When I heard Saab would be “winding down”, the first thing that popped into my head was the new 9-5.  All that work.  All that development.  For nothing?  Surely, someone would step in and save the day.  Thanks to some last-minute heroics and a lot of money, that someone turned out to be Spyker.

Not everyone shares my enthusiasm for the 2010 9-5, which puzzles me.  After all, this has to be the most Saab-like Saab we’ve seen in quite a while.  To that point, I present exhibit A: The blacked-out A-pillar.  Starting with the 99, Saab sedans emphasized a wrap-around DLO graphic, referencing the brand’s rich aviation heritage.  The classic 900 took this cue even further, with its almost non-existent A-pillar.  Obviously, such thin pillars won’t work with today’s cars, so an A-gloss black-out completes the graphic here.  Even the caps on the mirrors are A-gloss black so they won’t interrupt the theme.

Exhibit B: The sweeping rear deck, which also recalls the 900 sedan.  The previous 9-5 and 9-3 had more conventional rear ends, which didn’t help distinguish them on the road.  With the new 9-5, the brand is definitely reconnecting with the attitude that made their products stand out in the first place.   The hockey stick C-pillar, another Saab trademark, looks even better under these optimal conditions.

Inside, the instrument panel features the driver-oriented approach that Saab is famous for.  But in the wake of Audi’s new interior direction, this theme, quite honestly, seems a bit dated.  Paradoxically, the high-tech nature of the center stack emphasizes this condition.  Will the die-hard Saab customer be disappointed?  I doubt it.  Still, I recall more progressive interpretations of Saab’s interior DNA on past show vehicles, like the 9-3x.  Perhaps a refresh a few years down the line will address this…

Overall, the 2010 9-5 is an impressive product that should breathe new life into the Saab brand — and justify Spyker’s substantial investment.  It faces stiff competition, to be sure.  But thanks to a renewed focus on what makes a Saab a Saab, one thing is for certain — it won’t be mistaken for anything else.