| By :
Jackie De Burca
While driving the Saab 9-5 Vector in the past months I have come to realise that it is not just a car, but also gives you a sense of belonging to a community. It makes me feel like a film director or script writer, not sure which yet!! The Saab brand brings about an attachment at the emotional level which does not happen in case of other brands, as most fans of the car will proclaim. You will find this sentiment displayed quite clearly all across the web in various discussions. The discussions and write ups on the Saab will usually centre on the brand and is less focused on the product as such. The common feeling one gets is that this car is the favourite of the elite who are liberals like writers, teachers, and artists and such. Popular publications like the LA Times are supportive of this particular view and have given examples of the Saab being used in films like the wine guzzling epic "Sideways", and other movies like "The Bourne Supremacy", "As Good as It Gets" and "High Fidelity". The suggestion being, you purchase a Saab not for the sake of a car, but for whom you take yourself to be. The Saab Vector 2.0TiD SE has a distinctively refreshing and unique appeal coupled with a powerful road presence, which in itself is a strong reason emotionally for owning one. But the car also needs to stand out in the spreadsheet prepared by your accountant, to include it as an esteemed member of your fleet. Well it does shine on paper as well, as the cost is a little below £26,500 which looks quite competitive given the fact it comes with quite a few items as standard equipment. As for the car itself, it packs quite a bit of power at 4,000rpm and 160bhp with its 2.0 litre engine. The torque itself is 350lb-ft at an rpm of 1,750. As for the economy you are likely to get 47mpg which is quite good, as opposed to the 53.2mpg which is usually advertised. The car also delivers a good overtaking at 9-5 surges which takes you from 30 to 70mph with ease in the third gear. You also have the sixth gear where the engine is going at 1,800rpm and delivering a speed of 70mph. It is also quite a clean vehicle which gives off CO2 at 139g/km and a BIK bill of 19%. The residual value of the Saab surprisingly does not seem great, as CAP predicts a value of £7,150 which is 27% return after 60,000 miles or three years; or a 20% return at £5,225 after 80,000 miles or four years. So, if you include depreciation and cost of fuel, the Saab is going to cost you 43.64 pence per mile for 60,000 miles or three years and 38.22ppm for 80,000 miles or four years. Compared to the Saab, the BMW SE 520d has a better residual value of 35% and 26% for three and four years, and the respective miles, but the list price is much higher at £30,000. In such a case the pence per mile for BMW would be 42.82 and 38.33 which is quite similar to the Saab. Although there was quite an upheaval for Saab the confidence of the buyers has not eroded as it is apparent by the sales figures of November which showed an increase by 220%. But it also still embodies the spirit of belonging to a community with only 600 units sold. Do you feel that the Saab Vector 2.0TiD SE could play a part in your company fleet? It does offer a nice company car tax rating (19% tax band) which is an added attraction. Owned these days by the small Dutch firm, Spyker, Saab is hoping to make a comeback. Dan Trent, writing for the UK newspaper, the Sunday Times in a review said that "After years in the GM wilderness, it's certainly a step in the right direction."
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