Photo Credit: Saab Automobile AB

The final 2009 MY Saab 9-5 SportCombi, originally planned to end final production in March, ended today at the Saab factory in Trollhättan.

This now concludes all Saab 9-5 production models for the 2009 model year, as the sedan ended this past July.

It was kind of strange, that Saab History heard about this through an rss feed through Swedish publication, Teknikens World instead of directly from Saab Automobile themselves. I would check out the link here for more photos of the car however, it’s interesting.

Update: Saab Automobile Provides Press Release:

Out with the Old, In with the New: Final Current Generation Saab 9-5 Produced

* Last first generation Saab 9-5 rolls off Trollhättan production line
* Almost 500,000 produced since 1997
* Next generation 9-5 being prepared for launch this year

The last current generation Saab 9-5 to be produced, a silver Griffin edition SportCombi, rolled off the assembly line yesterday (1 February) at Saab’s Trollhättan plant in Sweden.

Almost half a million 9-5s have been produced since its launch in 1997 – 252,236 sedans and 231,357 SportCombis. This popular model, soon to be replaced by an all-new generation, introduced a number of industry innovations: active front head restraints (SAHR), ventilated seats, Night Panel instrument dimming, a charcoal interior air filter and Saab BioPower flex-fuel turbo technology.

The last Saab 9-5 is bound for the Saab Museum in Trollhättan, where it will join an illustrious line-up of all Saab’s key models. As it left the assembly line, a new chapter in Saab product history was beginning – the first all-new 9-5 sedans are already being produced at the world class Trollhättan facility ahead of launch later this year.

Contact:
Saab Automobile Press Office
Tel: +46 (0)520 279797

The last 9-5: an generation of a rolling band of today

Today at 12.30 last rolled Saab 9-5 from the first generation of the assembly line in Trollhättan. The art world were on hand to immortalize the moment.

World art photographer Glenn Lindberg is currently in Trollhättan, specifically in the Saab factory. Where has he for a little while ago, witnessed the completion of the last Saab 9-5 from the first generation, then the one you see on the pictures above and below.

16 June 1997 rolled off the first 9-5: an of the band. A SportCombi in red metallic with 150-horsepower light-pressure turbo under the hood and manual transmission. Today the car at the Saab museum in Trollhättan, Saab 9-5, which also number 483 593 will do, that is the car that rolled off the tape at 12.30 today, 1 February 2010.

This last copy of the outgoing 9-5 SportCombi is one of the color Snow Silver with a 2.3t BioPower engine of 210 horsepower under the hood. In terms of the equipment contains the most you can think of in a car, that is, leather upholstery, navigator, and much more – just like a Griffin Vector Sport Edition will have.

Saab 9-5 from the first generation produced in just over 12.5 years and during this period, we therefore had time to build 483 593 copies. It is slightly less than what its predecessor managed by Saab 9000, informs Peter Bäckström, head of the Saab museum, us. 9000 was produced in just over 503 000 copies, but it also made it over a slightly longer period, between 1984 and 1998.

We say thanks and farewell to the first generation Saab 9-5, which has done a good job in just over twelve years and welcome the new Saab 9-5 with open arms. And so we hope that the new 9-5, although new it would turn out to be an exceptionally good car, not a long-running series of the same rank as its predecessor.

Photo Credit: Gary Car Wheels

On the website, Gay Car Fans, they have received photos from a Saab employee stating that this is the final Saab car to leave the Saab factory for the year. This photo was taken as production at the factory stopped for 4-weeks until it ramps back up after the first week of January.

This car is a 2010 model year Saab 9-5 SportCombi 2.3T as seen in the photos that clearly look like it was taken by a cell phone camera. I thought cell phone cameras were not allowed in the factory? I remember when I took the tour in 2007 during the Saab Festival, we all had to put our phones in a box before the tour began and pick them up after. Perhaps employees are allowed to?

This vehicle should be placed in the Saab Car Museum regardless, as it is a piece of Saab History!

Here is the quote from the individual that posted the photo.

Yes,basically there are two option for a “final car” as i see it. Vehicles that has not yet begun it process in any of the assembly shops (body,paint and general/finish assembly) can not be included even if there is an order/VIN number etc.

I dont know why i couldn’t post my message, becuase i explained it there.

The first one, is the final car that is currently standing at the final gate on the driven line. It is about 2 meter left in order to falling of the line. It’s completed,but not tested and verifed. So when the cars has been tested and verified there once again a option for finding the “final car made”.

The car that is standing infront of the verifed once,ready to burn out from the factory and heading towards the seller is what i would call “THE FINAL CAR MADE”

Here it is on a photo (again sorry for the poor quality on these)

Photo Credit: Saab Automobile AB

This just in from Saab Automobile as posted on their Newsroom website

According to Saab’s Press Officer, Gunilla Gustavs “This deal for “certain” technology for the current 9-3 model line, and not for the 9-3 model itself, the current 9-5 model as well as some powertrain technology were sold to BAIC”

This is good to know, because it initially appeared that it was the 9-3 model which is incorrect, the only model being sold is the current 9-5.

it is important to know that the deal itself has no bearing on Saab’s sale process nor does it have anything do with the Saab brand. The vehicles and technology will end up with BAIC and will not have any reference or connection to Saab once acquired.

The price for the transaction was not mentioned nor was it not provided when requested as it was confidential.

Saab Automobile and Beijing Automotive reach milestone in technology cooperation

December 14 2009, Trollhättan.

Saab Automobile AB announced today that it had closed on the sale to Beijing Automotive Industry Holdings Co. Ltd (BAIC) of certain Saab 9-3, current 9-5 and powertrain technology and tooling. Saab will assist BAIC to integrate this technology into future BAIC vehicles.

Jan Åke Jonsson, Managing Director of Saab Automobile said: “This arrangement is excellent for both parties, now and for the future. We have developed a good relationship with BAIC and look forward to working with them to integrate this Saab technology into their future vehicles.”

• Saab closed on a sale of certain Saab 9-3, current 9-5 and Powertrain technology to BAIC

• Current 9-5 tooling will move to China where it will be used to make BAIC vehicles

• Saab will assist BAIC in integrating this technology into BAIC vehicles

Saab History has learned at the recent 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show that BAIC, the ones that just signed a memorandum of understanding with Koenigsegg, plan on continuing the old Saab 9-5 production in Beijing, China once the all new Saab 9-5 production begins in Trollhattan, Sweden.

Although the old 9-5 Sedan ended production during the first week in July and it’s 9-5 SportCombi counterpart will cease production in March of 2010, that production has been indicated to be continuing on in China at some point.

While all of Saab Automobile’s new products will be built in Trollhättan, Sweden, their old 9-5 now in its 12th year, will continue on for presumably the Chinese only-market. Initially learning about this plan, I was not alarmed as much as the news that came recently from TTELA who spoke to BAIC’s CEO Wang Dazong, where he indicated that he not only wants production, but technology and intellectual property rights from Saab Automobile as well.

I think that recycling a good product is one thing and keeping it alive is a nice idea for a particular market, (I wish they could have done this with the old C900), but wanting Saab’s technology and intellectual rights sounds exactly like what hurt Saab with GM all of these years and I don’t want that repeated with BAIC.

Saab History has learned that the current 9-5 SportCombi will be ending production in Trollhattan, Sweden by March of 2010, following the 9-5 sedan than ended production in Sweden in July of 2009.

Photo Credit: Saab Automobile AB

The final Saab 9-5 production model rolled off of the assembly line this week at the Saab factory in Trollhattan, Sweden.

The Saab 9-5 Sedan first debuted in 1997 as a MY ‘98 model, has been in production for 11 years and this model represents the end of it’s production run.

It’s first year of production, the 9-5 hit the 3 millionth Saab model to be produced, and as it’s demand spiked over its lifetime, it set a new level of unparalleled safety for Saab Automobile.

To learn more about the 9-5’s history, please take a look through the Saab History 9-5 archive for more information.

A sincere thank you to the folks at the Saab Automobile AB factory and press team for providing this photograph to Saab History today.

Image Credit: Saab Automobile AB

Saab Automobile has launched a print ad, perhaps in a series, emphasizing safety for the 9-5.

The bold headline really packs a nice punch and should be, in my opinion, continued here in the United States.

Very well done, here’s hoping we see more of this!

The Saab bridgestone ads that first came about in January of 2008 during the superbowl, have a new edition, this time with a current Saab 9-5 Sedan.

I like the video a lot because it features a 9-5, which I don’t think has really had any new television advertisements since the Born from Jets program back in at least 2006 or 2007 at the latest. Not only is it nice seeing the 9-5 on tv, it’s nice seeing the driver also looking out for other drivers!

Do you find that you owning a safe car like a Saab, makes you more alert and awake and better positioned to be one of the safer drivers on the road too?

The Saab Friction Tester Program has been running with a company called Sarsys in connection with Saab Automobile AB, formerly Saab-Scania AB since the mid-seventies.

Sarsys with head offices in Trelleborg, Sweden; continue to push the envelope when it comes to intelligent design and engineering of the Saab friction tester systems that are well integrated in the Saab automobiles, in order to keep the runways safe at airports all around the world.

The first Saab friction tester or SFT for short, first debuted in a Saab 99 and since then the it has been outfitted in a Saab 900, 9000, NG900, 9-3 and the 9-5.

Today, there are many Saab Friction Testers in use from an original 1986 Saab 900 in Burlington, Vermont to two facelifted Saab 9-5 SFT’s in Munich, Germany.

According to rumor, there has been talk about an old Saab 900 that has been operating at Logan Airport in Boston, Massachusetts. As part of my quest for more information, I managed to get in touch with the folks that manage Logan Airport in Boston, Massachusetts, Massport to set up a visit to explore this further.

As part of my visit thanks to the folks at Massport after arriving on a SAAB 340, I learned that this rumor was in fact true, however that 1986 Saab 900 was replaced in 2005, with what but another Saab, this time a 2005 Saab 9-5 Wagon/Combi.

This opportunity involved getting the chance to literally be escorted out onto the runway at Logan International Airport with an experienced Saab Friction Tester pilot from Massport. As we drove out onto the runway, I got to learn about not only why the SFT was chosen again due to it’s unique integration of systems that no other competitor has been able to match, but also it’s all-weather abilities that are unique to Saab. The timing of opportunity was done in the spring/summer/fall (maintenance mode) part of the year opposed to the most demanding time, the winter otherwise scheduling may not have permitted.

The runway testing began with an overview on systems, then a run-through on how the systems operated in motion as we drove at a steady 40mph in this rightsized 4-cylinder 2.3t powered Saab 9-5 complete with automatic transmission and paddle shifters.

The object with the friction tester is to be able to accurately report friction coefficients on all of the runways at any given time. The system that is well integrated into the SFT, involves the following.     

* An electronic calibration friction coefficient measuring system with handheld device.
* A 350 gallon water tank spanning rear seats and trunk.
* A hydraulic wheel that is controlled to be raised and lowered onto the runway that sprays water onto the wheel to be measured.
* A reduced fuel tank of only 5 gallons.

After experiencing a few run-throughs of the system in operation from start to finish spanning approximately 1,500 feet on a few runways, I got the surprise of a lifetime. I was handed the keys as I was offered to test drive the Saab Friction Tester myself literally on the same runway at Logan Airport.

As you will see as part of the video provided, I managed to keep the speed limit around 40 with some variations, I finally got to experience a modern Saab Friction Tester from the driver’s seat.

I have said it before and I will say it again, it continues to make me happy that Saab Automobile, born from jets and known for safety on the roads and in the air, utilizes an automobile to ensure safety for their aircraft counterparts.

It is my hope that my review (writeup & video), not only proves that the rumor that this Saab Friction Tester exists, but it serves as an educational and informational example of the need for Saab Friction Testers at not only Saab’s number one market in the United States (the North East region) but other airports that strongly value safety for any and all of their commercial and freight aircraft.

Test driving a Saab Friction Tester at Logan Airport in Boston, Massachusetts, a major international airport in that represents a region which has one of the largest amounts of Saabs per capita in the United States was a an opportunity that I will never forget.

I want to thank all of the folks at Massport that managed to take time out of their day to organize the necessary logistics and schedules in order for me to have this experience to share with others here on Saab History.

The Saab 9-5 that debuted in 1997 as a 1998 model year involved many years of product development and testing.

As you may also know, the 9-5 was the successor to the Saab 9000 model that was developed through a joint venture with Fiat / Lancia / Alfa Romeo dating back to the late nineteen seventies, with the Saab 600 as the first model launched from this joint venture.

There were many designers & engineers responsible for the development of the 9-5 such as Tony Catignani to Einar Hareide to Dan Chasins as well as now President of Saab Automobile AB, Jan-Ake Jonsson.

What’s interesting is that the next generation 9-5 which was supposed to debut around 2005, was planned to be developed off of a joint venture Saab 9-5 / Fiat “premium” platform. That was the original plan as Saab history has come to find out. Of course we know that original plan was shelved back in 2002 by General Motors and now the 9-5 continues on wrapping up it’s 12 year tenure with the 2009 Saab 9-5 “griffin edition”.

I would like to know if there are still any lingering products in the future that Fiat & Saab Automobile have developed, who knows, maybe there is a future between them in some fashion?

Here are the some additional details from what someone entered in WikiPedia:

GM/Fiat Premium platform
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Premium platform is General Motors and Fiat’s high-end automobile platform. The architecture debuted with the Alfa Romeo Brera. Even after the dissolution of the GM/Fiat partnership, both companies retain the rights to continue developing Premium-derived models, though no GM versions are known.

The platform was mainly developed in Sweden by Saab, with input from Alfa Romeo, Holden, and Opel/Vauxhall. Saab stopped development of its Premium automobile in late 2002; the Saab models (the 9X sports car and the replacement for the 9-5 sedan) would have used an entirely different suspension than the Alfa Romeo vehicles, which would have proved too expensive. The platform debuted in 2003 with the Opel Insignia concept car, thought this vehicle was not produced. A planned Buick model was also dropped. In the end, only the Alfa Romeo models moved forward.