum, the youngest 9-3s and 9-5s are now... > The documented story of Saab Sonett I: the secret Åsaka project, Saab 94 engineering, six surviving cars and the facts behind Sonett folklore. - Published: 2026-10-02 - Modified: 2026-10-02 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-sonett-i-saab-94-super-sport-history/ - Categories: Saab History - Tags: Rolf Mellde, Saab Sonett, Saab Sonett I, Sixten Sason A recent Saab community post brought the Sonett I back into focus. Saab veteran records reveal a far more detailed story: a 71 kg riveted structure, reversed two-stroke drivetrain, six development cars and a serious plan for series production. A recent post by Mad for Saab in the Spanish-language Facebook community Amigos de los Saab-Scania has put one of Saab's smallest production runs back into enthusiast circulation: the open two-seater now generally known as the Saab Sonett I. The post touches most of the reasons the car remains so unusual: development away from Trollhättan, a riveted lightweight structure, Saab 93 two-stroke power and only six completed cars. It also repeats several details that have changed slightly as the story has passed from one article to another over the last seven decades. The surviving documentation is considerably richer. Accounts preserved by the SAAB Veteranerna in Trollhättan, together with material in the SaabMuseum Sonett archive, allow the early sports-car project to be reconstructed in much greater detail - including a few places where the familiar version of the Sonett story is simply too neat. Before Sonett I, there was the Sonett Super Sport The car was initially known as the Saab Sonett Super Sport, with Saab 94 becoming associated with the program as development progressed. The origins go back to Rolf Mellde, whose early drawings for a small competition-oriented two-seater date to October 1954. Mellde's problem was not styling. Saab's production cars could be successfully adapted for rallying, but changing competition regulations were creating classes in which a purpose-built light sports car could offer a substantial advantage. His answer was a machine using Saab mechanical components without the mass or packaging requirements of a family sedan. Johan Wedenström's photo of the saab sonett I model is amazing Work began during 1955 away from Saab's normal development operation. The location was a barn at Åsaka, roughly 60 km - about 37 miles - from Trollhättan. That figure is worth noting because the barn is sometimes described as being only a few miles from the factory. The workshop became known among the people involved as "Hemligheta" — effectively, "the secret place. " The barn was secret; the engineering team was substantial The popular shorthand tends to reduce the story to Rolf Mellde, Sixten Sason and a few enthusiasts working after hours. The actual team was more specific. Lars-Olov Olson handled important development and project work. Gösta "Mallgösta" Svensson prepared body patterns and worked with the plastics supplier. Olle Lindkvist from Saab's engine laboratory was responsible for extracting considerably more power from the 748 cc two-stroke. Mechanic Arne Frick, model maker Sven Fredriksson, aircraft-workshop specialist Erik "Charmis" Johansson and Elis Olsson were also directly involved. Sixten Sason developed the body shape from Mellde's underlying concept. The aircraft connection in this case does not need to be added retrospectively as Saab marketing folklore. Johansson came from Saab's aircraft workshop and knew the forming and riveting techniques required for light alloy sheet structures. Those skills became directly relevant to the first Sonett. The famous "Så nätt! " naming story needs one important footnote The most attractive version of the naming story says that Sason saw the finished little sports car and exclaimed "Så nätt! " - something close to "so neat" or "how pretty" - giving Saab the name Sonett. The linguistic association is real. The spontaneous naming scene probably is not. The SAAB Veteranerna account records that Sason had already proposed Sonett as a possible model name for the Saab 92. Management rejected it then as too soft. When the sports car appeared, the name finally had a suitable vehicle. That version is less theatrical, but historically much more useful: Sonett was not necessarily invented at the moment the prototype was completed. Sonett No. 1 was structurally different from the other five The engineering centerpiece of the first car was not its fiberglass body but the structure underneath it. Instead of a conventional tubular sports-car frame, Mellde developed a riveted stressed-skin light-alloy box structure weighing about 71 kg, or approximately 156 lb. Suspension and drivetrain components were mounted to this exceptionally light central structure. Sonett Also called Saab 94, Super Sport prototypesProduction1955–57Designer Sixten Samson Body and chassis Body style 2-door and 2-seat roadster Layout MF layout Power train Engine 748cc three-cylinder Saab two-stroke. For the outer body Saab entered comparatively unfamiliar territory. It was molded in glass-fiber-reinforced plastic, with material and manufacturing knowledge supplied with help from SOAB - Svenska Oljeslageri AB in Gothenburg. This is also one of the points where generalized Sonett histories become misleading. Only Sonett No. 1 used the aluminum structure with a GRP body. The subsequent test cars, Nos. 2 through 6, used steel structural boxes and aluminum bodies. The individual differences are documented in the SaabMuseum breakdown of the six surviving Sonetts. The six cars were therefore not six identical examples from a finalized production line. They were an evolving development series. That distinction also helps explain why historical sources quote very different vehicle weights. Approximately 500 kg is commonly associated with the Sonett, while a 1957 Teknikens Värld test of one of the later cars described a machine closer to 650 kg. Those numbers should not automatically be applied to the same chassis specification. 57. 5 hp was only part of the mechanical story The engine came from the Saab 93: 748 cc, three cylinders and two-stroke operation. In Sonett specification it produced approximately 57. 5 hp at 5,000 rpm, a substantial increase over the early production Saab 93. Online descriptions sometimes give the Sonett three individual Solex carburetors. Period technical data instead points to a Solex 49 PII dual-choke carburetor. The triple-carburetor image is much more closely associated with later high-output Saab two-strokes. More interesting than the carburetor count was the layout. The drivetrain was arranged with the gearbox ahead of the engine, and the engine's direction of rotation was reversed so the installation still provided the required forward gears. A two-stroke engine made that solution far more practical than it would have been with most conventional four-stroke designs. The first Sonett originally had a three-speed transmission. It was subsequently modified to four speeds, with the gear selector relocated from the steering column to the sill area.... > Ken Payne’s 1960 Saab 93F won S5 twice at Put-in-Bay 2026, finishing ahead of two Saab 96 entries in both September 17 races. - Published: 2026-09-30 - Modified: 2026-09-30 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-93f-put-in-bay-2026-double-win/ - Categories: SAAB Motorsport - Tags: Saab 96, Saab Motorsport, SAAB Racing, Two Stroke Saab, Vintage Saab Racing Ken Payne’s 1960 Saab 93F claimed two S5 victories at the 2026 Put-in-Bay Sports Car Races, finishing fourth overall in both races and ahead of Barry Prosser’s Saab 96. The result continues a competition story linking Payne’s #60 with decades of American Saab vintage racing. A 1960 Saab 93F won the S5 class twice at the 2026 Put-in-Bay Sports Car Races, finishing ahead of two Saab 96 entries in a pair of races held on September 17. For Ken Payne and his green-and-black #60, the result adds another documented chapter to a competition history that already stretches back decades. According to the official Put-in-Bay results archive, Payne finished fourth overall in Group 3 and first in S5 in both races. He completed 15 laps in Race 1 and 11 in Race 2. Directly behind him on both occasions was Barry Prosser in the burgundy #30 Saab 96, while Tim Winker completed the first race in his white-and-blue #96 Saab 96 but did not start the second. The #60 Saab 93F returned to familiar territory at Put-in-Bay in 2026, where Ken Payne converted both September 17 starts into S5 class victories. It gives the 2026 meeting an unusually clear Saab storyline: three historic Swedish two-strokes competing in the same class, with the oldest of them taking both class victories. Two Races, the Same Saab at the Front The first race produced the closest comparison between Payne and Prosser. Both completed 15 laps, but Payne’s #60 93F was classified fourth overall, one place ahead of Prosser’s #30 Saab 96. Payne therefore won S5 while racing on the same lap as his closest Saab rival rather than simply benefiting from attrition. The result can be checked directly in the official Race 1 results. Race 2 widened the gap. Payne completed 11 laps, again finishing fourth overall and first in S5. Prosser completed 10 laps and was once more fifth overall and second in class. Winker did not start. The corresponding classification is available in the official Race 2 results. Driver Car Listed displacement Race 1 Race 2 Ken Payne #60 1960 Saab 93F 850 cc 1st S5 / 4th overall / 15 laps 1st S5 / 4th overall / 11 laps Barry Prosser #30 Saab 96 850 cc 2nd S5 / 5th overall / 15 laps 2nd S5 / 5th overall / 10 laps Tim Winker #96 1964 Saab 96 900 cc 4th S5 / 7th overall DNS The displacement figures above are those used by the event organizer. They are useful for understanding how the cars were entered and classified, but they should not automatically be interpreted as a complete description of the engines currently installed in the cars. Vintage competition Saabs can accumulate period modifications, replacement engines, different carburetion and other changes over many seasons. The timing sheets establish the race result; they are not detailed technical inspection records. Why Prosser’s Model Year Needs a Footnote There is also a small but important discrepancy in the organizer’s archives concerning Barry Prosser’s #30 Saab 96. The 2026 Put-in-Bay entry list identifies it as a 1967 Saab 96. Earlier Put-in-Bay entry records have not always been consistent: the same #30 has also appeared in an event entry list as a 1972 Saab 96. Barry Prosser’s #30 Saab 96 finished second in S5 in both September 17 races, directly behind Ken Payne’s Saab 93F. Until the exact identity and history of the car are confirmed with Prosser himself, the safest description is simply Barry Prosser’s #30 Saab 96. The race result itself is not affected by that discrepancy: Prosser was second in S5 behind Payne in both September 17 races. Payne’s 93F Already Had a Put-in-Bay Record The #60 Saab becomes considerably more interesting once the earlier Put-in-Bay records are opened. When Saab was one of the featured marques at the 2021 Put-in-Bay Road Race Reunion, Tim Winker documented the Saab contingent for the Saab Club of North America’s NINES magazine. His report identifies Payne’s car as a 1960 Saab 93F formerly owned and raced by Randy Cook. The full period report can still be found in the Saab Club of North America archive. At that event, Payne’s 93F was reported as running a stock 850 engine borrowed from Bruce Turk together with a Solex two-barrel carburetor from the Saab GT kit. A high-speed misfire affected several sessions, yet Payne still took the S5 first-place trophy. That makes the 2026 double victory part of an identifiable competition sequence rather than an isolated appearance. Five years after that documented Put-in-Bay class win, the same driver and 93F combination returned to the island and recorded two more S5 victories on the same day. The precise 2026 engine specification should not be assumed to be identical to its 2021 configuration without confirmation from Payne. What is firmly established is the continuity of the car, driver and venue. The Randy Cook Connection Goes Further Back The car’s association with Randy Cook also connects Payne’s 93F with a much older American Saab racing network. An archived 1991 issue of NINES covers the activities of the Vintage SAAB Racing Group, whose two-stroke Saabs were being used in Historic Sportscar Racing events at circuits including Sebring and Road Atlanta. Randy Cook and Ken Payne both appear in those contemporary racing reports. The archive is available through the Vintage Saab Manuals collection. Cook’s 1960 Saab 93 was among the cars used by the group, while Payne shared driving duties during the period. The later SCNA identification of Payne’s current Put-in-Bay 93F as a former Randy Cook car therefore deserves attention. Without chassis-number documentation, it would be too aggressive to assign every early race result in the archives directly to today’s #60. But the surviving documentation does establish something more useful: this is a Saab with a genuine connection to the long-running American vintage competition scene, not a road car recently dressed to resemble one. Barry Prosser Is Another Familiar Put-in-Bay Saab Competitor Prosser’s #30 is itself a recurring presence at Put-in-Bay. He competed during the Saab-focused 2021 meeting and has appeared again in later event records. In Winker’s account of the 2021 reunion, Prosser took S5 honors in the Tin Top race and was also responsible for a special “Saabs On The Bay” poster featuring Payne’s green... > 89 original works by Saab illustrator Rony Lutz go to auction Oct. 11, including cutaways of the 900, 9000, Viggen and rare technical studies. - Published: 2026-09-29 - Modified: 2026-09-29 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/rony-lutz-saab-originals-auction/ - Categories: SAAB News - Tags: Rony Lutz, Saab Art, Saab Car Museum, Saab Cutaway, SAAB engineering, Saab History A major collection of 89 original works by longtime Saab illustrator Rony Lutz is heading to auction in Sweden. Behind the familiar 900, 9000, Viggen and engine cutaways lies a career spent working directly with Saab engineers to make complex technology understandable on paper. For decades, Saab owners encountered Rony Lutz without necessarily knowing his name. His signature sat quietly in the corner of illustrations that appeared in brochures, technical publications, advertising material and dealer literature: bodywork made transparent, turbochargers glowing beneath sheet metal, suspension components suspended in space and complete cars rendered with a degree of mechanical accuracy that photography could not provide. Those images are familiar. The originals are not. Rony Lutz’s 1980 Saab 900 Turbo cutaway captures a period when Saab used detailed technical illustration to explain the engineering behind its rapidly evolving turbo cars, not merely to decorate a brochure. That distinction is what makes the upcoming Swedish sale unusually significant. On October 11, 2026, Auktionshuset STO Bohuslän will conclude a dedicated Rony Lutz auction through Auctionet, putting a substantial group of his original automotive artwork into private hands. The current Auctionet catalog for “Rony Lutz – The Man Who Illustrated SAAB” contains 89 lots. The auction house’s original September 24 announcement referred to 91 works, so the live catalog should be treated as the current figure. No explanation has been given for the difference. The original announcement can still be found through Auctionet’s press release. What is being dispersed is not simply a portfolio of attractive Saab pictures. It is material from a period when technical illustration formed an important part of the way Saab explained its engineering. Rony Lutz arrived at Saab just as the 99 changed the workload Lutz was born in Nuremberg in 1938. His father operated an automotive repair shop, giving him early exposure to machinery and cars, although Lutz chose art rather than mechanics as his profession. After art studies in Germany, he moved to Sweden in 1960, initially working in the printing and advertising industries in Nässjö and later Linköping. Saab eventually heard about the young illustrator with a strong interest in cars. On May 2, 1969, Lutz joined Saab in Linköping. The timing mattered. The Saab 99 had recently entered the picture, the company was expanding its model and marketing activities, and the small advertising department suddenly had much more technical material to produce. Gunnar A. Sjögren - “GAS” - helped shape Saab’s visual and editorial identity before Rony Lutz took over much of the technical illustration work. His book "The SAAB Way" later became an important record of the company’s first 35 years. The department consisted of only a handful of people and was headed by Gunnar A. Sjögren — GAS, himself an important figure in Saab's graphic history. Sjögren had previously produced many of Saab's illustrations personally. Lutz was brought in to reinforce a system where the illustrator was expected not merely to beautify a brochure, but to understand what engineers were trying to communicate. A detailed account of Lutz’s Saab career can be found in the Saab Veterans Association archive. That working environment helps explain why Lutz's images look so different from conventional automobile advertising art of the period. He was not simply painting shiny cars. He was illustrating how they worked. The Saab cutaway was an engineering document Lutz became particularly associated with the detailed images Saab often called X-ray illustrations. A complete car might remain visually recognizable while portions of its body became transparent, exposing the drivetrain, passenger compartment, suspension, structural members, fuel system or turbocharging hardware beneath. The effect appears effortless when reduced to a brochure page. The original process was anything but. Lutz worked with drawing pens, ink, brushes, airbrush and opaque watercolor or gouache. Creating an accurate technical cutaway required information from people who actually designed the components. According to the Saab Veterans Association's detailed account of his work, Lutz repeatedly traveled and met with engineers in Trollhättan and Södertälje, discussing which components should be shown and how they should relate visually to the surrounding structure. Technical illustrator Göran Börgesson in Trollhättan was among those who helped provide drawing material. A particularly complicated illustration could consume two or even three months of work. The Saab Car Museum’s feature on Rony Lutz provides further insight into the methods behind these drawings. That time investment becomes easier to understand when viewing the large originals rather than the reduced images most enthusiasts know from printed literature. Brake lines, wiring, intercoolers, engine accessories, body reinforcements and cabin structures had to remain legible while the car itself still looked convincingly three-dimensional. Photography could show what Saab had built. Lutz could show why it had been built that way. “Form och Funktion” gave those drawings a job to do Perhaps the best setting for Lutz's work was Saab's technical publication Form och Funktion, known in the United States as Engineering Features. These publications gave Saab the space to explain engineering decisions in considerably greater depth than a normal sales brochure. Editions were produced around the 900, 9000, 9-3 and 9-5, using illustrations to explain subjects ranging from turbocharging and structural design to engines and safety systems. The Saab 9000 gave Rony Lutz one of the most important new subjects of his career. This restrained side-profile study shows the other side of his work: not every Saab illustration needed an X-ray effect to communicate proportion, stance and technical precision. By the final model year of Form och Funktion in 1998, the publication was reportedly being produced in roughly 25 languages. For Saab enthusiasts who have accumulated original sales literature, this is one reason Lutz's style feels immediately familiar even when the individual illustration is not. His visual grammar became embedded in the printed Saab experience. The current auction reverses that process. Images that were reproduced and distributed internationally are returning to their starting point: one physical sheet created by one illustrator. Saab 9000 pushed the technique even further The introduction of the Saab 9000 in 1984 gave Lutz one of his most demanding subjects. Saab had a completely new large car whose internal packaging, safety construction, turbocharged engines and equipment had to be communicated to customers and journalists. The Saab Car Museum notes that the 9000 substantially increased Lutz's workload. In... > Skandix has reproduced Saab 9000 rear suspension mount 8957714, solving a corrosion problem that can destroy the original aluminum bracket. - Published: 2026-09-28 - Modified: 2026-09-28 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9000-rear-suspension-bushing-8957714/ - Categories: SAAB News - Tags: SAAB 9000, Saab Spare Parts, Skandix Skandix has put Saab 9000 rear suspension mount 8957714 back into production. The important detail is not simply the new rubber bushing, but the complete aluminum bracket that corrosion can leave impossible to reuse. Some Saab 9000 suspension repairs become complicated only after the old part comes apart. That is exactly the problem behind Saab part number 8957714: corrosion develops between the steel sleeve of the rear spring-link bushing and its aluminum carrier, sometimes leaving the bracket too damaged to accept another bushing. On September 18, Skandix announced a newly manufactured replacement for this mounting, covering all Saab 9000 models. The new assembly carries Skandix number 1003575 and Saab reference 8957714. The important detail is that this is not simply another rubber suspension bushing returning to the catalog. The aluminum carrier is part of the replacement assembly, and that is precisely the component that can be ruined by corrosion around the original bushing. Why Saab supplied the bushing with its bracket Skandix describes the component as the rear-axle support-arm mounting between the arm and the body. Saab workshop documentation identifies the same position as the “Spring Link Front Bushing”, which gives a clearer picture of where it sits in the 9000 rear suspension. The construction creates the failure mechanism. The rubber-metal bushing uses a steel outer sleeve pressed into an aluminum bracket. Over decades of exposure to moisture, road dirt and, on many cars, winter salt, the steel sleeve corrodes inside the aluminum housing. The crucial detail is the carrier around the bushing: Skandix reproduces Saab 8957714 as a complete assembly because corrosion of the steel sleeve can leave the original aluminum bracket unfit for reuse. According to Skandix's technical explanation, expanding corrosion can damage the surrounding aluminum and, in severe cases, cause the carrier to crack. Even when the bracket has not visibly fractured, extracting a heavily corroded sleeve can enlarge or distort the bore. At that point, pressing in another loose bushing is not a proper repair. If the bore has lost its original dimensions, the replacement bushing can no longer rely on the interference fit needed to keep it securely located. Skandix specifically warns against installing a fresh insert into a carrier that has already been damaged in this way. Saab's own repair procedure supports that approach. In the factory-derived workshop instructions for the spring-link front bushing, the technician is told to disconnect the spring link, remove the bracket from the underside of the body and replace the bushing and bracket as an assembly. There is no procedure for pressing the front bushing out of the aluminum carrier and reusing that carrier. Where 8957714 sits in the Saab 9000 rear suspension The role of this small mounting becomes clearer when looking at the 9000's rear-axle layout. Saab used a rigid rear axle located by two spring links, two torque arms and a Panhard rod. The arrangement is described in the Saab 9000 workshop documentation. The spring links provide more than a seat for the rear springs. Their mounting points form part of the structure that controls the longitudinal position of the axle relative to the body. The rubber bushings allow the required articulation, while the brackets keep that movement within the geometry Saab designed. Movement between the bushing's outer sleeve and the aluminum carrier is therefore not normal suspension compliance. Once the carrier is distorted or the bushing becomes loose inside it, the spring link is no longer held in its intended position. Skandix specifically mentions straight-line stability when explaining the importance of replacing a damaged assembly. The distinction between the two spring-link bushings is also worth noting when ordering parts. Saab reference 8957714 is the body-side/front mounting discussed here. The bushing at the other end of the spring link is a different component, referenced by Skandix under Saab number 8951063. A generic search for “Saab 9000 rear control arm bushings” can easily blur that distinction. The damage may not be obvious from the outside One reason this mounting deserves attention is that the aluminum bracket itself does not develop conventional red rust. A bracket can therefore look reasonably clean externally while corrosion is progressing at the steel sleeve-to-aluminum interface inside it. That makes mileage a poor guide to condition. A low-mileage 9000 that spent decades in a damp or salt-heavy environment may have considerably worse corrosion in this area than a higher-mileage car used in a dry climate. During a rear-suspension inspection, owners and workshops should check for rust expansion around the sleeve, cracking or spreading of the aluminum carrier, separated rubber, displacement of the inner sleeve and abnormal fore-and-aft movement of the spring link. Both sides should be examined even if only one appears obviously damaged. It is also worth inspecting the body-side hardware before dismantling the suspension. Skandix separately catalogs items such as the threaded plate used at the trailing-arm/body mounting, another component that can become relevant once a heavily corroded assembly is taken apart. Why Skandix commissioned a new production run The background to the reproduction is significant. Skandix says that the problem had been known for some time, but it could no longer obtain complete bracket-and-bushing assemblies from its suppliers at an acceptable quality level. Rather than continue with inconsistent replacements, the company arranged its own production. The result is Skandix 1003575 / Saab 8957714. The product page lists the assembly at €39 including 19% German VAT per side, with a recommended quantity of two pieces per car. At the time of writing, Skandix shows 21 pieces available from stock. That makes the current repair considerably simpler than searching for an undamaged used aluminum carrier or relying on old stock whose storage history may be unknown. The price itself is less important than the format of the replacement. Once corrosion has damaged the original carrier, a complete bracket-and-bushing assembly restores the repair method Saab originally specified, rather than forcing a new rubber-metal insert into a compromised housing. A small part with very few good substitutes Saab owners still benefit from an organized parts infrastructure. Hedin Parts remains the exclusive global supplier of Saab Original spare parts, while specialists such as Skandix continue to supply both original and reproduced components. The difficulty with cars such as the... > A 1984 Saab 900 GL with its detachable Toppola camper, lifting equipment and original tailgate is heading to auction in Sweden. - Published: 2026-09-26 - Modified: 2026-09-26 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/1984-saab-900-gl-toppola-camper-auction/ - Categories: Classifieds’ Saab Of The Day - Tags: Saab 900 Toppola, Saab Toppola A 1984 Saab 900 GL that has spent recent summers traveling Sweden with a Toppola camper is now up for auction. The package includes the camper, lifting equipment, awning and even the Saab's original tailgate. A Saab 900 with a Toppola always looks slightly improbable in photographs. The proportions suggest that somebody has placed a small boat cabin on the roof of a hatchback. This particular combination, however, has spent the last few years proving that the idea still works exactly as intended. A 1984 Saab 900 GL with a detachable Toppola camper is currently being offered in Sweden through Auctionet. Registered as EZF271, the blue three-door has been used with its camper for holiday trips around Sweden and comes with an unusually complete package: the Toppola, its lifting equipment, awning and, importantly, the Saab's original tailgate for converting the car back to normal use. This is where the Toppola concept becomes easier to understand: the sleeping compartment extends over the 900’s roof while the camper connects through the Combi Coupé’s large rear opening. At the time of writing, bidding has reached €3,541, enough to meet the reserve, while the auction house has placed its estimate at €4,426–€5,311. The sale is scheduled to close on October 4, 2026 at 15:26 CEST. View the Saab 900 GL Toppola auction on Auctionet A Camper That Doesn't Permanently Turn the Saab Into a Camper The essential cleverness of the Toppola was not simply that Saab owners could sleep in it. Plenty of cars have been converted into campers. Toppola approached the problem differently: the Saab itself did not require a permanent body conversion. The large tailgate of the Saab's Combi Coupé body was removed and the camper was attached through the resulting rear opening, with its sleeping compartment extending forward above the roof. Remove the Toppola, reinstall the original hatch and the car could return to normal service. Aerodynamics clearly took second place to living space. Toppola exploited one of the Classic 900’s most useful features - its enormous rear opening - and turned it into the foundation for a genuinely removable camper. That makes the accessories accompanying EZF271 especially important. The auction includes a lifting device with winch/hoist for mounting and removing the Toppola, as well as the original Saab tailgate. A future owner is therefore buying the system rather than merely a 900 with an enormous fiberglass body already attached to it. The Saab has also been adapted where it matters mechanically. According to the listing, the rear axle is fitted with stiffer caravan springs and Toppola rear shock absorbers to accommodate the additional load. The complete combination stands approximately 2. 5 meters (8. 2 ft) high. Yet viewed from above or in profile, one of the advantages of the concept becomes obvious: the camper adds considerable usable volume without making the Saab appreciably longer or wider. This Toppola Has Actually Been Camping There is a useful distinction between a rare accessory preserved because it is rare and one that continues doing the job for which it was designed. This car belongs firmly in the second category. The current owner acquired the Saab in 2016 and added the Toppola approximately three years ago. Since then, two people have used the combination for holidays around Sweden, including trips to Gotland, Fårö and Dalarna. Between seasons, both the Saab and camper have reportedly been stored indoors in dry conditions. The camper provides two dedicated sleeping berths, while folding the Saab's rear seat backrest can create another two sleeping positions or simply provide additional usable space. Equipment includes a two-burner spirit stove, sink, storage compartments, roof hatch and interior lighting. An awning is included as well. The clever part was never simply putting a camper on a Saab. Toppola used the 900’s huge rear opening as the entrance to the living compartment, avoiding the permanent body conversion normally associated with a motorhome. There has also been a useful modern addition: a 12-volt solar panel is mounted on the roof, giving the otherwise very 1980s Swedish camping arrangement a degree of off-grid electrical independence. One small observation in the Auctionet condition report is worth noting on any camper of this age. During inspection, no abnormal or musty odor was detected inside the Toppola. That does not replace a detailed inspection for moisture, of course, but it is more useful information than simply describing the interior as being in good condition. See Inside This Saab 900 Toppola The auction photographs explain the exterior dimensions well, but they cannot really show why the Toppola packaging works. A new video from Marcus & Manuela's Saab Channel, published on September 25, takes a closer look at this actual Saab 900 GL and its camper. The interior footage is particularly useful. Instead of simply reading a list of beds, stove, sink and storage compartments, we can see how those elements fit into the available space and how the camper communicates with the 900 below. The apparent bulk above the Saab makes considerably more sense once viewed from inside. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=uZzrzY4jGJo Marcus & Manuela's Saab Channel takes us inside the actual 1984 Saab 900 GL Toppola currently being auctioned in Sweden. Why a 1984 Toppola Is Particularly Interesting The date on this combination is significant. Toppola originated in Sweden in the early 1980s from an idea by Finnish-born Arvo Pullola, who devised a camper shell that could exploit the unusually large rear opening of Saab's hatchback models. The concept developed rapidly, and Saab itself became involved in improving and promoting it. We have already covered that story in detail, from the earliest Saab 99 installations through the Classic 900, 9000 and later versions, in our complete history of the Saab Toppola camper. For this particular auction car, however, one date matters more than the complete chronology: 1984. That model year brought substantial development to the camper. Historical Toppola material records changes to the body and interior, including revised windows, new textiles and improved cabinetry. Saab wanted the interior furniture and kitchenette executed in wood, while the Wallas cooking/heating system available at the time pushed the concept toward genuine four-season use. Toppola’s smartest use of space was above the Saab rather than behind it. Extending... > Richard bought back his former Saab 9-5 NG after seven years and commissioned an extensive mechanical rebuild at Sweden's Mannes Bilservice. - Published: 2026-09-24 - Modified: 2026-09-24 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-5-ng-restoration-original-owner-richard/ - Categories: Saabs from around the World - Tags: Mannes Bilservice, Saab 9-5 NG, Saab 9-5 restoration, Saab eLSD, Saab Haldex, Saab Sweden, Saab Turbo6, Saab XWD Seven years after spotting his former company car on the road, Richard finally bought back his Saab 9-5 NG. He then entrusted Mannes Bilservice with an extensive rebuild covering the engine, XWD system, suspension, brakes, and interior. Richard had spent three years driving his new Saab 9-5 NG as a company car before it passed to another owner. Years later, he unexpectedly spotted the same car on the road and approached its owner with a simple request: if he ever decided to sell it, Richard wanted the opportunity to buy it back. More than seven years after that encounter, the Saab finally returned to its original owner, who commissioned an extensive mechanical rebuild at Sweden's Mannes Bilservice. A Chance Encounter That Led to an Unexpected Reunion After Richard had driven the Saab for three years, the car found a new home with an owner in Södertälje, Sweden. Its second owner kept it for almost six years and was active in the Swedish Saab club community. Richard's unexpected encounter with the car occurred while he was out driving. Recognizing his former company car, he approached its owner, explained their shared history, and asked to be contacted if the Saab ever became available for sale. The conversation eventually led to the outcome Richard had hoped for. More than seven years later, he bought back the very same Saab 9-5 NG he had originally driven from new. With retirement approaching in the coming years, he decided to invest in a comprehensive mechanical overhaul that would prepare the car for continued use. The project was entrusted to Mannes Bilservice, a specialist workshop in Sölvesborg with considerable experience working on later-generation Saabs. The company has previously undertaken ambitious projects involving the final 9-5, including the reconstruction and extensive equipment upgrades of a rare 2012 Saab 9-5 Turbo6 SportCombi. The restored lighting is one of the visible details of Richard’s rebuilt 9-5 NG, but the real investment lies beneath the bodywork, where Mannes Bilservice has addressed the drivetrain, suspension, and braking systems to prepare the Saab for its next chapter with its original owner. From Timing Chains to the Haldex XWD System The workshop's account of Richard's rebuild reveals a substantial amount of mechanical work. The timing chains, turbocharger, exhaust manifold, belts, clutch, and flywheel were replaced, while the front subframe was refurbished. The work also extended to the Haldex all-wheel-drive system and its electronically controlled limited-slip differential (eLSD). The latter is a particularly interesting aspect of the project. Saab's original technical presentation of the 9-5 explains how the XWD system distributes torque between the front and rear axles, while the eLSD can also manage torque distribution between the rear wheels. Restoring these components was therefore an important part of the work carried out on Richard's car. The suspension and braking systems received similarly extensive attention. Mannes Bilservice refurbished the anti-roll bars and suspension bushings, replaced the brakes, and installed larger front brakes from the Turbo6 version. Wheel bearings were also among the components addressed during the rebuild. Exterior work included restoring the headlights and fog lights, replacing the turn signals and central rear light, and fitting a new set of wheels. Inside the cabin, the driver's seat was modified to incorporate a memory function, adding a practical feature to a car Richard already knew well. The engine also received software developed by Markus Södergren. According to the workshop, the modification improved the engine's response and running characteristics. No specific performance figures were provided. Prepared for Another Chapter of Ownership Mannes Bilservice reports that the completed work has improved the car's reliability and restored the driving feel of a much newer vehicle. The finished black 9-5 NG retains its familiar exterior design, with the mechanical investment concentrated on the components that will determine how it performs and drives in the years ahead. The approach differs from some of the more visually dramatic Saab restoration projects, such as the Polar White Saab 9-5 NG Aero rebuilt by SAC Taiwan. Richard's project combines a comprehensive mechanical overhaul with selected equipment upgrades, while retaining the appearance of the car he originally purchased. There is also a personal distinction between this project and the increasing interest in exceptionally low-mileage examples of the final 9-5, such as the 29,011-kilometer Saab 9-5 NG XWD offered at auction in Sweden. Richard was not searching for a particular specification or a collector-grade example. He wanted his original car back, and when the opportunity finally arrived, he was prepared to invest in its continued life. As the team at Mannes Bilservice concluded in its original Facebook post, they hope Richard and his family will enjoy many more years with the car. After three years of initial ownership, a chance encounter on the road, and a seven-year wait, his Saab is finally back where he wanted it. Source and photographs: Mannes Bilservice, Sweden. > After 1,000,000 km, a 2006 Saab 9-5 returns to its owner following SAC Taiwan's complete mechanical, body, and interior restoration. - Published: 2026-09-24 - Modified: 2026-09-24 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/million-kilometer-saab-9-5-restoration-completed/ - Categories: SAAB News - Tags: million, Saab 9-5, Saab Taiwan, SAC Taiwan After one million kilometers and 20 years with the same owner, this 2006 Saab 9-5 Arc has returned to the road following a complete restoration by SAC Taiwan. From its rebuilt drivetrain and renewed bodywork to its refreshed interior, the car is ready to begin its next chapter. The odometer once displayed 999,999 kilometers. Now, after a complete restoration, the same 2006 Saab 9-5 Arc is back in its owner's hands, with its instrument display showing 000045 km. Between those two photographs lies one of the most extensive Saab restoration projects documented by Taiwan's former national importer, SAC. The new reading is a striking illustration of the car's return to service, although it does not erase its accumulated mileage. This Saab has already completed approximately 1,000,000 kilometers (621,371 miles), and the restoration has prepared it for continued use rather than turning it into a genuinely new vehicle. The photographs do not establish whether the instrument cluster was replaced, reset, or simply rolled over after reaching its six-digit limit. What SAC has now confirmed is considerably more important: the restoration is complete, and the Saab has been returned to its original owner. The car that entered the workshop with two decades of accumulated mechanical and cosmetic wear has emerged with its bodywork, drivetrain, chassis components, and interior extensively renewed. In its latest update, SAC describes the project as the beginning of another chapter for a Saab that has already traveled a million kilometers. The accompanying photographs show the completed black 9-5 in the company's showroom, where its owner stands beside the car holding a commemorative sign marking the milestone. The odometer now reads just 45 km, but this Saab’s history begins a million kilometers earlier. Following SAC Taiwan’s complete restoration, the 2006 9-5 has returned to its original owner with a fresh instrument reading and two decades of documented use behind it. For readers following this particular Saab, that photograph brings the story full circle. The previous updates documented the dismantling, inspection, and restoration work. The final images show the finished car and the person who will continue driving it. From a Million-Kilometer Saab to a Complete Restoration When SAC first presented the project, the 9-5 had reached the limit of its six-digit odometer display. The owner had chosen to commission an extensive restoration rather than retire the car after approximately twenty years of use. As we documented in our earlier report on SAC Taiwan's million-kilometer Saab 9-5 restoration, the workshop's approach was far more comprehensive than replacing worn suspension components, repairing oil leaks, and refreshing the paintwork. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=EMPLxRZNQNw The engine and automatic transmission were removed with the front subframe, the cabin was dismantled, and the body was stripped of numerous exterior components. The engine was opened for internal inspection, with its pistons, connecting rods, bearing caps, and bearing shells laid out separately. The automatic transmission was also opened, while the front subframe received its own refurbishment. The project extended into areas that normally remain hidden throughout a car's working life. SAC removed seats, interior trim, carpeting, underbody panels, wheel-arch liners, and other components to gain access to the underlying structure and mechanical systems. The completed restoration confirms that the earlier dismantling was part of a coordinated effort to return the entire vehicle to service. Rather than treating each visible defect as an isolated repair, SAC approached the car as a complete mechanical and structural assembly whose components had accumulated wear over the same extraordinary distance. The latest photographs do not include a complete replacement-parts inventory, machining measurements, or a detailed final mechanical specification. Consequently, it is not possible to establish exactly how much of the original engine and transmission was retained or which internal components were replaced. What the documented process does establish is that both major assemblies were opened and examined as part of the restoration. What the Final Bodywork Photographs Reveal The latest collection of photographs provides additional details about the body and interior work that were not visible in the earlier restoration updates. With the engine, front panels, doors, and interior removed, SAC could address the 9-5’s bodywork well beyond the visible exterior surfaces. The million-kilometer restoration included the panel openings and engine bay, areas that would have remained largely untouched during a conventional respray. One image shows the rear quarter of the black 9-5 inside the body shop, with its rear wheel removed and the adjacent opening carefully covered. The painted exterior surfaces, including the rear quarter and door aperture, display a consistent glossy finish. Another photograph shows the complete shell inside the paint booth, with the windows and open body sections masked for finishing work. A separate image captures the car in a more extensively dismantled state, with the front body panels removed, the engine bay empty, and the cabin openings protected while bodywork continues. SAC’s paintwork extends into the exposed door apertures, not just the exterior panels. With the doors and surrounding trim removed, the restored black finish reaches areas that a conventional exterior respray would typically leave untouched. These photographs explain why the finished car presents so differently from the heavily used vehicle that entered the workshop. The exterior renewal was carried out with major components removed, allowing SAC to work on exposed panel edges, openings, and areas that would otherwise remain partly concealed. That distinction matters on a car of this age. Fresh paint on the visible exterior panels can improve a vehicle's appearance without addressing the condition of its door apertures, panel interfaces, mounting points, or areas surrounding removed trim. SAC's photographs show that access to these sections formed part of the restoration process. The company has not published a detailed account of the paint products, corrosion-treatment procedures, or extent of metal repairs, so those aspects cannot yet be assessed independently. The completed car, however, demonstrates the visual result of the work: the black 9-5 has returned to the showroom with its exterior panels, lighting, trim, and wheels reassembled. The Interior Receives the Same Attention Before reassembly, SAC photographed several interior components arranged separately on the workshop floor. The headliner, pillar trim, overhead components, grab handles, steering wheel, and associated fittings were removed from the car and prepared individually. The headliner, pillar covers, grab handles and steering wheel received attention outside the car. After a million... > Our review of Johnny Tipler's Saab 9-3 book uncovers forgotten launch stories, the origins of the Saab Museum, and Per Eklund's racing adventures. - Published: 2026-09-23 - Modified: 2026-09-23 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/johnny-tipler-saab-9-3-complete-story-book-review/ - Categories: Saab History - Tags: SAAB 9-3, Saab Book Johnny Tipler’s new Saab 9-3 book reveals fascinating behind-the-scenes stories, from a failed navigation system at the 2002 launch to the origins of the Saab Museum and Per Eklund’s Pikes Peak adventures. The Saab 9-3 has been extensively documented over the years, from the first-generation Viggen and its chassis modifications to the introduction of the Sport Sedan, the development of XWD, and the final cars assembled before Saab Automobile's bankruptcy. Finding fresh material about a model so familiar to its owners is therefore a challenge for anyone attempting to write its complete history. British automotive journalist and historian Johnny Tipler approaches the subject from a different direction in his new book, Saab 9-3: The Complete Story, published by The Crowood Press. Alongside the familiar chronology of model developments and technical specifications, he introduces the people who designed, promoted, tested, and raced the 9-3, including several individuals whose contributions have rarely received the same attention as the cars themselves. The 176-page hardback contains over 250 photographs, including material from Kenneth Olausson's archive, period publicity images, engineering illustrations, and photographs taken by Tipler during his own automotive journalism career. Its six chapters cover Saab's earlier history, both generations of the 9-3, competition activities, the electric NEVS continuation, and practical considerations for prospective owners. Pages 54–55 revisit Saab's approach to engine development, cabin ergonomics, and crash protection, including the structural modifications that distinguished its GM-based models. However, several of the book's most interesting passages have little to do with horsepower figures or production totals. When Saab's Own Navigation System Failed at the 9-3 Launch One of the most revealing contributions comes from Nigel Lloyd-Jones, the British creative director whose agency worked with General Motors Europe and became closely involved in Saab's international product launches. Lloyd-Jones recalls that GM had instructed Saab to incorporate approximately 70 percent shared GM components into its new models. According to his account, Saab engineers frequently challenged those instructions, developing alternative components when they believed they could improve upon the existing solution. He offers a particularly memorable example from the 2002 launch of the second-generation Saab 9-3. Saab had been instructed to use the Opel-Vauxhall navigation system, but its engineering team decided to develop its own. When the new 9-3 was presented to journalists, the navigation system was not working properly. Fortunately, Lloyd-Jones and Saab creative director Joran Andersson had anticipated the possibility of trouble. They prepared a traditional tulip-style roadbook as a backup, which was ultimately used during the launch. The irony is that the improvised solution fitted Saab's rallying heritage rather well. But Lloyd-Jones also remembers the incident as evidence of the difficulties created when Saab's determination to develop its own technology collided with the financial and organizational constraints imposed by GM. It is this combination of personal recollection and the circumstances surrounding an otherwise familiar car that makes his interview particularly interesting. How the Saab 9-3 SportCombi Helped Transform the Saab Museum Another story from Lloyd-Jones concerns the introduction of the Saab 9-3 SportCombi in 2005. With a limited budget available for the launch, Andersson proposed an alternative to spending the money entirely on a temporary promotional event. He suggested transforming an industrial exhibition space in Trollhättan into a permanent home for Saab's historic collection that could also serve as the location for the new model's presentation. The agency accepted the challenge, and the resulting venue was used for the SportCombi launch. Lloyd-Jones recalls the project as an opportunity to create something that would remain useful after the journalists and invited guests had departed. The Saab Car Museum's official history confirms that the museum, originally established in 1975 and relocated to the former NOHAB industrial complex in 1987, underwent a major interior redesign for the 2005 SportCombi presentation. The exhibition layout created for that occasion remained in use for many years. The book accompanies this account with photographs of the presentation, showing classic Saabs displayed alongside contemporary models inside the industrial building. The subsequent driving presentation was organized at the former Säve Air Base near Gothenburg, using an underground aircraft shelter as its starting point. The two locations reveal how carefully Saab's marketing team considered the settings in which it presented its cars, even when the available resources were limited. The Viggen, Pikes Peak, and the Man Riding on the Floor Tipler also devotes considerable attention to the 9-3's competition history, particularly Per Eklund's extraordinary rallycross and Pikes Peak machines. The familiar photographs of Eklund's red, heavily modified 9-3 Viggen tell only part of the story. In the book, Kenneth Olausson contributes his recollections of accompanying the Swedish driver during the Pikes Peak project. Per Eklund’s 2000 (left) and 2002 (right) tube frame Saab 9-3 At one point, Olausson describes riding in Eklund's approximately 800-hp competition Saab while lying on the passenger-side floor, his feet raised as the car accelerated over the demanding mountain course. His account provides a distinctly personal perspective on a machine that shared its basic visual identity with the production Viggen but had been extensively modified for competition. The chapter also revisits Eklund's 2000 Pikes Peak victory, when his four-wheel-drive Saab completed the ascent in 11 minutes and 21. 58 seconds, improving upon the time set shortly beforehand by Paul Choinière. The accompanying photographs place the reader alongside the people involved in the project rather than presenting the car simply as another entry in Saab's motorsport record. Those interested in the competition car's engineering can also consult the period Saab press release on Eklund's 2002 Pikes Peak victory, which includes technical specifications for the later 750-hp Unlimited Class machine. A History That Continues Beyond Saab Automobile The book's final historical chapter follows the 9-3 beyond the closure of Saab Automobile and into the complicated NEVS period. Tipler examines the limited restart of gasoline-powered 9-3 Aero production in Trollhättan, the transition toward electric propulsion, and the subsequent development of the NEVS 9-3 EV. Among the more interesting details are the small numbers of electric prototypes and pre-production vehicles developed at Trollhättan's Frickeboa facility, followed by vehicles assembled in Tianjin and subsequently brought back to Sweden. The book also addresses the distinction between a car retaining the appearance and basic architecture of the Saab 9-3 and... > A surgeon's restored 1971 Saab Sonett III heads to auction with a rebuilt V4, modified gearbox, and a remarkable ownership history. - Published: 2026-09-21 - Modified: 2026-09-21 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/1971-saab-sonett-iii-restored-auction/ - Categories: SAAB News - Tags: Saab Sonett, Saab Sonett III, SAAB V4 A North Carolina surgeon's restored 1971 Saab Sonett III is up for auction with a rebuilt V4, specialist gearbox modifications, and extensive restoration documentation. Originally blue and now yellow, the car also reveals an intriguing ownership history and several unfinished mechanical details. A Third Sonett for a Surgeon Who Never Forgot His First A yellow 1971 Saab Sonett III, chassis 71500368, is approaching the end of a no-reserve auction on Bring a Trailer, accompanied by an unusually extensive photographic record of its restoration. The fiberglass body was removed from the underlying structure, the 1. 7-liter V4 was reportedly rebuilt, and the four-speed manual transaxle received several modifications intended to address familiar aspects of early Saab ownership. The result is a thoroughly refurbished example that has also departed from its original specification in several noticeable ways. Offered in Morganville, New Jersey, the car had attracted a highest bid of $11,000 as of September 21, with the auction scheduled to close the following day. The story behind the current ownership emerged in the auction's comment section. According to seller Michael, who operates under the username The_Dude_Abides and is handling the sale as a Bring a Trailer Local Partner, the owner is a surgeon from North Carolina who previously owned a Sonett while attending medical school. Years later, he decided to return to the model and searched for an example that met his expectations. This yellow car became his third Sonett, and the seller reports that the owner considers it the finest of the three he has owned. He acquired it in 2021, after the major restoration work had already been completed. The Sonett III's raised headlight reveals its distinctive front-end design. The seller confirms that the auxiliary driving lights work, although one of the retractable headlights has a low-beam fault. That personal history explains why an extensively restored Sonett ended up in the collection of someone who already knew the model from firsthand experience. The owner was returning to a car he had driven decades earlier, this time with the resources to choose an example that had already received considerable attention. According to the seller, limited time and the owner's interest in his Ferrari 308 and newer Mustang Dark Horse have contributed to the decision to sell the Sonett. The auction therefore concerns a car purchased to revisit a particular period of its owner's life, rather than a restoration project being offered immediately after completion. There is also a useful contribution from an earlier owner. A Bring a Trailer member using the name Seacoastnh identified himself as the person who purchased this very Sonett directly from the individual responsible for its restoration, around 2020. He reports keeping the car for approximately one or two years before it passed into subsequent ownership. His recollections are positive, particularly regarding the attention the car attracted wherever he drove it. Although this is a personal account rather than independent mechanical verification, it provides another link in the car's ownership history and indicates that the Sonett was driven and enjoyed after its restoration, rather than simply prepared for the current auction. The Blue Sonett That Became Yellow The Sonett was originally finished in blue, but the restoration introduced a much more conspicuous yellow exterior. According to the auction documentation, its fiberglass body was removed from the frame before being refinished in two-stage paint. The original front and rear bumperettes were also deleted, leaving the front fascia and rear bodywork with a cleaner appearance. The car retains its retractable headlights, auxiliary driving lights, bullet-style exterior mirrors, and dual exhaust outlets, while the distinctive 15-inch Saab soccer-ball wheels have been refinished and polished. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=2qDql7Vu5co Removing the fiberglass body is particularly relevant on a Sonett III because its steel supporting structure must be evaluated separately from the condition of the exterior panels. A freshly painted fiberglass body can present well even when corrosion or previous repairs remain beneath it. In this case, the listing includes photographs of the refurbishment and the underside, giving prospective buyers material with which to examine the work performed. The body-off restoration is a substantial undertaking, although its ultimate quality depends on the condition of the underlying structure and the methods used during reassembly. The contrast with an unrestored example is particularly revealing. A 1973 Sonett III previously featured on SaabPlanet still wore its original Sunset Yellow paint, making its surviving factory finish an important part of that particular car's appeal. The 1971 example now being auctioned takes the opposite approach: its original color has been replaced during an extensive refurbishment, with the emphasis placed on the quality of the work, the mechanical changes, and the car's present condition rather than the preservation of its factory appearance. The exterior modifications have also prompted discussion among Bring a Trailer readers. One commenter, BobD, suggested that the yellow body would benefit from retaining some form of the original rubber bumper arrangement. The bumperette deletion is therefore not universally regarded as an improvement, even if the simplified bodywork suits the appearance of this particular car. For a buyer interested in restoring the original configuration, the removed components and any changes to their mounting points would be worth investigating. There is no indication in the listing that the bumperettes are included among the accompanying spare parts. Removing the rear bumperettes leaves the Sonett III's black tail panel and rectangular taillights fully exposed. The revised rear end is another visible departure from the car's original factory specification. The seller also identifies several imperfections that are less apparent in the general exterior photographs. There are cracks in the finish near the retractable antenna and beneath the lower radiator openings, while the right rear quarter-window seal needs adjustment. One of the retractable headlights does not operate on low beam. The auxiliary driving lights in the grille are a separate matter: after a prospective buyer asked whether they worked, the seller subsequently confirmed that they were functional and supplied an additional photograph. That distinction is worth preserving, since the working auxiliary lights do not resolve the reported low-beam fault. A Rebuilt V4 With Attention to Cooling and Ignition Beneath the long fiberglass hood is the familiar 1. 7-liter Ford-derived V4, the larger-displacement engine adopted for the Sonett III's 1971 model year. The original... > A Saab 9-5 owner's reversible suspension concept proposes four ride heights, from autocross to snow. The project seeks Saab technicians and precision engineers. - Published: 2026-09-20 - Modified: 2026-09-20 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-5-four-setting-suspension-project/ - Categories: SAAB Community - Tags: Project Resurgence, Saab 9-5 Aero, Saab 9-5 modifications, Saab 9-5 restoration, saab 9-5 tuning, SAAB engineering, Saab suspension An industrial designer in Virginia is developing a reversible suspension concept for his family's Saab 9-5, with four planned ride heights and no permanent changes to the original unibody. He is seeking experienced Saab technicians, machinists, and suspension engineers to help develop the system. A Saab 9-5 lowered for autocross and the same car raised to negotiate snow-covered roads might appear to require two entirely different suspension setups. Industrial designer Roberto Berrocal Pujol believes there could be a way to accommodate both requirements within a single adjustable system, without permanently modifying the original Saab body. Based in Lynchburg, Virginia, Roberto recently contacted us to introduce Project Resurgence, a suspension development project centered on his family's Saab 9-5. His proposal combines hydraulic ride-height adjustment, a dual-rate spring arrangement, and specially configured dampers, with four planned settings covering everything from asphalt driving to gravel, mud, and snow. The project is still in development. Roberto has shared a detailed concept illustration and an engineering summary describing the proposed system, its intended operating characteristics, and the mechanical components he hopes to develop. He is now seeking experienced Saab technicians, precision machinists, fabricators, and suspension specialists who may be interested in helping bring the design to life. His immediate objective is not to launch a commercial suspension kit or announce a finished prototype. He wants to connect with people who have the technical knowledge and manufacturing experience needed to refine the proposed architecture, produce its components, and eventually evaluate the system on the vehicle. A Family Saab That Roberto Wants to Preserve The Saab at the center of Project Resurgence belongs to Roberto's wife, Nicole. He describes it as their honeymoon car, a vehicle that has become an important part of their family history. That connection explains why reversibility is one of the project's central requirements. Roberto wants to retain the car's original exterior appearance and avoid modifications that would permanently alter its body structure. The proposed suspension would therefore have to work with the factory mounting locations, without cutting or welding the original unibody. Rather than modifying the body to accommodate a different suspension architecture, the intention is to develop components that can fit within the Saab's existing structural layout. Roberto's professional background is in industrial design and product development. He is the co-founder and chief operating officer of Community Solutions Institute, and his earlier design interests include transportation and sustainable mobility. His Portfolium profile also provides a point of reference for readers interested in his design background. Project Resurgence combines that background with a personal interest in keeping the family's Saab usable for years to come. In his correspondence with SaabPlanet, Roberto explained that the proposed system is intended to accommodate track days, winter driving, and rougher road conditions while preserving the original vehicle. The challenge is to develop an adjustable suspension that can operate across substantially different ride heights while respecting the physical limitations of the existing chassis. His concept proposes four configurations for the same car. Four Suspension Configurations for One Saab 9-5 Roberto's concept illustration presents four proposed suspension configurations, each with a different ride height and intended operating characteristics. The lowest setting is designed for autocross, while the highest is intended to provide additional clearance for rough roads and winter conditions. Two intermediate configurations are proposed for ordinary street driving and mixed-surface use. The project describes an adjustment range extending from approximately 110 mm to 170 mm, a difference of 60 mm between its lowest and highest proposed positions. Four proposed suspension configurations, one Saab 9-5. Roberto Berrocal Pujol's Project Resurgence envisions adjustable ride heights from 110 to 170 mm while preserving the original chassis. The system remains in development, with technical collaborators now being sought. Image credit: Roberto Berrocal Pujol / Community Solutions Institute Autocross: Approximately 110 mm The Autocross configuration is intended to give the Saab a lower stance and firmer suspension characteristics for driving on asphalt. The accompanying graphic specifies adjustable damping, performance-oriented springs, and 235/40 R18 tires mounted on 18-inch wheels. In the engineering summary, Roberto proposes a depressurized position in which the primary spring rests against a mechanical stop. The aim is to provide a consistent mechanical arrangement in the lowest configuration rather than depending on hydraulic pressure alone to maintain the intended suspension behavior. This would be the setting aimed at owners interested in autocross or occasional track-oriented driving, although its actual handling characteristics would have to be established through development and testing. Street GT: Approximately 140 mm Street GT represents the everyday configuration. With its proposed 140 mm ride height, the intention is to retain a familiar road-going setup without requiring the driver to use the lowest, track-oriented setting during normal driving. The concept specifies street-oriented damping and an OEM+ spring configuration. Roberto's objective is to provide a setting suitable for regular driving, including the road imperfections and changing loads encountered outside a controlled motorsport environment. Rallycross: Approximately 155 mm The Rallycross configuration introduces an additional 15 mm of height over Street GT, with medium-firm damping and a spring arrangement intended for more varied surfaces. Despite the motorsport terminology, Roberto's materials describe this setting in terms of mixed-surface usability rather than presenting the car as a completed rallycross conversion. Its proposed characteristics would need to be evaluated against the available suspension travel and the behavior of the original chassis at the increased ride height. Gravel / Mud / Snow: Approximately 170 mm The fourth setting is the highest configuration. Its proposed 170 mm ride height is intended to provide additional clearance when negotiating rough roads, snow, and uneven terrain. For many Saab owners, the raised configuration may be just as intriguing as the lowered one. A car equipped with a low front bumper can encounter practical difficulties on steep driveways, poorly maintained access roads, and winter surfaces. The possibility of temporarily increasing its ride height without permanently replacing the suspension is therefore relevant beyond autocross enthusiasts. Additional clearance would not, however, turn a front-wheel-drive Saab 9-5 into an off-road vehicle. Its drivetrain, suspension geometry, tire selection, and underbody layout would continue to impose their own limitations. The idea is to investigate whether one adjustable suspension architecture could make the existing car more adaptable to different conditions. How the Proposed Hydraulic Suspension Would Work The centerpiece of... > A restored 1962 Saab 96 two-stroke with its original red and gray interior heads to Bilweb Auctions in Sweden, with an estimated value of 85,000–100,000 SEK. - Published: 2026-09-19 - Modified: 2026-09-19 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/1962-saab-96-two-stroke-bilweb-auction/ - Categories: SAAB News - Tags: Saab 96 A Polar White 1962 Saab 96 two-stroke, restored in 2012 and retaining its original red and gray interior, is heading to auction in Sweden. Its documented restoration, replacement rear fenders, and intriguing mileage history make this an interesting early Saab 96 to examine before bidding closes on September 23. A beautifully presented 1962 Saab 96 two-stroke in Polar White is heading to auction in Sweden, with an estimated value of 85,000 to 100,000 SEK. The early blunt-nose sedan, registered as CRU 706, was restored between 2010 and 2012 and retains its distinctive red and gray interior. Now offered through Bilweb Auctions, the car has been driven approximately 900 to 1,000 kilometers (560 to 620 miles) during its current ownership, which began in 2022. The Saab recently appeared in a Facebook post by Anders BILAR, who explained that his neighbor had invited him to photograph the car before the sale. His photographs capture the Polar White bodywork, chrome trim, whitewall tires, and remarkably well-preserved cabin. The car is located in the Nordmaling/Umeå area of northern Sweden, and the auction is scheduled to close on September 23, just one day before the 64th anniversary of its first registration. A Restoration Completed in 2012, Followed by Fourteen Years of Careful Use The car's restoration history begins in 2010, when a Saab-enthusiast father and son purchased it through Classic Cars Bilmarknaden. According to the auction description, the body was reasonably sound, with very little rust, but its paintwork needed attention. Over the following two years, the Saab received a fresh Polar White finish and mechanical work that included the engine and braking system. The restoration was completed in the fall of 2012, and the radiator was replaced in 2017. Parts of the project were reportedly documented on the Swedish automotive community website Garaget. org. The rear view reveals two departures from the original 1962 specification: plastic replacement fenders and a trunk emblem from a later Saab 96. Both are disclosed in the Bilweb auction listing, although neither is immediately obvious in the car's otherwise period-correct presentation. The current owner acquired the Saab in the spring of 2022 and reports driving it only 90 to 100 Swedish mil, equivalent to 900 to 1,000 kilometers, mainly to local classic-car gatherings. The owner states that the car has not been driven in the rain during this period and has been stored indoors during winter and beneath a carport in summer. The photographs suggest that the restoration has held up well, with the paintwork, chrome, and exterior trim showing relatively little visible deterioration. The Red and Gray Interior Is One of This Saab's Most Interesting Features Behind the large white steering wheel is a cabin that retains its original red and gray cloth and vinyl upholstery, according to Bilweb's condition assessment. The contrasting colors extend across the seats and door panels, while the dashboard and original-style instrumentation preserve the appearance of an early 1960s Saab. Unlike many restored classics that receive replacement seats, modern instruments, or completely retrimmed interiors, this example has retained the visual character of its original cabin. Not every interior component has survived untouched. The original rubber floor mats had deteriorated and were replaced with custom-made dark gray textile mats from Top 'n' Trim. Bilweb also identifies two small holes in the headliner. A period child seat is included in the sale, adding an interesting accessory to the car's presentation, although it should be regarded as a historical item rather than a modern safety restraint. The original red and gray upholstery has survived more than six decades, retaining the distinctive color combination of the early Saab 96. The factory rubber floor mats were replaced with custom-made textile mats, but the seats, door panels, and dashboard preserve the cabin's period character. The interior is particularly interesting when compared with other early Saab restoration projects. The restoration of Simo Lampinen's Saab 96 Monte Carlo 850, for example, involved recovering and rebuilding a competition car that had disappeared from public view for decades. The Polar White 1962 sedan has a different history: its original road-car character remains largely intact, without the competition equipment or extensive mechanical modifications associated with rally-prepared two-stroke Saabs. Not Everything Is Factory-Correct Although the exterior presents well, Bilweb identifies two deviations from the original 1962 specification. The rear fenders are plastic replacements rather than steel, while the emblem fitted to the trunk lid comes from a Saab 96 produced in 1964 or later. Both details are disclosed in the auction description and are worth considering for anyone seeking a completely factory-correct example. The car retains its original-style wheels with chrome hubcaps and removable whitewall tire inserts. These complement the Polar White paintwork and give the car a period appearance, although the white inserts can be removed without changing the wheels. Together with the replacement rear fenders and later trunk emblem, they illustrate how the restoration has combined original components with practical and cosmetic changes made during the car's life. A Three-Cylinder Two-Stroke With a Recorded 46 HP The Saab is equipped with an 841cc three-cylinder two-stroke engine and a manual transmission. Its Swedish registration data records an output of 34 kW, approximately 46 hp. That figure is worth noting because Bilweb's documentation for another 1962 Saab 96 two-stroke from the Saab Memorial Hall collection lists 38 hp. The current listing does not explain whether the higher recorded output reflects an original specification, a later modification, or a difference in the registration data. The five-digit VDO odometer cannot establish this Saab's lifetime mileage. Earlier Swedish inspection records show readings exceeding 93,000 kilometers, while the current Bilweb listing records 10,000 kilometers. The reason for the discrepancy has not been established. Bilweb reports that the engine starts easily and runs well, although two mechanical issues are identified. The horn is inoperative, and the brakes engage relatively low in the pedal travel. The auction house suggests that the latter may require adjustment, but the precise cause has not been established. Since the braking system was overhauled during the restoration approximately fourteen years ago, a fresh inspection would be advisable before the car returns to regular use. The car's five-digit odometer raises an interesting question about its actual mileage. While the Bilweb listing records 10,000 kilometers, earlier Swedish inspection records show readings of 91,522 and 93,962 kilometers. The... > A 1993 Automotor review shows how journalists judged the new Saab 900 before GM900 became a label, from Opel hardware to Turbo, Black Panel and Sensonic. - Published: 2026-09-18 - Modified: 2026-09-18 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/1993-saab-900-review-automotor-gm-era/ - Categories: SAAB Reviews - Tags: Black Panel, GM, GM900, Opel, Saab 900NG, Saab Sensonic In September 1993, Automotor tested the new Saab 900 while GM ownership, Opel components and Saab’s future were still open questions. Reading that review today reveals how differently the NG900 was judged before decades of hindsight turned “GM900” into a verdict. Automotor saw the Opel components, questioned parts of the styling and came away fascinated by Sensonic. Reading its September 1993 test alongside other contemporary coverage shows how differently the second generation 900 was judged before three decades of GM era hindsight changed the argument. Thirty three years of hindsight have made the second generation Saab 900 much easier to label than it was to judge. Today, “NG900” and “GM900” immediately bring a complete set of associations: GM2900, Opel Vectra, transverse engines, the first Saab V6, Sensonic, later chassis revisions and the long list of changes that eventually separated the first 9-3 from the car introduced in 1993. None of that accumulated history was available to the journalists opening the doors of the new 900 that summer. That is why the September 1993 issue of Portuguese magazine Automotor is worth revisiting. Its headline, “O Início da Renovação,” or “The Beginning of the Renewal,” now reads almost like a question rather than a declaration. The magazine was examining a Saab whose reputation had not yet formed, only weeks after the new model had been presented in Trollhättan on July 21. Contemporary Saab histories place roughly 35,000 people at that launch and record more than 3,000 orders during the first ten days. It was the first completely new Saab developed after General Motors acquired a 50 percent stake in Saab Automobile. The useful part is not whether Automotor ultimately “got the car right. ” It is the criteria the magazine used to decide whether Saab had got the car right. The Opel connection was already front page material Later enthusiast discussion sometimes gives the impression that the NG900’s GM ancestry gradually emerged as owners and specialists discovered how much hardware was shared. That is not what this 1993 article shows. Automotor discussed the relationship immediately. The Vectra comparison was already there, the common dimensions were noted, Opel components were explicitly mentioned, and the new V6 was examined partly through its GM origins. Automotor saw the contradiction clearly: a cabin that still followed familiar Saab logic, with the ignition beside the handbrake and the new Black Panel, while the cutaway below made the Opel Vectra connection impossible to ignore. The magazine nevertheless singled out Saab’s suspension development and passive safety work as important differences. The magazine also repeated Saab’s position that the 900 should not simply be described as sitting on the platform of one Opel model. Saab argued that the project used components and engineering solutions selected from the wider GM organization and developed around its own requirements. Automotor did not swallow that explanation whole. There is a noticeable skepticism in the article, which is important because it prevents the review from becoming a piece of launch publicity. What has changed since 1993 is the weight assigned to the shared hardware. The broad relationship to GM architecture is no longer controversial. What the contemporary journalists had not yet decided was whether that fact alone defined the finished car. That question was also appearing elsewhere. In August 1993, the Christian Science Monitor reported from Trollhättan that the exterior remained “distinctly Saab” while describing the car’s heritage beneath the surface as considerably less clear. The same report was unusually direct about the financial reality behind the project: GM’s investment had helped keep both Saab and the new 900 development program moving. That is a different starting point from asking whether the NG900 was a “real Saab. ” The press already knew it was a corporate hybrid. What journalists were trying to establish was whether the compromises were visible from the driver’s seat. For context, the old 900 itself had hardly appeared from nowhere. Its origins stretched back through the Saab 99 and the X36 development program, a story covered in detail in SaabPlanet’s Project X36 history. The difference in 1993 was that the engineering genealogy no longer remained inside Saab. Automotor was reviewing a business model as much as a car One of the strongest parts of the Portuguese feature is its opening discussion of Saab’s finances. The review does not isolate the new 900 from the company that had to manufacture it. Automotor reported workforce reductions approaching 50 percent, a break even target of around 80,000 cars a year instead of the previous 120,000, component cost reductions of roughly 15 percent and major cuts to fixed and distribution costs. The most striking figure concerned production time. Saab had needed about 110 hours to build a car around 1990, according to the period figures, while the target surrounding the new 900 had fallen to roughly 30 hours. The 110 to 30 hour change is also recorded in later Saab histories of the model. Those figures should be read as contemporary company and magazine reporting rather than independently audited financial data, but they explain the car better than another argument over suspension components does. Saab’s previous industrial model had become unsustainable. General Motors did not create the need for Saab to lower costs; it arrived while that need was already acute. Saab AB’s own historical account confirms the fundamental ownership change. The automobile operation was separated from the rest of Saab around 1989 and 1990, with GM taking half of the newly formed Saab Automobile. GM would not acquire the remaining half until 2000. Seen from that perspective, the NG900 had an unusually difficult brief. It had to cost dramatically less to develop and manufacture, exploit a large corporation’s component base, attract buyers beyond Saab’s existing customer pool and somehow avoid feeling as though those economic decisions were the principal reason for the car’s existence. Automotor was effectively testing whether that industrial equation worked. The conservative shape makes more sense in its original context The second generation 900 no longer looks controversial. Familiarity and the later 9-3 have made its shape part of Saab history. In the 1993 photographs, however, the design strategy becomes much easier to understand. Saab retained the 900 name, the hatchback profile, a recognizable beltline and a front end that could not... > Saab 900 CE #86 sold for $68,000 at no reserve on BaT, with documented SPG bodywork, Super Aeros and a detailed ownership history. - Published: 2026-09-17 - Modified: 2026-09-17 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/1993-saab-900-ce-86-68000-bring-a-trailer/ - Categories: SAAB News - Tags: Saab 900, Saab 900 Turbo A 1993 Saab 900 Turbo Commemorative Edition registered as #86 of 325 sold for $68,000 at no reserve on Bring a Trailer. The result is particularly notable because the car wears SPG bodywork, 16 inch Super Aero wheels and other changes documented in its registry history since 2013. $68,000 after 61 bids A 1993 Saab 900 Turbo Commemorative Edition sold for $68,000 on Bring a Trailer on September 15, 2026, after a no reserve auction that attracted 61 bids, 22,005 views and 1,686 watchers. Winning bidder Mboislard entered the final $68,000 bid after abelperr had reached $66,500 only minutes earlier. The auction was handled by BaT Local Partner Wob in California on behalf of the owner. The result is remarkable enough on price alone, but this is not a low mileage, untouched Commemorative Edition preserved exactly as delivered in 1993. The odometer shows 80,000 miles, the car wears 16 inch Super Aero wheels and SPG style lower bodywork, its audio system has been substantially upgraded, the engine bay has been refinished following corrosion repairs, and the underside has previously been stripped and recoated. Bring a Trailer also disclosed a red box APC and Stage 1 engine components. From the rear, the central tension in this $68,000 sale is obvious: CE #86 is registry-confirmed, but its SPG bodywork, Super Aeros and later exhaust give it a character quite different from a factory-stock Commemorative Edition. Those details became an important part of the discussion because they make this sale considerably more useful than another record generated by an exceptionally low mileage survivor. It is a genuine CE, but it is not in factory CE specification The VIN, YS3AL35T8P2017507, appears in the long running Saab Commemorative Edition registry at saabce. com, where the car is recorded as Series #86/325. The registry was last updated for this car in February 2017, when it showed 74,400 miles and Matthew McGuire as the registered owner. More importantly, it also preserves information submitted by earlier owners going back to 2007. That registry trail matters because several BaT commenters immediately noticed details that did not belong to the original 1993 Commemorative Edition specification. The factory CE used Black paint, tan leather, its own 15 inch directional wheels, a burled walnut dashboard fascia, leather shift knob and boot, lowered suspension and the familiar red box APC specification producing 185 hp. The factory specification did not include the later SPG ground effects, wheel arch extensions or 16 inch Super Aero wheels seen on this particular car. SaabCE also documents the numbered brass plaque supplied with each car. The “93SPG” plate almost summarizes the car’s entire identity debate: this is a documented Commemorative Edition, but years of period-style modification have pushed its appearance much closer to the SPG vocabulary than to a stock 1993 CE. That led to questions in the auction comments over whether the car was a genuine Commemorative Edition or a regular 900 Turbo subsequently assembled to resemble one. One commenter summarized the confusion by asking whether it was an original CE, an SPG or a Turbo with added equipment, while also pointing out the Aero wheels, SPG style cladding and initially absent visible number plaque. The registry provides a fairly clear answer. The VIN and history identify it as CE #86, while the nonstandard exterior equipment is documented as later modification rather than evidence of a different underlying car. That distinction is important. Authenticity of the vehicle and originality of its current specification are two different questions. The SPG conversion was already documented in 2013 The most useful part of the registry entry is an update submitted in July 2013 by fourth owner Joshua Silliman. At that point the car had approximately 72,000 miles, and the modifications visible today were already being documented. The entry specifically records 16 inch wheels, SPG ground effects, wheel arch flares, vent covers and smoked side indicators. It also states that the engine was removed and received a Stage 1 upgrade along with various replacement components. The engine compartment was stripped, corrosion was addressed, and the bay was then resealed and refinished. Seen in profile, CE #86 shows how far a few period-correct changes can shift the character of a Classic 900. The basic silhouette is untouched, but the SPG cladding and 16 inch Super Aeros make this documented Commemorative Edition read almost like a different factory variant. The work went considerably further than cosmetic changes. According to the same registry record, the underside was stripped and re-undercoated, the interior was removed so that developing corrosion could be treated, Dynamat sound insulation was installed, the door cards were refurbished, and the suspension received control arms, brakes, rear axle components, springs and dampers. That history is significant because it prevents the current configuration from being mistaken for a collection of changes made shortly before the auction. The SPG appearance and much of the mechanical refurbishment have been part of CE #86 for at least thirteen years. The invoices for all of that 2013 work have not been independently reviewed here, so the registry entry should be treated for what it is, an enthusiast record based on information submitted by owners. However, the current BaT listing, the older registry entry and the fifth owner's later description all tell substantially the same story. The fifth owner's listing fills in another part of the history The current owner reproduced an earlier for sale description from the fifth owner in the Bring a Trailer comments. At that point the car showed 76,450 miles, still wore the SPG panels and arch extensions installed in 2013, and had both the 16 inch Super Aero wheels and a second set of Commemorative Edition wheels. That description also records some later changes. A Carlsson style exhaust supplied by Steven Lewis in the UK was fitted in 2017, while the brakes received pads and rotors and the cabin gained a substantial audio system consisting of a Pioneer DEH-P80RS head unit, Focal speakers, JL Audio subwoofer and Genesis Profile GT5 amplifier. The previous owner valued that audio installation at more than $4,000. Importantly, the original Saab head unit, CD player and equalizer were said to remain with the car and to be functional. The same description clarifies another detail that could otherwise create confusion when comparing the car with an original... > IPC650GW support is coming to Saab 9-3 MY2007+, with a hidden MIU, SID relocation, mileage sync and planned eSID3 turbo gauge support. - Published: 2026-09-15 - Modified: 2026-09-15 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-3-my2007-is-finally-getting-ipc650gw-support/ - Categories: SAAB News - Tags: eSID3, IPC650GW, SAAB 9-3, Saab 9-5NG, Saab SID Henrik Glad is finalizing IPC650GW support for Saab 9-3 MY2007 and newer, combining an NG9-5 cluster with a hidden donor MIU, SID relocation, mileage synchronization and new eSID3 integration. The new version retains a programmed 9-3 MIU behind the dashboard, moves mileage handling to the gateway and keeps eSID3 and the original SID functions available alongside the NG9-5 cluster. When we first covered Henrik Glad’s IPC650GW conversion in March 2024, the product had a clearly defined target: the Saab 9-3 from MY2003 to MY2006. The gateway allowed the original MIU to be replaced by an instrument cluster from the 2010 to 2012 Saab 9-5, translating the signals required by two different Saab electrical architectures. More than two years later, the current IPC650GW manual still draws the same model year boundary. Version 2. 2, published in February 2026, explicitly lists the existing gateway as compatible with MY2003 to MY2006 and incompatible with MY2007 to MY2014. Seamless Integration: The Saab NG9-5 Instrument Panel Elegantly Retrofitted into a Saab 9-3, Enhancing the Cockpit with Modern Avionics Aesthetics Henrik is now working on the version intended to remove that restriction. He says the MY2007 and newer implementation is changing on an almost daily basis and still needs several weeks of development and verification, so the specification he has published should be treated as the current engineering plan rather than a finished production configuration. The major difference is that the facelift 9-3 cannot simply lose its original MIU electronics. Why the MY2007 Cluster Has to Stay in the Car The existing IPC650GW for MY2003 to MY2006 removes the Saab 9-3 MIU and lets the gateway and NG9-5 IPC assume its required functions. The latest official manual still describes that arrangement and shows why it cannot simply be copied into the later 9-3. IPC650GW-NG93 Gateway and Wiring Kit: The Essential Components for Integrating the Saab NG9-5 Instrument Panel Cluster into a Saab 9-3 Vehicle For MY2007 to MY2014, the MIU has responsibilities beyond displaying speed, rpm and fuel level. Henrik explains that it is the master for the IP Switch, including Night Panel, and is also responsible for system sounds such as turn signal clicks and parking assistance tones. Those functions were handled by the ICM on the earlier cars. The current IPC650GW compatibility table independently shows the same problem from the perspective of the existing gateway. For MY2007 to MY2014 it lists Night Panel and the other IP Switch functions as unavailable, together with the warning sounds. It also identifies missing SID functions and the absence of automatic display illumination. Henrik’s solution is therefore to retain a 9-3 MIU electronically. A compatible MY2007 or newer MIU is completely disassembled and its PCB is installed behind the dashboard, while the NG9-5 IPC occupies the normal cluster position. That hidden MIU must be programmed to the car using Tech2, but its existing odometer value does not have to match the vehicle. The Original MIU Can Be Preserved The new arrangement also avoids a problem that would be particularly unwelcome on cars such as the Turbo X. Henrik does not require the car’s original MIU to be dismantled and permanently buried inside the dashboard. A second compatible 9-3 cluster can be purchased, disassembled, programmed with Tech2 and used for that purpose. The car’s original MIU only needs to be connected temporarily during the initial setup so that its correct odometer value can be transferred to the IPC650GW. After synchronization, the original cluster can be stored intact. Henrik specifically mentions a Turbo X cluster as the sort of original part that would make little sense to destroy simply to obtain the PCB required by the conversion. The distinction is therefore important: the hidden electronics come from a compatible donor 9-3 MIU, while the car’s own MIU provides the correct mileage during initialization and can then be retained with the vehicle. The NG9-5 cluster has a separate role again. Its own stored mileage is not relevant because the new MY2007 implementation will maintain the vehicle odometer inside the IPC650GW. The New Gateway Will Not Use the Existing VIN Locking Method That mileage procedure is one of the clearest differences between the new version and the existing MY2003 to MY2006 gateway. With the current product, the gateway is configured with information including the VIN, starting odometer value and fuel tank size. The official manual explains that odometer, immobilizer and fuel level functions require the gateway to be configured for the individual vehicle. If the original MIU is later reinstalled, its mileage has not advanced while it was outside the car and may need to be corrected using Tech2. Henrik says the forthcoming MY2007 version will not be VIN locked in that way. Instead, the gateway will provide a function for synchronizing the mileage directly from the original MIU before that cluster is put into storage. The mileage already recorded in the donor NG9-5 IPC is likewise unimportant. That is already true with the existing IPC650GW, whose manual states that the odometer value of the donor 9-5 cluster does not determine the mileage displayed after installation. The specification of the NG9-5 cluster itself still deserves attention. The 9-5 IPC was produced in km/h and mph, gasoline and diesel, and color and monochrome variants. Some display functions also depend on how the cluster was originally programmed. For example, the current gateway cannot make an equipment dependent TPMS or BioPower view appear if that view was not configured in the donor IPC, while an automatic 9-3 requires an NG9-5 cluster programmed appropriately if PRND gear information is to be displayed. Relocating the SID Is Part of the MY2007 Conversion Keeping the donor MIU PCB alive solves the IP Switch and sound functions, but hiding the complete instrument unit behind the dashboard would also hide its display. On the facelift 9-3 that display remains important. It carries the normal SID information used by the car and is also the display through which eSID3 presents its data. Henrik additionally identifies Coolant Level Low and Washer Fluid Low as warnings that still depend on this display. That matches the limitation already documented in the IPC650GW compatibility table. On an MY2007 to MY2014 car using the existing... > A Taiwanese doctor’s 2007 Saab 9-3 Arc returns after an eight month SAC Taiwan restoration spanning its Taichung and Tucheng service centers. - Published: 2026-09-14 - Modified: 2026-09-14 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/doctors-saab-9-3-arc-restoration-sac-taiwan/ - Categories: SAAB News - Tags: Car Restauration, SAAB 9-3, Saab 9-3 Arc, SAC Taiwan Dr. Yang bought his Titanium Grey Saab 9-3 Arc while beginning his medical career. More than twenty years later, SAC Taiwan completed an eight month restoration across its Taichung and Tucheng service centers. Dr. Yang has owned cars that could easily have displaced an aging Saab from the family garage. Over the years, the second car in his household has included a BMW M2 and a Porsche 911, both machines he describes as cars he had dreamed of owning when he was younger. Yet neither replaced the Titanium Grey 2007 Saab 9-3 Arc he bought near the beginning of his medical career. That makes the latest restoration completed by SAC Taiwan interesting for reasons that have little to do with the current market value of an early 9-3. Dr. Yang did not return to the Saab after rediscovering the model as a collector. He never really left it. The car remained through more than twenty years of hospital work, professional progression and changes elsewhere in the household fleet, until the decision was made to give it a much more substantial restoration. Dr. Yang with the Titanium Grey Saab 9-3 Arc he bought during his early medical career, now back at SAC Taiwan after an eight month restoration. The project took eight months and involved SAC Taiwan’s Taichung and Tucheng service centers. Photographs supplied by Salo Yang document a level of work far beyond cosmetic refurbishment, including extensive front end disassembly and removal of the cylinder head. The finished car eventually returned to the same Saab environment that had supported owners in Taiwan when these cars were still being sold new. The story started with another doctor’s Ice Blue Aero Dr. Yang traces his decision to buy a Saab back to his years as a young medical intern. At the hospital, he worked with a senior resident whom he admired for his medical ability and personal presence. That doctor also happened to drive an Ice Blue Saab 9-3 Aero, a car Dr. Yang remembers as particularly striking at the time. The impression lasted. When he later began his own residency and was ready to buy his first car, he chose a Titanium Grey Saab 9-3 Arc. The specification was different from the Aero that had first caught his attention, but the connection between the two cars was direct: one belonged to the doctor he looked up to, while the other arrived just as Dr. Yang was entering the same demanding stage of his own profession. Residency gave the Saab a role that was difficult for any later car to reproduce. Dr. Yang recalls predawn starts, long hospital rounds and emergency calls that regularly extended his working day well beyond normal hours. The 9-3 was the car waiting outside when those shifts finally ended, and its cockpit became a private interval between the intensity of the hospital and the return home. His account is specific about that experience. The car was a place where he could collect his thoughts after work and release some of the accumulated fatigue before the following day began. That is a much more useful explanation of his attachment to the Saab than the familiar claim that an old car simply has “soul. ” In this case, the interior, driving position and routine of starting the car became attached to a particular period of his life. An M2 and a 911 came later, but the Saab stayed More than twenty years of medical practice naturally changed Dr. Yang’s circumstances, and the household did not remain frozen around the Saab. Other cars came and went, including a BMW M2 and Porsche 911, two performance cars he says fulfilled ambitions he had carried since his younger years. He makes no attempt to claim that the Saab competes with them objectively. A 2007 9-3 does not match a modern performance car for outright speed, electronics, connectivity or contemporary driver assistance technology. His point is almost the opposite: despite experiencing much newer and faster machinery, returning to the Saab still produces a response the other cars do not. Back in SAC Taiwan’s showroom after eight months of work, Dr. Yang’s Titanium Grey 2007 Saab 9-3 Arc is ready to return to the road more than twenty years after he first bought it. That distinction helps explain why some long term Saab owners eventually choose restoration instead of replacement. In Dr. Yang’s case, the alternatives were not theoretical. He had already owned the kind of cars people often imagine buying once an older daily driver has reached the end of its useful life, yet the 9-3 continued to occupy a different position. The reason was accumulated experience rather than specification. A newer car could offer greater performance, but it could not become the car that had already been waiting outside the hospital twenty years earlier. Eight months of work across two SAC service centers SAC Taiwan has not supplied a complete workshop invoice or itemized list of every component renewed during the eight month project, so the photographs are the best guide to the scale of the mechanical work. They are also useful because they prevent the restoration from being described in broader terms than the available evidence supports. One workshop photograph shows the Saab raised high on a lift with the front powertrain area extensively stripped. The engine compartment is largely empty and normally concealed structural areas, suspension components and brake assemblies are exposed. Whatever the complete list of operations may contain, this clearly went far beyond cleaning the engine bay with the car assembled. Part of the eight month restoration in pictures: the 9-3 on the lift, engine internals during rebuild, key intake and exhaust components, and the front subframe assembly prepared at SAC Taiwan. Another image shows the four cylinder cylinder head removed from the engine, with the combustion chambers and valves visible on the workshop bench. It confirms that SAC went inside the engine during the restoration, although without a full work report there is no reason to invent a list of replaced internals or machining procedures. The finished engine bay provides the most effective before and after comparison. The turbocharged four cylinder is back beneath its familiar SAAB Turbo cover, while... > Saab Car Club Victoria’s 2026 Concours gathered C900s, 9-3s, 9-5s and a “LAST 95” NG 9-5 for its annual Greenvale showcase. - Published: 2026-09-13 - Modified: 2026-09-13 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-car-club-victoria-concours-2026/ - Categories: SAAB Community - Tags: Saab 9-5NG, Saab 900 Convertible, Saab Australia, Saab Car Club Victoria Saab Car Club Victoria’s 2026 Concours d’Elegance brought together classic 900s, two generations of Saab convertibles, 9-3s, 9-5s and a white NG 9-5 carrying the fitting registration “LAST 95” at Living Legends in Greenvale. The Saab Car Club Victoria held its 2026 Concours d’Elegance on Sunday, September 13, bringing several generations of Saab together at Living Legends in Greenvale, north of Melbourne. SCCV lists the Concours as its premier event of the year, with cars arriving between 9:00 and 10:00 a. m. before judging began at 10:00. The club’s official 2026 events schedule also called for the awards presentation at approximately 1:00 p. m. The photographs published by Saab Car Club Victoria after the event show long rows of cars arranged across the grass, with a remarkably broad cross section of Saab production represented. Several examples of the classic Saab 900, whose development began as Project X36 share the field with later 9-3 and 9-5 models, convertibles, wagons and the final generation 9-5. Two C900 Convertibles sit side by side at Greenvale in the year SCCV marked 40 years since the Saab 900 Cabriolet entered production in 1986. One of the most immediately recognizable cars is a white Saab 9-5 NG carrying the highly appropriate Victorian registration “LAST 95. ” The car provides an effective visual endpoint to the display, especially when viewed alongside the earlier generations parked nearby. The continuing interest in the final 9-5 generation is hardly limited to Australia, as cars such as the Taiwan Orange Saab 9-5 NG Aero show how carefully some examples are now being preserved. At the opposite end of that timeline, a red classic 900 Turbo Convertible dominates one of SCCV’s photographs. Its presence was particularly appropriate in 2026 because this year marks 40 years since the 1986 production debut of the C900 Cabriolet. SCCV incorporated that anniversary directly into the Concours by creating a dedicated C900 Cabriolet Trophy and Medallions. A typical SCCV concours lineup: Saabs from different production periods parked together rather than separated into the collector favorites and the later cars still commonly driven today. The convertible theme extended into the next generation as well. The club also presented the Sandra Scanlon Perpetual Trophy and Medallion for the best Saab 9-3 Convertible, effectively recognizing two important chapters in Saab’s open top history during the same Concours. Rather than grouping all convertibles together, the structure acknowledged how far Saab’s cabriolet line had developed between the original C900 and the later 9-3 generations. The main judging classes were divided by model year: Pre 1984, 1984 to 1993, 1994 to 2003 and 2004 onwards. SCCV also included the Jeff Bryar Memorial People’s Choice award and a perpetual trophy for the overall winner. The schedule published ahead of the event specified judging from 10:00 a. m. , People’s Choice voting at the SCCV marquee and presentations at approximately 1:00 p. m. , which corresponds closely with the photographs released after the event. Several of those photographs capture the presentation itself beneath the SCCV marquee. One shows the Sandra Scanlon award being presented, while another records the presentation of a traditional silver cup. The club’s short post event report thanked the committee and volunteers who helped run the Concours and described the cars on display as a particularly strong field. Award presentations at Saab Car Club Victoria’s 2026 Concours d’Elegance, where class winners and special trophy recipients were recognized under the SCCV marquee at Living Legends. There is another interesting detail in the photographs beyond the award winners. This is not a display consisting only of the Saab models that have already become obvious collector cars. The lines include classic 900s, OG and NG 9-3s, different generations of 9-5, convertibles, sedans and wagons. The same pattern can be seen elsewhere in the Saab community, where even comparatively recent cars are increasingly receiving the sort of preservation once reserved for much older models. A recent example is the Saab 9-5 Aero Wagon family restoration in Taiwan, where an ordinary used Saab became the subject of a detailed restoration rather than simply another aging daily driver. That diversity is also consistent with the club’s stated purpose. Saab Car Club Victoria was formed on March 23, 1983, and says its activities include social events, technical knowledge, preservation and restoration of older Saabs. Its profile on the Shannons Club network also lists drive days, technical sessions, weekends away and members’ meetings among the club’s regular activities. Victoria is also part of a wider Australian Saab club structure. According to Saab Car Clubs of Australia, three active single marque Saab clubs operate independently in Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia, while cooperating on activities including the national SaabMissions magazine and occasional combined events. The Greenvale photographs therefore provide a useful snapshot of what Saab preservation looks like in Australia in 2026. On the same lawn are cars descended from the original Saab 900 development program, C900 Cabriolets now celebrating their 40th anniversary, several generations of 9-3 and 9-5, and a 9-5 NG carrying “LAST 95” plates. Four decades of Saab convertibles and nearly the full span of the company’s later production history can be read simply by walking down one line of cars. > A 178,000-mile Saab 900 Carlsson is estimated at more than twice a 2010 9-3 Carlsson XWD at the same Mathewsons auction. - Published: 2026-09-12 - Modified: 2026-09-12 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-900-carlsson-vs-9-3-carlsson-xwd-auction/ - Categories: SAAB News - Tags: Erik Carlsson, SAAB 9-3, Saab 9-3 Carlsson, Saab 900 Carlsson Mathewsons is offering two Saabs carrying the Carlsson name in the same September auction, but their estimates could hardly be more different. The 178,000-mile 900 is valued at more than twice the newer V6 XWD. Two cars carrying the Carlsson name are heading to the same Mathewsons auction this month, yet the older one, with 44,000 more miles, carries more than twice the estimate of the newer V6 XWD. The numbers alone make the pairing worth a closer look, but the auction descriptions reveal why this is not simply a question of rarity. Same Auction, Same Name, Wildly Different Numbers Mathewsons' September Classic Vehicles & Memorabilia Auction has entered two cars carrying the Carlsson name, and the gap between their estimates is the whole story. Lot 886 is a 1991 Saab 900 16V Turbo, sold as a Carlsson Edition, registration CAS 448A, with the vendor stating 178,000 miles. Estimate: £9,000 to £11,000, roughly $12,200 to $14,900. It crosses the block on September 25. Lot 154 is a 2010 Saab 9-3 Aero V6 XWD automatic, registration SG60 SZT, with 134,000 miles. The vendor describes it as one of 96 Carlsson XWDs built and, more specifically, 1 of 33 in the UK. That second figure deserves particular caution: Saab Great Britain originally announced a UK run of 96 Aero Carlssons, so the auction listing does not explain what the figure 33 refers to. Estimate: just £4,000 to £5,000, about $5,400 to $6,800. It sells two days earlier, on September 23. The older 900 therefore carries an estimate roughly 2. 2 times higher than the newer V6 XWD. That difference is particularly striking because, on paper, the 9-3 brings the rarer production story, considerably more power and a far more sophisticated drivetrain. The auction estimates clearly value something else. The black 2010 Saab 9-3 Aero V6 XWD, registration SG60 SZT, carries the Carlsson claim in the auction description, but the listing also includes several caveats, from a P0420 fault code to replaced rear dampers and missing proof of Carlsson identification. The Case Against the 9-3 Read past the "Carlsson" headline on Lot 154 and the low estimate starts to make sense. Mathewsons' own condition notes for the car are unusually candid: A P0420 fault code is present. The car passes its MOT regardless, but the cause hasn't been pinned down: the vendor's best guesses are a tired catalytic converter, worn O2 sensors, or something as simple as an exhaust gasket. The Nivomat self-leveling rear shocks, one of the more distinctive engineering touches on the Aero XWD, have been swapped for standard 9-3 units. The front bumper needs paint after "a knock. " The original head unit has been replaced with a Pioneer EVO64, which does bring Android Auto and CarPlay to the party. The listing itself misstates the engine as a "2. 6 V6," while Mathewsons' own spec sheet correctly lists 2,792cc. Mathewsons lists the car under its factory name, Aero V6 XWD. The Carlsson identity comes entirely from the vendor. No VIN, chassis number, or photo of a Carlsson identification plate has been published. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=dgYiAyzDdXU To be fair, the maintenance side of the ledger isn't bad at all: fresh fluids in the Haldex system, transfer box, and automatic gearbox, new plugs and coils, a new crank position sensor and MAF, nearly new Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires, a radiator and intercooler replaced 20,000 miles ago, and a GM Tech 2 diagnostic tool thrown in with the sale. This isn't a neglected car. It's a car whose identity a buyer needs to verify in person rather than take on faith. The Older Car Comes With More Supporting Paperwork The 900 tells a more reassuring story, at least in terms of the material presented with it. It's sold with a current V5, plus a Saab wallet containing the owner's handbook, previous V5 documents, DVLA correspondence, MOT certificates, and invoices. The vendor also lists a rebuilt distributor, recent springs and shocks, a set of 16-inch deep-dish alloys on new Avon tires, and, in a detail that catches a real Carlsson hunter's eye, Carlsson-spec Buffalo Grey leather and suede trim with the embroidered floor mats. The 1991 Saab 900 Turbo offered as a Carlsson Edition carries the stronger estimate of the pair at £9,000 to £11,000. Its paperwork is more substantial, but Mathewsons still advises bidders to verify the Carlsson identity for themselves. But even here, Mathewsons doesn't go further than it should. The listing states plainly that the Carlsson identification has been provided by the vendor, and that bidders should confirm it during inspection: the exact same caveat attached to the 9-3. In other words, neither car is independently certified. One of them is simply presented with a more convincing trail of supporting material. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=LLSGDsEjL7s The Real Question This is what makes the pairing worth writing about, rather than just another pair of auction listings. These aren't a rare car and a common car being compared. They're two vehicles sold under the same name, at the same sale, in the same month, and the estimates are already revealing how differently the two cars are being positioned: the auction house has placed one at more than twice the estimate of the other. Is that a reputation effect, the 900 Carlsson's decades-long standing as a known, desirable, comparatively well-documented model, versus a 9-3 variant that never built the same following? Is it a paperwork effect, one car simply arriving with a thicker file? Or is it condition, plain and simple: an undiagnosed fault code and a dented bumper will always weigh against an estimate, no matter how few examples were built? From the rear, SG60 SZT can initially recall the Turbo X, especially with its dark paint, twin exhausts and Aero bodywork. The Carlsson script on the trunk lid identifies the edition, while the lower rear treatment is not the Turbo X diffuser. Probably some of all three. But that's precisely why this deserves more than a routine sale notice: it's a live demonstration that the word "Carlsson" doesn't set the price on its own. Trust, documentation, condition, and the story a car can actually tell about itself do that instead, a theme that runs through... > Geoff Wardle, designer of the Saab 900 Aero/SPG body kit, is auctioning signed reproductions of his original sketches for a Los Angeles mobility charity. - Published: 2026-09-11 - Modified: 2026-09-11 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/geoff-wardle-saab-900-aero-spg-design-sketches-charity-auction/ - Categories: SAAB News - Tags: Saab 900, SAAB 900 Aero, Saab 900 SPG Geoff Wardle, the British designer credited with the Saab 900 Aero/SPG body kit and three-spoke alloy wheels, is donating signed reproductions of three original sketches to a charity auction supporting a Los Angeles community mobility and storytelling project. Bidding runs online through September 30. A few years ago, I tracked down the original designer for the Saab 900 T16S bodywork for my book “ICON”. I was fortunate enough that the gentleman in question, Geoff Wardle, gave me some of his time to interview him on the project from his home in California. He even supplied a couple of images of his original sketches for my book. We have kept in touch over the years, and he recently reached out to me to see if I could help him with a charity project. I’ll let him explain the project... “As you know, myself and some friends started a non-profit organisation with the intention of using our design and storytelling skills to create more visionary solutions to America’s transportation and mobility systems, which are sadly archaic compared to Europe and Asia. We are focusing on bottom-up solutions and working with communities. The official flyer for Sankofa City 2050, the Leimert Park fundraiser and silent auction that includes Geoff Wardle's donated Saab sketches. On Sunday 13 September, we are hosting a fund-raising session with community leaders in Leimert Park, which is a part of South Los Angeles, to help raise the funds we need to create a film about a compelling future of their neighbourhoods. As part of that event, we are running an online auction to include art pieces and other items. Through our network of designers in the car and entertainment industries, we have had a number of digital copies or one-off prints donated by some of them – for instance, some original artwork on Minority Report and other Hollywood blockbusters for which our friend Harald Belker designed a lot of the vehicles and “stuff”. We are using an online auction platform/app that people can bid on, whether they attend the event or not. Matt Searle's Saab 900 Turbo 16S: Icon, which first documented Geoff Wardle's account of designing the Aero/SPG package. I am donating one signed copy of each of my T16S/SPG sketches, and will pledge that anyone who successfully bids will have a unique copy. ” There are three different prints. Each will be on 16” x 24” paper where the bumper-to-bumper dimensions of the cars will be about 20”, which is how large the originals were. The auction runs until the 30th September and the link to register or bid is below. https://givebutter. com/c/SankofaCity2050/auction/categories/95451/automotive-related-artwork-and-publications International shipping can be arranged at an additional cost for the winning bidders. This represents a truly unique opportunity to own a piece of Saab 900 memorabilia and, at the same time, help a charitable cause. I hope it’s of interest. Thank you. Matt Searle > A €300 Saab 9000 now makes 486.8 kW at the wheels using stock B204 pistons, rods and crankshaft while chasing 300 km/h in the standing mile. - Published: 2026-09-10 - Modified: 2026-09-10 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9000-b204-653-whp-stock-internals/ - Categories: SAAB Tuning - Tags: SAAB 9000, Saab Estonia, SAAB Tuning Built in Estonia from a €300 1998 Saab 9000 2.0t, this standing mile project now produces 486.8 kW at the wheels while retaining the factory B204 pistons, rods, crankshaft, camshafts and valves. A 1998 Saab 9000 that cost just €300 is now producing 486. 8 kW at the wheels, roughly 653 wheel horsepower, from a B204 that still uses its original crankshaft, connecting rods, pistons, camshafts and valves. The car belongs to Kris-Sven Sommer and was built together with Sander Võrel in Estonia. Their original target was not a dyno number. Kris-Sven had wanted for years to drive a Saab beyond 300 km/h in the standing mile, and the 9000 gradually became the car intended to do it. A €300 Saab That Was Supposed to Be Driven The project began during an evening conversation about an earlier Saab 9000 that had caused repeated clutch slave cylinder problems. That memory eventually led Kris-Sven and Sander to call a friend known locally for his Saab knowledge and ask whether another 9000 was available. The engine bay shows how function led the build: a Pulsar 6262G, custom exhaust manifold, modified stock intake manifold and large charge piping surround a B204 that still retains its factory pistons, rods, crankshaft, camshafts and valves. There was one. They looked at it that same evening and bought it the following day for €300. The car was a 1998 Saab 9000 2. 0t rated at 110 kW from the factory. Its main problem was a rusted front left brake line. Sander repaired it, the car passed inspection, and it remained in normal use for approximately a year. Then the 300 km/h idea became serious. According to Sander, Kris-Sven mentioned the long standing goal while talking with friends. When the estimated cost came up, those friends encouraged him to start building the car rather than continue talking about it. The B204 Is Modified, but the Expensive Parts Are Still Saab Calling this a completely stock B204 would be inaccurate. The engine was rebuilt with a Cometic head gasket, KL Racing head and main studs, ACL race bearings, stronger KL Racing valve springs and a balance shaft delete. The piston rings were also replaced and set with a 0. 65 gap. What makes the current dyno result interesting is what was not replaced. The engine retains the original crankshaft, connecting rods, pistons, camshafts and valves. The cylinder head itself has not been ported. The rev limiter is set at 7,500 rpm. Sander says keeping these components was partly a financial decision, but it also became an experiment in how far the original B204 hardware could be pushed. 2. 7 Bar Through a Pulsar 6262G The turbocharger is a Pulsar 6262G, currently running at 2. 7 bar of boost. Boost control is handled by two 32 mm wastegates. Sander fabricated the exhaust manifold himself, while the original intake manifold was modified to accept an electronic throttle body. Built specifically for standing mile competition, the Saab has already reached 269 km/h despite a damaged second gear, with the 300 km/h mark still the team’s main target. The engine runs on E85. Fuel delivery comes from a Walbro 525 and Walbro 535 mounted in the tank, AN8 fuel lines and 1,700 cc Bosch CNG injectors. The ignition system uses R35 GT-R coils. Management is currently handled by an ECUMaster EMU Black, although the team plans to replace it with a MaxxECU. Charge air passes through a 3 inch FMIC intercooler with 2. 5 inch aluminum intake piping, while the exhaust is a full 3 inch system ending in a Simons muffler. The car also has nitrous, but the strongest dyno run was made without it. At 2. 7 bar, the engine did not respond well to additional nitrous, something Sander suspects may be related to airflow limitations in the current head and camshaft configuration. From 395 kW to 486. 8 kW at the Wheels Before its first standing mile event, the Saab produced 395 kW at the wheels at 2. 3 bar without nitrous. With nitrous, output increased to approximately 440 kW. After the event, the alternator was replaced with a higher output unit from a Saab 9-5 and the fuel pressure regulator was changed. Back on the dyno, the car reached 486. 8 kW at the wheels without nitrous. The run was performed at Raketibaas in Estonia by tuner Janno Kuiv on a Dynomax dyno. The dyno displayed 558. 3 kW as calculated engine output, equivalent to approximately 749 hp, although the team does not know exactly how the dyno software calculated that drivetrain correction. For that reason, the directly measured 486. 8 kW wheel figure is the more useful number. Run 27 produced 486. 8 kW at the wheels, approximately 653 whp, while the Dynomax software calculated 558. 3 kW at the engine. The result was achieved at 2. 7 bar without nitrous. The team has wondered whether this could be the most powerful B204 still using stock pistons, rods, crankshaft, camshafts, valves and an unported head. Without a complete record of comparable builds worldwide, that claim is difficult to verify. What can be documented is the combination itself: 653 hp at the wheels from a B204 whose major rotating components remain factory Saab parts. The Stock Gearbox Is Still There Too The transmission is currently a stock FM54. The flywheel is also original, paired with a six puck sintered KL Racing clutch disc and Sachs Performance pressure plate. The 9000 was built around one specific target: 300 km/h in the standing mile. Its current best is 269 km/h, recorded despite second gear problems. An Aero FM57 gearbox had originally been prepared for the car, but it began grinding second gear on the dyno shortly before the first competition outing. The Saab still managed 269 km/h in the standing mile despite a broken second gear. Suspension modifications remain relatively straightforward: adjustable Koni rear dampers, Bilstein B6 front dampers, Lesjöfors lowering springs and a Maptun front strut brace. The brakes retain the original dimensions with Rotinger drilled and slotted discs and ATE pads. A roll cage was added during the build. The Next Target Is 1,000 HP The engine has covered only around 100... > Why does SAAB keep appearing in films and TV? Milija Šćepanović examines how filmmakers used the brand to reveal character, identity and emotion. - Published: 2026-09-10 - Modified: 2026-09-10 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-in-cinema-movies-tv/ - Categories: Saab History - Tags: A Man Called Ove, Drive My Car, Saab 900, Saab Culture, SAAB EV-1, SAAB in Cinema, Saab Movies, Seinfeld, Sideways Filmmakers have repeatedly chosen SAAB for characters who stand slightly outside the mainstream. Milija Šćepanović examines how the brand became part of cinema’s visual language, from Drive My Car and Sideways to Seinfeld and Balkan productions. SAAB was never a typical movie star car. It never stormed through explosions like American muscle cars, nor did it serve as a flashy status symbol for Hollywood millionaires. It was rarely the vehicle of action heroes and almost never an object of superficial admiration. Yet throughout decades of cinema and television, SAAB kept appearing on screen across the world: quietly, subtly and almost always for a reason. Because in film, a SAAB is rarely just transportation- it becomes an extension of character. It belongs to people who think differently: individualists, intellectuals, outsiders, dreamers and quiet rebels. From Scandinavian dramas and American indie films to regional productions from the Balkans, SAAB seemed to belong naturally in stories with a certain emotional depth and authenticity. Perhaps that is why it survived as a cultural symbol long after disappearing from production lines. While many cars in cinema were designed to impress audiences, SAAB was often there to reveal something about the person behind the wheel. And that is precisely what makes its history on screen so fascinating. The SAAB Philosophy To understand why SAAB fits so naturally into cinema, one first has to understand what the brand represented. SAAB was never just a car company, it was a philosophy on wheels. Born from the aviation industry, SAAB carried a very different design mentality from most automotive manufacturers. While many brands chased prestige, excess, or aggressive styling, SAAB approached the automobile almost like an engineer’s problem to solve- intelligently, functionally and often unconventionally. Everything had to serve a purpose. That philosophy could be seen everywhere, from aircraft-inspired cockpits and wraparound windshields to turbocharged engines designed for real-world driving rather than brute force. Even the famous ignition switch placed between the seats was not a gimmick, but a practical safety solution. SAAB embraced innovation, but only when innovation genuinely improved the driving experience. And perhaps that is precisely why filmmakers were drawn to it. On screen, a SAAB instantly communicates something subtle but important about its owner. This is not a person obsessed with appearances. Not someone trying to impress the world. A SAAB driver in film is usually intelligent, introspective, independent, or emotionally complicated- sometimes lonely and sometimes rebellious. Often all of those things at once. Unlike many cinematic cars that scream for attention, SAAB almost whispers. But that whisper carries personality. Its clean Scandinavian lines, understated elegance and slightly eccentric character made it visually unique without becoming distracting. A SAAB never steals the scene from the actor, it quietly becomes part of the character. In many ways, it functions almost like costume design or production design, a carefully chosen detail that reveals who a person is before they even speak. That is why SAAB appears so naturally in independent films, Nordic dramas, and character-driven stories. It belongs to worlds inhabited by writers, architects, professors, musicians, engineers and outsiders- people who value individuality over status. SAAB on Screen: Memorable Film and TV Appearances Drive My Car - The Car as Emotional Space Few films have ever understood SAAB as deeply as Drive My Car. Ryūsuke Hamaguchi’s Academy Award-winning film features a red Saab 900 Turbo that becomes far more than a simple prop. The car functions almost as a moving confessional booth, a private space where grief, silence, memory and emotional distance slowly unfold. Long conversations take place inside the cabin, while Tokyo and Hiroshima pass quietly through the windows like fragments of memory. Christian André Strand has noted that the Saab 900 has a leading role in the Japanese cult film "Drive My Car" from 2021. The 900 has frequently featured in a number of international films and is a favorite among filmmakers. The choice of a classic SAAB was no coincidence. Its understated design, aircraft-inspired cockpit and timeless character perfectly mirror the personality of the protagonist: reserved, intelligent, emotionally restrained, and deeply introspective. Another car would have changed the emotional texture of the film entirely. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=6BPKPb_RTwI In many ways, Drive My Car may be the ultimate cinematic SAAB story, because the car itself becomes part of the film’s soul. Sideways - Melancholy, Middle Age, and Quiet Individualism Alexander Payne’s Sideways is another perfect example of how SAAB naturally belongs to stories about imperfect people. Sideways gives the Saab 900 Convertible exactly the kind of role Milija Šćepanović describes: not a display of status, but a car that belongs naturally to Miles’ melancholy, slightly eccentric and deeply personal journey. The film follows two middle-aged friends drifting through California wine country as they struggle with disappointment, aging and unrealized dreams. Its universe is filled with melancholy, awkward humor and emotional vulnerability, exactly the kind of atmosphere where SAAB feels at home. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=DGP8PwCpxLk There is something unmistakably Saab-like about the film’s entire emotional tone. It is not flashy or glamorous. It is intelligent, slightly eccentric, and deeply human. Much like the characters themselves, SAAB represents individuality without needing attention. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Scandinavian Identity on Screen Few automotive brands visually belong to Scandinavian cinema as naturally as SAAB. In The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, the Saab 9-3 fits the film’s restrained Scandinavian visual language almost invisibly. It does not announce status or power; it simply belongs in the cold, functional world surrounding the characters. In Nordic noir stories such as The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, cars are rarely chosen for spectacle. Instead, they become part of the cold, functional and emotionally restrained world these films inhabit. SAAB’s minimalist Scandinavian design language fits seamlessly into snowy landscapes, modern architecture, and psychologically complex narratives. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=DqQe3OrsMKI It is a car that communicates intelligence and realism rather than wealth or power, which makes it ideal for grounded thrillers and investigative dramas. A Man Called Ove - Loyalty, Identity and the Emotional Bond with Machines For Ove, SAAB is not simply transportation, it represents loyalty, dignity, routine and identity itself. His attachment to the brand reflects an entire worldview built around honesty, functionality and... > Victor Muller looks back at Saab in 2026, revealing the decisions he would change, the GM dispute and why he still does not regret trying. - Published: 2026-09-09 - Modified: 2026-09-09 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/victor-muller-saab-2026-interview-regrets/ - Categories: SAAB News - Tags: General Motors, NEVS, Saab Automobile, Saab Bankruptcy, Saab History, Spyker Cars, Trollhattan, Victor Muller Fifteen years after Saab Automobile collapsed, Victor Muller says he would not make the same decisions again. Yet he remains equally certain that trying to save Saab was worth the personal, financial and physical cost. Fifteen years after Saab Automobile filed for bankruptcy, Victor Muller can finally answer one of the most uncomfortable questions about his time in Trollhättan without the urgency that surrounded almost everything he said in 2010 and 2011. Would he make the same decisions again? “Hell no. ” Yet only minutes later, when talking about the decision to proceed with the Saab acquisition despite the damage already being done to the company, his answer moves in the opposite direction. “Am I glad we did it? Hell yes. ” That apparent contradiction is the most revealing part of a long 2026 interview with Muller. It says considerably more about his present view of Saab than another reconstruction of financing agreements, production stoppages and failed investment deals could. The conversation originally appeared on July 3, 2026, on psychologist Caroline Middelsdorf’s Real. Raw. Authentic. podcast. On August 27, Marcus & Manuela’s Saab Channel brought the interview to its Saab audience, focusing attention on the parts concerning Muller’s attempt to save Saab Automobile and what those 21 months still mean to him. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=y08NUKozRf8 Marcus also addressed the division that still surrounds Muller in Saab circles. He acknowledged that some enthusiasts remain strongly negative toward Saab’s final owner, while stating his own view that Muller kept the company alive for a period when it otherwise would have disappeared and helped make possible some remarkable final Saab products. The interview itself is valuable precisely because Muller does not simply repeat that defense. At 67, with another Spyker revival underway and considerable distance from December 2011, he talks about decisions he now believes were wrong, the physical consequences of trying to keep Saab alive, and the moment he considers the most difficult of his entire business career. A Deal Muller Still Believes Looked Extraordinary Muller has not changed his basic assessment of why Saab looked irresistible in late 2009 and early 2010. He describes Spyker’s acquisition as the automotive equivalent of “a mouse buying an elephant”, but also as an opportunity unlikely ever to appear again. In his current telling, Spyker effectively paid about $50 million for assets he values at roughly $1. 2 billion, including approximately $200 million in cash. Those are Muller’s figures and his interpretation of the economics of the transaction, but they explain why he still refuses to characterize the acquisition itself as irrational. To him, Saab combined an established manufacturing operation, a global dealer network, engineering capability, a new 9-5 entering the market, an unusually loyal customer base and decades of brand recognition. Spyker, by comparison, remained a tiny boutique sports car manufacturer. “Business-wise it was a bit of an awkward deal,” Muller admits in the interview. That is a notable choice of words from someone who spent years defending the logic of the transaction. Yet he immediately adds that it was also a “once in a lifetime opportunity. ” Both statements can be true. The price of an asset and the amount of capital required to stabilize, restart and develop it are two different questions. Saab’s experience under Spyker would expose that difference with brutal speed. “Hell No”: The Decision Muller Says He Would Change The strongest passage begins when Muller is asked whether, knowing everything he knows today, he would make the same decisions again. His response is immediate: “Hell no. ” He then identifies what he regards as the single most damaging element surrounding the acquisition: General Motors had already begun the process of winding Saab down while negotiations for a buyer continued. The timing is important. GM announced that Saab would be wound down after the Spyker negotiations initially collapsed in December 2009. A binding agreement with Spyker was subsequently reached on January 26, 2010, and the acquisition was completed on February 23. GM itself stated at closing that the previously announced Saab wind-down was ending. Muller argues that the damage caused during that period was never fully repaired after Spyker took control. His analogy in the 2026 interview is unusually blunt. He compares the transaction to buying a house after the seller has already set it on fire, while still being expected to complete the deal on the terms negotiated before the fire. Looking back, Muller says he should have stopped and told GM that the circumstances had fundamentally changed. Instead, he proceeded. The reason he gives is not a balance-sheet calculation. By that stage, he says, he had committed himself too deeply to Saab’s employees to walk away. “So we took the house although it was on fire. ” In hindsight, he says, they should not have done so. Then comes the sentence that defines his current position: he is nevertheless glad that they tried, because without the acquisition he believes the wind-down would simply have continued until Saab Automobile was gone. This is where the 2026 Muller becomes more interesting than the executive defending Saab in real time. He no longer needs to argue that every decision was correct. He separates the quality of a decision from the reason he made it. The Day He Had to Face Saab’s Employees When asked about the most difficult moment of his career, Muller does not choose a financing collapse, an argument with GM, the failure of a Chinese investment proposal or the later criminal proceedings in Sweden. He chooses the moment when he had to tell Saab’s employees that it was over. Muller recalls gathering approximately 3,700 employees at the factory and addressing them himself. “We tried. We gave everything humanly possible. It didn’t work,” is how he remembers the message. Years later, he unexpectedly found a memory stick containing a video recording of that speech. Watching it again, he says, was difficult even after more than a decade had passed. There is a tendency to remember December 19, 2011 through the photographs outside Vänersborg District Court, the bankruptcy documents and the final headlines. Muller’s account brings the story back inside Stallbacka. Whatever judgment one makes about the decisions that led there, thousands of employees... > A low mileage 1985 Saab 900 Turbo once listed at £24,995 has sold for €19,250 after 44 bids, establishing a very different market value. - Published: 2026-09-07 - Modified: 2026-09-07 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/1985-saab-900-turbo-sold-19250-euros/ - Categories: SAAB News - Tags: Classic Saab, Saab 900, Saab 900 Turbo, Saab Auctions The Alabaster Yellow 1985 Saab 900 Turbo B276 VPO has sold for €19,250 after attracting 44 bids. The result provides a revealing comparison with its previous £24,995 asking price. The Alabaster Yellow 1985 Saab 900 Turbo previously featured on SaabPlanet has now produced the market result its earlier fixed price advertisement could not provide. After 44 bids, the Car & Classic auction closed on September 1, 2026, with a winning bid of €19,250, approximately $22,370. This is the same right hand drive car, previously registered as B276 VPO, that appeared in our July 2025 article, “This 1985 Saab 900 Turbo Has Just 33,550 Miles, One Year Only Cams and a £24,995 Price Tag”. At that time, the dealer was asking £24,995, which is approximately $33,800 at current reference exchange rates. The difference between those two figures does not turn the auction into a failure. It does, however, provide a much clearer indication of what bidders were prepared to pay for this particular car, with its distinctive specification, limited recent mileage and unusually preserved interior. The final bidding changed the picture completely Two days before the auction ended, the highest bid stood at only €9,100 and the reserve had not been reached. That figure was never a reliable valuation because serious bidding on online collector car platforms is often concentrated in the final hours. The time-warp interior of this 1985 Saab 900 Turbo shows barely any signs of use — original tan velour seats, a flawless dashboard, and period-correct audio gear underscore its claimed 33,550-mile history. The closing sequence confirmed that pattern. Two bidders repeatedly raised the price in €250 increments from €17,000 to the final €19,250. In total, the winning bid finished 111. 5 percent above the €9,100 late auction snapshot. This is precisely why incomplete auction results should not be presented as market values. An early or even late bid only records where the auction stood at that moment. The final result, once the reserve has been met and the platform marks the vehicle as sold, is the useful figure. From a £24,995 asking price to a €19,250 sale Using current exchange rates only to place the figures on roughly comparable terms, the previous £24,995 asking price equates to approximately €29,100. The €19,250 winning bid is therefore about 34 percent lower. That comparison still needs context. The two figures were recorded more than a year apart, the car moved from a British dealer advertisement to an Irish private seller, and the auction result may not include the buyer fee charged separately by Car & Classic. An asking price also reflects what a seller hopes to receive, while an auction result records what the strongest bidder was willing to offer on a specific day. The conclusion is not that the car lost exactly 34 percent of its value. The more defensible conclusion is that the earlier £24,995 price was substantially above the level later established through competitive bidding. The same Saab, now with 1,204 additional miles When SaabPlanet first covered B276 VPO, its odometer showed approximately 33,550 miles. The auction listing recorded 34,754 indicated miles, an increase of 1,204 miles. That is enough to show that the car was used, but not enough to change its identity as a very low mileage classic 900. The specification remains one of its strongest attractions. It is a three door flat front 900 Turbo finished in uncommon Alabaster Yellow, with a beige velour interior, factory three spoke Aero wheels, a sunroof and a five speed manual transmission. Power comes from Saab’s 1,985 cc, 16 valve turbocharged four cylinder engine. Under the hood: the 2. 0L turbocharged B201 engine with original plumbing and Saab’s factory intercooler setup—note the untouched clamps, hoses, and “Turbo Intercooler” pipe, hinting at a truly unmolested drivetrain. The auction catalog records six keepers from new. It also states that the car is now registered in Ireland and was located in Carrigaline at the time of sale. Its previous British registration provides the clearest link to the car SaabPlanet covered in 2025. The interior may be its most convincing asset Low odometer readings can attract attention, but the condition of frequently touched components often tells a more persuasive story. In this Saab, the beige velour seats retain their shape unusually well, including the vulnerable outer bolsters. The door cards, carpets, headliner, dashboard and switchgear were also presented as being in very good condition. According to the seller, the interior remains original. Car & Classic similarly describes the Alabaster Yellow paint as factory original, although the listing acknowledges touched in chips and a blemish around the fuel cap. The bodywork was said to be sound in the familiar classic 900 inspection areas, while a mechanic reportedly described the underside as being of “museum grade” quality. Those are encouraging descriptions, but they remain claims made for the sale. The auction page does not provide an independent workshop inspection, paint depth report or detailed corrosion assessment that would establish complete originality beyond doubt. Abbott Racing invoices add useful evidence The accompanying records show that Abbott Racing serviced the Saab at 32,852 miles in 2022 and again at 33,348 miles in 2024. The most recent owner also replaced the fuel pump bellows and gaskets. Pristine and polarizing - this 1985 Saab 900 Turbo in rare Alabaster Yellow shows just 33,550 miles on the clock, sporting its original flat-front design and iconic Aero wheels. A controversial survivor or a once-in-a-lifetime collector find? The last British MOT was valid until May 2026 and reportedly contained no structural advisories. Because of the car’s age, the seller stated that it is now exempt from both British MOT and Irish NCT testing. There is, however, an important qualification within the auction listing itself. The promotional introduction refers to fewer than 35,000 documented miles, while the key information section describes the mileage as indicated and acknowledges that only limited service history is available to verify it. The careful wording for any future reference should therefore be “34,754 indicated miles. ” The Abbott invoices and previous inspection history support the recent part of the odometer record, but the publicly presented documents do not amount to an uninterrupted history covering all 41... > MotorTrend compared the new Saab 9-3 Convertible with the Audi A4 and Mercedes CLK in 2004. Here is how Saab measured up at the time. - Published: 2026-09-06 - Modified: 2026-09-06 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/motortrend-saab-9-3-convertible-audi-mercedes-2004/ - Categories: SAAB Reviews - Tags: 2004 Saab 9-3, Audi A4 Cabriolet, Mercedes-Benz CLK320, MotorTrend, SAAB 9-3, Saab 9-3 Arc, Saab 9-3 Convertible, Saab History, Saab Reviews, Saab Road Tests In 2004, MotorTrend put the new Saab 9-3 Arc Convertible directly against the Audi A4 Cabriolet and Mercedes-Benz CLK320. Two decades later, the test offers Saab enthusiasts something more useful than a finishing order: a contemporary view of where Saab really stood among German premium competitors. On September 4, 2026, MotorTrend reopened an unusually useful window into Saab's past. The magazine republished a comparison originally printed in its June 2004 issue under the headline Air Force Three. The participants were the Audi A4 Cabriolet 3. 0, Mercedes-Benz CLK320 Cabriolet and the newly introduced Saab 9-3 Arc Convertible. For Us, the value of this test is not simply that a 9-3 finished third. What makes it worth revisiting 22 years later is that the journalists were evaluating these cars when all three were current products. There was no nostalgia surrounding Saab, no collector market, no knowledge of what would happen to the company eight years later and no need to preserve the reputation of a discontinued marque. MotorTrend's staff had three new premium convertibles, drove them back to back and judged them according to the expectations of the American luxury car market in 2004. That makes the comparison especially revealing. It tells us where Saab stood when buyers could walk into dealerships and genuinely cross shop a 9-3 Convertible against an A4 Cabriolet or a CLK. It also shows where MotorTrend thought Saab matched its German rivals and, perhaps more importantly, where the magazine believed Trollhättan still had work to do. Saab Was Not Treated as an Outsider The first point is easy to overlook because we now know how the Saab story ended. MotorTrend did not introduce the 9-3 as an eccentric Scandinavian alternative sitting outside the established premium class. It simply placed the Saab beside Audi and Mercedes as one of three new four seat luxury convertibles competing for the same customer. The pricing explains why. The Saab 9-3 Arc Convertible started at $40,690. The Audi A4 Cabriolet 3. 0 started at $42,520, while Mercedes asked a substantially higher $52,770 for the CLK320 Cabriolet. Once MotorTrend added equipment intended to bring the cars closer together, the tested Saab came to $45,614, the Audi to $46,735 and the Mercedes to $54,910. Saab therefore entered this comparison only $1,121 below the Audi in tested form. It was not being evaluated as the cheaper alternative that could be excused for rough edges because of a large price advantage. MotorTrend expected the 9-3 to deliver premium quality because Saab was charging premium money. This context is important when reading the harsher comments later in the article. The journalists were not asking whether the Saab was good value compared with a mainstream convertible. They were asking whether someone carrying roughly $46,000 into a showroom had a convincing reason to choose the Saab instead of the Audi. A Very Different Route to Almost Identical Performance The mechanical comparison makes Saab's position even more interesting. Audi brought a naturally aspirated 3. 0 liter V6 producing 220 hp and Mercedes used a 3. 2 liter V6 with 215 hp. Saab arrived with the familiar Swedish solution: a high pressure turbocharged 2. 0 liter four producing 210 hp and 221 lb ft of torque. On paper, that put the Saab two cylinders and roughly one liter of displacement behind each German competitor. On the test track, however, the difference virtually disappeared. MotorTrend test Audi A4 Cabriolet 3. 0 Mercedes CLK320 Saab 9-3 Arc Convertible Power 220 hp 215 hp 210 hp Curb weight 3,800 lb 3,800 lb 3,700 lb 0 to 60 mph 7. 2 sec 7. 2 sec 7. 2 sec 0 to 100 mph 19. 5 sec 18. 9 sec 18. 5 sec Quarter mile 15. 4 sec at 91. 1 mph 15. 3 sec at 91. 9 mph 15. 3 sec at 92. 5 mph Skidpad 0. 81 g 0. 77 g 0. 78 g Figure eight 27. 5 sec 28. 0 sec 27. 8 sec All three reached 60 mph in exactly 7. 2 seconds. More interestingly, as speeds increased, the turbocharged Saab actually began to pull ahead. It reached 80 mph in 11. 9 seconds, 90 mph in 15. 0 and 100 mph in 18. 5, the quickest figure of the trio at each of those points. Its quarter mile speed of 92. 5 mph was also the highest. MotorTrend's specification table puts another number beside that performance: 105. 6 hp per liter. Audi managed 73. 9 and Mercedes 67. 2. Saab enthusiasts hardly need a lesson in why Trollhättan favored turbocharging, but the comparison shows how effectively that philosophy worked against much larger naturally aspirated engines in an actual contemporary test. The Saab Was Quick Enough. Refinement Cost It the Comparison This is where the article becomes more useful than a simple ranking. MotorTrend did not put the Saab third because it lacked performance. The instrumented results make that impossible to argue. Instead, the 9-3 lost points in precisely the areas that premium car journalism was increasingly emphasizing during the early 2000s: structural rigidity, cabin materials, control logic, noise suppression and the sense that every response had been polished before the car reached the customer. The magazine acknowledged that the new Convertible represented a major improvement over the previous generation. Saab claimed an increase of almost 200 percent in bending and torsional stiffness, and one MotorTrend logbook comment compared its solidity favorably with much less rigid convertibles of the period. Yet when the testers moved directly from the Saab into the Audi and Mercedes, they still noticed movement through the steering wheel and rearview mirror on rough surfaces. That distinction matters. The new 9-3 Convertible could be dramatically better than the old one and still fall short of the benchmark established by its newest German competitors. MotorTrend was judging relative progress, not simply Saab's improvement over itself. Even Their Criticism of the Handling Was Complicated The steering drew another criticism familiar to anyone who has read period reviews of performance oriented Saabs. MotorTrend found the initial response around center very quick, to the point that drivers could apply too much steering input when first entering a corner. Yet the same journalists also recorded that once they adapted to the steering ratio, the chassis behaved well. The measured results... > Saabfesten joins Trollhättan Motorfestival on September 12 with a Saab exhibition area, track driving and a procession on the former Saab test track. - Published: 2026-09-05 - Modified: 2026-09-05 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/saabfesten-trollhattan-motorfestival-september-2026/ - Categories: SAAB Community - Tags: Saab Clubs, Saab Events, Saab Sweden, Saab Test Track, Saabfesten, Stallbacka, T Engineering, T Legacy Track, Trollhattan, Trollhättan Motorfestival Saab owners return to Stallbacka on September 12 for Saabfesten and Trollhättan Motorfestival, with a dedicated display area and Saab driving on the former factory test track. Trollhättan will have one more major gathering of Saab cars before the 2026 season closes. On Saturday, September 12, Saabfesten joins Trollhättan Motorfestival at Stallbacka, giving Saab owners a dedicated exhibition area, access to the former Saab test track and, for one hour, the circuit almost entirely to themselves. For Saab enthusiasts, the location changes the character of the event. This is not a parking lot meeting transplanted to Trollhättan. The cars will be gathering at Leveransvägen 4, beside the former Saab industrial complex and on the test facility where development cars once accumulated thousands of kilometers long before journalists or customers saw them. The September meeting is organized as part of the larger Trollhättan Motorfestival, together with Motorkultur, Volvofesten. se and Saabfesten. se. Cars from several categories will occupy the exhibition area during the day, but Saab owners receive their own section and a dedicated period on the track. That makes September 12 particularly interesting for anyone who wants to finish the Swedish 2026 Saab season with something more active than a static display. Saab cars return to a track that actually belongs to their history The test facility at Stallbacka has survived the complicated years that followed Saab Automobile. After Trollhättan Municipality acquired approximately 500,000 square meters of former NEVS property in 2023, the test track became part of the developing Industricampus Stallbacka. T Engineering subsequently took responsibility for operating the facility and reopened it to vehicle development work and organized activities. The company gave it a very appropriate new name: T Legacy Track. T Engineering itself has strong Saab connections and was formed with substantial competence originating from Saab Automobile. For people who followed Saab development during the Trollhättan years, the significance of the site requires little explanation. Test vehicles could leave the engineering and production area and be evaluated without first heading onto public roads. The facility includes the recognizable main circuit, its long straight and banked section, together with other surfaces and test areas used for vehicle development. Today the track has a second life rather than being preserved as an inaccessible industrial artifact. It is again being used for engineering projects, test days and automotive events, which is why meetings such as the September Motorfestival can place privately owned Saabs on a piece of infrastructure originally built for their development. One hour reserved for the Saab procession The most important time for Saab owners is 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM. During that hour, the regular open track activity stops and the circuit is reserved for the Saab kortege, the organized Saab procession. Immediately afterward, from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM, Volvo owners receive their corresponding track period. Outside those two blocks, drivers with a track ticket can use the circuit during the event. The organizer lists the all day driving ticket at SEK 400, which is approximately $42 at the September 5 exchange rate. The ticket covers track driving during the available sessions throughout the day, excluding the Saab and Volvo procession periods. That pricing also makes the event somewhat unusual. Track access at a historically significant automotive proving ground is being offered for roughly the cost of a modest enthusiast event entry fee rather than as an expensive dedicated track day. Owners obviously should regard the session for what it is. This is a public motor festival using an active test facility, not a timed competition. The attraction is the opportunity to drive a Saab on the Stallbacka track and then return directly to an exhibition area populated by other enthusiast cars. A large Saab area instead of scattered individual cars For the autumn 2026 Trollhättan Motorfestival, the organizers are working with several motor clubs to give their members dedicated exhibition space. For Saab owners, that means the possibility of parking cars together as a recognizable group rather than having individual Saabs scattered throughout the general show area. Admission includes an exhibition place, while the Saab gathering is being coordinated through Saabfesten. Saab Alliance Club was created to strengthen cooperation between Saab owners and clubs across Europe, with Trollhättan serving as its annual meeting point. Behind that effort is a much wider network that Saabfesten has been developing around Trollhättan. One of its central initiatives is the Saab Alliance Club, presented as a federation intended to connect Saab enthusiasts and strengthen cooperation between clubs across Europe. Its stated aim is not to replace established national organizations, but to create another layer of contact between them, with joint events, networking, member benefits and an annual gathering in Trollhättan. The wider Saabfesten clubs and groups network already brings together links to organizations including Saabklubben Danmark, Saab Turbo Club of Norway, Suomen Saab-klubi, 1. Deutscher SAAB-Club e. V. , Saab Club Österreich, Saab Club Nederland, Saab Club Schweiz, Saab Club Belgium, Saab Club España and Saab Club Luxembourg. The same directory also includes model specific communities devoted to everything from the early Saab 92, 93, 95 and 96 to the 900, 9000 and 9-3 Viggen. That list should not be read as a confirmed attendance sheet for September 12. Its significance is that Saabfesten is increasingly functioning as a meeting point between national clubs, smaller enthusiast groups and individual owners. The dedicated Saab area at the Motorfestival gives that network a physical place to come together at Stallbacka, while the reserved Saab procession from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM gives the cars their own time on the former factory test track. The result should also make for a far more useful Saab display than a conventional mixed car show. Put an early two stroke Saab beside a classic 900 Turbo, a 9000 Aero, a 9-3 Viggen, a 9-5 Aero and one of the final 9-3 generations, and the changes in Saab engineering become visible in a single line of cars. Add modified examples, daily drivers and track prepared builds, and the display begins to reflect how these cars are actually being used and maintained in 2026. There is no indication that participation is limited to concours... > A 2007 Saab 9-3 V6 Hirsch with 275 hp, 400 Nm and a six speed manual is for sale in Denmark for about $9,000. - Published: 2026-09-05 - Modified: 2026-09-05 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-3-v6-hirsch-manual-275-hp-denmark/ - Categories: Classifieds’ Saab Of The Day - Tags: SAAB 9-3, Saab 9-3 2.8 V6 Turbo, Saab 9-3 Aero Hirsch, Saab 9-3 Hirsch Performance, Saab B284 Hirsch A 2007 Saab 9-3 2.8 V6 Turbo with the official Hirsch Performance 275 hp upgrade, six speed manual gearbox and 172,500 km has appeared for sale in Denmark at about $9,000. A black 2007 Saab 9-3 Sport Sedan currently offered in Copenhagen gives us a useful reminder of what Hirsch Performance actually meant during Saab's final decade. The car is not being advertised with a catalog of conspicuous body parts or an improbable dyno figure. Its main credential is considerably more specific: the 2. 8 liter turbocharged V6 has the official Hirsch Performance calibration that raised the original 250 hp and 350 Nm to 275 hp and 400 Nm, and it sends that output through a six speed manual gearbox. AutoLegacy is asking 58,000 DKK for the car through Klassikermarkedet, which is roughly $9,000 at current exchange rates. It was first registered in May 2007, has covered 172,500 km, or about 107,200 miles, and is advertised with a complete service history. Those numbers place it in a much more interesting category than a low mileage collector Saab. This is a V6 Hirsch that appears to have spent nearly two decades doing exactly what the upgrade was intended to allow: functioning as a usable performance sedan. The listing in numbers Model: 2007 Saab 9-3 Sport Sedan 2. 8 V6 Turbo Hirsch output: 275 hp and 400 Nm Transmission: Six speed manual Drive: Front wheel drive Mileage: 172,500 km, approximately 107,200 miles Color: Black metallic Service history: Advertised as complete Asking price: 58,000 DKK, approximately $9,000 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark The equipment list is familiar Aero territory rather than something assembled to impress an auction catalog. There is leather upholstery, electrically adjustable front seats with memory, heated seats, Xenon headlights, cruise control, rear parking sensors, climate control and a HiFi system. The car currently sits on winter wheels and tires, while another set of wheels with summer tires is included. Nothing in this cabin advertises 275 hp or 400 Nm. The six speed manual and familiar 2007 Saab 9-3 interior underline how discreetly the Hirsch upgrade fitted into an otherwise conventional Aero. The seller also states that the next Danish inspection is due in May 2027. More unusually, AutoLegacy says the Saab will be sold only to a buyer with a CVR number and without warranty or complaint rights. A CVR number is a Danish business registration number, so the conditions attached to this sale matter when assessing the attractive looking sticker price. This is not being presented as an ordinary retail transaction for a Danish private consumer. What Hirsch actually changed on this V6 The most useful document for understanding this car is not the sales advertisement. It is the original Hirsch Performance technical specification for the 2007 Saab 9-3 Sport Sedan with the B284L engine and MT6 transmission. The figures confirm precisely the specification claimed by the seller. Standard output was 250 hp and 350 Nm. After the Hirsch software upgrade, those numbers became 275 hp and 400 Nm. A 25 hp increase sounds relatively modest in an era when software tuners routinely advertise much larger headline gains. The acceleration figures show why looking only at peak power misses the point. Hirsch quoted 0 to 100 km/h in 6. 3 seconds, compared with 6. 7 seconds for the standard 250 hp car. The more revealing numbers appear once the Saab is already moving. The Hirsch badge sits directly above the factory identification plate, tying the performance upgrade to this specific 2007 9-3 rather than to a loose accessory or later cosmetic addition. Hirsch listed 60 to 100 km/h in fourth gear at 4. 8 seconds, down from 6. 2 seconds. The 80 to 120 km/h interval in fifth gear improved from 7. 9 to 6. 5 seconds. Maximum speed increased from 250 to 260 km/h. Those differences describe the calibration far better than the extra 25 hp printed in a brochure. The torque increase is 50 Nm, available within a drivetrain that already had unusually broad delivery for a Saab of this period. On the road, that meant less need to chase engine speed and a much stronger response when accelerating in the gear already selected. For a six speed manual 9-3, the improvement in fourth and fifth gear is exactly where a Hirsch owner would repeatedly notice the difference. Hirsch was not simply another Saab tuning company That distinction is important today because the word Hirsch is increasingly used rather loosely in used Saab advertisements. A Hirsch badge, a set of wheels or an ECU modification does not automatically mean that a car carries every component once available in the Hirsch program. Period Hirsch material described the Swiss company as Saab Automobile's sole official performance upgrade partner worldwide. Its engine calibrations, brakes, suspension systems, exhausts, wheels, aerodynamic components and interior upgrades were developed within a program that was closely tied to Saab's dealer structure. Original literature also emphasized that approved Hirsch modifications retained Saab's factory warranty and normal service intervals. Hirsch products were sold and installed through authorized Saab dealers. The 16 inch wheels make this 275 hp Hirsch look almost anonymous. A set of period correct 18 inch Saab wheels would suit both the proportions and the performance far better, without losing the car’s factory character. That relationship explains why the 275 hp software package deserves to be treated differently from a modern generic ECU remap. Hirsch had to work inside limits that included drivability, emissions requirements, component durability and Saab's warranty obligations. Its objective with the B284L was therefore not to extract the largest possible dyno result from the engine. The current Hirsch Performance website still preserves the Saab section of the company's history, while its technical database remains particularly valuable for owners trying to establish exactly which upgrades existed for particular model years, engines and transmissions. This does not appear to be a complete Hirsch specification car There is an equally important limitation in the Copenhagen listing. Nothing in the seller's description establishes that this 9-3 received the broader range of Hirsch hardware that could once be ordered for the model. There is no stated Hirsch brake package, suspension kit, sports exhaust, wheel set, interior treatment or aerodynamic... > Dension Gateway 500 integrates USB, iPod and AUX audio directly with the 2003 to 2006 Saab 9-3 fiber optic infotainment system. - Published: 2026-09-01 - Modified: 2026-09-01 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/dension-gateway-500-saab-9-3-audio-upgrade/ - Categories: SAAB News - Tags: BT Changer, Dension Gateway 500, Fiber Optic Audio, GW51MO2, ICM2, ICM3, O-bus, SAAB 9-3, Saab 9-3 NG, Saab Audio, Saab CD Changer, Saab Infotainment, Tech2 The Dension Gateway 500 takes a very different approach to modernizing the 2003 to 2006 Saab 9-3 audio system. Instead of relying on AUX, the GW51MO2 joins the car's fiber optic network, emulates a factory CD changer and adds USB, iPod and AUX integration while retaining the original ICM and steering wheel controls. Connecting a modern music source to a 2003 to 2006 Saab 9-3 can be either very simple or surprisingly sophisticated. At the simple end, Saab's factory AUX input still does exactly what it was designed to do. Add a Bluetooth receiver and almost any current phone can send music through the original audio system, although the car itself knows nothing about the track, artist or playlist being played. There is also the much more Saab specific BT-Changer, developed in Hungary. It retains the factory ICM, adds wireless Bluetooth audio and communicates with the car sufficiently to provide useful integration with the SID and original controls. For owners whose priority is Spotify, internet radio, podcasts or other phone based audio while preserving the original dashboard, it remains one of the most practical solutions available today. We looked closely at its design and functionality in our earlier feature on the BT-Changer and its Hungarian Saab development story. Then there is Dension Gateway 500, product code GW51MO2. Instead of sending analog audio into the Entertainment Head Unit through AUX, the Dension becomes part of the Saab's optical infotainment network. It presents itself to the car as a CD changer, receives commands through the existing audio controls and adds USB, iPod, iPhone and auxiliary audio sources while leaving the Saab ICM and the rest of the factory installation in place. That architecture makes Gateway 500 one of the most technically interesting period upgrades ever offered for the early Saab 9-3 NG infotainment system. Why the 2003 to 2006 Saab 9-3 Is Different This subject resurfaced after the Italian Saab blog Saabmagazine published a useful overview of ways to connect a smartphone to the early 9-3 NG. Its author separates the straightforward AUX route from the considerably more sophisticated Dension installation, which is the part that deserves a closer technical look. Read the original Saabmagazine article The reason Dension had to develop such an elaborate interface lies in the architecture Saab introduced with the new 9-3. On the 2003 to 2006 cars, the visible ICM1, ICM2 or ICM3 is not simply a conventional DIN radio containing the entire audio system. The car instead uses several interconnected components, including the ICM, EHU, amplifiers and optional CD changer, with an optical data link between parts of the infotainment system. Saab's Workshop Information System describes this network as the O-bus, or optical bus, with modules passing information and digital audio around the system. The design allowed Saab to tightly integrate entertainment, steering wheel controls and vehicle information, but it also made later upgrades considerably more complicated than replacing a conventional radio. That complication is familiar to anyone who has investigated modifying an early 9-3 dashboard. Even modern community projects have had to work around the same architecture. SaabPlanet recently covered the far more ambitious ICM4 project, which brings CarPlay and Android Auto into the original Saab 9-3 dashboard environment. Gateway 500 comes from a completely different technological era, but the engineering problem is fundamentally the same: how do you add new media technology without casually removing hardware that Saab integrated deeply into the car? Gateway 500 Does Not Replace the Saab System The clever part of Gateway 500 is that it does not attempt to replace Saab's architecture. Dension's own installation documentation states that Gateway 500 emulates a CD changer and uses the existing CD changer controls to access external audio sources. From the car's point of view, Dension therefore behaves like equipment it already understands. Dension’s solution went far beyond adding another audio input, turning the factory CD changer architecture into a gateway for digital music without disturbing Saab’s original ICM. That makes the device fundamentally different from an AUX adapter. With AUX, the Saab receives an analog audio signal. The car does not inherently know what album is being played, what artist is selected or how the source device is organized. Gateway 500 participates in the control structure normally used by a CD changer, so it can add browsing and source selection while keeping the factory user interface involved. Dension's current Gateway 500 documentation still lists USB storage, iPod and iPhone playback, AUX input, menu based browsing, steering wheel control and music information display, although the amount of text available depends on the capabilities of the particular factory display. Dension's current Gateway 500 product page confirms that the unit remains supported with documentation and firmware available. Saab Was an Official Gateway 500 Application This was not a compatibility trick discovered later by Saab owners. Dension designed specific installation configurations for the Saab 9-3 and documented them in the original Gateway 500 installation guide. The manual includes separate DIP switch configurations for Saab 9-3 Rear CDC and Saab 9-3 Front CDC, showing that the company accounted for different factory CD changer arrangements. The same documentation shows how the Gateway is inserted into the optical path and identifies separate Car side and CDC side optical connections on the unit. For anyone searching for one of these units today, the model number matters. The relevant original device is the Gateway 500 GW51MO2, generally recognizable by its silver enclosure. Several later Dension products use very similar names, but they should not automatically be assumed to work in the Saab. Tech2 Is Part of the Installation There is also one very Saab specific requirement that should not be overlooked. Dension explicitly states that on the Saab 9-3 a CD changer must be enabled with the service computer using an original CD changer. In practical Saab terms, this means Tech2 becomes part of the installation process when the car has not previously been configured for the CDC function. This requirement fits the way Saab structured the infotainment system. The ICM already understands commands associated with an optical CD changer, while Gateway 500 depends on that existing functionality rather than creating a completely new source category in the car. Once the necessary CDC configuration exists, the Dension can occupy that role and make its external media sources available through a familiar Saab interface.... > A 29,011 km Saab 9-5 NG Vector XWD reached 266,000 SEK, while a lower-mileage Aero V6 stopped at 151,000 SEK without meeting reserve. - Published: 2026-09-01 - Modified: 2026-09-01 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-5-ng-vector-aero-v6-auction-result/ - Categories: SAAB News - Tags: Bilweb Auctions, Saab 9-5 Aero, SAAB 9-5 Vector, Saab 9-5NG, Saab 9-5ng Aero, Saab Auctions, Saab BioPower, Saab Collectors, Saab Turbo6, Saab XWD A preserved 2011 Saab 9-5 NG Vector BioPower XWD reached 266,000 SEK at Bilweb, outbidding a lower-mileage Aero Turbo6 by 115,000 SEK. The paired results show how strongly collectors value originality, European specification and clear provenance. A remarkably preserved 2011 Saab 9-5 NG Vector 2. 0T BioPower XWD closed at 266,000 SEK, approximately $27,700, in Bilweb Auctions' August 26 sale. The result placed the 29,011-kilometer car near the top of its estimate and, more significantly, 115,000 SEK above a lower-mileage Aero Turbo6 XWD offered in the same auction. The comparison provides a useful lesson about the developing collector market for the second-generation 9-5. More power, more equipment and an Aero badge did not automatically produce the stronger result. In this case, bidders appear to have assigned greater value to originality, Swedish-market history and a specification that required very little explanation. Without Aero bodywork or oversized wheels to announce its rarity, this Vector carries the more consequential specification underneath: BioPower, six-speed manual and XWD. SaabPlanet introduced the Glacier Silver car before the auction in our detailed preview of the 29,011-kilometer 9-5 NG XWD. At that stage, its low mileage and unusually preserved condition made it an obvious collector candidate. The final bidding confirmed that buyers saw it in much the same way. Vector closes just below the top estimate The 2011 Saab 9-5 NG 2. 0T BioPower XWD, VIN YS3GP4NRXB4006692, reached a high bid of 266,000 SEK. Bilweb marked the reserve as reached. The auction house had estimated the car at 250,000 to 270,000 SEK. The result was therefore 6. 4 percent above the lower estimate and only 1. 5 percent below the upper figure. Bidding had stood at 191,000 SEK shortly before the auction ended, meaning the final phase added another 75,000 SEK, an increase of slightly more than 39 percent. Bilweb's result should technically be treated as the auction's final high bid rather than automatic proof that ownership has already transferred. Under the company's published conditions, the winning bidder receives the right to inspect the vehicle and complete the purchase, with the final agreement signed after that inspection. Nevertheless, a reached reserve at 266,000 SEK is the relevant public market result. The restrained Vector exterior conceals one of the NG 9-5’s scarcest drivetrains: BioPower, six-speed manual and XWD - a combination documented in only 28 Vector sedans. The Vector was first registered in Sweden on March 8, 2011. Its 220-hp 2. 0-liter BioPower engine is paired with a six-speed manual transmission and Saab's XWD system. As discussed in the original SaabPlanet article, this places the car among a particularly small group of Vector BioPower XWD manuals. Its specification is restrained by Aero standards, but hardly basic. The car has 17-inch alloy wheels, partial leather upholstery, xenon headlights, parking sensors, a rain sensor, electrically folding mirrors, an engine heater and a towbar. More important to the final result was the way those components had been preserved. A long-term Swedish history with very little use The car was acquired by its long-term custodian from Bilvalvet in Enköping on June 15, 2012. It had covered 21,190 kilometers at the time. By the auction, that figure had increased to only 29,011 kilometers. In other words, the owner added just 7,821 kilometers in approximately 14 years, an average of about 560 kilometers per year. The Saab was kept in a heated garage and spent substantial periods off the road, although it was periodically returned to service for inspection. Its October 2025 inspection was completed without remarks. Bilweb described the Glacier Silver Metallic paint, color code 313, as original and in excellent condition. The interior was assessed as virtually new, apart from minor dirt on the outer section of the driver's seat. The auction report also stated that the air conditioning, drivetrain and electrical equipment were working correctly, while the underside showed little evidence of winter use. Winter wheels, two keys and the service book accompanied the car. It was offered on behalf of an estate, giving the sale a clear reason and avoiding the impression of a rapid speculative resale. None of these facts is individually dramatic. Together, however, they created a coherent history. The car looked, read and presented as the same lightly used Swedish Saab throughout its life. A prospective collector did not have to reconcile an import story, a color change, extensive retrofitting or a recent sequence of owners. The Aero had half the mileage and far more power On paper, the second Saab should have been the more valuable car. The 2011 Saab 9-5 Aero Turbo6 XWD, VIN YS3GR4BJ4B4001982, combined the 2. 8-liter turbocharged V6 with an automatic transmission, XWD and a high Aero equipment level. The car was imported from the USA by the current owner in 2023 and therefore has USA specifications, including remote-start – the function to start the engine outside the car. Its recorded mileage was only 15,500 kilometers, nearly half that of the Vector. Output was listed at 299 hp, compared with the Vector's 220 hp. The Aero also brought full leather, navigation, a head-up display, twin sunroofs, remote start and a Harman Kardon audio system. Mechanical preparation was not ignored. According to the listing, the car underwent a substantial service and European conversion in 2023. The documented bill exceeded 100,000 SEK, approximately $10,400, and covered the conversion work, engine-related service, the audio installation, an engine heater with cabin fan and removable auxiliary lighting. A new original GM propshaft was fitted in spring 2026. Bilweb reported no detected problems in the drivetrain or suspension. The interior, instruments and luggage compartment were also described as being in good condition. Summer wheels with Ege rims and studded winter tires on BBS wheels were included. Despite those advantages, the highest bid stopped at 151,000 SEK, approximately $15,700. The reserve was not reached. That was 37. 1 percent below Bilweb's lower estimate of 240,000 SEK and 44. 1 percent below the upper estimate of 270,000 SEK. The Vector therefore finished 115,000 SEK, about $12,000, above the Aero. Expressed another way, bidders valued the Vector's auction position 76 percent higher. Why the Aero's more complicated history mattered The Aero was originally a US-market car and was imported into Sweden by its current owner in 2023. Bilweb... > Saab Club Nederland’s Noord Brabant Tour takes place September 20, 2026, with a route from Gemert through Belgium to Reusel. - Published: 2026-08-31 - Modified: 2026-08-31 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-club-nederland-plans-a-cross-border-noord-brabant-tour-for-september-20/ - Categories: SAAB Community - Tags: Saab Club Nederland, Saab Clubs, Saab Events, Saab Netherlands Saab Club Nederland will host its Noord Brabant Tour on September 20, with a route from Gemert through Belgium to Reusel, plus a museum stop, refreshments and several hours of relaxed Saab driving. Saab Club Nederland is inviting members to spend Sunday, September 20, 2026, on the road for this year’s Noord Brabant Tour, a day trip that starts in Gemert, briefly crosses into Belgium and finishes farther west in Reusel. Organized by the club’s Noord Brabant region, the route is designed as a relaxed touring day rather than a tightly timed rally. Cars will head south from Gemert, cross the Belgian border for part of the drive, then turn west before returning to the Netherlands for the finish in Reusel. The precise route is supplied to registered participants by the organizers. Coffee, a museum visit and several hours behind the wheel Arrival is scheduled between 10:00 and 10:30 a. m. Participants will start the day with coffee or tea and something to eat, followed by admission to a museum included in the entry fee. At around 11:30 a. m. , the organizers will hold a short drivers’ briefing before the Saabs set off. The main touring section runs until approximately 4:00 p. m. , with drivers free to decide where and when they want to stop for lunch, coffee or a break along the route. The day concludes in Reusel with drinks and traditional Dutch snacks, with the event officially scheduled to finish around 5:00 p. m. That flexible format should suit the variety of cars normally found at Saab Club Nederland events. The promotional photo alone brings together several generations, from earlier 900 and 9-5 models to later 9-3s, including a Cabriolet at the front of the lineup. Registration closes September 13 The participation fee is €15 per person and covers the welcome refreshments, museum admission, route instructions and refreshments at the finish. Lunch and any additional stops during the drive are paid individually. Registration is primarily for Saab Club Nederland members, although a family member or invited guest travelling with a member can also be included when registering. After payment, participants receive confirmation with practical information about the start and finish locations together with access to the route description. Registration remains open until September 13 at 8:00 p. m. , giving Dutch and nearby Belgian Saab owners another couple of weeks to add the Noord Brabant Tour to their September calendar. Registration and official event details at Saab Club Nederland > New Zealand scientist Cynthia Hunefeld sold her beloved Saab to help fund a biotechnology patent for her pioneering ginger research. - Published: 2026-08-31 - Modified: 2026-08-31 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/scientist-sold-saab-biotechnology-patent/ - Categories: SAAB News - Tags: Saab New Zealand, SAAB Owners, Saab story New Zealand scientist Cynthia Hunefeld sold her beloved Saab to help finance a biotechnology patent. The car became an unexpected part of her research story. A recent feature in New Zealand newspaper The Post contains an unexpected Saab car connection. Cynthia Hunefeld, founder and CEO of Evithé Biotechnology in Lower Hutt, has spent years combining traditional botanical knowledge with modern pharmaceutical research. Her company is developing standardized plant extracts, with ginger playing an important role in its research program. Hunefeld describes the process as “turbocharging” ginger, increasing or altering concentrations of naturally occurring compounds rather than simply isolating a single active molecule. Evithé’s development program has progressed through preclinical research and into clinical testing. The company provides a broader outline of that work in its research and development timeline. The scientific claims need some context. The Post reports that one preparation showed activity up to 105 times stronger than conventional ginger capsules in preclinical testing, but that does not mean it has been demonstrated to be 105 times more effective as a treatment in people. Hunefeld herself stresses that distinction. Her work has also produced intellectual property around methods involving ginger and zingerone. Public patent records identify Cynthia Hunefeld Gaikema as inventor and Evithé Ltd as assignee on a patent family covering methods for preparing zingerone and related compositions. The patent documentation can be viewed here. New Zealand’s Intellectual Property Office has also profiled Evithé and Hunefeld’s work. The Saab connection appears almost incidentally in The Post, but it is the part that caught our attention. Hunefeld sold her beloved Saab to help pay the cost of securing the patent. “I still miss that car. ” The article does not identify the model. An EY profile of Hunefeld independently confirms that she sold her car to finance her first patent, although only The Post reveals that the car was a Saab. That detail also puts the scale of early biotechnology development into perspective. Patents, laboratory work, manufacturing development and clinical research require considerable funding before a product has any commercial certainty. In Hunefeld’s case, one of the personal assets converted into research capital happened to be a Saab. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=2QGdgE8kE10 Her next major industry appearance will be at CPHI Milan 2026, held from October 6 through 8, where more than 62,000 pharmaceutical professionals are expected. For SaabPlanet, the biotechnology is clearly outside our normal subject area. The reason to record the story is simpler: somewhere in New Zealand, a Saab was sold not to finance another car, but to help turn years of scientific research into protected intellectual property. It is another small example of how individual Saabs sometimes become part of much larger personal stories, much like the Saab 96 that returned to its original owner after 56 years, although in Hunefeld’s case the story begins with letting the car go rather than getting it back. > Alexey Korobov used FDM printing, Hella modules and Fristom DRLs to redesign Saab 9-3 OG headlights inside the original housings. - Published: 2026-08-30 - Modified: 2026-08-30 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/alexey-korobov-3d-printed-saab-9-3-og-headlights/ - Categories: SAAB News - Tags: 3D Printed Headlights, Hella, Saab 9-3 Aero, Saab 9-3 OG, saab aero, Saab headlights, Saab Restomod, SAAB Tuning Ukrainian Saab enthusiast Alexey Korobov has revisited his distinctive 9-3 OG Aero with a project few owners would attempt: a custom headlight conversion built around 3D-printed components, Hella modular optics, and carefully integrated DRLs. What began as a two month prototyping exercise in 2023 now stands as one of the most unusual lighting upgrades yet seen on a classic Saab. When Alexey Korobov last appeared on SaabPlanet, the story centered on a Saab 9-3 OG Aero that had survived circumstances far harsher than a normal restoration project and returned with roughly 300 hp. His latest message moves away from engine output and into a part of the car that owners normally treat as a sealed component: the headlamp assembly. The work itself is not new. Korobov says the headlight conversion was fully implemented in June 2023, but it remained largely private until a group of old development photos resurfaced in his Google Photos account. Those images are what make the project worth documenting now, because they show the intermediate stages that are usually missing when a finished custom lamp appears online. His original description calls the units “3D printed headlights,” but the photographs reveal a more precise engineering story. The Saab lens and outer housing remain the packaging boundary. The optical functions come from separate Hella modules, while the new internal structure that positions those modules was developed in CAD and produced with FDM printing. In other words, Korobov did not attempt to print an optical lens or invent a reflector from scratch. He used additive manufacturing to create the geometry that lets proven lighting modules live inside a Saab housing. With the new insert pulled away from the original shell, the scale of the redesign is obvious. The project replaces the internal architecture while keeping the Saab housing as the fixed reference for mounting and body fit. The difficult part was the carrier, not the idea Modular headlamp optics have existed for decades, so Korobov is careful not to claim that the basic concept is new. What required original work was fitting two independent round light functions and separate daytime running lamps into the confined shape of a first generation 9-3 headlight, then making the result repeatable enough to print. He says development of the new internal reflector and carrier geometry took about two months. That timeline makes sense when the CAD images are compared with the finished part. A front view can be made convincing quite quickly. The problem is depth. The projector bodies extend far behind the visible face, the mounting studs need access, wiring needs a path, and the printed structure has to clear the original shell. Small dimensional errors that are invisible on a computer screen can become impossible interference once the insert is pushed into the housing. “It seems simple, but the design was constantly being refined and improved. ” - Alexey Korobov FDM printing was well suited to that kind of iteration. A revised CAD model could be turned into another physical prototype without producing molds, machining a one off carrier, or permanently modifying a good headlamp before the geometry was proven. Korobov has not supplied the printer model or polymer used, so those details should not be guessed. What the photos do establish is the workflow: CAD, printed trial geometry, module installation, wiring and final fit inside the Saab shell. The front CAD view shows the design intent before printing: two circular optical modules are organized inside a new rectangular inner face, while a narrow outer channel is reserved for the DRL elements. The transparent rear view is more revealing than the cosmetic front surface. It shows why the job took repeated CAD revisions, because both Hella modules occupy considerable depth behind a relatively shallow Saab headlamp lens. Hella optics provided a known starting point Korobov selected Hella modular optics for the low beam and high beam functions. The decision is important because the optical unit itself is the safety critical part of the conversion. Hella maintains a broad modular headlamp program for vehicle manufacturers, specialty vehicles and custom applications, with separate low beam, high beam and combined modules. That architecture allows a fabricator to design the surrounding carrier around a defined lamp instead of trying to create light distribution through trial and error. The supplied photographs show round Hella modules and their three point mounting arrangement, but Alexey did not provide exact part numbers. For that reason, we are deliberately not assigning a specific Hella model to the build. Readers who want to understand the modular system itself can use Hella’s headlamp module finder, which covers several module sizes and lighting technologies. This distinction also matters for the “3D printed headlight” description. The printed component is the integration structure. The beam forming optics remain manufactured lighting units. That is a much more credible approach for a road car, even though the legality of the finished modified assembly still depends on the rules of the country where it is used. The Hella module became a fixed dimensional constraint for the CAD work. Rather than designing light distribution in plastic, Korobov designed the printed structure around an existing optical unit. FRISTOM FT-300 DRLs solved the narrow outer section The vertical elements at the outer edge arrived later in the process. Korobov says the daytime running lights were added only after he found a unit that matched the available space and the look he wanted. The solution came from Polish lighting manufacturer FRISTOM and its FT-300 LED daytime running lamp. According to FRISTOM, each FT-300 system is designed for daytime running use, with 3 W rated power, peak current consumption of 0. 25 A at 12 V, reverse polarity protection, surge protection and a standby function that switches the DRLs off when the main lights are activated. The set is supplied with a 3. 5 meter cable. Those are manufacturer specifications for the FT-300 product, not measurements made on Alexey’s car. The physical proportions are just as relevant as the electrical data. A long, narrow lamp can occupy the otherwise awkward outer strip of the custom insert without competing with the two main circular modules. In the finished headlight, that arrangement gives the daytime signature its own location rather than trying to imitate a modern LED ring around the projector. The FRISTOM FT-300 was chosen after the main projector layout had already been developed.... > Lionsharp Studios built the fictional Saab 999 through research, sketches, Group B development, a virtual Design Lab, and a 1993 Turbo Cabrio. - Published: 2026-08-29 - Modified: 2026-08-29 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/lionsharp-saab-999-turbo-design-story/ - Categories: SAAB Concepts - Tags: Saab 900, Saab 900 Turbo, Saab 999, Saab cabriolet, Saab concept car, Saab Design, SAAB EV-1, Saab Group B, Saab Speeder The finished 1993 Saab 999 Turbo Cabrio is only the last chapter. Lionsharp Studios built an entire fictional Saab development program behind it, starting with a 1985 Porsche challenge brief and continuing through research, sketching, interior design, Group B, clay work, and a virtual Saab Design Lab. When Lionsharp Studios first contacted SaabPlanet about its fictional Saab project, the finished 1993 Saab 999 Turbo Cabrio was the obvious attention grabber. It had the right visual ingredients to stop a Saab enthusiast immediately: a front end that still belongs to the late Classic 900 world, a much lower and wider body, huge side intakes, turbine inspired wheels, and a rear section that suggests an expensive specialist model Saab never had the budget or corporate freedom to build. The project breakdown supplied by Lionsharp reveals that the Cabrio is only the last chapter. The real project is much larger. The studio did not set out to create one attractive render and then invent a story around it. It developed a fictional Saab program with its own historical premise, design research, sketches, 3D blockouts, interior studies, wheel development, a competition derivative, a virtual Saab Design Lab, and a final road car that appears to have evolved through a believable internal process. That distinction matters. The Saab 999 is interesting because Lionsharp treated an imaginary car with many of the methods it would use for a real client project. The Beginning Was a Sketch, Not a Marketing Brief Lionsharp says the idea emerged during an internal team briefing after the group saw early sketches by Jérémy Sachot. The sketches immediately suggested something worth developing, although there was no client, no commercial deadline, and no obligation to make the process efficient. The team could therefore approach the project as its own customer. Lionsharp used hand drawn exterior studies to test the Saab 999’s proportions before committing to the 3D model. These sketches show the project moving toward a low two seat layout with a wide rear section, strong Saab 900 references at the front, and a more radical mid engined silhouette. The goal became unusually strict for a piece of fan art. Lionsharp wanted to create a car entirely developed by the studio while grounding it as firmly as possible in Saab history, design philosophy, and visual language. That meant avoiding a common shortcut in fictional Saab design, where a familiar grille or badge is attached to a body that could belong to almost any sports car. Instead, Lionsharp chose a historical period first. Lionsharp placed the 999 inside a fully imagined Saab Design Lab so the project would feel like a car caught during development rather than a finished 3D model shown in isolation. The fictional project begins in the mid 1980s. The internal question was simple: what if Saab had decided to challenge Porsche with a serious high performance sports car at a time when the 911 and 930 dominated the segment and Europe was obsessed with turbocharging, Group B, the Renault 5 Turbo, Lancia Delta S4, and Audi Quattro? This was never presented as a claim about a real lost Saab program. It is design fiction, but the period gives every later decision a set of boundaries. Why the Name 999 Makes Sense Inside the Fiction The name came from the same logic. Lionsharp describes the Saab 900 as one of the project’s main reference points, but the new car needed to feel like something above it in the hierarchy. By the Cabriolet stage, Lionsharp was no longer resolving the basic shape. The work had moved into a detailed 3D pass covering lighting, vents, trim, wheels, badges, body seams, and even period specific registration details. The studio therefore treated 999 as a numerical escalation of 900, an intentionally exaggerated flagship designation for what it calls the most radical Saab that never existed. It is a small detail, but it shows how the team tried to make even the name part of the internal logic rather than choosing a random number that merely sounded Saab related. Research Before Styling The strongest part of the project may be the research stage. Lionsharp did not restrict itself to images of the 900 and 9000. Its boards combine production cars, prototypes, safety diagrams, transmissions, seats, color and upholstery references, rally material, engineering cutaways, old advertising, brochures, and less obvious pieces of Saab visual culture. A Saab collector named Piotr became important to this process. Lionsharp credits his private collection of original brochures, catalogues, homologation material, and period photography with giving the project a layer of authenticity that online image searches could not provide. Period books, workshop material, and printed Saab references were part of the research process. Lionsharp credits collector Piotr with opening an archive that helped the team move beyond ordinary online image searches. This changed the scope of the research. The team was no longer studying only what Saab cars looked like. It was also studying how Saab documented, photographed, explained, and marketed its engineering. That material later became part of the fictional Design Lab environment. The first research board mixes production Saabs, prototypes, competition cars, engineering cutaways, period sketches, and less obvious historical references. Lionsharp used the brand’s visual culture as a design constraint rather than a collection of badges and grille shapes. The research boards also show that the studio looked beyond the obvious 900 references. The Saab EV 1 is especially relevant because it was a real 1985 running experimental car based on 900 Turbo hardware, yet it placed familiar Saab thinking inside a much lower and more dramatic body. The Saab 900 Speeder is another useful historical parallel because Björn Envall and Leif Mellberg had already demonstrated that an open, radically altered 900 based special could still retain a recognizable Saab identity. The Saab 900 Speeder on display at a showroom in Bayonne, France, showcasing its sleek design and unique features that make it a standout piece of automotive history. The Lionsharp 999 is not a recreation of either car. Those projects matter because they prove that Saab’s own design culture occasionally moved much further from the production range than the company’s conservative image suggests. The Initial Technical Brief Was Deliberately Extreme Lionsharp’s early fictional brief went beyond styling. The initial 1985 concept was described as a... > French developer Paul Le Gall turned a Saab 9-3 module bench into Saabiste.net, combining WIS, EPC, diagnostics and Tech2 tools in a browser. - Published: 2026-08-28 - Modified: 2026-08-28 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/saabiste-net-saab-wis-epc-browser-diagnostics/ - Categories: SAAB News - Tags: 9440, GlobalTIS, GMLAN, J2534, Saab 9-3 NG, Saab Diagnostics, Saab EPC, Saab WIS, Saabiste.net, Tech2, Tech2Win, WebSerial French developer Paul Le Gall turned the electronic modules from his first Saab 9-3 into a living room test bench. The resulting platform, Saabiste.net, brings WIS, EPC, live DTC reading, Tech2 security tools, and advanced binary utilities into a modern browser. French developer Paul Le Gall removed the electronic modules from his first Saab 9-3, rebuilt the car's network on a cabinet, and used the resulting test bench to develop WIS, EPC, diagnostic, and Tech2 tools that run through a modern web browser. The green display at the right edge of Paul Le Gall's cabinet is warning, in French, that the remote control battery is weak. Beside it, a Saab 9-3 instrument cluster is awake, the center display is powered, and a trail of wiring connects the CIM, MIU, BCM, ECM, and other modules that once belonged to a complete car. The arrangement looks improvised because it is, but electronically it behaves like a stripped 9440 platform. This is the development bench behind Saabiste. net, a browser based technical platform created by Le Gall, a 29 year old developer in France who is known as oamne in the Saab community. His first car was a 2003 Saab 9-3 NG. When that car later became a donor, he kept around a dozen of its electronic modules and connected them on his living room furniture. The result gave him a working network that could answer real diagnostic requests without requiring a complete 9-3 in the driveway. That distinction matters. Saabiste was not assembled only by copying old workshop pages into a new interface. Paul used the bench to observe GMLAN traffic, study CAN frames, compare module responses, and test communication through the OBD connection. He then built the web platform around those findings, with the 9-3 NG as the first serious diagnostic target. Modules removed from Paul Le Gall's first Saab 9-3 became a functioning 9440 network on a living room cabinet, allowing real GMLAN traffic and diagnostic commands to be tested without risking a complete car. A Saab 9440 Network Without the Bodywork The 9-3 NG divides its electronic traffic between high speed CAN and low speed single wire CAN. Powertrain and chassis controllers communicate on the 500 kbps network available through OBD pins 6 and 14, while many body and comfort modules use the 33. 3 kbps single wire network on pin 1. A basic consumer interface can therefore reach only part of the car unless its hardware can switch to the second bus. Paul's bench allowed him to work through this division with actual Saab components. The CIM could act as a gateway, the MIU could display the consequences of commands, and the surrounding modules could provide the identification data and fault responses expected from the car. More importantly, unsuccessful experiments could be repeated without immobilizing a daily driven Saab. The bench also explains why the project currently concentrates on the 9440. Saabiste contains resources for several generations, but its most ambitious electronic functions depend on a detailed understanding of the 2003 to 2012 9-3 network. Paul says ECU reflashing and module pairing already work in this controlled environment. His current task is decoding the Tech2 option configuration strings well enough to make replacement module programming predictable through the browser. Three Months of Development on a Damaged Celeron Laptop Paul says the initial platform was built during three months of concentrated development. The machine in his photograph is an aging Intel Celeron laptop with several missing keys, not a carefully arranged prop for the launch. According to Paul, the Saabiste codebase has grown beyond 190,000 lines. That number is his own measurement, but the visible scope of the site confirms that the project extends far beyond a static documentation archive. The development process also included AI pair programming, which Paul openly acknowledges on the site. The published technical utilities use C, Java, and Python, while the web platform presents the resulting data and services through a Next. js interface. The meaningful test is therefore not whether every line was entered manually, but whether the tools can communicate with the hardware, preserve the structure of the factory data, and produce repeatable results. The test bench and the recorded vehicle demonstrations provide the first evidence for that. Missing keys and an aging Intel Celeron did not prevent the platform from taking shape. Paul says this machine handled three months of development that turned legacy Saab workshop data into a modern browser interface. WIS and EPC Without a Legacy Windows Installation For most owners, the immediately useful part of Saabiste is not module programming. It is the ability to open Saab WIS and the Saab EPC in a current browser without preparing a Windows XP machine, mounting an old disc image, or maintaining a virtual machine only for workshop software. SaabPlanet previously reviewed the available free online Saab WIS and EPC resources. Saabiste belongs in that practical lineage, but it adds its own interface and links the documentation to other parts of the platform. WIS procedures can be searched by component, repair term, or DTC, and internal references can lead directly to associated operations. EPC diagrams retain clickable callouts for original part numbers, while model, year, engine, and transmission filters reduce the chance of selecting a similar but incorrect component. The public model selectors cover the 900 and 9000 in EPC, both generations of the 9-3, and the original and final 9-5. WIS coverage follows the models represented in Saab's digital workshop system, with the classic 900 remaining outside that software architecture. English, French, and Russian interfaces make the information easier to use beyond the markets where surviving workshop installations are still common. Registered users can connect the research to a virtual garage. A YS3 VIN identifies the vehicle, after which the owner can save WIS procedures, part references, maintenance entries, invoices, and diagnostic reports. That turns the site from a temporary lookup page into a working record for one or several cars. It also means owners should read the site's privacy policy before storing VIN linked documents or security related diagnostic data. When the Browser Starts Talking to the Car The diagnostic section is where Saabiste moves beyond the familiar concept of online workshop documentation. Its console can identify control units, read... > We unpack, test-fit and paint TunStyle’s six-piece Hirsch-style aero kit for our Saab 9-3 Aero Griffin before final installation. - Published: 2026-08-25 - Modified: 2026-08-25 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/tunstyle-hirsch-style-aero-kit-saab-9-3-test-fit/ - Categories: SAAB News - Tags: Hirsch Performance, Hirsch-style body kit, SAAB 9-3, Saab 9-3 Aero, Saab 9-3 Griffin, Saab aero kit, Saab aftermarket parts, Saab body kit, Saab side skirts, Saab splitters, SAAB Tuning, TunStyle The TunStyle six-piece Hirsch-style aero kit for our Saab 9-3 Aero Griffin arrived carefully protected, then passed its first one-side test fit with only minor edge sanding before receiving the same gunmetal treatment as our rear diffuser. The six-piece kit arrived individually protected, sat against the Sport Sedan body with very little correction, and then received a gunmetal finish chosen to complement our existing diffuser instead of disappearing into Jet Black paint. After our recent introduction to the enthusiast project behind TunStyle, the next stage of the renewed cooperation is much easier to judge. The parts are now here, they have been unpacked, placed against our Saab, checked at the edges and transitions, and sent for paint. That gives us something more useful than a product page or a studio photograph: a first hands-on look at how the kit behaves on an actual car before anything is permanently bonded. The car is our 2011 Saab 9-3 Aero Griffin Sport Sedan in Jet Black Metallic. It already carries a TunStyle Hirsch-style rear diffuser, installed in 2023 and finished in a dark gunmetal tone. This new phase adds the six side and rear aero elements while leaving the Griffin front treatment untouched, so the question is not simply whether the new parts fit. They also need to make visual sense next to a front bumper Saab redesigned for the final model years. The Package Arrived the Way Body Parts Should Arrive Large trim pieces are easy to underestimate until they have to cross borders inside a cardboard box. They may be light, but their length, tapered ends and relatively thin sections make them vulnerable to abrasion, cracked corners and pressure damage. A part can be perfectly molded at the workshop and still become a body-shop repair project if it is allowed to move inside the package. TunStyle avoided that problem. The six components were individually wrapped and cushioned rather than stacked bare against one another. The package looked very ordinary from the outside, which is exactly what you want. Inside, every piece had its own protection and arrived without chipped tips, transport scratches or stress marks. The first useful result came before any fitting work began: a long box containing six lightweight aero pieces reached us without crushed corners or obvious transport damage. Each element was wrapped separately, preventing the long tapered edges from rubbing against neighboring pieces during transport. For parts that will be painted rather than hidden, this kind of packing saves unnecessary preparation later. What We Are Fitting to the 9-3 The relevant TunStyle product is the six-piece Hirsch-style body kit for the 2008 to 2012 Saab 9-3 Aero Sport Sedan. TunStyle lists this version as an ABS set supplied without the two front splitters. That happens to suit our project particularly well because our car uses the Griffin front bumper. Rather than forcing another styling language onto the nose, we can concentrate on the side and rear sections and see whether the period Hirsch-inspired detailing works with Saab’s later front-end treatment. The distinction between “Hirsch-style” and original Hirsch Performance hardware is important. These are contemporary TunStyle parts inspired by the appearance of the period aerodynamic package, not original Hirsch Performance components. That is also what makes the project relevant for owners today. Genuine loose Hirsch exterior pieces are difficult to find, and when they do surface they are often more useful to a collector preserving an original installation than to someone who simply wants to build a coherent road car. Before paint, however, no assumption about aftermarket body trim should be trusted. Even a clean-looking part needs to be presented to the actual car. Bumper and sill tolerances, previous paintwork and small variations in the molded piece can all show up only when the part is sitting where it will eventually live. One-Side Test Fit Before Paint We therefore resisted the temptation to paint everything immediately. First, the pieces for one side of the car were positioned temporarily with small points of tape. The objective was not to simulate final adhesion. It was to check the lower sill line, the transitions around the wheel openings, the length of each element and the way the pieces meet the factory bodywork when viewed from both close range and several meters away. This is where the TunStyle set made its strongest first impression. The surfaces were already smooth and evenly primed, without the waves, pinholes or visibly distorted edges that can turn an inexpensive body kit into an expensive paint-shop job. The pieces followed the intended contours cleanly. We found only a few edges that benefited from light sanding, essentially the kind of small correction expected when preparing an add-on panel for a particular car. Calling any aftermarket body component literally “plug and play” would be careless, because final fit should always be checked before paint and bonding. Still, this set came about as close as we would reasonably want. There was no need to reshape large sections, build up missing material or fight a piece that was visibly too short or too long. The minor edge dressing was preparation, not reconstruction. The front section of the side treatment followed the factory sill line cleanly on the first mockup. The important point here is not the temporary tape, but the absence of a visible change in angle where the add-on begins A low close-up is less forgiving than a normal standing view. At the junction between the factory skirt and the TunStyle element, only light edge preparation was needed before paint. With one side mocked up, the proportions can be read as a complete line rather than as six separate pieces. The kit adds depth along the lower body without changing the basic 9-3 Sport Sedan silhouette. Viewed from farther away, the test fit shows why alignment matters more than the size of the individual pieces. A few millimeters at one end can disturb the entire lower line, while this side sat consistently from front to rear. The rear three-quarter view brings the new side treatment into the same frame as the existing TunStyle diffuser. Even before final paint and bonding, the two parts read as elements of the same exterior theme Why We Did Not Paint the... > An Imola Red 1987 Saab 9000 T16 with a five-speed manual, Airflow-style bodywork and 151,000 km is offered in Denmark for about $15,800. - Published: 2026-08-24 - Modified: 2026-08-24 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/1987-saab-9000-t16-airflow-denmark/ - Categories: Classifieds’ Saab Of The Day - Tags: Classic Saab for Sale, Imola Red Saab. B202 Turbo, SAAB 9000, Saab 9000 Airflow, Saab Nardi steering wheel A Danish dealer is asking about $15,800 for a Swedish-registered 1987 Saab 9000 T16 with 151,000 kilometers, a five-speed manual and a complete Airflow-style appearance. The gallery makes it equally clear why the later wheels, body kit, Nardi steering wheel and maintenance history must be documented before the car is described as original. The date on this car matters. Registered in 1987, this Imola Red Saab 9000 T16 belongs to the first phase of the flat-front five-door, when the B202 turbo engine and five-speed manual gearbox defined the model before the 9000 accumulated its later CS, 2. 3-liter and Aero history. It is currently offered by Classic Car House near Copenhagen, advertised both on the dealer's own inventory page and through Car & Classic. The asking price is $15,800, converted from the dealer's €13,500 figure using the European Central Bank's August 21 reference rate. This is a fixed-price dealer listing rather than an auction result, so it tells us what the seller wants, not what the market has already agreed to pay. What it buys, at least on paper, is a Swedish-registered 9000 with 151,000 kilometers, or approximately 93,800 miles, a manual transmission, black leather, automatic climate control, a glass sunroof and one of the most assertive period-correct visual combinations available for the early CC body. For an overseas buyer, the seller's logistics are unusually practical. Classic Car House says its Greater Copenhagen showroom is about 25 kilometers, or 15 miles, from Copenhagen Airport, offers scheduled viewings or video calls, and can handle inquiries in English, German and the Scandinavian languages. Those conveniences make a first inspection easier to arrange, but they do not reduce the need for an independent examination of the car. An early 9000 wearing Saab's later performance vocabulary The basic shell is the original five-door 9000, now generally called the CC to distinguish it from the redesigned CS that arrived for the 1992 model year. Its near-vertical nose, broad rectangular lamps, upright grille and large glasshouse establish the early-car proportions immediately. The dealer identifies the finish as Imola Red (47U), which removes nearly every trace of visual restraint from the complete lower treatment: deep front and rear bumper extensions, side skirts and the bridge-style rear spoiler. Classic Car House also states generally that repainting can form part of its refurbishment process, so the color name should not be read as proof that every panel retains factory-applied paint. The parts closely follow Saab's Airflow design language. Saab offered aerodynamic accessory packages for the 9000, while the later Talladega and Carlsson variants made color-keyed lower extensions and a prominent rear wing part of the performance model's identity. SaabPlanet previously examined a documented 9000 Turbo 16 SP Airflow, which provides a useful comparison for the shapes fitted here. However, neither the Car & Classic listing nor the dealer's description supplies part numbers, an original order sheet or an installation invoice for this car's kit. The accurate wording is therefore that it appears to wear a complete Saab Airflow kit, not that the bodywork was unquestionably installed when the car was new. That distinction does not weaken the car. A genuine dealer- or owner-installed Saab accessory package is an important part of period Saab culture, but it should be documented rather than promoted as factory specification by assumption. The same caution applies to the three-spoke wheels. Classic Car House describes them as the car's “original Aero alloy wheels. ” They are highly desirable Saab wheels and suit the red CC exceptionally well, but the 9000 Aero did not enter the range until the 1993 CS. A three-spoke Aero wheel can be genuine Saab hardware without being original fitment on a 1987 car. Wheel part numbers, dimensions and date stamps would settle the question quickly. The color-keyed Airflow treatment and later three-spoke Saab alloys reshape the flat-front CC without turning it into a factory 9000 Aero. It is a T16, not a 1987 Aero Car & Classic places the car under the variant label “Aero,” probably because of the wheels and bodywork. That metadata should not become the model's identity. In 1987, the relevant designation was Saab 9000 Turbo 16 or T16. The Aero arrived years later with the CS body, 2. 3-liter B234R engine in its best-known manual form, model-specific suspension, seats and 16-inch wheels. This red car does not need a retrospective Aero badge to be interesting. In fact, its earlier mechanical specification is central to its appeal. Under the hood is the 1,985 cc B202 turbocharged four-cylinder, not the “0 cc” shown by Car & Classic and not the 1,993 cc entered in the dealer's technical table. The engine combines double overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder, intercooling and Saab's APC knock-sensitive boost control. The distributor visible in the engine photographs is also correct for this pre-Direct Ignition phase; Saab Direct Ignition reached production 9000s later. SaabPlanet's archived 900/9000 model-year 1987 information provides the useful period context. Power still requires verification. Contemporary 9000 Turbo 16 output varied by emissions specification, with catalyst-equipped versions generally rated at 160 PS and non-catalyst European versions at 175 PS. Because the dealer does not publish the VIN, engine code, catalyst status or rated output from the Swedish papers, assigning the higher figure would be guesswork. A buyer should ask for photographs of the identification plates and registration document before repeating any horsepower claim. The five-speed manual is confirmed, and that pairing matters. Saab's turbo calibration was built around strong midrange response rather than a dramatic on-off surge, while the tall fifth gear allowed the 9000 to sustain serious cross-country speed without giving up the flexibility that made the hatchback useful in daily service. SaabPlanet's review of the 1987 Saab 9000S through Car and Driver's period test makes the distinction especially clear: the naturally aspirated S retained the space and chassis, but the magazine considered the Turbo's extra cost fully justified. Built in the immediate aftermath of the Long Run The model year also places this car directly beside Saab's most effective 9000 demonstration. In October 1986, three production 9000 Turbo 16s ran at the Alabama International Motor Speedway in Talladega with stops limited to fuel, tires and scheduled service. They completed 100,000 kilometers, with the fastest car averaging 213. 299 km/h, and collected two world records plus 21 international records. The event is covered in... > Hoovies Garage paid $9,000 for a rare Saab 9-7X Aero, but the video misstates its engineering, production numbers and Saab history. - Published: 2026-08-23 - Modified: 2026-08-23 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/hoovies-garage-saab-9-7x-aero-fact-check/ - Categories: SAAB News - Tags: Chevrolet Trailblazer, General Motors, GM, LS2 V8, Saab 9-7X, Saab History Tyler Hoover’s auction find is one of 442 Carbon Flash 2008 Saab 9-7X Aeros. The rust and repair estimate are real, but the video and its retellings confuse Aero production with total 9-7X output and misstate the model’s engineering, market purpose and Saab’s corporate history. When Tyler Hoover finally found a 2008 Saab 9-7X Aero, the purchase had all the ingredients of a strong Hoovies Garage episode: an exceptionally rare performance SUV, an auction price low enough to invite suspicion, 147,000 miles, an Ohio history and enough corrosion underneath to keep the Car Wizard occupied. Hoover won the Saab at a Florida collector-car auction with a $9,000 bid. Once the auction fee and transport to Kansas were included, approximately $11,000 had actually been invested before the first repair. An exhaust-manifold leak was audible, one tire would not hold pressure and a workshop inspection later exposed rusted lines, an oil leak and a leaking front differential. That part of the story works. The problem begins when the video leaves the individual vehicle and attempts to explain what the Saab 9-7X was, why it existed and how it fitted into Saab’s history. A subsequent Supercar Blondie article compressed those claims even further, describing the 9-7X as Sweden’s failed attempt to break into America and little more than a TrailBlazer with a European grille. The real history is less convenient for a thumbnail, but considerably more interesting. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=fVGdkrBMV_k Hoover Does Not Actually Hate the Saab The first inconsistency is created by the video title itself. Hoover does not spend the episode regretting the purchase. He calls the Saab a “fantastic deal,” says he is “super, super happy” with it and later concludes, “I think I did okay. ” Even after the workshop inspection, he authorizes the repairs. The Car Wizard estimates that addressing the front differential leak, oil-pan gasket and exhaust could cost $3,000 to $4,000. Hoover briefly considers deleting the front-wheel-drive hardware, largely to make rear-wheel-drive burnouts possible, but eventually decides to retain the all-wheel-drive system and use the Saab during winter. This is therefore not the story of a man who hates every dollar he spent. It is the story of an experienced used-car buyer who acquired a running, largely functional 390-hp SUV for an $11,000 landed cost, discovered several age- and corrosion-related problems and still considered it worth repairing. Whether it remains a bargain once the workshop bill is added is a separate question. With approximately $14,000 to $15,000 invested after repairs, the cost would move much closer to the TrailBlazer SS examples Hoover uses for comparison. The 554-Aero Figure Does Not Describe the Entire 9-7X Program Hoover says the 9-7X was an “abysmal failure” because Saab sold approximately 500 Aeros in 2008 and another 100 in 2009. The numbers are close, but the conclusion drawn from them is misleading. The detailed eSaabParts production database records: 442 Carbon Flash Metallic 9-7X Aeros for 2008 91 Carbon Flash Metallic Aeros for 2009 21 Diamond Silver Metallic Aeros for 2009 That gives a total of 554 Aeros, but the Aero was explicitly announced as a limited-production performance derivative, not the sole version of the 9-7X. Using its intended low production volume to represent the commercial performance of the entire model is a fundamental category error. Across all engines and specifications, 19,286 Saab 9-7Xs were produced between the 2005 and 2009 model years. The 2008 total was 4,247 vehicles, while 2,494 were built for 2009. When Saab announced the Aero in August 2007, the company reported that more than 12,000 regular 9-7Xs had already been sold in the United States and Canada. Those figures do not turn the 9-7X into a high-volume success. Its sales remained modest, its platform was already aging and its pricing restricted the available audience. But 554 is the production total for the limited Aero, not evidence that the entire 9-7X program found only 554 buyers. The Carbon Flash vehicle purchased by Hoover is consequently one of 442 Aeros produced for the 2008 model year. That is a more meaningful description of its rarity than saying that nobody wanted it. A TrailBlazer SS in a Saab Tuxedo Is an Incomplete Description The video repeatedly presents the 9-7X Aero as a Chevrolet TrailBlazer SS wearing Saab exterior and interior decoration. Its American foundation is not in dispute. The 9-7X was assembled at GM’s Moraine, Ohio, plant on the body-on-frame GMT360 architecture, and its doors, glass, basic body structure and numerous controls reveal that ancestry immediately. The Aero also shares its central performance ingredients with the TrailBlazer SS: a 6. 0-liter LS2 V8, a four-speed automatic transmission and closely related all-wheel-drive hardware. Nobody needs to invent a clean-sheet Swedish development story to make the 9-7X legitimate. However, shared architecture does not mean that only the grille, ignition-switch position and dashboard vents were changed. The 9-7X had already existed before the Aero adopted LS2 power. Its exterior and interior treatment came from Michael Mauer and Saab’s Swedish-based design team, while Saab’s engineers specified a lower stance and a substantially different dynamic setup. Saab’s original 9-7X launch information detailed: a uniquely tuned double-A-arm front suspension; five-link electronically controlled rear air suspension; firmer springs and model-specific damper valving; stiff rear upper-control-arm bushings; a thicker front stabilizer bar; a quicker 18. 5:1 steering ratio; stiffer steering-rack mounts; additional front-frame bracing; specially developed P255/55R18 Dunlop tires; four-wheel ventilated disc brakes with dual-piston front calipers; standard automatic all-wheel drive and a limited-slip rear differential. These were not decorative changes. In a contemporary instrumented test, Car and Driver recorded 0. 82 g of lateral grip and a 172-foot stop from 70 mph in a 5. 3-liter 9-7X. The publication cited improvements of 0. 14 g and 38 feet compared with the Chevrolet TrailBlazer it used as a reference. The magazine still criticized the Saab for chassis flex, its four-speed transmission, high price and inability to match newer unibody competitors. Those are defensible criticisms supported by the test. At the same time, the measurements prove that the Saab engineering work produced a materially different vehicle. Hoover’s description also reverses part of the chronology. The Saab 9-7X arrived before the Aero and before Saab applied the LS2 package. The 2008 Aero was effectively created by combining the already modified 9-7X with the... > A 29,011-km Saab 9-5 NG, one of 28 Vector BioPower XWD manuals built, heads to auction with an estimate approaching $28,500. - Published: 2026-08-22 - Modified: 2026-08-22 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-9-5-ng-xwd-29011-km-auction/ - Categories: SAAB - Tags: Saab 9-5, Saab 9-5NG, saab for sale, Saab XWD A 2011 Saab 9-5 NG with just 29,011 kilometers combines the BioPower engine, six-speed manual transmission and XWD. Only 28 Vector sedans were built with this drivetrain specification. The auction inspector could have led with the odometer reading. Instead, the description includes evidence that no dashboard can record: the interior still smells new. In a Saab 9-5NG registered more than 15 years ago, that observation says almost as much as the 29,011 kilometers - or 18,027 miles - displayed on the instrument panel. This Glacier Silver 2011 Saab 9-5NG is now being offered by Bilweb Auctions on behalf of its late owner’s estate. Its condition and mileage would be sufficient to attract attention, but the drivetrain makes it considerably harder to replace: 2. 0T BioPower, six-speed manual transmission and Saab XWD, combined with Vector trim. Production records indicate that Saab built only 28 Vector sedans with this BioPower – XWD – manual configuration. The auction car therefore combines a genuinely scarce specification with the preservation usually associated with much younger vehicles. The restrained Vector exterior conceals one of the NG 9-5’s scarcest drivetrains: BioPower, six-speed manual and XWD - a combination documented in only 28 Vector sedans. Only 7,821 Kilometers Added Since 2012 The owner purchased the Saab from Bilvalvet in Enköping on June 15, 2012, when it had covered 21,190 kilometers. Its present reading means that only 7,821 kilometers, or approximately 4,860 miles, were added during the following 14 years. That works out to an average of approximately 559 kilometers-or 347 miles-per year. The Saab was kept in a heated garage and driven sparingly. During its later years, it remained officially off the road for extended periods but was returned to service for mandatory inspections. Its latest Swedish inspection took place in October 2025, when it passed without any remarks. Bilweb reports no known major repairs, modifications or departures from the specification in which the car was purchased in 2012. The engine and drivetrain operate properly, the air-conditioning system works, and the car’s equipment is reported to function as intended. Without Aero bodywork or oversized wheels to announce its rarity, this Vector carries the more consequential specification underneath: BioPower, six-speed manual and XWD. The original Glacier Silver Metallic paint, identified by Saab color code 313, is described as being in excellent condition. Bilweb’s inspection also found the underside to be well preserved. Inside, the partial-leather cabin is considered to be in near-new condition, with only some dirt noted on the outer section of the driver’s seat cushion. The car comes with two keys, its service documentation and a set of studded winter tires. Bilweb notes that the minimal wear on those tires supports the owner’s history that the Saab was effectively not driven during Swedish winters. A 220-HP Four-Cylinder Saab with XWD and Three Pedals The engine is Saab’s 2. 0-liter turbocharged BioPower four-cylinder, internally identified as the LHU/A20NFT. It produces 220 hp at 5,300 rpm and 350 Nm of torque at 2,500 rpm, with power sent through a six-speed manual transmission and Saab’s electronically managed XWD system. When Saab expanded the 9-5 range for the 2011 model year, its contemporary powertrain announcement described the direct-injected BioPower engine as capable of running on gasoline, E85 ethanol or any mixture of the two. Unlike some earlier Saab BioPower applications, the official output remained 220 hp with either fuel. The manual transmission is important here. Many surviving XWD-equipped 9-5 NGs are Turbo6 Aeros with automatic gearboxes, while four-cylinder cars were frequently ordered with front-wheel drive. This example retains the lighter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, "three pedals" and XWD without relying on an aftermarket conversion or later mechanical changes. The equipment level is relatively modest for a 9-5 NG, but the barely worn seats, clean controls and remarkably fresh trim provide the clearest evidence of its 29,011-kilometer history. Its Vector equipment includes 17-inch alloy wheels, partial-leather seating, xenon headlights, rain-sensing wipers, rear parking sensors, an engine heater and power-folding mirrors. The car also has an auto-dimming interior mirror, AUX/CD audio system and a tow hitch. It is not the most heavily optioned 9-5NG configuration, and that is part of its appeal. The specification centers on the drivetrain and the equipment needed for year-round Swedish use, rather than the larger wheels, V6 engine and extensive electronic option packages found on many collector-focused Aero examples. One of Only 28 Vector Manuals with BioPower and XWD The latest Saab 9-5NG Production Report, compiled by Henrik Zaar and edited by Michel Annink, provides much more detail than the approximate production totals usually repeated in advertisements. For the 2011 model year, Saab produced 3,061 cars with the 2. 0T BioPower engine. Only 259 regular-production sedans combined that engine with XWD. One additional experimental-workshop car brings the report’s broader BioPower XWD total to 260. Among the production sedans, only 96 BioPower XWD cars had manual transmissions: 14 in Linear trim 28 in Vector trim 54 in Aero trim The auction car belongs to that middle group. This does not establish how many of the 28 were painted Glacier Silver, but the report does provide useful color context. Saab produced 429 Glacier Silver cars for the 2011 model year, of which 116 were Vectors across all engine and drivetrain combinations. The updated report lists 11,315 regular-production 9-5 NGs, plus cars completed in Saab’s Frickeboa experimental workshop and an estimated 250 prototypes built in Rüsselsheim. That explains why published totals vary between approximately 11,280 and 11,600, depending on whether the count includes prototypes, pre-production cars and manually completed vehicles. SaabPlanet previously examined the report and its methodology when the original production study was released. This particular car should not be described as one of the final 9-5s produced. Its VIN ends in 006692, placing it within the regular 2011 production sequence rather than at its very end. Its importance comes from the uncommon factory specification and survival condition, not from an unsupported “last Saab” claim. Recently Displayed at IntSaab 2026 A significant detail appears only in the Swedish-language version of the auction listing. The car was displayed at IntSaab 2026, held at Bro Park outside Stockholm from August 7 through 9. The international meeting brought together Saab owners from... > Evergrande founder Hui Ka Yan has been sentenced to life imprisonment. How his failed NEVS investment reached Saab’s former Trollhättan factory. - Published: 2026-08-21 - Modified: 2026-08-21 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/hui-ka-yan-life-sentence-nevs-saab/ - Categories: NEVS Cars - Tags: Evergrande, Evergrande Group, Hui Ka Yan, Koenigsegg, NEVS, NEVS 9-3 EV, Saab factory, Stallbacka, Stenhaga Invest, Tianjin, Trollhattan Evergrande arrived at NEVS in 2019 with fresh capital, control of the board and plans for one million electric vehicles a year. The promised expansion never reached Trollhättan. Hui Ka Yan has now been sentenced to life imprisonment, while Saab’s former Stallbacka factory has already passed entirely into Swedish ownership. On August 20, 2026, the Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court sentenced Hui Ka Yan - also known as Xu Jiayin, founder and former chairman of China Evergrande Group - to life imprisonment. The public verdict also imposed lifelong deprivation of political rights and confiscation of his personal property, according to China's state news agency Xinhua. Reuters reported that Evergrande itself was fined 8. 82 billion yuan, while its main subsidiary Hengda Real Estate was fined 7 billion yuan. Those corporate penalties should not be presented as fines personally imposed on Hui. The Swedish outlet Carup framed the verdict through the former Saab factory: the man who was supposed to save it had received life in prison. That headline supplies a compelling Saab connection, but it also compresses several different companies, trademarks and property transactions into one sentence. Hui did not buy Saab Automobile in 2019, and the criminal verdict does not name NEVS or Trollhättan. His relevance to Saab history comes from his control of NEVS, the post-bankruptcy company that occupied Saab's former industrial base. Group photo of Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven Hui Ka Yan and his delegation First distinction: Evergrande bought NEVS, not Saab NEVS acquired core assets and intellectual property from the Saab Automobile bankruptcy estate in 2012. It did not acquire unrestricted ownership of the Saab name. A separate 2012 licensing agreement with Saab AB initially allowed NEVS to use the name on future electric cars, but not the griffin symbol. After NEVS entered creditor protection in 2014, Saab AB withdrew that permission. In 2016, NEVS confirmed that future products would use the NEVS identity. Saab AB's own history of the automobile business records Saab Automobile's 2011 bankruptcy as the end of the original car company. Former NEVS Tinajin plant That distinction matters because the phrase 'Evergrande bought Saab' is legally and historically wrong. What Evergrande obtained was still valuable: NEVS, the Phoenix-related intellectual property it controlled, a large engineering organization, production assets and access to the former Saab facilities in Trollhättan. It bought Saab's industrial successor, not the Saab marque. The $930 million entry and the path to complete control On January 15, 2019, an Evergrande subsidiary acquired 51 percent of NEVS for $930 million and obtained control of a majority of its board seats. The figure and governance change appear in Evergrande's 2018 annual-results announcement filed with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Evergrande increased its holding to 82. 4 percent by November 2019, then agreed on June 10, 2020 to acquire the remaining 17. 6 percent. A later HKEX filing confirms that NEVS became a wholly owned subsidiary. The scale of Evergrande's EV statements encouraged observers to read Trollhättan into every announcement. The actual targets were group-wide. In October 2021, Reuters reported that Hui wanted Evergrande NEV to sell one million EVs annually by 2025, that 14 models had been announced, and that the group planned ten factories across China and Sweden. That was not a published commitment to build one million vehicles at Stallbacka, nor evidence that a new Saab-badged production program had been approved. Former NEVS plant in Tianjin The production event closest to the familiar Saab 9-3 occurred elsewhere. On June 29, 2019, NEVS launched production of its battery-electric 9-3 derivative at the Tianjin plant in China. The car preserved the basic 9-3 silhouette and part of its engineering lineage, but it carried NEVS branding and was assembled for the Chinese market. For Trollhättan, the more important result of Evergrande's money was not that sedan. It was a secret clean-sheet program. Emily GT was the real Trollhättan achievement of the Evergrande years The NEVS Emily GT project began in December 2019, months after Evergrande took control. It remained confidential until 2023. By then, the company that funded it was already failing, but the prototypes demonstrated that Trollhättan's engineering organization had not been reduced to maintaining an old 9-3 platform. According to Top Gear's detailed report, roughly 350 engineers and technicians worked on Emily. The team moved from a blank sheet to driving cars in about ten months. Twenty prototypes had been planned, but pandemic disruption limited the fleet to six. The reported configuration used a 175-kWh battery and four 121-hp in-wheel motors, with a separate higher-output version under consideration. The technical case was not a nostalgic rebadging exercise: torque vectoring, wheel-motor control, packaging and long-range battery integration were central to the program. Emily therefore prevents an overly simple reading of the Evergrande period. The investment did finance real work in Trollhättan, and the engineers delivered functioning vehicles. What failed was the route from prototype engineering to industrial production. No funded launch, homologation program, supplier ramp-up or sales network followed. When Emily was finally shown publicly in 2023, NEVS was presenting it primarily as an asset that might attract a buyer. The retreat reached Trollhättan before Hui's arrest The first clear contraction inside NEVS came in August 2021. SVT reported that the company had notified 300 employees of possible layoffs from a Trollhättan workforce of about 650. Union representatives explicitly connected the uncertainty to the owner's financial problems. By October, NEVS was telling Reuters that it was speaking with US and European investors about new ownership. The next cut was decisive. On February 23, 2023, NEVS entered what it called hibernation mode. This was not a reduction from roughly 800 people, as some later summaries have stated. The contemporaneous SVT report gives the relevant numbers: 320 of the remaining 340 employees were notified. Hui was placed under investigation in China later that year, but the operational damage in Trollhättan was already visible before his detention became the dominant international story. How the former Saab factory property left NEVS ownership The factory story also requires more precision than the shorthand 'Stenhaga bought Saab. ' In 2023, NEVS sold an 80 percent interest in AB Trollhättan Propellern 13, the company holding the main Stallbacka property, to Logistikfastigheter i Trollhättan AB, a Swedish buyer associated with the Stenhaga property group. NEVS retained 20 percent, preserving at... > A manual 1983 Saab 900 Turbo and rare Volvo 240D face a September 7 deadline as TC Robertson clears his 200-car South Carolina lot. - Published: 2026-08-20 - Modified: 2026-08-20 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/1983-saab-900-turbo-september-7-scrap-deadline/ - Categories: SAAB News - Tags: Abandoned Cars, Classic Saab, Saab 900, Saab 900 Turbo A manual 1983 Saab 900 Turbo sits among 200 project cars facing disposal in South Carolina. Its original cabin and first-owner history survived, but a buyer must intervene before September 7. The red 1983 Saab 900 Turbo three-door in TC Robertson’s South Carolina collection is no longer waiting for an open-ended restoration. Robertson’s August 16 Instagram update states that the complete cars remain available through September 7, 2026. Anything left after that date is scheduled to be scrapped. Parts buyers will be admitted during the final three days, from September 5 through September 7. That deadline changes the meaning of Robertson’s latest tc. drives video. His selection of ten cars worth saving is not a preview of ten restorations he has already committed to completing. It is a request for outside buyers and enthusiasts to remove the strongest candidates before storage enforcement, transport costs and scrap contractors decide the outcome. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=MGzjK7MRDUI The Saab is one of those ten. It retains its manual transmission, original dashboard, switchgear, Turbo grille badge, period alloy wheels and keys. Robertson also gives it something many cars in the collection lack: a traceable first-owner story involving a Spartanburg County schoolteacher. Against that, the footage shows broken glass, extensive exposure and body deterioration serious enough to require inspection before anyone can call it a viable restoration. A Five-Day Deal Followed by Six Months of Transport Robertson first encountered the collection in June 2024 through a Facebook Marketplace advertisement for old European-car parts. The seller mentioned BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Volvo and other makes, but repeated inquiries received no answer. Robertson eventually sent a deliberately oversized proposal: he would buy every vehicle on the property. The offer produced a response. With help from his friend Aaron, Robertson arranged the money and wrote the check five days later. The transaction gave them approximately 200 abandoned project cars, but ownership was the simple part. Moving the vehicles from the wooded property to a rented holding lot took about six months. The inventory includes roughly 40 BMW E30s, about 25 BMW 2002 and 1600 models, Mercedes-Benz W126 sedans and SEC coupes, E34 Tourings, Peugeot 505 Turbos, Volkswagen projects, two-door Jeep Cherokees, several turbocharged Saabs and the manual Volvo diesel. Robertson documented the scale of the purchase in an earlier video about buying all 200 cars. Swedish outlet Carup later highlighted the Saab and Volvo, but the subsequent deadline makes this a live disposal story rather than another survey of an unusual private collection. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=4RrwKf4uFpk The Saab at 14 Minutes and 20 Seconds Carup describes the red car simply as a 1983 Saab 900 Turbo coupe. The footage permits a more exact identification: it is a US-specification three-door hatchback, or Combi Coupé, with federal bumpers, side-marker lamps and the long rear hatch. Calling it a two-door coupe would confuse it with the separate two-door sedan body offered in the Classic 900 range. Robertson repeatedly identifies the car as a manual, and a 1983 US Turbo in this configuration used a five-speed transaxle. The visible 24-hole wheels are consistent with the period. There is no reason to speculate about an SPG or another higher-output derivative: the North American SPG program came later, while this car presents as the regular eight-valve 900 Turbo sold for the 1983 model year. Robertson frames the Saab as a contemporary of the Porsche 930 Turbo. That should be understood as his description of its performance standing, not as proof that the two cars were direct market rivals. The Porsche was a rear-engined, rear-wheel-drive sports car at a very different price. The Saab offered its turbocharged performance through front-wheel drive, four adult seats and a large folding-seat cargo area. Its challenge to conventional sports cars was based on usable overtaking performance rather than matching their layout. What the Camera Confirms Robertson says the Saab’s glass was intact when the collection was acquired. Vandals later entered the lot and broke it. The current footage shows the rear hatch glass missing and side glass broken, leaving the tan interior open to South Carolina rain and humidity. The dashboard, controls, manual shifter and center-console area remain present, while the keys are reportedly still inside the car. The exterior needs more than cleaning. Much of the red finish has failed, corrosion is visible around the hood and the hood skin appears perforated. The grille, Turbo badge, front spoiler and large federal bumpers remain, but those visible components cannot establish the condition of the load-bearing structure. A serious buyer would need to inspect the front suspension mounting areas, lower control-arm attachment points, inner wings, driveshaft tunnels, floors, sills, windshield structure and rear axle mounts. Water entry also places the wiring, carpets, rear trim and headliner at risk. Getting the engine to turn is useful information, but it does not answer questions about the Bosch fuel system, turbocharger, cooling circuit, clutch, brakes or gearbox after years of inactivity. The Schoolteacher Story Gives This Shell an Identity According to Robertson, his research connected the Saab to a schoolteacher in Spartanburg County who bought it new and drove it until his death. The car then passed through an estate, moved through a used-car lot and eventually entered the previous collector’s stock before Robertson acquired the full property inventory. No title history, registration file or original purchase documentation is shown in the video, so the ownership chain should remain attributed to Robertson rather than presented as independently verified. Even with that limitation, it gives a potential buyer a practical research route: the county, the reported occupation of the first owner and the sequence through the estate and dealer. That provenance matters because the car is otherwise close to becoming an anonymous parts shell. A better-preserved family-owned 1983 Saab 900 Turbo recently sold for $14,750. The result does not establish the value of this damaged project, but it demonstrates what a documented manual 1983 Turbo can represent once condition, history and completeness are known. Why the 1983 Turbo Specification Matters A US-market 1983 900 Turbo used Saab’s 1,985cc eight-valve H-series engine with Bosch mechanical fuel injection and a Garrett turbocharger. American output was approximately 135 hp SAE net, rather than the 145 hp DIN figure... > A 1991 Saab 9000 S 2.3 Turbo with a manual gearbox, Abbott Racing ECU, Bilstein suspension and full history is offered on eBay UK. - Published: 2026-08-20 - Modified: 2026-08-20 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/1991-saab-9000-s-23-turbo-ebay/ - Categories: Classifieds’ Saab Of The Day - Tags: Abbott Racing, B234 Turbo, Bilstein B6, Eibach Springs, SAAB 9000, Saab 9000 CC, Saab 9000 S, Saab 9000 Turbo, saab for sale, Super Aero Wheels This red 1991 Saab 9000 S combines a five-speed manual gearbox and Abbott Racing ECU with Bilstein B6 dampers, Eibach springs and Super Aero wheels. Its extensive history file may be the most valuable part of the package. This late CC-generation 9000 combines a five-speed manual, an Abbott Racing upgrade and well-documented mechanical history with an unusually honest appearance. A striking 1991 Saab 9000 S 2. 3 Turbo has appeared on eBay UK, priced at £5,495, or approximately $7,490 at the current exchange rate. The private seller is also accepting offers. Finished in red and registered in Britain on September 18, 1991, this is the late, slope-front version of the original five-door 9000 hatchback. It comes from the brief transition between the earlier flat-front CC and the substantially restyled 9000 CS. Its appearance has been sharpened with 16-inch Super Aero wheels, but the black bumpers, narrow side moldings, full-width rear light panel and upright CC glasshouse remain intact. The odometer shows 145,513 miles, equivalent to approximately 234,200 kilometers, and eBay records eight previous owners. The current owner has reportedly kept the car for five years but is selling because it receives too little use. The Super Aero wheels provide the only immediate warning: behind this largely unaltered CC body sits an Abbott-tuned drivetrain reportedly producing 260 bhp. A History File That Matters The seller’s strongest claim concerns the accompanying paperwork. The car reportedly retains every invoice from new, its previous MOT certificates and a full service record, all organized in a folder. The final listing photograph also shows the original Saab document wallet, owner’s literature, warranty material and period accessories booklet. The 9000 was placed into storage in 2009 and remained there for eight years. Since returning to the road in 2017, it has covered only around 4,000 miles. Its current MOT runs until the end of November 2026, with only approximately 100 miles driven since the last test. Work completed for that MOT included new front brake discs and pads, front anti-roll-bar links and a rear brake caliper. Earlier invoices reportedly document a head-gasket and balance-chain replacement at 108,441 miles, followed by a new clutch, slave cylinder and master cylinder at 111,072 miles. The maintenance record also includes replacement DI units and a water pump. The creased leather and polished steering-wheel rim support the recorded 145,513 miles rather than disguising them - exactly the sort of honest aging that gives a comprehensive history file greater credibility. Those larger jobs should not be described as recent without checking their dates, since they were carried out more than 34,000 miles ago. Nevertheless, their documentation is valuable on an early B234-powered 9000, particularly when supported by a continuous invoice file rather than an undocumented list of previous repairs. Abbott Power and a Carefully Chosen Chassis Setup When the car emerged from storage in 2017, it received Bilstein B6 dampers and Eibach springs lowering the body by approximately 30 mm. The Super Aero wheels carry matching 205/50 R16 Bridgestone tires, giving the 9000 a stance closer to the later 9000 Aero without adding an imitation Aero body kit. The seller also reports an Abbott Racing ECU conversion producing approximately 260 bhp. Abbott still lists a period-appropriate DI/APC power upgrade for 1985–1993 Saab 9000 models, although a prospective buyer should confirm precisely which hardware and calibration are fitted to this particular car. The photographs show a complete gray leather cabin with heated front seats, wood-effect dashboard trim, sunroof and manual gearbox. There is visible wear on the steering wheel and front leather, while an aftermarket audio unit has replaced the original radio. None of it looks cosmetically overprepared; the interior presents as a used but preserved 145,000-mile Saab rather than a freshly retrimmed sales exhibit. Outside, the red paint still has considerable depth, although the seller acknowledges that storage has left it needing a proper polish. More importantly, the listing states that the body is solid and has never required welding. The eight photographs do not include the underside, engine bay, wheel arches or lower sill seams, so that claim should still be checked during an inspection. At the time of writing, 62 people were watching the listing. 7:25 p. m. UK time. For buyers who prefer a documented, mechanically upgraded 9000 with honest cosmetic aging to a newly restored example of uncertain history, this red 2. 3 Turbo deserves a close examination. > Moniteur imagined a 2027 Saab 900 with XPeng technology and an SVC range extender. Its shape closely echoes Castriota's unfinished 9-3. - Published: 2026-08-20 - Modified: 2026-08-20 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/2027-saab-900-castriota-lost-9-3/ - Categories: SAAB News - Tags: Jason Castriota, SAAB 9-3, Saab 900 Belgian outlet Moniteur Automobile published a speculative "what if Saab revived the 900" feature for 2027, pairing an AI-generated render with an imagined XPeng partnership and a resurrected SVC engine. None of it is confirmed. But the render's proportions land closer to Jason Castriota's real unbuilt next-generation 9-3 than to the classic 900 whose name it borrows. A few days ago, the Belgian outlet Moniteur Automobile published "Et si Saab osait ressusciter la 900? " ("What if Saab dared to resurrect the 900? "), written by staff reporter and tester Frédéric Kevers. The piece imagines a 2027 or 2028 return of the 900 nameplate, timed to Saab's 90th anniversary or the 900's own 50th, under an unnamed "bold new owner" partnering with the Chinese manufacturer XPeng for the underlying EV technology. Only the prospective new owner is left unnamed; the technology partner is stated explicitly. The magazine frames the piece as speculation from the outset, not reporting. It is one entry in a recurring summer series in which the outlet's editorial team imagines the return of discontinued "pleasure" models. The same slate of related articles published alongside it covers imagined revivals of the Fiat Barchetta, the Alfa Romeo GTV, the Chrysler PT Cruiser and other cars, all following a similar structure: an editorial design pitch, invented technical specifications and a closing line asking where to sign. The side profile makes the disconnect with the 900 badge especially clear: its short front overhang, tapered glasshouse, fastback roof and pronounced rear haunches sit much closer to Jason Castriota’s unfinished Project 540 production 9-3 than to the proportions of Björn Envall’s classic Saab 900. Reading the Render Against Castriota's Project 540 The render becomes considerably more interesting when compared with Jason Castriota’s own description of Saab’s unfinished Project 540 production 9-3. A recent, extended Alrik Söderlind interview with former Saab design director Jason Castriota, covered in SaabPlanet's "Jason Castriota Explains Saab's Lost 9-3, 9-2 and Sonett", described in detail the production five-door 9-3 that was approaching design sign-off when Saab filed for bankruptcy in 2011. That car restored the hatchback format long associated with the classic 900, used a reduced front overhang compared with the outgoing 9-3, and narrowed through the cabin before widening again over the rear wheels, all wrapped in an aerodynamically driven, canopy-like glasshouse that Castriota says helped keep the production car's drag coefficient below 0. 26. The Moniteur render shares several of those same specific traits: a short front overhang, a fastback profile that narrows through the greenhouse before flaring at the rear wheel arches, and blacked-out A-pillars producing a similar canopy effect. Individually, none of those elements is unusual; short overhangs, fastback tails and blacked-out pillars are common shorthand on contemporary EV renders generally. It is the combination of that overhang, that specific taper-then-flare through the cabin, and the same treatment of the rear haunches that strengthens the resemblance to Castriota's unbuilt 9-3 specifically, more than to the classic 900 whose name and anniversary the piece actually borrows. That resemblance is best read as a convergence of design logic rather than evidence of access. There is no indication that Castriota’s unpublished production 9-3 renderings were supplied as references for the Moniteur image. Castriota’s team arrived at those proportions through aerodynamic and packaging constraints; the Moniteur rendering appears to have reached a similar visual answer from an editorial brief built around a low, practical Saab fastback. The rear abandons the classic 900 almost completely. Its muscular haunches and descending fastback tail reinforce the resemblance to Castriota’s unfinished 9-3, while the continuous light graphic belongs unmistakably to the 9-5NG design era. Kevers' Own Design Fingerprint Kevers' own profile on the Moniteur Automobile site, published in October 2025, offers a useful lens on the piece. He describes himself as a writer and tester rather than a designer or engineer, says he would have liked to become a car designer but considers himself "too lazy" and short on talent, and names BMW's design studio of the 1990s and 2000s as a dream internship. He also states plainly that large SUVs bore him and that he is indifferent to what he calls odorless, tasteless Chinese Tesla clones. Most relevant here, Kevers singles out touchscreens and fully capacitive controls as what irritates him most about modern cars, arguing that head-up displays and well-placed physical controls are safer and more pleasant than screens. The imagined Saab's cabin, built around a dual head-up display system, physical climate and media controls, a small retractable 6. 5-inch screen and a revived Night Panel-style mode the piece calls "Black Panel," maps closely onto those stated preferences. Read this way, the interior section describes Kevers' own response to current car design more than any documented Saab engineering direction, with Saab terminology applied to give the idea a brand identity. The Bottom Line Neither XPeng, NEVS nor Saab AB has announced a Saab 900 or 9-3 revival. The Moniteur Automobile piece is best understood as editorial speculation built around two real anniversaries and an unresolved chapter of Saab history: the production 9-3 that Jason Castriota’s team nearly completed before the 2011 bankruptcy. For the sourced account of that car and the wider Project 540 program, see SaabPlanet’s full interview coverage. Visually, the render is an unintended echo of a Saab that almost reached production, wearing the 900 name nearly half a century after the original car’s debut. > Watch Perstad’s digitized Saab factory report, featuring early-1980s production, Sten Wennlo, Gunnar Larsson, and the coming Saab 9000. - Published: 2026-08-19 - Modified: 2026-08-19 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/perstad-saab-factory-trafikmagasinet-film/ - Categories: Saab History - Tags: Saab 600, Saab 900, SAAB 9000, Saab factory, Trollhattan Carl-Ingemar Perstad has preserved a complete early-1980s Trafikmagasinet report from Saab’s Trollhättan factory. The film follows 900 production, confronts the Saab 600, and lets Gunnar Larsson explain the still-secret thinking behind the Saab 9000. Carl-Ingemar Perstad does not begin this film inside the Saab factory. He first appears at his desk, holding the physical evidence of why the next 12 minutes survived at all: an old recording whose original master had disappeared. Perstad explains that he eventually located a VHS copy, restored it, and digitized the material. At approximately 2:24, his present-day introduction gives way to the original Trafikmagasinet report, complete with its period narration, editing, interviews, and unguarded judgments about Saab’s position in the early 1980s. The resulting 14-minute video, published on Perstad’s BilTV med PERSTAD channel, deserves to be watched as a complete report rather than mined for a few factory scenes. SaabPlanet previously covered the rediscovery of Perstad’s Saab footage in 2024. This fuller presentation adds the original program’s structure and lets Sten Wennlo and Gunnar Larsson speak from a moment when the Saab 9000 was still a promise rather than a familiar part of the company’s history. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=63BE2pt79Us Two Minutes of Context, Then the Broadcast Returns to Trollhättan Perstad dates the material to 1983–84, while the accompanying channel description identifies it more broadly as early-1980s footage. That slight uncertainty does not weaken the report. The model range, the production figures, the Paris motor-show sequence, and the discussion of Saab’s next large car place the program precisely within the narrow period between the first 900 Turbo successes and the 9000’s 1984 presentation. Once the original broadcast starts, the pacing changes immediately. Perstad welcomes viewers to a Saturday edition of Trafikmagasinet and introduces the aircraft factory that had surprised export markets with turbocharged cars. His phrasing belongs to a time when Saab’s aviation origin still needed to be connected directly to the car operation, because both activities remained parts of a living Swedish industrial group rather than separate chapters in a museum narrative. The footage is Swedish, but international viewers do not need to watch it without understanding the interviews. Turn on CC in the YouTube player and select English or another available language. Automatic translation will occasionally mishandle names and Saab terminology, yet it is sufficient to follow the discussion, particularly Gunnar Larsson’s comments about the future model being developed with Lancia. Saab 900 Bodies Move Through a Factory Still Designed Around People The camera enters Stallbacka at a useful point in its development. Perstad states that Saab expects to build 85,000 cars during the year, with the 900 shown on the Trollhättan line and the older 99 being produced in Finland. The report openly notes that Saab has not reached the automation level of several larger competitors. It then shows why a simple automation ranking would miss much of what was happening inside the plant. Robots are taking over demanding spot-welding operations, and Perstad says the union supports that change. Elsewhere, body shells move between work areas without the conventional line dominating every shot. Employees work in small groups and rotate tasks among themselves, with less direct intervention from supervisors. According to the report, the system had been in use for three years and the workers did not want to return to the old continuous assembly-line arrangement. These scenes carry details that factory publicity films often remove. Doors, glass, interior components, powertrains, and wheels appear as consecutive stages rather than a rapid montage of sparks and finished cars. At the end of the process, each completed Saab is run on a rolling road where important functions can be checked at 100 km/h (62 mph) while the car remains stationary. It is practical production footage, filmed closely enough for Saab owners to recognize how much manual work remained inside every 900 body. The report also observes that Saab does not have vast fields of finished cars waiting for customers. Its immediate problem is keeping pace with demand, especially for turbocharged automatics in the United States. That one line says more about Saab’s changing commercial position than a retrospective sales chart: the small Trollhättan operation was constrained by its ability to supply the version American buyers wanted. The Turbo Story Is Told Without Rewriting Its Origin In his newly recorded introduction, Perstad makes a distinction that still matters. Saab did not invent the turbocharger. The company’s achievement was developing turbocharging into a usable performance system for a series-production family car, at a time when it could not finance a new six-cylinder engine simply to move the brand upward. The factory report shows the result of that decision after the initial engineering gamble had become an export strategy. The 99 was already around 15 years old, yet Perstad says it was selling better than ever. The 900, described in the period language as an extended development of the 99, had been in production for approximately five years. Neither observation is presented apologetically; the point is that Saab had extracted a new market identity from an existing architecture rather than waiting for the budget of a much larger manufacturer. Sten Wennlo’s presence gives that section additional weight. As head of Saab’s passenger-car division from 1976 to 1987, Wennlo was one of the executives who backed the production Saab 99 Turbo when the proposal still required a commercial decision. In the report, he is not being asked to remember the project decades later. He is speaking while Saab is actively using turbo performance to justify higher prices and a more technically ambitious export range. That is why Perstad’s framing works so well. He recognizes the engineering accomplishment but does not turn it into the claim that Saab invented every component involved. For an audience accustomed to simplified brand mythology, the original report provides the more interesting explanation: limited resources forced Saab to apply existing technology with unusual discipline. The Saab 600 Receives No Protection From Its Own Badge The film is equally valuable when the subject becomes uncomfortable. Perstad’s modern introduction says Saab had suffered from its cooperation with Lancia, whose cars did not meet the durability expectations Swedish buyers attached to the Saab name. The original broadcast then examines the Autobianchi... > A convincing 1963 Saab 96 restoration video is entirely AI-generated. Wrong parts, an incorrect engine and changing details reveal the illusion. - Published: 2026-08-18 - Modified: 2026-08-18 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/1963-saab-96-ai-generated-restoration-video/ - Categories: SAAB News - Tags: Saab 96, Saab video A YouTube video appears to document the complete restoration of a forgotten 1963 Saab 96 rally car. In reality, the car, workshop and restoration were generated by AI. Incorrect Saab components, a completely wrong engine and changing body details expose the illusion and a growing problem in automotive video. A badly rusted 1963 Saab 96 sits forgotten inside an old building. Its red paint has faded, corrosion has eaten deeply into the body, and the car appears to have spent decades untouched. The video then follows what looks like a complete restoration: dismantling, rust repair, body preparation, mechanical work, painting and final reassembly. There is one fundamental problem with the story: this restoration never happened. The YouTube video "1963 Saab 96 Restoration | Forgotten Winter Rally Car Saved After 40 Years" is a remarkably convincing example of a rapidly growing type of automotive content: AI-generated restoration videos designed to resemble documentary footage of real projects. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=O9OW0ssFqeI For viewers familiar with early Saabs, the illusion starts to collapse quite quickly. The car changes subtly between scenes, some body details are inconsistent, several components do not belong to a 1963 Saab 96, and the supposed engine is particularly revealing. At the same time, the overall restoration sequence is surprisingly believable, which is exactly what makes this type of content worth examining. AI Has Learned How a Restoration Should Look The video follows the structure used by countless genuine restoration channels. First comes the discovery of a severely neglected car, followed by dismantling, inspection, rust removal, body repairs, sanding, filler, preparation, paint and reassembly. Even the fictional restorer is presented convincingly. He wears broadly consistent work clothes, handles tools in plausible surroundings, photographs components and appears to document the process carefully. The workshop scenes are visually coherent enough that a casual viewer could easily accept them as genuine footage. The synthetic mechanic and workshop appear convincing, but the Saab’s changing components and inconsistent body details reveal the AI-generated restoration. That becomes particularly apparent when compared with a real project. SaabPlanet previously followed a Saab 96 restoration that consumed around 800 hours and £46,000 before the finished car was sold for roughly half its restoration cost. The real project involved precisely the problems that make restorations unpredictable: deciding how far to strip the body, dealing with previously hidden corrosion, rebuilding mechanical components and watching costs escalate as additional work emerged. The AI video has learned to reproduce the appearance and sequence of this process without having to solve any of those physical problems. The Engine Gives the Game Away One of the clearest problems appears when the drivetrain is shown outside the car. The early history of the Saab 96 is particularly important here. The model arrived in 1960 as an evolution of the Saab 93 and initially retained Saab's distinctive two-stroke engineering. A genuine standard 1963 Saab 96 would normally be powered by Saab's 841cc water-cooled three-cylinder two-stroke engine, driving the front wheels. The detailed Saab 96 history at SaabMuseum. com records the 841cc three-cylinder two-stroke as the defining engine of this early generation. A surviving 1963 US-market example documented by Hemmings provides an even more useful reference: its original 841cc Solex-carbureted three-cylinder produced 42 hp and was paired with a column-shifted three-speed gearbox. The engine is one of the clearest clues that the restoration is synthetic. A standard 1963 Saab 96 should have an 841cc three-cylinder two-stroke - not the machinery generated here. The machinery shown in the AI video is something entirely different. It looks old, dirty and mechanically plausible, but it does not resemble the correct Saab two-stroke powertrain. That discrepancy neatly summarizes one of the limitations of generative video: AI can create something that looks like an old engine without understanding which old engine belongs in a particular historic car. For a Saab enthusiast, that is enough to raise immediate suspicion. For someone encountering an early Saab for the first time, the same sequence can easily pass as authentic. The 'Winter Rally Car' Story Is Cleverly Chosen The fictional backstory is particularly effective because it is rooted in genuine Saab history. Calling the car a forgotten winter rally car sounds entirely plausible. Saab 96 competition history is extensive, and SaabPlanet's retrospective on the model covers the period when Erik Carlsson won the Monte Carlo Rally in 1962 and 1963 and the RAC Rally in 1960, 1961 and 1962. There are still genuine survivors from that era. The Saab Heritage Car Museum USA preserves the actual three-cylinder two-stroke Saab 96 that Carlsson and Stuart Turner used to win the 1960 RAC Rally. The car itself was rediscovered decades later and its identity reconstructed from its history, making it an interesting real-world counterpoint to the invented provenance in the AI video. SaabPlanet has also covered a Saab 96 Monte Carlo 850 built in connection with Saab's competition program, while the Saab Car Museum Supporters organization documents how extensively two-stroke Saabs competed in period racing through its Group 3 Saab 96 project. The AI story therefore works because it mixes fiction with authentic historical context. A neglected early Saab rally car rediscovered after several decades sounds like something that genuinely could happen. The Car Does Not Always Remain the Same Car The bodywork provides another clue. The opening 'barn find' image is highly convincing at first glance. The silhouette is recognizably Saab 96, while the rust, faded paint and damaged panels are rendered very effectively. Closer inspection reveals problems. Grille details, lights, bumpers, body openings and smaller trim elements are not consistently accurate, and some appear to change as the supposed restoration progresses. The video convincingly reproduces the visual language of restoration - bare metal, body filler and workshop tools - even when the Saab’s body details are not consistent between scenes. This matters more than a simple visual mistake. A real restoration has unavoidable physical continuity. Damage visible when the car arrives must either remain or be physically repaired. Panels cannot subtly change shape between stages, and components removed during dismantling have to correspond with those subsequently restored and reinstalled. A genuine Saab 96 restoration demonstrates exactly that continuity. In another documented racing Saab 96 restoration previously featured on SaabPlanet, mechanical changes can be traced individually: the engine and gearbox were removed, seals replaced, gearbox overhauled, carburetion... > Inside SaabFest 2026 at Foxfield Railway, with two-strokes, Sonett, 99 Turbos, Viggens, 9000 Aeros, NG 9-5s and a huge field of Saabs. - Published: 2026-08-17 - Modified: 2026-08-17 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/saabfest-2026-foxfield-railway/ - Categories: SAAB Community - Tags: Saab Owners Club of Great Britain, Saab UK, SaabFest 2026 SaabFest 2026 brought the SAAB Owners Club of Great Britain to Foxfield Railway for two days of cars spanning almost the entire marque history. A new Seized Gearbox walk-through captures everything from two-strokes and the lone Sonett to 99 Turbos, Carlssons, Viggens, 9000 Aeros, XWD cars and the NG 9-5. Seized Gearbox brought a Saab 9-3 Convertible to the SAAB Owners Club GB’s national gathering at Foxfield Railway, then spent nearly half an hour moving from two-strokes and a lone Sonett to Carlssons, Viggens, 9000 Aeros, XWD cars and the NG 9-5. The result is one of the most useful video records of SaabFest 2026 precisely because it was not made by a Saab-only channel. There is a useful difference between watching a Saab gathering through the camera of a marque specialist and seeing what stops an automotive YouTuber who normally covers a much broader selection of cars. That difference is what makes the latest video from Seized Gearbox worth a closer look. The channel's “The Best Saab Show in Britain? | SaabFest 2026” takes viewers through the SAAB Owners Club of Great Britain’s SaabFest 2026, held on August 1–2 at Foxfield Heritage Railway near Stoke-on-Trent. Seized Gearbox is not dedicated exclusively to Saab; its output extends across general car reviews, meets and other enthusiast machinery. That gives the film a slightly different perspective from the usual Saab-club report. At the same time, presenter Alex is hardly arriving without Saab experience. During the walk-around he refers to his own 9-3 Convertible, a previous 9-3 Convertible, a NG900 Convertible he drove extensively, and his former 9000. He also notes that the channel's previous Saab 9000 video became one of its better-performing uploads. His SaabFest film therefore sits in an interesting middle ground: it is made for a general automotive audience by someone who has actually lived with several of the cars in front of the camera. That is also why his choices are revealing. He repeatedly stops for colors, seat fabrics, dashboard details, badges, unusual specifications and modified cars rather than following a prepared model-history script. Watch the Full Seized Gearbox SaabFest 2026 Walk-Around https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=_usmJX6j8BQ The video above is the central source for this article. The wider context comes from the SAAB Owners Club of Great Britain, Foxfield Railway and post-event reports and photographs published by people who were at Foxfield. SaabFest 2026 Was the SOCGB National Gathering The setting matters. The SAAB Owners Club of Great Britain was established in 1963, and its activities now stretch from regional meetings and technical support to the large national events represented by SaabFest. The club's official event page confirms that SaabFest 2026 ran on Saturday, August 1 and Sunday, August 2, at Foxfield Railway Station in Blythe Bridge, Stoke-on-Trent. Foxfield's own program explains something that becomes immediately apparent in the Seized Gearbox video. On Sunday, the Saabs were to be lined up approximately in model order, with members voting for favorites in individual categories and for Best in Show. An awards ceremony and display of the winning cars were scheduled for later in the afternoon. Meanwhile, Foxfield operated its regular steam service with trains at 11:00, 12:30 and 2:00. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=4OYSTvhwVJo The host later described the weekend as a major success and put attendance at around 300 vehicles in its post-event social coverage. That is Foxfield's published figure rather than a number independently counted from the field, but the density of cars visible throughout the video certainly explains why Alex spends almost 30 minutes walking the site without coming close to lingering over everything. The Walk Starts Where Saab History Gets Properly Old At roughly 0:28, Alex begins in the older section and immediately finds what turns out to be one of the rarest sights of the day: the only Sonett he sees at SaabFest. That observation is independently supported by the post-event report from Saab vs Scepticism, whose author visited on Sunday in a 9000 T18 and also recorded a field stretching from early 93 and 95 models through the last 9-3s and 9-5s, including a lone Sonett. From there, the camera moves through a series of Saab 96 V4s, and this is where the video becomes useful as something beyond a wide-angle show reel. Alex notices the changing grille designs, rollback sunroof, period spotlights, the Saab Sport badge and one of the old Saab emblems incorporating the aircraft motif. Then come the two-strokes. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=gLIJ2qW_4g8 Around 2:22, he stops at a pair of 1960s cars, paying particular attention to the color-matched wheels, whitewall tires and unusually clean presentation. Independent photographs by Keith Long, who publishes on Flickr as cabsaab900, allow the early lineup to be identified more precisely. One photograph from August 2 records, from left to right, a 1966 Saab 96 two-stroke with the 841cc engine, a 1966 96 V4 with the 1,498/1,500-class Ford V4, a 1964 96 two-stroke, and a 1960 Saab 93F GT750 with its 750cc engine. Long also notes the strong presence of Toreador Red among these early cars. That sort of documentation is useful because the video itself is deliberately spontaneous. Alex sometimes estimates model years from British registration letters or styling details as he walks. Long's photographs provide the slower, car-by-car identification that a moving camera cannot. The 99 and Classic 900 Section Keeps Pulling the Camera Back The pace changes when the video reaches the 99 and Classic 900. A green 900 is followed by a red Convertible that reminds Alex of James' former car, and then the Turbos start appearing. He spends time on a 1988 900 Turbo, an earlier car from the first half of the 1980s, its seats, dashboard and engine bay, followed by an assortment of 99s and 900s. There is one historical point worth tightening here. In the video, the 99 is briefly described in terms that suggest Saab produced the first turbocharged production car. That is not literally the case. Saab's achievement was different and, for the company's history, arguably more important: the 99 Turbo helped turn turbocharging into a practical solution for a responsive, everyday production car rather than simply an exotic or homologation-oriented technology. Saab's own corporate history places the launch of the Turbo program in autumn 1976 and identifies it as the breakthrough that allowed a four-cylinder engine... > An orange 1:18 Saab 96 from Ketil Solvik-Olsen’s huge model-car collection appears for sale in Bryne, Norway, alongside another Saab. - Published: 2026-08-16 - Modified: 2026-08-16 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-96-ketil-solvik-olsen-model-car-collection/ - Categories: SAAB News - Tags: MCG Saab 96, Saab 96, Saab 96 1:18, Saab 96 model car, Saab model cars A boxed orange Saab 96 in a Jærbladet report caught the attention of Norwegian Saab enthusiasts. The model belongs to the huge 1:18 collection of former Norwegian transport minister Ketil Solvik-Olsen, parts of which are now being sold through Olinda sin hobby in Bryne. A photograph on page 14 of the August 14 edition of Norwegian newspaper Jærbladet contains a detail that was probably far more interesting to Saab owners than the story’s main subject. Olinda Håland is pictured inside Olinda sin hobby in Bryne, holding a boxed orange Saab 96. Another green Saab model can be seen at the lower left of the photograph. Both come from the enormous model-car collection of Ketil Solvik-Olsen, Norway’s former Minister of Transport and Communications, parts of which Håland has been selling through her shop. The newspaper was actually reporting on Håland’s move to much larger premises. For Saab enthusiasts, however, the photograph provided something else: a glimpse into Solvik-Olsen’s collection at the moment some of its cars are finding new owners. And the orange Saab did not remain unnoticed for long. A Saab Hunt Starts From One Newspaper Photograph Børre Mofoss shared the Jærbladet page with members of the Norwegian Gammelsaabens Venner community, pointing out that enthusiasts familiar with Solvik-Olsen’s model collection could now see where some of it was being sold. The August 14, 2026 edition of Jærbladet introduced Olinda Håland’s expanded shop in Bryne, but Saab enthusiasts immediately noticed the orange 1:18 Saab 96 V4 in her hands and another Saab among the boxed models. Photo: Ingeborg Eliassen / Jærbladet. More importantly, Mofoss spotted at least two Saabs among the boxed cars. The reaction underneath the post immediately demonstrated how effectively a scale model can connect with the real car parked in somebody’s garage. Jan-Erik Solvang wrote that he has a full-size Saab in the same color currently under restoration, then asked what he would need to do to buy the model Håland was holding. Mofoss had a simple answer: he did not know whether that particular model was still available and suggested contacting Olinda sin hobby directly. Another member, Jan Inge Jacobsen, then posted a FINN listing for an orange Saab 96 V4 by MCG Models in 1:18 scale. The listing, posted on June 28, describes the model as a 1971 Saab 96 V4 and confirms the manufacturer and scale. That FINN ad should not be confused with the specific car in Håland’s hands. Nothing in the discussion establishes that the privately advertised model is the same example that came from Solvik-Olsen’s collection. Jacobsen appears to have posted it primarily as a useful lead for Solvang. What it does help confirm is the identity of the orange car in the newspaper photograph. The Orange Car Is an MCG Saab 96 V4 The model Håland is holding can be identified with confidence as an MCG Saab 96 V4 in 1:18 scale. There is one detail worth treating carefully. Current Model Car Group listings identify the orange version as a 1970 Saab 96 V4, MCG18654, while the Norwegian FINN seller describes his orange MCG example as a 1971 model. Model Car World also lists MCG18654 as a 1970 Saab 96 V4 in orange. The small product label on Solvik-Olsen’s boxed model cannot be read clearly enough in the Jærbladet photograph to settle the model-year question from the image alone. An orange MCG Saab 96 V4 in 1:18 scale, matching the model that caught Saab enthusiasts’ attention in Jærbladet’s report from Bryne. Photo: FINN. no listing / seller. For that reason, the precise and defensible description of the car Håland is holding is simply: Orange Saab 96 V4, Model Car Group, 1:18 scale. The model itself is already familiar to long-time SaabPlanet readers. Back in 2016, we followed the development of Model Car Group’s then-new 1:18 Saab 96, before the model reached collectors. Two years later, the same MCG Saab 96 V4 served as the starting point for Magnus Sandlund’s highly modified miniature Saab project. He stripped away the showroom finish and rebuilt the model with weathering, changed body details and an extensively reworked appearance. So the orange 96 appearing in this Norwegian newspaper is not an obscure generic miniature. It belongs to a model line that has been circulating among Saab collectors for years. There Appears to Be a Saab 99 Turbo Beside It The second Saab is harder to identify because only part of its box appears in the photograph. At the lower left is a metallic-green 1:18 model, again in Model Car Group packaging. Its roofline, rear-quarter shape and color strongly correspond with MCG’s 1977 Saab 99 Turbo in green, catalog number MCG18440. MCG has produced the 1977 Saab 99 Turbo in several colors, including black, dark red and green, and current model-car catalogs identify the green version specifically as MCG18440. Because the front and product label are partly outside the newspaper frame, we would stop short of declaring that identification absolute. But it appears to be the green MCG Saab 99 Turbo 1977, which would explain Mofoss’ observation that at least two Saabs are visible in the photograph. The timing is particularly appropriate. Full-size Saab 99 Turbos continue to produce serious collector interest in Scandinavia, including the restored Arlöv-built 1980 Saab 99 Turbo currently heading to Bilweb Auctions with an estimate around $30,000. The small green car sitting almost unnoticed in the corner of Håland’s photograph therefore represents a model whose real-world equivalent has moved firmly into serious collector territory. More Than 1,600 Model Cars at Olinda’s Shop The scale of Solvik-Olsen’s collection explains why individual Saabs can disappear almost anonymously among the boxes. Posts connected with Olinda sin hobby have advertised more than 1,600 model cars in 1:18 scale, with both new and used examples being sold through the Bryne shop. Håland has explicitly stated that these are cars Ketil Solvik-Olsen has given her to sell. The number should not necessarily be read as a fixed inventory or the final size of Solvik-Olsen’s entire collection. The Jærbladet article provides an amusing explanation why. According to Håland, while she continues selling cars, Solvik-Olsen continues buying them. That makes this less like the liquidation of a finished collection and more like an ongoing circulation of models between one prolific collector, a retailer and... > In 1986, Televerket Radio equipped a Saab 9000 Turbo taxi with a mobile phone, pager, radio, TV and VHS player for rear-seat passengers. - Published: 2026-08-14 - Modified: 2026-08-14 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/1986-saab-9000-turbo-taxi-mobile-phone-vhs/ - Categories: SAAB News - Tags: SAAB 9000, Saab Taxi In 1986, Televerket Radio and Saab equipped a Saab 9000 Turbo taxi with an extraordinary collection of communications technology: a mobile phone, taxi radio, pager, television and VHS video system. Period Swedish magazine photographs show taxi owner Hans Nilsson demonstrating the equipment in Karlstad, while rear-seat passengers could even watch video tapes on longer journeys. A Swedish magazine clipping from 1986 opens with a question that was entirely reasonable at the time: “Världens modernaste taxi? ” - “The world’s most modern taxi? ” The car photographed underneath was a new Saab 9000, equipped through a collaboration between Saab and Televerket Radio, Sweden’s state telecommunications operation. A surviving Televerket Facebook archive post identifies the car as a Saab 9000 Turbo. What made the taxi unusual was not the roof sign or its Televerket Radio graphics. It was the amount of communications and entertainment hardware installed inside. Mobile phone, taxi radio, pager, TV and video According to the original article, the Saab was fitted with a mobile telephone, communications radio, pager, television, video recorder and car stereo. Three antennas handled the various systems. The small antenna positioned toward the rear of the roof served the normal taxi radio, while the two longer antennas mounted farther back were connected with the other equipment. Taxi owner Hans Nilsson demonstrates the mobile telephone installed alongside the Saab 9000’s professional communications equipment. The mobile phone was intended for situations where the ordinary taxi radio could no longer reach its network. The pager could receive messages anywhere within coverage of Sweden’s national radio broadcasts. That combination makes considerably more sense when placed in Sweden’s telecommunications history. The country’s NMT mobile network entered service on October 1, 1981, only five years before this Saab was photographed. Ericsson’s historical archive records how quickly demand grew, turning Sweden into one of the earliest substantial mobile-phone markets in the world. Ericsson’s history of the NMT launch provides useful context for just how significant an automotive mobile phone still was in 1986. Televerket was also operating paging services. The Swedish National Museum of Science and Technology preserves examples of the MBS pager system, which transmitted via the FM broadcasting network and had around 75,000 users by 1989. The Saab taxi effectively brought several separate communications networks into one dashboard. VHS for the passengers The most entertaining part of the installation was reserved for the rear seat. A video cassette recorder and monitor allowed passengers to watch a VHS tape on longer journeys. One of the magazine photographs shows the screen mounted behind the front seats, while another shows taxi owner Hans Nilsson of Karlstad demonstrating the mobile telephone. The rear-seat installation gave passengers access to VHS video on longer journeys, one of the features behind the magazine’s “world’s most modern taxi” headline. The Swedish text explains the idea very simply: during a long taxi journey, the passenger could select a tape that interested them. There was no streaming, touchscreen interface or centralized infotainment system connecting these functions. The remarkable part is precisely the opposite: Televerket Radio had assembled several large, independent pieces of 1980s communications equipment inside a production automobile while leaving enough room for the car to continue functioning as a taxi. The magazine specifically praises the Saab 9000 for providing comfort for both passengers and driver. Several Swedish cities received the equipped taxis The article says that the system could already be experienced in Luleå, Sundsvall, Arlanda, Gothenburg and Karlstad, with further expansion planned. Curiously, the surviving clipping subsequently lists Malmö and Gothenburg again, apparently repeating Gothenburg in the original printed text. This was therefore not presented simply as a one-car showpiece. Televerket Radio and Saab had equipped taxis operating in several locations. The choice of the 9000 also fits the period. Saab had introduced the model only two years earlier, and the original 9000 was launched around the 2. 0-liter 16-valve turbo engine. A useful model-year overview remains available through the Saab Museum’s Saab 9000 archive. And 1986 would become an unusually important year for the 9000 for another reason. Later that year, three production 9000 Turbos covered 100,000 kilometers during Saab’s famous Talladega endurance run. We have covered that very different test of the same model in our detailed story about Saab’s 1986 Talladega program. Saab taxis have some serious mileage behind them The Televerket car was not Saab’s only connection with professional taxi work. Swedish taxi driver James Bergqvist had already been using Saab Turbos under considerably harsher conditions. According to a surviving account based on period Saab material, his 1979 Saab 900 Turbo reached 650,000 kilometers before he replaced it with another 900 Turbo in 1982. That second car reportedly passed one million kilometers after five years of taxi service. The story and period Saab-Scania imagery are documented by SaabBlog. Much later, the pattern continued with newer Saabs. In 2016, we documented a Saab 9-5 NG used as a taxi that had already reached 350,000 kilometers, reportedly without major problems beyond regular maintenance. That car can be revisited in Saab 9-5 NG Taxi Clocks 350,000 Kilometers in France. There is an even more deliberate Saab taxi story in Finland. Retrotaksi, founded in 2016, operated classic Saabs as working taxis around Helsinki. One of its cars was a Saab 99 GL 5-speed that we featured when it was offered for sale: A Finnish “Retro Taxi” Sells Their Saab 99 GL 5 Speed. Those later cars provide useful context for the 1986 photograph. The Televerket Saab was not remarkable because somebody had decided to put a TAXI sign on a 9000. What separated it from an ordinary working Saab was the hardware inside. A mobile phone, communications radio, nationwide pager, stereo, television and VHS player were all operating in the same Saab 9000 taxi in 1986. The magazine’s headline was therefore not particularly exaggerated. For a passenger climbing into Hans Nilsson’s Saab in Karlstad that year, “the world’s most modern taxi” was a defensible description. > Arlöv-built 1980 Saab 99 Turbo with UK history, 56,500 miles and documented restoration heads to Bilweb with a $30,000 estimate. - Published: 2026-08-13 - Modified: 2026-08-13 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/1980-saab-99-turbo-arlov-bilweb-auction/ - Categories: SAAB News - Tags: Saab 99, Saab 99 Turbo A black 1980 Saab 99 Turbo built in Arlöv, exported to Britain and later restored in Sweden is heading to Bilweb Auctions with an estimate approaching $30,000. Its chassis number can also be traced to a Saab Club discussion from 2014. A black 1980 Saab 99 Turbo returning from Britain, restored in Sweden and traceable by chassis number in Saab enthusiast records dating back to 2014 is one of the strongest Saab entries Bilweb Auctions has offered this year. A 1980 Saab 99 Turbo 2. 0 appearing in Bilweb Auctions' August sale carries an estimated value of approximately $27,200 - $30,300, but the estimate is only the first reason this particular car deserves attention. The auction closes on August 19, 2026 at 10:00 a. m. Swedish time, equivalent to 4:00 a. m. ET / 1:00 a. m. PT in the United States. The car can be found in the official Bilweb Auctions listing. Bilweb's estimate is 260,000 - 290,000 SEK; using the current mid-market SEK/USD rate, that works out to roughly the dollar range above. The Turbo S badge and period rear-window louvers suit the car’s late-production character, but its real distinction is underneath: this 1980 example was built in Arlöv, exported to Britain, then returned to Sweden more than 30 years later. That already puts it in serious collector territory. Yet what makes chassis 99803010487 particularly interesting is the trail behind it: Arlöv production, an original export to Britain, a return to Sweden, a complete restoration and right-hand-drive to left-hand-drive conversion, plus an independent Saab Club forum reference identifying this exact chassis more than a decade ago. Chassis 99803010487 Was Built in Arlöv According to Bilweb's documentation, the car was built in Arlöv on April 9, 1980, where it was the second car on the production line that day. It was delivered on November 17, 1980, exported to England and first registered there on January 8, 1981. That January 1981 British registration date could easily lead to the familiar confusion surrounding supposed "1981 Saab 99 Turbos. " The chassis itself, however, belongs to the 1980 model-year production sequence. There is useful independent evidence supporting that history. The cabin reveals one of the most important chapters in this car’s history: after returning from Britain, the former right-hand-drive 99 Turbo was converted to left-hand drive, including a replacement dashboard and relocated hood release. In a Svenska Saabklubben discussion from December 2014, an enthusiast discussing late 99 Turbo chassis numbers specifically wrote that he had bought a black 1980 99 Turbo from the UK, built in Arlöv, with chassis number 99803010487. That is the exact VIN of the Bilweb car now being auctioned. The forum post is particularly valuable because it predates the current auction by nearly twelve years. It was not written to support a sales description or increase the car's value; the chassis appeared as part of a technical discussion about Saab's complicated 1980 production sequences. According to information exchanged in that discussion, the "30" production-line identifier corresponds to Arlöv, while lines 10 and 20 were associated with Trollhättan and 60 with Nystad/Uusikaupunki. One contributor initially noted that Turbo production was generally associated with Trollhättan and Finland. The exact car now at Bilweb then appeared as one of the documented exceptions. The UK Connection Makes This 99 Turbo Much More Interesting The same Saabklubben discussion provides another piece of context that fits this car unusually well. One knowledgeable contributor stated that Saab produced an additional batch of roughly 400 1980-spec 99 Turbos for the UK market when deliveries of the newer Saab 900 Turbo were delayed. Those cars could subsequently be registered during 1981 even though they remained 1980-model 99 Turbos. The contributor also recalled several UK cars built in Arlöv and suggested that a significant number of these export cars were later brought back to Scandinavia and continental Europe. The separate turbo boost gauge mounted above the dashboard is the detail that immediately sets the cabin apart. This car’s current left-hand-drive layout was created during its Swedish restoration after decades in Britain. This is enthusiast-sourced production information rather than a surviving Saab factory ledger, so the approximate numbers should be treated accordingly. What is far less ambiguous is the exact VIN match between the 2014 discussion and the 2026 Bilweb listing. That makes the auction car a useful physical example of an obscure part of late Saab 99 Turbo production rather than simply another restored two-door Turbo. Bilweb says the car remained in England until 2011, when it was brought back to Sweden. The late owner acquired it in July 2013 and subsequently undertook an extensive restoration. The timing also fits remarkably well with that December 2014 Saabklubben discussion. Restored After Its Return From Britain The owner did not simply recommission the car after import. According to Bilweb, it was disassembled and restored in detail, then converted from its original British right-hand-drive configuration to left-hand drive. The dashboard was replaced as part of the conversion, and even the hood release was relocated to the left side. The car later passed the required Swedish registration and technical inspections. Its current Swedish registration number is DBN14M. Bilweb records 90,937 km, or about 56,500 miles, and lists the 2. 0-liter turbocharged engine at 107 kW / 145 PS, approximately 143 SAE horsepower. The exterior is black and the interior retains its Turbo-spec plush upholstery. Before APC and Trionic, Saab’s turbo formula was far more mechanical: Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection, a Garrett turbocharger and 145 PS from the 2. 0-liter engine. This exceptionally clean engine bay preserves that early Turbo hardware almost as a technical exhibit. The body was professionally refinished in its original black color, while the distinctive original Inca alloy wheels were restored by Fälgfixarna in Helsingborg. The carpets and other interior components were reconditioned, with some material recolored by a specialist in Sundsvall. Those Inca wheels are not incidental decoration. They were part of the visual identity Saab developed around the 99 Turbo, alongside its spoilers, Turbo badging and deliberately more assertive stance. Our earlier SaabPlanet background piece on the Saab 99 Turbo and its place in production-car turbocharging provides more context for the original specification. The 145-HP Number Was Never the Whole Point By 1980, 145 PS from a 2.... > IntSaab 2026 brought Saab owners from 26 countries to Sweden, with Germans forming the largest national group among three-day participants. - Published: 2026-08-13 - Modified: 2026-08-13 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/intsaab-2026-returned-to-sweden-after-10-years-germans-were-the-largest-three-day-group/ - Categories: SAAB Community - Tags: intSAAB, IntSaab 2026, Saab Meetings, Svenska Saabklubben IntSaab returned to Sweden after ten years, but Bro Park revealed something larger: most early three-day registrations came from abroad, with German Saab owners forming the biggest national group. The most revealing number from IntSaab 2026 at Bro Park is not a concours score or even a count of cars. It is the nationality split behind the weekend passes. When the local newspaper Mitt i spoke with organizer Magnus Dufva in June, 630 people had registered for the three-day event and more than 500 of them were international visitors. Around 150 were coming from Germany and roughly 100 from Switzerland. Those advance figures were not simply optimistic registration statistics. After the August 7–9 meeting, Sveriges Radio's P4 Stockholm reported thousands of Saab enthusiasts from 26 countries at Bro Park. Svenska Dagbladet, reporting from the meeting itself, found another particularly interesting detail: German visitors represented the largest national group among buyers of three-day passes. IntSaab 2026 takes place at Stockholm-Bro Park, August 7–9. Registration closes March 31. For a meeting returning to Sweden for the first time in ten years, that tells a more interesting story than the usual event statistics. The international majority was visible before the gates opened The Swedish hosts had been preparing IntSaab 2026 for a considerable time. The official event program placed the meeting at Bro Park, roughly 40 kilometers west of Stockholm, with Friday and Saturday dinners, lectures, Saab displays, car judging, Sunday's parts market and the early Saturday Saab Sunrise gathering in Stockholm. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=Z7Uv15JVX8o Three anniversaries gave the weekend its historical framework: 50 years of Svenska Saabklubben, 50 years since the Saab 99 five-door and 40 years since the 1986 Saab 9000 Talladega endurance run. These themes were already part of the event announcement and had also formed the background to the IntSaab Heritage Tour 2026 preceding the main meeting. z But the registration data supplied a second story. Mitt i reported that more than four out of every five people then registered for the complete three-day program were arriving from outside Sweden. The exact final ratio may have changed as additional visitors arrived and day tickets were sold, so the June registration figure should not be confused with total weekend attendance. It nevertheless showed where much of the commitment required for a multi-day IntSaab was coming from. A day visitor from Stockholm faces a short drive to Bro. A German, Swiss, Dutch or French owner has to plan fuel, ferries, bridges, accommodation and several days on the road before the Saab even reaches the event entrance. That distinction matters. Germany was not simply well represented Svenska Dagbladet's post-event report focused specifically on the German presence. According to Dufva, approximately 150 Germans, close to 100 Swiss visitors, 10 Americans and three Japanese participants had purchased three-day passes. He also mentioned a Greek family that had driven all the way to Sweden. The German turnout surprised even some German participants interviewed by the newspaper. More importantly, SvD stated that Germans had bought more three-day tickets than any other nationality. There was evidence of that level of commitment well before August. On the German Saab-Cars. de IntSaab 2026 thread, owners had been discussing ferry routes, hotels and travel schedules for weeks. One planned to use the Kiel–Gothenburg ferry before continuing toward Bro; others coordinated visits around Trollhättan and the pre-event activities. The same forum was already circulating the figure of 630 weekend registrations in early June. That sort of planning explains more about the current Saab scene than a parking-lot photograph alone can. A marque whose last regular production cars left Trollhättan years ago now depends heavily on owners willing to maintain specialist knowledge, parts networks, club infrastructure and cross-border contacts. IntSaab provides one occasion where those separate national networks become visible in the same physical place. Germany's 2026 turnout showed the scale of one of those networks. Local Swedish media noticed the international character This was not confined to Saab club channels. Before the event, Mitt i, which covers Upplands-Bro locally, made the foreign turnout the central point of its report. Its headline did not lead with the Saab 99 anniversary or Talladega. It led with the 150 German Saab enthusiasts expected in Upplands-Bro. After the meeting began, P4 Stockholm went to Bro Park and spoke with Jana, who had driven from Germany. The station reported visitors from 26 countries, including the United States, Japan and Germany, and noted that for some participants the connection to Saab extended back into their childhood. Прикажи ову објаву у апликацији Instagram Објава коју дели Svenska Saabklubben (@saabklubben) Svenska Dagbladet then took the same observation further, effectively making Germany's role in the contemporary Saab community the subject of its IntSaab report. Its photographs from Bro Park also show why: the camping and meeting areas contained a conspicuous number of cars carrying foreign plates. Even the venue's own organization saw IntSaab as something unusual for Bro Park. Svensk Galopp reported before the weekend that visitors were already registered from places including Japan and the United States. Bro Park management also viewed the event as an opportunity to demonstrate that the racecourse facilities could accommodate major activities outside horse racing. Local tourism organization Visit Upplands-Bro promoted the gathering to the wider public rather than treating it as a closed club event. The site's event listing highlighted the car display, lectures, vendors, Sunday parts market and public voting, with day admission set at SEK 200. In other words, IntSaab did not remain inside the Saab media bubble during that weekend. Bro Park offered a useful cross-section of the Saab world The official program deliberately avoided restricting the event to one period of Saab production. Cars from the early two-stroke years through the later generations occupied the same site, while the anniversaries supplied specific historical reference points rather than a generic retrospective. The 1986 Talladega anniversary was particularly appropriate. Forty years earlier, three production Saab 9000 Turbos had been taken to Alabama for a 100,000-kilometer endurance run. In 2026, the cars arriving from continental Europe were performing a very different kind of long-distance demonstration: not a factory test, but owners voluntarily putting hundreds or thousands of kilometers on cars... > Erik Wankerl’s Saab 900 Turbo 2025 concept appears in autoDRIVE #91, illustrating a four-page Portuguese column about Saab and the dream of a new 900. - Published: 2026-08-12 - Modified: 2026-08-12 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/erik-wankerl-saab-900-turbo-autodrive-portugal/ - Categories: SAAB News - Tags: Car Design, Saab 900 Turbo, Saab Concept Erik Wankerl’s yellow Saab 900 Turbo 2025 concept has resurfaced in print. Portuguese magazine autoDRIVE #91 uses the design study across a four-page column by João Santos Matos, sixteen months after the project first appeared online. A four-page column in the Portuguese magazine turns the 2025 design study into the visual centerpiece of a very personal case for one more Saab 900. A familiar yellow Saab appeared in an unexpected place this week. autoDRIVE #91, the summer 2026 issue of the Portuguese automotive magazine, devotes four pages to a column by editor João Santos Matos titled “Saab qual é o meu carro preferido? ” The issue was announced on August 10, and the Saab column is specifically listed among its contents by autoDRIVE. The photographs of the printed magazine show pages 10 through 13 dominated by a bright yellow interpretation of a modern Saab 900 Turbo: a low three-door body, dark glasshouse, three-spoke wheels and a rear profile intended to make the connection with the classic 900 immediately apparent. Those images have a history of their own. The car is Erik Wankerl’s Saab 900 Turbo 2025 design study, first shown in April 2025. The project was covered in detail at the time, when Wankerl explained how he had used ChatGPT image generation as part of an iterative design exercise before refining the results himself in Photoshop. Sixteen months later, his imaginary Saab has made the transition from LinkedIn and automotive websites to the pages of a conventional printed car magazine. A half-day experiment that traveled much further Wankerl did not present the 900 Turbo 2025 as a secret manufacturer project, a proposal commissioned by Saab AB or a prototype under development. His original LinkedIn post was remarkably transparent about how the images had been made. He had spent roughly half a day working with ChatGPT to develop a design sketch for a contemporary Saab 900 Turbo. The intention was to retain enough of the classic car's visual structure for the result to remain identifiable as a 900, rather than simply placing Saab badges on an unrelated modern body. He then worked separately on the three-spoke wheel design as a reference to the familiar Saab INCA wheel and completed the images with additional Photoshop work. Front view of the 2025 Saab 900 Turbo Concept — a bold reinterpretation of the classic silhouette, designed by Prof. Erik Wankerl using AI and digital tools to preserve Saab’s design DNA in a modern electric context. Wankerl also imagined his new 900 as electric. The “Turbo” designation was therefore deliberately conceptual rather than an attempt to specify an actual turbocharged powertrain. His post referred playfully to an electric Turbo in the spirit of the reborn Renault 5. There was no engineering package behind it. No platform, battery capacity, motor output, dimensions, production proposal or business plan was announced. What existed was a design exercise examining whether enough of the 900 could survive the transition into a present-day vehicle. That distinction remains important now that the images are circulating again. The yellow car in autoDRIVE is not evidence of a new Saab program. It is the same independent design study Wankerl created in 2025. Wankerl also approached the experiment from a professional design background rather than simply generating a few images and attaching a Saab name afterward. He has been Professor of Media Design at IU International University in Bremen since April 2025, with teaching fields including brand development, corporate design, cross-media design and corporate communications. IU describes his work as combining design, brand strategy and organizational development, with AI increasingly affecting how designers develop and evaluate concepts. The concept quickly escaped its original LinkedIn post The first wave of attention arrived almost immediately. German magazine Auto Motor und Sport featured the concept on April 4, 2025, crediting the images to Erik Wankerl and discussing the design in relation to the original 900. Swedish publication CarUp followed on April 5, while SaabBlog examined the proposal in the context of Saab's own unfinished design work from the company's final years. The project consequently developed a second life outside Wankerl's own post. Different publications began asking a slightly different question from the one that had started the experiment. Instead of simply asking “Can AI generate a modern Saab? ”, discussion moved toward what characteristics actually have to survive for a new car to read as a Saab 900. That is a much more interesting question. Many unofficial Saab revival exercises start with the badges and grille. Wankerl worked the other way around. The recognizable elements are concentrated in proportion and silhouette: the long sweep of the roof, the compact rear section, the relationship between the side glass and body, the visual weight around the wheel arches and, most obviously, those modernized three-spoke wheels. The concept is not a literal digital copy of a 1980s 900. Nor does it reproduce every original Saab detail correctly. It instead uses a handful of visual cues strong enough to carry the identity without requiring a retro body shell. That may help explain why the images have remained in circulation for more than a year. João Santos Matos uses the concept differently The new autoDRIVE appearance is particularly interesting because João Santos Matos is not writing a feature about Erik Wankerl or AI design. His four-page column is essentially a personal Saab autobiography. An editorial recreation based on Erik Wankerl’s Saab 900 Turbo 2025 design study, whose yellow concept has now appeared in the Portuguese magazine autoDRIVE #91. Matos begins with the deceptively simple question contained in the title: what is his favorite car? He cannot give a single answer, but Saab keeps intruding into it. He remembers growing up around the 900, having a black three-door Turbo Bburago model at hand and later being fascinated by the 9000. From there, the column moves through several very different periods of Saab ownership and product history. The 900 Convertible occupies an important part of his memory. Then come his years in the United States, where Saab's position within General Motors exposed him to two cars that could hardly have existed under the earlier Trollhättan product philosophy: the 9-7X and 9-2X. He recalls the latter in particular, the Subaru-based car Americans... > Registration is open for Saab Session Slovakia 2026 in Liptovská Osada, October 2–4, with entries limited to 99 participant cars. - Published: 2026-08-11 - Modified: 2026-08-18 - URL: https://www.saabplanet.com/saab-session-slovakia-2026-registration-liptovska-osada/ - Categories: SAAB Community - Tags: Saab Session Slovakia, Saab Slovakia Saab Session Slovakia returns October 2–4, 2026 at Resort Gothal in Liptovská Osada. Registration is now open, but organizers have capped entries at 99 participant cars. Registration has officially opened for Saab Session Slovakia 2026, with this year's gathering scheduled for October 2 - 4 in Liptovská Osada, at Resort Gothal in Slovakia's Liptov region. The organizers began accepting applications on August 9, but owners considering the trip should pay particular attention to one number: 99 cars. Registration remains open until August 31 only if that capacity has not already been reached. The official event page explicitly states that the organization is limited to 99 participant cars. The opening was also announced by Saab Assistance, which expects another strongly international turnout and directed owners toward the Saab Session Slovakia Facebook page and the official registration site. A stunning aerial view of Saab Session Slovakia 2024 in Banská Bystrica, showcasing an incredible lineup of Saab models from across Europe Saab Assistance described the expected gathering as 100-plus Saabs from more than ten countries. That figure does not necessarily conflict with the 99-car participant ceiling, since the organizing team's cars are additional to the registered participant limit. Recent Attendance Explains the 99-Car Limit There is good reason not to treat that capacity as a theoretical number. The 2024 Saab Session Slovakia gathering in Tále officially recorded 117 cars, 257 participants and visitors from 11 countries. The registered cars ranged from a 1964 Saab 96 two-stroke to a 2012 Saab 9-5 NG SportCombi Aero. SaabPlanet later returned to that meeting when new aerial footage appeared in Saab Session Slovakia 2024 From a New Angle. The drone footage provided a particularly good view of the scale of the Saab convoy and the gathering in Banská Bystrica. For anyone deciding whether to register now or wait until later in August, that 117-car turnout in 2024 is probably the most useful comparison. The 2026 organization is accepting fewer participant cars than arrived two years earlier. Three Days at Resort Gothal The 2026 base is Resort Gothal in Liptovská Osada, close to the Low Tatras and between Lip