Saab 9-5ng TTiD4 XWD Automatic Chassis 005 – A “Frickeboa” Pre-Series Car Reappears in Sweden

When Shaun Major from Bilweb Auctions reached out about a specific 2010 Saab 9-5NG, it was immediately clear this was not another well-kept Aero with low mileage. This is chassis number 5 (YS3GN4BK3A9000005) – one of the ten hand-assembled pre-production cars built in Saab’s internal development department known as “Frickeboa.”

The estimate sits at 250,000–300,000 SEK (roughly €28,250), while bidding is still modest ahead of the February 18 closing. But the number on the screen is only one part of the story. The real interest lies in what this car represents within the short and complicated production life of the second-generation 9-5.

The Frickeboa Ten – Saab’s Final Validation Batch

Before full-scale production of the Saab 9-5ng began in 2010, Saab assembled ten production-ready validation cars. Internally, the department handling these builds was referred to as “Frickeboa.” These were not early press demonstrators or concept vehicles. They were complete, road-legal cars intended to verify final drivetrain and equipment combinations.

They received chassis numbers 1 through 10.

Chassis 005 belongs to that group. Unlike the regular production cars that followed, these were hand-assembled and configured in combinations that do not always match the later official sales catalogues. Some of those combinations never made it to public price lists at all.

This car is one of them.

A Diesel XWD Automatic That Never Entered the Brochure

Under the hood sits Saab’s 2.0-liter twin-turbo diesel (TTiD4), rated at 195 hp. It is paired with the six-speed Aisin automatic transmission and Saab’s Haldex Gen 4 XWD system. On paper, that makes it one of the most technically complete diesel configurations Saab could offer at the time – strong torque delivery combined with all-wheel traction.

But the combination of TTiD4, XWD, and automatic transmission never officially appeared in the 2010 order guide.

Within the Frickeboa ten, only one car was built in this exact specification – this one. That detail alone places chassis 005 in a narrow niche inside an already low-volume production story.

The NG 9-5 itself was produced in limited numbers before Saab’s 2011 collapse, with estimates hovering around 11,000 units globally. The Frickeboa cars sit outside normal production accounting, occupying a transitional phase between engineering validation and retail reality.

From Test Registration to a Skid Training Facility

Chassis 005 was registered temporarily as NRW140 while it was driven on public roads during its testing phase. After Saab’s bankruptcy, the car left factory hands and entered a far less glamorous chapter.

It was sold to a local driver training facility specializing in low-traction and skid exercises. To support that function, the car received an additional brake pedal in the passenger footwell and equipment designed to simulate slippery conditions.

There was one fundamental mismatch: the car was equipped with XWD. All-wheel drive reduces the type of predictable rear-axle slip typically required for educational skid training. According to the seller, the car was never truly used for that purpose.

The auxiliary brake pedal remains installed today, visible in the passenger footwell. It is reportedly removable and not structurally invasive, but its presence underscores how unusual this car’s post-factory path has been.

Several years later, it was acquired by a workshop dealing in components from Saab’s bankruptcy estate. The current owner purchased it around five to six years ago, and since then it has largely been stored.

Condition: Honest and Consistent With Storage

With 28,358 km recorded, mileage is low. The car reportedly starts immediately and runs well. Due to winter conditions, a full dynamic road test was not possible during inspection, but the gearbox engages correctly in both directions and the engine operates smoothly.

Time in storage, however, leaves its own fingerprints.

There are minor corrosion bubbles near the upper windshield frame and around the rear glass. These appear consistent with stone-chip damage that later allowed moisture beneath the paint layer. The rear LED light strip – a known weak point on early NG 9-5 models – functions only partially.

The paint overall presents well, with the typical stone chips and bumper marks expected on a fifteen-year-old executive sedan. Underneath, light surface oxidation is visible in isolated areas, but no structural damage has been reported.

Inside, the dashboard is intact and free of pixel failure. That is significant on NG models, where display replacement can be both expensive and programming-intensive. The seats are complete and well preserved, with functioning heaters and height adjustment. The central dash key sensor shows some wear, which is cosmetic rather than mechanical.

Battery-related warning messages are present, likely the result of long-term storage. A new battery and thorough recommissioning service would be expected for any buyer planning road use.

The Registration Barrier

One element complicates the picture.

The owner attempted to register the vehicle again with Swedish authorities but was asked to provide a Certificate of Conformity (CoC). Without it, registration has not been granted.

This is unusual given the car was previously road-registered for testing. It suggests that this specific configuration may not have completed full homologation documentation under standard retail channels.

Some of the other Frickeboa cars are reportedly registered in other EU countries, which indicates the issue may be procedural rather than technical. Still, it creates friction for a Swedish buyer seeking immediate road legality.

For a collector, the situation may be manageable. For someone expecting a straightforward registration process, it is an important consideration.

Market Position and Realistic Expectations

The estimate of 250,000–300,000 SEK positions this car well above typical diesel NG 9-5 market values in Sweden. Standard TTiD examples without special provenance generally trade considerably lower, while Aero Turbo6 XWD models command stronger enthusiast interest.

This car is not positioned around performance appeal. It is positioned around documented factory pre-series origin and configuration uniqueness.

At the time of writing, bidding remains relatively low compared to estimate. Swedish auctions often show minimal activity until the final hours. Whether collector interest pushes it toward estimate will reflect how much weight the market assigns to the Frickeboa story.

Where Chassis 005 Fits in the Saab Narrative

The NG 9-5 was Saab’s final executive platform, built on GM’s Epsilon II architecture but heavily recalibrated in suspension tuning, chassis rigidity, and safety systems. It represented Saab’s attempt to re-enter the upper-segment market with a car that combined Scandinavian restraint with modern platform sharing realities.

Chassis 005 sits at the intersection of that ambition and the collapse that followed. It is not the highest-spec NG ever built. It is not the fastest. It is not an Aero.

It is something narrower and arguably more historically specific: a hand-assembled validation car in a configuration never formally offered to customers.

That makes it meaningful primarily within Saab’s own internal timeline rather than within broader automotive investment circles. For a Saab-focused collector or historian, that distinction carries weight.

For the broader market, the closing hammer price will ultimately define how much that distinction is worth in monetary terms.