The Saab 9-5 NG - the path of a dream car (2/2)
In a Nordic saga, a lot of drama is delivered. Heroes die, are mauled in the back. The stage in the case of the Saab 9-5 deliver us Swedish scrap yards. While some pre-series vehicles went on sale, others landed at the recycler.
The selection criteria seem arbitrary and are still unclear and incomprehensible. It is clear that the scrap industry suddenly got a lot of work from Trollhättan. Not only 9-5 NG sedans and sports cars landed on the scrap, but also brand new convertibles and Turbo X.
The Saab 9-5 NG - Swedish cultural assets will be destroyed
Front windows that were not available for a few months came from the recycler. The vehicles that had to serve as spare parts donors then stood without a window, only covered with a tarpaulin, in the Swedish climate. After the first rain and at the latest after winter, the rest was just junk.
But there were also exceptions. People who saw what was being destroyed and didn't want to accept it. Who brought an extremely rare 9-5 NG sports suit from the pre-series to safety in a dry hall. And who had a plan. To protect the Saab in order to be able to bring it back to life at some point, many years from now.
A plan is a plan. Who can't work when greed wins.
At some point, the 9-5 was already on the way to the dream car and the prices for sports suits kept rising, greed struck relentlessly. A junkyard operator tried to get a sports suit through the approval. The Swedish authorities and the bankruptcy trustees pricked up their ears. The drama took its course, and the last of the pre-production sports suits were destroyed on orders.
The Saab 9-5 NG - The pressing tools on the factory premises
Meanwhile, some fans still dreamed of a comeback of the 9-5. After the sale to NEVS, there were still bodyshells for limousines in the open air on the factory premises. Under certain circumstances, there might have been a chance, if not Chinese, but Europeans had taken over the remnants of Saab. While the bodyshops disappeared, in the summer 2016 still had a mysterious hall in the stablebacka.
Hardly anyone had the chance to enter, because the content was explosive: the pressing tools of the Saab 9-5 NG sedan and the sports station wagon, as well as the complete body shell of a station wagon. That was over 5 years after the end of production. In the meantime, the hall has been cleared, the tools destroyed and the body shell disposed of. The dreams - dreamed over.
The 9-5 NG is the last Saab. At least for the foreseeable future. Maybe forever, maybe not. The auto industry is facing major upheavals, and it cannot be ruled out that a Swedish consortium led by Saab AB will set off again at some point.
The residual values of the Saab 9-5 NG sedan in 2017 are at or above those of German premium providers. The Saab has long outperformed imported brands. This is especially true if the 9-5 is a gasoline engine. Diesel vehicles suffer from the problem of the type of drive per se and also from the fact that enthusiasts with poor driving performance do not tend to use this type of engine. The extremely rare sports suit has a special position. Anyone who owns one seems to have a good investment. The prices increase annually.
Mobility beyond the mainstream
The supply of spare parts has developed pleasingly well. From time to time parts are missing in the Orio warehouse, but these are newly produced. Or repaired, as in the case of the LED light strips at the rear. One might assume that the mutation of the 9-5 into a dream car is a typical Saab story. But we are not alone. Things are developing similarly at Citroën. The C6 is considered the last big one Citroën and was basically a flop.
During the 7 years of production, Citroën could only sell 23.384 vehicles. Good vehicles of the model discontinued in December 2012 are well over €20.000,00. Ascending trend.
Here, too, there is a small, affluent circle of friends who value individuality. Mobility, far beyond the mainstream, is a topic of the future - not one that would be particularly loud. But the more the degree of networking increases, the more the last representatives of the analog generation move into the limelight.
The last Saab 9-5 NG new car has now also been sold. It was in Italy until 2017 and now has a German owner. The number of vehicles in our country is increasing. Imports from Greece and Sweden ensure growth. The 9-5 NG will be with us for a long time to come. Even 6 years after the end of production as the last Saab and dream car for many people.
I think the whole discussion about diesel vehicles for totally exaggerated. The diesel with particulate filter emit less particulate matter than gasoline with injection engines (and without particle filter!).
I drive a 9-5 NG Tiid. I have to go from the far east of Hamburg to the far west twice a day. Makes 50 km of city traffic per working day. Compared to gasoline engines, diesel saves a lot of CO2 and particulate emissions (and money). My average consumption is now 8,4 L / 100 km (in city traffic and also at a constant 180 km / h on the motorway). The NG is also a pleasant vehicle in the city - parking spaces can be “experienced” by the parking beeper at the front and rear, the chassis is well decoupled by the H-arm suspension on the TiiD even without a Drive-Sense and yet very precise and if you pay attention that little happens below 1500 1 / min with diesel, it is also brisk and you can drive with little gear (even in the city). Incidentally, the NG is the car with the fewest defects of all of my already (5) and still (3) owned Saabs.
Hey, Flo, if you want to drive NG (probe), get in touch.
Tom, thanks for the nice posts
Uwe
Sorry, of course TTiD (and not TiiD).
Uwe
This rich dark green from the junkyard. Man, that would have been a color .... what a shame, just a shame! And completely incomprehensible. The red 95NG that stands there on its brake discs, what a sad sight.
Last week I wrote that I wanted to sell my TiD. Now that I have read this great report and all the consistent comments on it, I will probably keep it.
The color is from the Opel range, the interior is light beige. A very nice, harmonious car. I would have liked to take it with me back then ...
Good idea to keep the 9-5 NG. You would miss him.
Yes Tom, I'll do that, even though I have 5 Saab in my hands now! (I bought another 5 door Viggen, because I could not resist)
Thank you for your great contributions, which help us Saab enthusiasts a lot in the daily "struggle for survival"
Which dark green do you mean, or where do you see it? (I want to see it too, just can't find it in the photos)
Here it is: https://i0.wp.com/saabblog.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Vorserie-001-06_2015.jpg
Again very interesting article on the Saab blog. Indeed, the 9-5 NG appears to be (and will remain for most) a dream car for the majority of readers. Just one question - in the article I read the comment “Diesel vehicles suffer from the problem of the type of propulsion itself”; what kind of problems are these? Each type of drive (diesel, gasoline, electric, hybrid ...) has its advantages and disadvantages, but I would still be curious what this is about.
Well, what is the problem with this kind of drive in public perception right now?
The 9-5 NG has always appealed to me very much - so I'm really looking forward to reading more about the last big Saab here again. Here in the west of Hamburg he is often present - at least two vehicles drive through HH-Blankenese alone.
I was amazed to see the first 9-5 NG station wagon in Kiel - great cars! It's a shame that the story turned out so badly - the car was a great success.
Thanks from my side for your report, Tom. I feel the same way as everyone here and I feel especially sad about the past and the experienced. For me, the 9-5 NG is one of the most beautiful and absolutely elegant limousines that I have ever driven. So far, only vehicle length has allowed reason to triumph over the emotional caos in the stomach. It is always a dream to see the 9-5 NG on the street and every time it happens, reason wobbles and the inner struggle begins ... I was very lucky to test some 9-5 NG via the mobilforum dresden to drive and can not forget the feeling until today. And there it is, the yearning… .which not only triggers the 9-5 NG, but Saab in general and your great blog. I am looking forward to many more articles, maybe in the future I will decide more unreasonable …….
Very interesting Tom. I am always amazed at your background knowledge and the unusual pictures. Is already a sad story, what was destroyed so everything. For me, the interest still remains, how would the next 9.3 become. What existed so pictures is certainly not the right one. From the 9.5 NG there was also footage and then he came quite different and above all better and more beautiful.
Thanks for the information.
At NEVS you could see a lot. There are still designs from the Saab time that are not intended for the public. Maybe someday you open the gates for it?
and it still hurts!
For me, I developed a positive sentiment of gratitude and joy to have discovered Sabb for me decades ago AND to have driven with some vehicles starting with the 900 16V Tu Sedan, until today's 93 SC XWD Aero. In these reports, the nostalgia creeps in again.
But also Tom, you write in the souls. Anyway, thanks
I continue well-groomed.
Every time I see one on the street, I'm happy: I like the stretched, timeless and wrinkle-free elegance very much and I secretly hope to come to the train someday.
Thanks for the article Tom, your blog is getting better!
Has actually ever thought about writing a book about the genesis of the last Saab (9-5 / 9-4x / 9-3 Griffin / Phoenix and ???). Vlt towards the Schrader type chronicle of the Motorbuchverlag. Saab literature is unfortunately in short supply, especially as far as the new models are concerned.
If the SAAB Comunity continues to be so dedicated then someday there will be a comeback, I'm sure !!!
I know in Baden near Vienna, another 9-5NG new car, which is there since 6 years in the showroom, which would still be for sale.How does a Greek 9-5NG looks like equipment?
Unfortunately, we have no insight into the specification for Greece. Presumably there will be differences in one or the other detail. In my area, two imports are offered for sale. The price is right (almost), the condition is much worse than in cars from D or S. So you have to invest a little extra.
I would never have chosen a “5 meter part”! But the SAAB 9-5 NG is elegant to look at ... As always: heartache and practical reason wrestle in my chest.
Pleasing, quote: The number of vehicles in our country is increasing.
That, I believe, has something to do with this blog! This enthusiasm for SAAB is really special!
Thanks, for this article. Even if many things are sad.
When you know what has been destroyed, it brings tears to your eyes.
The XWD station wagon would have been my choice ... but unfortunately he probably remains a (priceless) dream