Friday 11th May 2012

Final right-hook Saab 9-3s up for grabs

Everything must go: Last 26 RHD 9-3 Convertibles have landed in Blighty

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The final 26 right-hand-drive Saab 9-3 Convertibles - possibly the last-ever new Saabs bound for Blighty - are now for sale in the UK.

The cars are available through any one of Saab's 87 'Authorised Repairers', having been hand-finished by the ANA Saab dealer in Saab's home town of Trollhattan.

Astonishingly for such a small consignment of cars, there are four engine options, and three trim levels. The engines are the more powerful and fuel-efficient 2012-year upgrades, and so are a pretty rare spec, with either a 163hp or 220hp 2.0-litre turbo petrol, or a 160hp or 180hp 1.9-litre twin-turbo diesel available.

Trim levels are the SE, Aero or Independence Edition models, the latter of which is based on the Aero, but features (among other bits and bobs) a unique Amber Orange metallic paint finish five spoke, 18-inch alloy wheels with a satin chrome/black finish, and parchment sport leather seats.

Powered by the 180hp bi-turbo diesel, the Independence Edition will be particularly rare, as only seven examples were imported in 2012, and only seven more are still available.

If you've got a sentimental soft spot for Saabs, and fancy owning a piece of Swedish motoring history, prices for these last remaining Convertibles start from £22,750.

Alternatively, of course, you could always have a browse through the secondhand Saabs on offer in the PH classifieds...

[mattharvey12]

One of these Independance edition's sold my dealership just last month.

Went from Reading to Preston.

Outright cash sale as well i believe

[Wadeski]

Quite a lot of car for twenty two grand. thats Golf / Astra money these days!

[PaperCut]

I would want to know what the residual value after you've driven it away is! I'm not going to put a figure on it, but it can't be good!

[anything fast]

I will be happy to buy one as long as it BOGOF.. or will they just tell me to bog off?

[wormburner]

£23K!!!!

These will go for, my guess, £13k.

[tbc]

nice car

you can get some stonkerly good 2007 9-3's for £4-5k

[Evo]

I remember at my previous company we were buying brand new Saab 93 Tid saloons for £11000 and that was 4 years ago.

I'll bet they go for aot less than £22k also.

Not bad cars though I sold my Aero Convertible prior to the first wave of problems with Saab going bust.

[traffman]

A possible investment for the future?

In around 50 years.

[Devil2575]

I saw a very tidy looking 2005 9-5 2.2 TiD Vector with leather for sale they other day for £2150

A lot of car for the cash but criminal depreciation.

[gabbo]

few years ago i had 9-3 aero convertible and it was awful, poor ride, leather felt more like plastic and wore really easy. Poor customer service from the local dealer too.

[Kazlet]

I wouldnt give you a fiver for one.

[El Shafto]

Definitely good value in today's market. Although Saab has always been a very polarizing brand. I last drove a 9-3 back in 2009, but didn't have a bad word to say about it! Well put together, reliable, and great value for money (which incidentally is why they went bust - they were under-pricing their own products). For me they always seemed to perform above their station as well. Great engines that felt like they had more power than they actually did and gripped the road brilliantly.

How can you dislike the first manufacturer to effectively turbocharge an every day road car? Their place in automotive history is secure based on that alone.

[Tim16V]

It looks really good in that spec despite it's age.

[wormburner]

El Shafto said:

Well put together, reliable, and great value for money (which incidentally is why they went bust - they were under-pricing their own products). For me they always seemed to perform above their station as well.

Huh? They were 5% cheaper than BMW and Mercedes, and probably 20% more expensive than Ford and Vauxhall, but the cars were nowhere near doing justice to their prices.

A new Saab or a new Volvo? No quandary at all.

[Deranged Granny]

mattharvey12 said:

One of these Independance edition's sold my dealership just last month.

Went from Reading to Preston.

Outright cash sale as well i believe

What a clever car to do that all by itself.

[cronk-flakes]

[pedant]
It's actually Trollhättan. The 'ä' is a completely different letter of the alphabet to a regular 'a'
[/pedant]



Back on topic, I really like these cars and whoever gets one will surely pick up a bargain....

[va1o]

I'd quite like one but the prospect of selling it on and lack of a proper manufacturer warranty scares me! Price is competitive against a new 3-series or A5 convertible though.

Anyone know if the 1.9 TTiD in these managed the same 119g/ km CO2 rating as it did in the saloon? That would give it a decent selling point.

[andreas542]

Living in Sweden, I've noticed a very odd and unexpected change in the value of second hand Saabs. Instead of plummeting in value they've skyrocketed, a friend of mine has just paid the equivalent of £3k for an 02 9-5 Vector. A same-age car would've fetched only £2-£2.5k a year ago!

Fantastic cars though, they corner like they're on rails! But then again, I suppose I am biased!

[J4CKO]

I had Saabs for eight years, I liked my last 9-3 Aero new shape but I proffered and loved my previous pov spec old shape one, lovely old thing, the 150 bhp engine was fantastic, no way was that only 150 bhp, felt as quick as my aero and was fast enough to keep a CTR and a Cooper S honest in a straight line, it didn't handle but it rode well and sometimes softer springs and balloon tyres look slow but in reality allow better progress than the whole s line paradigm, it is still around as well, I miss it, that model Saab gets slagged but it was one of my favourite cars, like the proverbial comfy old slippers.

[K2MDL]

I was brave enough (read mug enough) to buy "out with the bath water" new shape 9-5 three months ago.

Despite its indifferent reviews (aimed mainly at the handling/suspension on the very first 2010 cars which Saab later rectified), at 1/2 price I always get a grin on my face walking up to it and seeing the amount of kit, build quality and comfort (let alone 55+ MPG on motorway) and its uniqueness and reminding myself I paid just £16k.

3 year Saab warranty cost me another £399, but I still recon its a good buy.