The Life and Death of SAAB: RCR Car Stories 

"Think about it: has a Saab ever jumped a red light or tailgated you on the motorway? Have you ever seen a Saab being driven in anything other than a considerate and stealthy fashion? No, and neither have I. This is because the sort of people who are drawn to this image-free environment are the sort of people who don't use their subconscious to drive. They know that to do it properly they have to concentrate, absolutely, on the job in hand. So they do." - Jeremy Clarkson

always been kinda sad saab went away. always a unique car. quite the saab story.

I was lucky enough to meet Erik Carlsson at a race in Ontario Canada. Saab was racing a 9000 turbo and it had a crash in the middle of the night (24 hour race). Erik was right down there duct taping the front end back together. What a guy!

Worked with a guy in the 80's that was so into the brand he actually visited the plant watch his vehicle being built and drove it around Minnesota like he found the automotive answer to everything. Great job on the story..😊

We still have a Saab dealer here in Portland, Oregon (Garry Small Saab) who maintains a stock of gently used Saabs for sale, as well as a full service department with genuine Saab parts. Thanks for this epic (seriously, EPIC) tale of Saab, Roman; great work!!

In 2010 I was working my first “big boy” job after getting out of the Army and was making decent money for the first time in my life. Every car I had ever owned up to that point had been a car that was on its last legs. Beaters. Bombs. Hoopties. I decided I wanted a car that was not only newer, but also interesting. So I bought a used, three year old Saab 9-3 from the only Saab dealer in Utah. And it’s the car that turned me into a “car guy.” It’s the car that made me realize you don’t need to spend a lot of money to have a car that’s different. It’s the car that taught me that cars can be interesting without being extraordinary. I put 100,000 miles on my Saab in three years before the transmission went out, and it was so expensive to replace that it made perfect financial sense to sell it and buy a Fiat 500 Abarth. Of the literally dozens of cars I have owned the Saab is the one I remember most fondly.

The first car I ever bought with my own money was a 2005 Saab 9-5 Arc Wagon. I was just fascinated with it. The valve cover gaskets leaked and the rear passenger strut was destroyed but I still drove and hour and a half to buy it for $800. I dumped money into it to keep it alive. The power steering pump, the alternator, cv axels, tires, etc. not because it was unreliable but because it was old. I loved driving it. The turbo made it so damn fast. And I moved my entire apartment into my first house with it. December of 2021 the secondary gas pump started to leak and the lines leading to it. I finally got it to a repair shop in the spring, just to be told that it’s rear sub frame was completely gone and not worth saving. It sits in my garage, waiting for me to get the cash to fix it and to find a person willing to work on it. I love this car to death and I want to cry just thinking about letting it go. Thank you for this.

"Share your Saab Memories in the comments." Unfortunately there are not enough keys on this keyboard. I've had five of them, wrecked two of them, and had untold amounts of fun and life within their confines. I think that Saab, as it existed when it was independent, could no longer exist today regardless of what happened. Saab to me represents a sort of purity that you really can't find anymore. They did things the way they did them, because they thought and believed (with good reason) that was the way things should be. Were the cars perfect? Of course not. Were they well-made? Were they safe? Were they reliable? Were they fun to drive? Were they practical? God yes. Saab tried harder than they absolutely had to. Not due to the pressures of the marketplace, but do to a pride and belief that they were doing it the right way. We are worse off without them. Not because we can't buy new Saabs anymore, but because we have built a world where a company that did things the way Saab did them cannot feasibly stay in business. A car company cannot exist on one or two models that can be bought and driven for 300,000 miles at a time. They need platform sharing and seven different unibody SUVs that all drive the same and lease programs and CPO programs and planned obsolescence. One of the things I inherited from my old man when he passed away last September was a 1989 Saab 900 Turbo Convertible. When he first bought it he said it would be his last car. He wasn't bullshittin'.

I own 3 9-3s at the moment. I was aware of the brand when I was a kid but didn't know too much about it. I was working my first job as a teenager and my boss had a red 04 9-3 Aero in pristine condition. I was cleaning the windows of the store one day and he let me take it for a test drive, I thought it was the perfect car for me at the time and knew I wanted to buy one. It was quick, looked nice, and underrated. It was the underdog and that really appealed to me. I searched and searched till I found my 04 Aero, and while it hasn't been without its issues, it eventually led me to make friendships online with other Saab people, which led me to find jobs and eventually career. Since then, I've been the guy that people call when they need help or programming. Where I once knew nothing about cars, I now have a tremendous amount of not just car but life experience to share because of these cars.

A Saab 900 saved my life and my Dad’s life when I was younger. I will always have the utmost respect for this brand and its commitment to making cars safer.

As a swede, i thank you for this epic tale. Brought a tear to my eye.

I was raised in a Saabist family. If there was a need for a new car, it was going to be a Saab. I have a vivid memory of asking my parents why we had to have a Saab and not some other car that was around the same price. I was answered vaguely, but the point was that the cars were understated but amazing quality, ”they have qualities other cars don’t have”. I didn’t get it back then, but boy do I get it now.

I owned two SAAB's in the UK, firstly a metallic green M94 900 with the V6, comfortable, with a stylish interior and a great boot(trunk). A largely disappointing car noise and handling wise. Written off after an accident I replaced it with a black 9000 2.3 aero, a far more enjoyable and exciting car to drive. The 9000 would happily break traction at 60mph and spin up the left front wheel in second gear if the throttle was mashed into the carpet. A massive 4 seater with deep dished 3 spoke alloys from the factory and nick named by our eldest as "Hot wheels Harry" when she saw him for the first time. A car I truly loved.

I think a 3 hour long documentary on SAAB is exactly what this Monday needs. Thank you!

What a remarkable achievement this podcast is. I've owned a Saab for 20 years. As the only owner, I obviously have heaps of pride in the vehicle. Your storytelling gives me just as much pride in the brand and its history. Thank you to you and your researchers for a jaw dropping amount of work.

Driving a 1988 500 Turbo SPG was one of my greatest chapters in my life! I still tear up and reminisce about that beautiful black 3 door hatchback!

In the late 1970's, there was an old hermit who lived in a small house, next to my high school in the US. He had two Saab Sonnet III's and a Bricklin in his driveway. He had no garage or carport. It was a bit of a mystery. Never knew, what happened to him or his cars. Presumably he died alone, and the cars were sold with the estate. Don't know, if he had any family? No one seemed to know him, or what he'd done for a living. In fact, no one would have ever noticed his house which was not only small but partially obscured by trees, except that it had the unusual cars in the driveway. ...If the cars gave him joy, I suppose, that's all that mattered.

Saab's life: factory turbo engines before they became standard issue in everything Saab's death: Putting their future in the hands of a company with an insular and arrogant belief in its approach to the industry

Had a 1991 Saab 900i while I was stationed in Italy (2002-2006). The absolute best vehicle I have ever owned. It drove great and was very reliable. I would love to have that car today.

Bought a 1999 SAAB 9-3 on the day this video was uploaded. Started doing research on the car and found this video. I had no clue this brand had such an interesting history and huge cult following. I simply bought a cheap car that looked incredibly cool. Now I'm a die hard SAABER!! Excited to be part of this community 🖖🏼

It's always nice to see my hometown of Trollhättan in this, and if you ever go there I highly highly recommend visiting the SAAB Museum we got. Thanks for this awesome video.

There are so many reasons to be impressed by this video: The correct pronunciations of difficult Scandinavian/European Names and places; The detailed and painful clusterfuck of an ending of a trailblazing company that gave so much but was ultimately thought of as worthless; Their history and their technical insight, but to name a few. Thank you on behalf of all Saab owners, as regretful as we are at the demise of our beloved brand, we remain devoted to the cause. Once you are bitten by the Saab bug, you won't ever be free (not that you won't too). I have learnt so much that I didn't know, so many blanks have been filled in, and to sit through over 3 1/2 hrs of video whilst remaining enthralled, never bored is testament to your ability to engage your audience. I am on my 3rd Saab, having had a 9-3 Vector Sport 2.0T convertible, A 9-3 linear TTiD SE convertible I am now restoring a 9-3 Aero TTiD salon, as I said once bitten...... As sad as I am this video has made my day. Thank You.

German & Historian (Institute of Contemporary German History, Munich) here, i'm glad to see you continue to create Videos on the History of Cars. I always watch the Reviews until your Video a while ago on Volkswagen which included a lot of History and while that Video had 2-3 Mistakes (which is impressive from someone who both isn't a German Speaker nor a Historian!) it was a great watch and i was surprised about certain Details you added that most leave out of their Videos on the same Topic, making me hope to see you continue creating Videos with a Focus on History. Can't wait to watch this one and especially seeing the Length (the longer the better when it comes to a historical Topic) Prost & Cheers from Berchtesgaden in the Bavarian Alps (yes, Germans do capitalise a lot of Words and i still didn't get used to not doing that when i write in english, unless it's a Paper i write in english)

As somebody that has written and narrated long pieces for radio, I give this my absolute highest compliments. There's a lot of documentaries on "real" TV channels that are nowhere near as good as this was in the quality and presentation of the words. I can only wonder what could be done if RCR had the budget to find and use historic footage to match the stories.

As a sign of how great saabs really are, there were about 300 (almost entirely 35-40 years old) of them at the carlisle import car show a few weeks ago. That's out of ~1200 cars total.

I remember Dad's artist friend, Edith, had a Saab 96 in the 1960's & '70's. I think, that it was a 1960 model, which she bought new. It had a 2 stroke engine & freewheeling clutch. It road very smooth for a small car. It was completely reliable, back when few people expected any car to be. I remember thinking, that it must be a hassle having to make sure, that she put oil in the gas, I was just a young kid, so I didn't realize, that it really wasn't any trouble. I imagine, that most of the engine failures resulting in a warranty claims came from people loaning their Saab to a friend or relative, then that person failing to put oil in the gas. That's certainly been the fate of many boat motors over the years! I was intrigued, that it was front wheel drive, as that was unusual in the US at the time. It never once broke down.

Still driving a slightly modified manual transmission '01 9-5 Aero hands down best car I've ever owned 😮‍💨

Day 4 of watching this masterpiece. I'm taking my time to watch it and actually pay attention to the details. Being 30 I have a vague memory of SAABs when they were sold here in Mexico. The 2000's Saab 9-3 has a special place in my memories, and learning about the brand's history through your video has been a wonderful experience. It's always sad to see a car manufacturer vanish into history; every single one of them has printed their steps in popular culture, in one way or other.

even after the death of Saab, the fanbase is still going strong and stronger!!!

I have lived and breathed Saab since I was 16 years old and have owned every model from the classic 900 to the NG9-3. I still have 3, 7 if you count all the Saabs in my family that I look after. I took the death of Saab almost as hard as losing a parent. It was so painful to see the brand get these glimpses of hope over and over just to have it ultimately fizzle out. I love these cars and will always have one in my garage.

These stories are always super well-made, I always love seeing them. Much as the "life and death of ___" series might seem repetitive, I'd love to see a "Life and death* of Lancia". It's technically alive, but barely, and it's got a really cool history going back to even the 20s

I didn't really know anything about SAAB before watching this. In a few hours I've gone from not knowing anything about what I simply saw as a quirky and unusual brand, to someone who not only now knows something about SAAB, but perhaps more importantly, understands SAAB, when I didn't at all before. As a result I really felt the pain and tragedy of SAAB's demise. 😢 Thank you for putting the time and effort it must have taken to put this together.

When I saw that this was over 3 1/2 hours long I thought, I'll never get through it all, I just don't have the patience for things like that anymore. 3 1/2 hours later I'm wishing there was more. I'm going on Ebay to shop for an old SAAB now. Thanks!

i will never forgive GM for killing Saab

I appreciate your hard work in making this video . I’ve own a 2012 Saab 9-5 and always felt like that it was one of the most uniquely designed cars ever made . Thank you for your time

I've owned 3 Saabs - a 900, 2000 model 9-5 and a 2006 model 9-3. The last one I've still got so my son can learn to drive a proper manual. It was sad to see Saab go. Now my daily driver is a Jaguar XF R-sport but I still miss my old Saabs

Great work on this long form, nice to hear Romans voice as well. in the 80s, before Subaru became the Colorado car of choice, Saabs were everywhere in boulder. Not sure how much cross over between rcr and donut media, but I love that you both exist in RU-vid.

The difference between Saab and Pontiac or AMC is that Saab wasn't just like every other car but with a different grille and a different name on it. Saab was a clean sheet of paper design from engineers (as opposed to stylists) who recognized that a car is a machine, not a rolling sculpture, and wanted to make something that functioned better than the average car. Unlike some other car brands that have disappeared, Saabs didn't rely on gimmicks like DeLorean and Hummer and Tucker and Bricklin did. Saabs are best appreciated by people who understand engineering as opposed to judging cars by what they "look like".

My parents had a 1972 SAAB 99E. It was the best of cars and the worst of cars. It seemed to me that it had the perfect user interface, with all the controls perfectly proportioned, not too sensitive, not too anesthetized, with gentle feedback, not brutal, not effete. The suspension was supple without being soft. This may have been somewhat due to the fact that I was a new driver and the other vehicles I was learning in were a 1967 Dodge van and a 1973 Galaxie 500. It was the worst of cars. By 40K miles it had needed rebuilds on both the engine and transaxle. In addition it had experienced and intermittent short which would randomly discharge the battery. It spent several days and nights at the dealer with a short detector wired up. It had a fancy high tech hydraulic hose for the hydraulic clutch which allegedly didn't need hose clamps. This popped of twice. After the second time, a hose clamp miraculously appeared. The freewheel was still installed on this version, which was handy with no clutch. You had to start it with the starter with the clutch engaged, but then you could just lift off the gas pedal for all shifts until you had to stop again. The most fun bug was that the Bosch electronic fuel injection had an extra set of points, presumably for position and RPM information. Somehow it could run without then when they broke, but it was degraded. The main effect was that at idle it would start to die, then gun the engine. This was amusing, especially when my 40-something mother was driving. Now she was a car nut whose favorite vehicle was the original Mini Cooper. When I was 7 she did read me the names of all the cars we came upon. But stoplight grand prix was not her style. When that thing worked is was the sweetest of cars. But too often, it didn't work.

I recently bought a 2008 SAAB 9-5 at auction for $700. 165k miles, no rust and in very good shape. It was auctioned as an abandoned vehicle at an airport. It's amazing how fast it is for a 4 cylinder. Very comfortable and luxurious. Good handling and the trunk is huge plus the back seats fold down for more storage room.

Amazing y’all have done one for Saab. My favorite car brand since I was a toddler and my parents had one. Haven’t even watched this one and know I will love it. My 9000, 900, 95 aero wagon, all great cars and my goal is to one day restore a sash for myself, and both of my parents.

I enjoyed this and it brings back memories of the Top Gear segment done on Saab. I think the car world is worse off without the brand. It’s hard to speculate but maybe if the Ford deal had happened the brand would still be around just like other other brands Ford once had.

I inherited my dad's 2001 SAAB 9-5 3.0L Turbo earlier this year. I have been keeping it going in his memory because he loved that car. I never understood why he loved that car when I was younger but now that I have it I understand. Whenever I am driving around town I get people in newer more expensive cars look at it maybe not knowing what it is but others give me a thumbs up.

Having owned both AMC and a SAAB vehicles, I can say that your video story / histories are exceptionally informative, enlightening, educational AND entertaining. I thoroughly enjoyed them. Please continue your exceptional work. Also congrats and kudos to your hard-working team.

I didn’t know about Saab until back in 2011 when I first saw a 9-4X at a airport when I was 11 years old. The NG 9-5 was oddly a dream car of mine, luckily I found a 2011 9-5 Aero as a birthday gift when I was 18. It’s now a secondary car but it’s a very special car even though it’s based on the Epsilon 2 platform which is one of the better FWD based GM platforms at the time. I am learning more about Saab’s past models and aviation, but the final era of Saab is what caught my attention. The saddest thing about the discontinuation of Saab was that the NG 9-5, 9-4X was short lived, NG 9-5 SportCombi never came to the US, spy shot of a unfinished clay model of the next generation of the 9-3 never came to production.

The body design of the SAAB 92 was based on a Husqvarna concept from 1943. Although the Husqvarna was a three-wheeler and never came to be built even as a prototype. Even the 9-5 is becoming rare here now, many are still left in their home town but according to family member commuting past they do end up stranded on the motorway sometimes..... Many engineers went to Volvo/Polestar/CEVT after SAAB and we might not have gotten the kombi-kupé design on the Polestar 2 if SAAB had not went bust.

As an owner of 7 Saabs over the last 40 years including several AERO models I can say that they are some of the best cars I ever owned. The AERO/SPG models especially were jewels. Fast, infinitely comfortable, reliable and a grand canyons worth of space and storage. I’m sad they’re gone and I miss them.

I would love to see one of these on Volvo, Saab’s sister brand. It’s so interesting how their stories are quite similar in many ways (shared platforms, outside company interests, unique and often groundbreaking engineering such as Project Galaxy, Sweden’s most expensive manufacturing effort ever at the time that spawned the 850, a basic platform that was used for over 20 years that saved the brand from a fate similar to Saab) yet one died out while the other has and is currently thriving in its market. I know RCR likes to rag on Volvo for “boring” cars, and while many of their common cars may seem “boring” at first glance if you spend time around and in them you start to notice how special they really are. And there’s the history of the company and many of the more special models the brand put out being wonders of engineering for their time. Small facts like their 5cylinder rumored to have been a partner project with Porsche, or how a later iteration would be put into the Focus RS and put the Focus on the World Rally stage, or the brand’s insane willpower to make the C30’s all glass rear hatch work, or how Ford used Volvo-engineered platforms for many Ford and Land Rover models (that they claimed was their own of course). In fact, I’d say Volvo serves as an excellent case study on how Swedish culture as a whole operates as the company’s ethos was much different from many contemporary Euro, JDM or American brands. Marketing lines like “Old cars don’t die, they pass on.”, very much fitting of the Lagom culture Sweden embraces. Lee Iacocca would never!

Some notes from a current Valmet Automotive employee, firstly it't pronounced Walmet not Falmet. There actually is a biography made of Greta Molander, but it's in Norwegian so have fun with that. The first 99 finlandia was a one-off for the president Kekkonen but there were more lengthened 99:s and 900:s made later. Saab-Valmet produced 96 and 95 before the 99 and as you mentioned later made mostly convertibles. There were some funky variants developed in Finland, like one running on kerosene for tax reasons (like in the simpsons gag that was referenced in the Trabant video) and a unique 9000 with a saab V8 that was planned for the american market before the GM merger buried the project.

Listening to this while doing maintenance on my 99' 93 this morning before it gets to hot out. My swedish shit box was the first car I felt enthusiastic about and love it even if it's a pain sometimes. Truly fun to drive anywhere at any speed, still surprised with it's sleeper ability.

Congratulations on this definitive history of SAAB. This will be the historical reference of record about SAAB for a long long time. My family had five Saabs in the 80’s and 90’s and they registered hundreds of thousands of miles. Best built cars we’ve ever had. Not one engine or turbo failure even with just the oil cooled turbos. Our 9000 saved my wife when a fool pulled out in front of her while she was going 60 mph. The last one, my daily driver, a ‘86 900T gave up its life when a deer jumped out in front of me destroying the front and right side as it pirouetted down that side. I hardly even felt it and drove on to work. The SAAB club had some legendary meetings. I met Eric Carlsson, pa taket, (on the roof) at New Glarus, Wisconsin, where he was proud he found the hot tub where he could invite the girls to join him. At the convention at Kings Island I met David E Davis, Jr., our speaker. He was a true gentleman and car nut. I was part of the staff and I saw him arrive driving his car around the parking lot taking a long time looking at all the wonderful Saabs. He gave one of the best speeches I’ve ever heard. I’ll never forget the convention at the GM Heritage Center where we saw the historic Saabs. If we could do so today we would buy two new 900 Turbos without question.

Thank you so much for honoring SAAB, one of the brands i grew up learning about being proud of as a swede. So many thanks...you did a great Job ❤

Wow, thank you; his should be nominated for an Emmy. As a Saab loyalist you did an amazing job eulogizing a brand I fell in love with t as a child, and continue to use as my daily driver.

3 hours and 36 minutes?!? I'm gonna have to spread this one out over a few days.

A huge thank you for such a comprehensive history on Saab. You and your team have put in a huge effort for such a niche subject - rather like the Saab company itself. Cheers, a 1991 Saab 900 5 door owner.

I watched a couple RCR videos. Not my bag. I fell asleep a few hours ago and the algorithm decided to play this video. A 3.5 hour Saab fever dream. I feel some kind of way.

Just being 17 minutes in, I know this is gonna be one of the best videos I'll ever see on RU-vid. Period. Thank you for producing this.

I didn't really care that much about Saab for a long while as a kid, not because they're bad but simply because their presence in Malaysia was non-existent. However, I remember seeing the last 9-5 they made on Top Gear Magazine and even had the opportunity to see it twice over here on our streets! I still think it's an absolutely gorgeous car. As a young teenager I really wanted one, and was so sad to find out the company went bust before I could even have the chance. After that I watched a ton of videos on Saab and just fell in love with their cars and what I missed out on. And now I'm gonna see this video, thanks Roman! TLDR: I was too young to know about Saab much but fell in love the more I learned about them after the company went out, really looking forward to hear their story!

I just wanted to acknowledge and thank you and your team for all your hard work on this wonderful documentary.

Once GM stepped in, SAAB's eventual demise was no surprise. Maybe given GM's underestimated costs, impatience & complexities involved in changing a troubled course in the automotive industry furthered the impossibilities of rescuing SAAB. Also the fact GM had been headed for its own financial disaster for years-- as if their ingrown management had long lost touch with automotive buyers, enthusiasts and ultimately engineering-- was like a disease infecting all and everything around it. It seems as if GM was looking to make a quick buck to their bottom line-- believing they could buy their way out of their own impending corporate quagmire. It could also be that SAAB wasn't going to be a fit with anyone. Their time had long come and gone. The damage was irrevocable.

I'm only a third of the way in but I already have to congratulate you on this. I've loved each of these stories so far and this seems to be even more elaborate and fascinating. Apart from the insane level of detail and research in your writing, I love your narration. I'm in a quite nervous state right now and this is what I needed. Your narration manages to calm me down and lets me focus on he topic instead of my own thoughts more than anything else could. Thank you. Amazing work! Oh, and the way so say "End quote." in these videos is just amazing. It elevates each and every quote to a realm of otherworldly profoundness. "My farts are weapons. My truck doesn't need a horn. I'm not allowed onto airplanes cause the windows might burst." "End quote."

My dad worked with their V8 project in the 1980's that didn't go anywhere. It was effectively ready for production but the GM purchase fucked the project up and the Swedish part of the company wasn't very enthusiastic about it either.

My family has had Saabs for over 50 years. From my great-grandparents to me, we've had almost all of the models starting with the 96 (no 9-2x or 9-7x). I still daily drive a 9-5 wagon with almost 180k miles now. It will be difficult to eventually replace. Thank you for the excellent video on the brand, I always appreciate new Saab content!

Another great job. You're really impressive.

He did it.The madman did it. Holy crap.

The old APC system was fantastic! Instead of digitally manipulating fuel maps, there were about 4 adjustable potentiometers inside that you could adjust. It was also really easy transplant the APC system onto another engine; all you had to do was tap a threaded boss into the target engine's cylinder head for the knock sensor, and figure out a few taps on the turbo (inlet pressure, boost pressure, and a line to the vacuum operated blow off valve.

You're making THE definitive documentaries on these stories.

Worth every minute. Much new info, even for me - who have owned a few SAAB's and even worked at the plant in Trollhättan in a previous millennium. I worked there at the time GM entered, it was kinda sad times.

Awesome story. I owned a "real" '87 900 base, 8 valve non-turbo, 3 speed auto. Slow as snail but tons of personality. There is a Saab collector/service business in New Castle, DE that owns a myriad of rare Saabs including one of the six original Sonnet 1's. Really cool place to visit, the owner did historic rallies in it!

I remember when I was little, my dad (the man who introduced me to being an auto enthusiast) would get excited when we saw a SAAB and tell me about their fighter jet history and how their dashes and gauge clusters were styled after fighter jets, and id listen in awe about it. Thanks for the amazing video!

Saab is one of those manufacturers where most folks (at least in the US) don't even think about them at all, but then the few folks who were really into their cars were *really* into their cars. My mom and brother were both extremely into Saabs for a long time, and while I never understood why they liked them so much, it was clear that they had a huge affinity for them. They're like the Amiga computer of cars.

Stepdad had Saabs since I've been aware of my own existence, OG 900, gloriously comfortable and always leather smelling pre-fl 9-5 combi, silver aero fl 9-5 sedan with a gloriously abused by me rear bench seat heating, fl NG 9-3 combi V6 Aero manual basically full spec with tons and tons of Hirsch parts (effing amazing car), pre-fl 2006 NG 9-3 cabrio V6 Aero Anniversary Edition (beautiful cream interior and blue exterior) and finally NG 9-5 TTiD manual with a very high spec interior. We still have the 9-3 cabrio (we had it basically from factory) and it's almost exclusively driven by me now, which is amazing considering I remember sitting in the backseat of it for years going on trips while I was much younger. BSR exhaust, maptun ECU tune, original Hirsch parts, air intake that causes amazing turbo noises - about 300hp, shit tons of torque, buttery smooth aisin 6 speed automatic, such a good cruiser (that will struggle for traction at every situation and speed...), will definitely catch out many cars when it gets rolling, acceleration is addictively smooth and effective. Love SAABs, even if the check engine has been there on the dash nonstop for the past 4 years and something goes slightly wrong on it every 3 month...

Holy hell, 3 1/2 hours! I have a long drive next week, so I’ll be saving this one. Looking forward to it.

I’m driving a 9-3 to work as we speak. 14 years old and 147k miles. Spent about 200 bucks on coil packs. That’s it. In 10 years of ownership, I’ve spent 200 bucks on non-wear parts.

I really like the design of the last few SAABs. It still looks fairly modern to me. I'm always happy when I see a SAAB and I'd really like to drive one some time.

I had a Saab 9000. Loved it. Sold it to my Swedish car repair shop owner when I finished college. He still has it to this day.

Yes! Buddy i can’t wait to near this! I owned a 1987 900 Turbo Coupe and every single part was so incredibly expensive that I had to sell it. It drove great! But it was plagued with little things that I was constantly having to fix. Perfect example was a turbo vacuum hose that would love to pop off while driving which would disable the turbo. I didna clutch once it it costs almost three thousand dollars! A starter cost me eighteen hundred! However, when I think back about this car I always remember how great it drove and handled. Also the rear seats folded down and the cargo area was huge! I loved my Saab. I miss the idea of having a Saab, but I would never buy another one because repairs were so extremely expensive. Thanks Roman for this video. I flippin’ love your work!!!

Thanks RCR for making these types of in-depth documentaries

I bought my 97 SAAB se turbo convertible in 2002. Despite being finished in Monte Carlo yellow, this car turned many heads. It still does, 26 years later. The best car I've ever owned. 😊

SAAB being lost pains my soul. This documentary is beyond excellent, but also heartwrenching. Thank you for it! My first 900 was a -88 or -89 but it was cursed with bad luck. First my mom struck a deer, although the car only needed minor bodywork and a new headlight. Then a pretty huge tree fell over it in a storm. Only needed minor bodywork and a new side window. Then in 70km/h I drove straight into the side of a Volvo 740 who ran a red light, which shortened my car by about 50cm, the engine pushed up in a 45 degree angle and the wheelhouses for the front wheels touching the tires. I was completely unblemished and the car still started and was drivable, so I got a police escort to drive it home (which was only about a km away), but this was not fixable and it's next owner was the local junk yard. Nowadays I drive my second 900, a -92, and I've had it for 16 years. I wouldn't be surprised if I still drive it 16 years from now. Best car I've ever driven in so many ways.

It's finally here. And I will love it.

this is a certified Saab lore

I worked for the nations largest Saab dealer in Ramsey NJ. We sold a lot of Saabs Back then . Great cars. Great memories God I miss Saab

Fantastic video! I listened to this over a few days driving to and from work and this morning on the way in while I was listening I ended up behind a silver 93 convertible. I often see Saabs on the roads in Ireland and I was saddened when the company folded as I have appreciated them since I was driven around in one over a weekend with a school friend and his father in the early 90's. It was so different inside and out to my parents 87 Ford Seirra that it stuck in my mind ever since. I haven't driven a Saab but I very much want to after watching this video. Thank you so much for making it!

Wow!! i saw the whole thing. As a Saab fan i thank you for this. Not everyone knows these cars or their history. You guys always deliver🙏🏾.

I am so happy to see this finally posted. I didn't understand what is was about SAAB that makes owners love them so much, until I owned one. I hated my friends dad's red 1990 9000 wagon naturally aspirated, but I loved my jet black 1999 9-3 2.0L (1985cc) turbo 3-door hot hatchback. I have had the car since 2011, and it has moved me across the country because it has an insane amount of storage in the rear. It is a like having a full size wagon or SUV with the rear seats down. It is hard to describe why I like my SAAB 9-3 so much. Even though GM owned the company at the time, so many SAAB elements are present in the cabin you don't feel like you are in a GM product. The steering wheel is nice, so nice that Cadillac started using the SAAB steering wheels in their products. The seats are incredibly comfortable, and the car is a highway cruiser. I have the car tuned to 23 pounds of boost currently, but even with stock ECU settings the 9-3 can pass with ease. I would often be amazed that I was suddenly going 90 MPH passing someone when I was just going 55 MPH with stock ECU settings. SAAB could have been a success, but they often missed easy chances to save money and make a profit, which I don't even like to say because they made such amazing vehicles. Safety was clearly a concern in every vehicle SAAB made, and it saved my mechanics life, and the life of a friend of mine who rolled his 9-3 in the mountains. My mechanic was rear ended by a a semi truck going 40 MPH, into a trailer in front of him, and he was able to walk out and open the door even though the car was essentially a cube. My friend who rolled his 9-3 ended up on his roof, and was able to open the doors and walk out with no injury. I really feel safe driving my 1999 SAAB 9-3 compared to my 1999 Honda Civic or my 1997 Nissan D21 HardBody. It even feels much safer than my 1996 Infiniti G20. SAABs are safe, and if you are looking for a safe used car, that could also make monster horsepower on stock internals, a SAAB may be for you. Also, don't fear about getting new parts. OREO AB (not the cookies) is the official company making replacement parts for SAAB using the original tooling. The Swedish government essentially owns OREO AB, so it is not going out of business. Thanks for the video, and press "F" to pay respect to SAAB. F

I only owned one Saab, a 1967 model 93 Monte Carlo 850. I took it to Dreyer-Rheinbold, the Saab dealer in Indianapolis for a tune-up only to have them put the wrong sparkplugs resulting in a holed piston. It took a year to find a mechanic I trusted who swapped out the engine for a non-self oiler. Drove and loved the little 3 carb 2 stroke til a genius at Al's Auto Electric crashed it while in for service. Got a new Fiat 129SL in 74 which rusted as you watched. Later got a 75 Audi 100LS that was a good ride. Gave it to the wife in a divorce. No car I've since owned has had the spirit of the little red 67 Saab. Terrific video btw..

Watching cars being built all day, your videos are a true companion. Thanks for another history lesson!😉

My friend had a 9000 in high school. We drove that car like complete hooligans and it still ran like a top. We still both miss that car.

Nice timing, I sent my 2005 9-3 to the scrap yard just last month, RIP.

Great Presentation. Thank you for your time and effort to offer and present. These extended shows are a real treat.

Just wanted to say thanks roman...i download these three hour ones and watch and listen from florida to denver and back... its perfect timing and.very well done.... 🙌...they are run to watch again and again... so just wanted to say thanks... the amc one was awesome... saab has always been under rated....

I feel GM bought out Saab because of a good deed Saab did for the US during an unstart scenario with a SR71. Unit was flying by the Soviet Union when it suffered it and 2 Saab Griffin came and escorted it to safety. Later learned the Soviets had sent jets to either shoot the SR71 down or force it to land. Would have been billions of r&d wasted if they got the jet. Plus Sweden was a neutral country that risked it's ass to help the US. Was probably just for extra toe dips into the European market but maybe it was more.

there's something unusual with modern saab owners, they emit a certain aura that i don't think other cars can replicate.. like, the second you own a modern 9³, 9⁵ combi or even the 9000, boom. +100 intelligence

This is amazing - Thank You for this. I'll help promote this for the SAAB convention next month in South Dakota (especially as a 3x SAAB owner over the last 10 years.)

I know it’s cliché but I cried when my SAAB died. Thank you for doing this

Glad to see you do Saab. I've had 6 of them over the years, and always loved them.

I have a Saab 9-3 and I haven't been able to trade up because I literally can't find a car that's as good for reasonable money. Nothing matches fuel economy, practicality, performance and design for any sort of reasonable money. Had it been available as an RWD coupé, I'd probably keep it for life.

This documentary shows why the internet is important.Thank you!

This is an unbelievable documentary about SAAB well done !!!