Saab 9-5 Sportwagon (2011) prices and revised 9-5 range

Saab has seemingly rushed through a series of upgrades to the 9-5 range just 11 months after going on sale. The UK launch was marred by indifferent reviews in many quarters and the company hopes the latest revisions will give the new 9-5 more of an edge.

Saab also today announced UK pricing for its new 9-5 Sportwagon estate, and a range of revisions for the 9-5 saloons, including revised suspension tuning and more efficient engines.

The 9-5 Sportwagon was unveiled at the 2011 Geneva motor show, and CAR's Chris Chilton has driven pre-production 9-5 Sportwagons on UK roads. Prices for the 9-5 Sportwagon start at £28,195 for a 9-5 Vector SE, with the 158bhp 2.0TiD turbodiesel engine and six-speed manual transmission.

The upscale Aero spec starts at £30,995 with the 187bhp 2.0TTiD twin turbodiesel/six-speed manual combination. The upper extreme of the 9-5 Sportwagon range is the four-wheel drive, 2.8-litre V6 automatic 9-5 Aero XWD, at £39,195. As confirmed in our pre-production drive story, the 9-5 Sportwagon is priced £1200 above the equivalent saloon. 

Saab engineers have been at work in the UK, retuning the 9-5's standard and optional adaptive damping suspension systems to work more effectively on UK roads. A further revision of front spring rates, damper settings and suspension bushes aims to improve ride quality and steering feel on Vector SE spec cars. Aero specification now brings GM's HiPer Strut front suspension (as used in the Insignia VXR and upcoming Astra GTC to quell torque steer) along with revised power steering and DriveSense adaptive dampers.

Saab has also fine-tuned its GM-derived four- and six-cylinder engines to deliver an average 4.7% improvement in fuel economy and emissions. The base 2.0TiD diesel now offers 125g/km CO2 emissions in the saloon, 128g/km in the Sportwagon, down from 139g/km in the current 9-5 saloon. 

Inside, the Saab 9-5 saloon and Sportwagon get revised facia trim and a standard eight-inch LCD multifunction display, with sat-nav and DAB digital radio. Options include a reversing camera, radar cruise control and head-up display.

The new Saab 9-5 range will be available from autumn 2011, with orders open from today at Saab dealers.

1 March 2011 - Saab Phoenix concept (2011) at Geneva motor show

5 April 2011 - Latest Saab production halt raises concern

11 April 2011 - Saab's latest factory shutdowns 'just a blip'

16 May 2011 - Saab announces new China Joint-venture

16 June 2011 - Saab 9-5 Sportwagon (2011) prices and revised 9-5 range

24 June 2011 - Saab unable to pay wages as financing crisis deepens

27 June 2011 - Saab secures more funds as it seeks to avert collapse

28 October 2011 - Saab is sold again: two Chinese makers buy Saab

1 November - Saab 9-3: is this the new 2013 hatch

By Mark Hamilton