Saab and Volvo Spotting - Summer 2021

Summer's here and of course we found plenty of classic Volvo and Saab. A lot of the finds will get their own posts, but I will include some highlights in this section. This season features a more modern cars than past entries, but there are some classics sprinkled in! I hope you enjoy the finds!

July 2, 2021: 2002 Saab 9-5 Sedan

This Saab was found by Sam at the North Providence Auto Salvage Center. Sam was visiting the salvage yard to find a potential candidate for a car to restore, at the time being a 1965 Buick LeSabre Sedan, which ended up being too far gone to restore. He found this 9-5 while walking into the yard, which is where I'll let him take over...

Sam: "Knowing David's affection for Saabs, I knew I had to photograph this when I was immediately greeted by it upon entering the yard.  It's a 2002-'05 Saab 9-5 according to David.  It was gone when I went back again this past year (2022), so I guess it probably got gradually stripped and then crushed.  Most of the late-model cars in the yard meet this fate."

July 24, 2021: Volvo 240 Estate

While out driving, I spotted this old 240 parked on the side of the road in Downtown Providence. I hastily took a quick picture of it while driving by, and it honestly didn't come out half bad! This 240, like the many other street parked Volvos found, looked well loved and like it had seen many miles driven from city to city. I never saw this 240 after photographing it here, but I hope to see it again, as I'd love to get better photos of it. 

August 6, 2021: 1985 Volvo 245 Estate

Although its a bit tough to see, this is a very clean example of an '80s Volvo. I believe I remember seeing this car up on Facebook Marketplace as well, although the owner was asking a lot more than normal for most 240s, and it stayed up for a while. 

August 18, 2021: 2010 Saab 9-3 Aero w/ Hirsch Performance Package

This was spotted on Thayer street in Providence on a night out. I was already excited to see a Saab wagon, not to mention an Aero wagon for that matter too. When I got closer to the car, I noticed a little silver marker on the top right of the grille. It was indeed the emblem of a little moose, the mark of a Hirsch Performance package car. These are already very rare to come across in the wild, so I was pretty ecstatic to see one street parked, as you could imagine.

August 19, 2021: 2003 Saab 9-5 Aero Sedan

This Saab 9-5 Aero has been parked in this exact spot for some time, so I found it appropriate to photograph the car for posterity. It isn't anything special like that 9-3 Hirsch above, but it is an early model 9-5 Aero, so I think that makes it worth photographing.

August 25, 2021: 2005 Saab 9-2X Aero - The "Saabaru"

The 9-2X is an interesting Saab. It was only sold from 2005-2006, and is very clearly a Subaru Impreza with a Saab front end. Affectionately nicknamed the "Saabaru," these have become a cult classic. You get the Subaru Impreza WRX parts, but also with a Turbo, and all for a cheap price because its a Saab, and not a WRX. So, that being said, these cars are sleepers. This Saabaru is an Aero, making it a performance tuned model, with handling and parts found in a WRX STI. 

August 28, 2021: Saab 9-5 w/ 5 Speed Manual Transmission

This 9-5 has a 5 speed manual transmission. Saab sold more automatic transmission cars in the US, so this is not something you see normally, but still pretty cool. Otherwise, this is a 9-5 "Arc" which was the mid trim level 9-5. 

The base was known as the linear and the top was the coveted Aero. The difference was essentially in the engine. A linear got you a low pressure turbo, but with the Arc and Aero, you got the full pressure turbo. And that, my friends, is some more unnecessary Saab history for you.