[2] The last 9-5 sedan of the first generation rolled off the Trollhättan production line at the beginning of July 2009,[3] and the last wagon was assembled on February 1, 2010.

[9] The 'sludge' issue primarily affected earlier models between 1999 and 2003, and from 2004 a revised engine positive crankcase ventilation system (PCV) and the use of fully synthetic oil were introduced.

Offering a claimed 300 PS (296 hp; 221 kW) and 400 N⋅m (295 lb⋅ft) of torque, the Concept included the use of increased boost pressure and compression ratio.

[12] The 9-5 introduced Saab's Active Head Restraints (SAHR), which moved up and forward to prevent whiplash when the car was struck from the rear.

The basic structure included a robust passenger safety cage, front and rear deformation zones, reinforced door posts and pillars, as well as the "Pendulum B-Pillar", which combined high-strength low-alloy steel at chest and head height with tailored blank steel at the floorpan, designed to direct the crash forces down toward the floor.

Once activated, only essential information such as current speed is displayed except, for example, if the car requires fuel or the engine overheats.

While early models frequently had dash mounted cassette decks, CD changers were standard features on many cars and in-dash satellite navigation was also available.

The B235R engine of the 9-5 Aero is capable of providing immense torque and, in terms of acceleration, which outperformed the contemporary Porsche 911 Turbo from 40 to 90 mph.

This flagship model had a long list of standard features, a sport tuned suspension, and body side moldings.

The top-of-the-line 9-5 in its final model years is rated at 260 PS (191 kW; 256 hp) and 350 N⋅m (258 lbf⋅ft) of torque (370 N⋅m (273 lbf⋅ft) with its 20-second overboost function accessible on the manual transmission equipped version).

[14] The town of Vail, Colorado likewise used Saabs from 1980 onwards, but in 2005, the black 9-5 patrol cars were replaced by Ford Explorers, due to budget reasons.

[15] In 2006, Lothian and Borders Police in Edinburgh, Scotland, began operating three Saab 9-5 Aero 2.3T patrol cars as part of a fleet of 580 vehicles.

These 9-5s were customised to police specifications by the Saab, Vauxhall and Chevrolet Special Vehicles Operation (SVO) in Papworth, Cambridgeshire.

[16] In undercover guise, these cars were outwardly identical to the Linear Sport models, but featured the 260 hp Aero drivetrain.

[17] The second generation 9-5, built on the Global Epsilon platform was presented at the Frankfurt International Auto Show in September 2009.

While several prototype vehicles and a number of pre-production SportCombis were manufactured, the official variant did not enter serial production prior to Saab's bankruptcy in December 2011.

Turbo4 models come with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine and features that included power adjustable driver and passenger seats, leather upholstery, five-spoke alloy wheels, fog lamps, and rain-sensing wipers.

The Turbo4 Premium added a panoramic sunroof, headlamp washers, Saab parking assistance, keyless entry and start, memory seats, and 18-inch alloy wheels, while the Turbo6 XWD was powered by a turbocharged six-cylinder engine and features an all-wheel-drive system.

The top trim Aero featured 15-spoke “Rotor” 18-inch alloy wheels, leather-trimmed sports seats, a multi-color central information display, Bi-Xenon SmartBeam headlamps, dark titanium-effect interior trim, aluminum sports pedals, a sports-tuned suspension system with real-time damping, and Aero exterior elements.