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2.3T Turbo Edition / Aero Turbo Edition

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23t edition
14K views 14 replies 9 participants last post by  Grossy  
#1 ·
Hi,

I am looking at a 2009 15K mile 2.3T manual estate next week. However I am a little confused by the spec. Looking at the equipment and technical spec they appear identical to the aero (including sports suspension).
The car is 'glass grey' with black / parchment leather - not sure this will be to my taste! Anybody have this combination?

Am I correct in thinking that these are identical to an aero - apart from the badge on the back? I have subsequently seen turbo editions with an aero badge on the back
 
#2 ·
I have one. The 2.3T Turbo Edition took over from the Aero in 2009 and has the same specification. The extra badge was probably stuck on by an Enthusiast as it is not standard. It is my belief that some insurance companies rate the new model cheaper than the Aero as it does not sound so powerful.
 
#3 ·
Some cars badged as Turbo Editions are actually full Aero’s marketed as Turbo Edition's and registered as Turbo Editions by the selling dealer but the Saab SMS system has them recorded as full Aero's! This was probably a way of getting some bonus out of Saab and allowing them to be sold for a considerably reduced price when new. Others are were in fact built and marketed as 2.3T Turbo Editions though they are in fact Aero's minus some badging. An easy way to determine whether a car started life as an Aero or as a Turbo Edition is to check the two front door kick plates, a car that started out as an Aero will have the Saab Aero logo on the kick plates and the Aero logo on the boot, ones that were built as 2.3 Turbo Edition's have a 2.3T logo on the boot lid and either plain front kick plates or kicplates with the Vector Logo on them!

There are Turbo Editions model with the 1.9 TiD engine, the 150 bhp 2.0t engine and the 2.3t 185 bhp engine as well as cars with the 260 bhp 2.3T engine, however all the 260 bhp cars I have bought and sold have a very full specification with Nav and lots of other stuff, while the less powerful models all seem to have just the Leather and heated front and rear seats.

Call me if you would like any help, I am sure you know how to find me.
 
#4 ·
Also if it does not have the Navigation it would be best to check that it is a 260 bhp HOT, it would seem that if they have the usual Aero interior with either the "Black" with Parchment accents or Parchment with black accents it probably started life as an Aero, though if it has the Prestige leather it will not have the inserts, I did have one that had "perforated seats" that is the Prestige Leather with ventilated seats without the ventilation fans, that car was a 2.3T 260 bhp Turbo Edition and not an Aero.
 
#5 ·
Interesting. My 2.3T is a late model saloon and has the Vector kick plates. It was the only one of five in the dealership to have all-black leather (no parchment accents) but I believe it to be "standard" as opposed to prestige or premium leather. It has sat-nav and nine speakers but no Harmon Kardon logos. I am told that it is, however, HK.
 
#6 ·
Some cars badged as Turbo Editions are actually full Aero’s marketed as Turbo Edition's and registered as Turbo Editions by the selling dealer but the Saab SMS system has them recorded as full Aero's! This was probably a way of getting some bonus out of Saab and allowing them to be sold for a considerably reduced price when new. Others are were in fact built and marketed as 2.3T Turbo Editions though they are in fact Aero's minus some badging. An easy way to determine whether a car started life as an Aero or as a Turbo Edition is to check the two front door kick plates, a car that started out as an Aero will have the Saab Aero logo on the kick plates and the Aero logo on the boot, ones that were built as 2.3 Turbo Edition's have a 2.3T logo on the boot lid and either plain front kick plates or kicplates with the Vector Logo on them!

There are Turbo Editions model with the 1.9 TiD engine, the 150 bhp 2.0t engine and the 2.3t 185 bhp engine as well as cars with the 260 bhp 2.3T engine, however all the 260 bhp cars I have bought and sold have a very full specification with Nav and lots of other stuff, while the less powerful models all seem to have just the Leather and heated front and rear seats.

Call me if you would like any help, I am sure you know how to find me.[/b]
Well, glad we've cleared up the confusion there then :rolleyes: :grin: !
 
#8 ·
I have a 2006 model registered with Saab as a 9-5 hot aero edition 260bhp, with sat nav heated front and rear parchment leather. It has aero on the boot lid and kick plates. I'm new to Saab's so don't really know much else about the specs but, from what I have read the higher bhp cars have the capital T somewhere. But mine says 2.3t (small t) on the plastic engine cover, thats the only place it is stated. Obviously this is just a plastic cover and could have been replaced at some point in the cars life as it has had 3 owners. Is there somewhere else I can check without a trip to the rolling road to see if it the higher output engine? It certainly feels like 260bhp when driving it, it goes like a rocket. Scary fast :cool:
 
#9 ·
I have a 2006 model registered with Saab as a 9-5 hot aero edition 260bhp, with sat nav heated front and rear parchment leather. It has aero on the boot lid and kick plates. I'm new to Saab's so don't really know much else about the specs but, from what I have read the higher bhp cars have the capital T somewhere. But mine says 2.3t (small t) on the plastic engine cover, thats the only place it is stated. Obviously this is just a plastic cover and could have been replaced at some point in the cars life as it has had 3 owners. Is there somewhere else I can check without a trip to the rolling road to see if it the higher output engine? It certainly feels like 260bhp when driving it, it goes like a rocket. Scary fast :cool:[/b]

I am also new to Saab but my mechanic that specifially deals with only Saabs and Volvo's said the small "t" is a smaller turbo and the Capital "T" is for the larger Turbo. I dont know if the information is correct but he has been dealing with saabs for 30+ years. His first job was working in a saab plant as a kid with this father. Later moved here in canada and has his own shop now.
 
#10 ·
The 2.0t has always been 150hp

2.3t started as 170hp but later became 185hp

2.3T was a short-lived 220hp version that was a de-tuned Aero (replaced the 200hp V6 petrol)

Aero never had a "T" on the 9-5. In the description and on the registration docs it seems to be a HOT (high output turbo) but that was never put on the car as a badge.

Aero was just badged "Aero". The others were SE on the higher spec early cars, then Linear, Arc, Vector. Then later still the Vector Sport appeared.

The TE cars are the "Turbo edition" run out models - last of the old shape.
 
#11 ·
I have the Aero Turbo Edition, an early 2009 model. This variant was replaced by the 2.3T Edition for 2009.5.

Differences were:

grille and headlamp surrounds matt
2.3T badge
mine has Aero on kick-plates

Similarities:

High spec, powered front seat with driver's side memory, heated front and rears
Sat Nav and CD multichanger
5 spoke alloys

In other markets the car is a 'Griffin' Edition

Now, mine is sometimes confused with the 2007-8 Anniversary models, and is marked as such on the V5 and it was registered in Sept 2008

these have the Anni 10 spoke alloys, not all have Sat Nav or the auto dimming mirrors, folding mirrors. Also absent in some are heated rear seats and powered passenger seat....

To add to what SGould said. in some markets only the 260PS version was available from 2006 on, base was 2.3T and the Aero was higher trim, there was no Linear, Arc or Vector alternatives. Casting mind back 10 years or so....

Aero was trimmed as the SE, but given the hammers and lowered suspension as well as the B235R....similarly trimmed cars were available with the other engine variants and called 'Airflow'... so you will invariably see 2.0t, 2.3t or 3.0t SE looking like Aeros but they are in fact 'Airflow'.
 
#12 ·
Well the car has been bought and is now sitting on the drive.

It has the 260Bhp engine, SatNav, upgraded stereo with 6 cd changer, black with parchment seats - heated (front and rear) and electric with memory for the driver, rain sensor wipers, dipping interior and wing mirrors (which also fold), and a rather nice set of unusual Saab alloys.

I think I got a bit of a bargain - it is a manual estate with 14.5k on the clock - dealer (Ford - it was a part-ex) - threw in tax, full tank of fuel, service, and new set of Dunlop sport tyres (XL).
Looking on autotrader there are only two manual estates - both at about ÂŁ5K more than I payed for it!

I did have to collect it from Kilmarnock back to Southampton though (6 hrs non-stop) - the car appears to be in excellent condition - just smells slightly doggyish!
 
#13 ·
Sounds nice! One thing, if you do have an unusual alloy I would try and get a spare one now to give a full size spare in the boot. The reason for this is that many SAAB alloys turn into unobtainium when you need one if you wreck a wheel so having a full size spare in the boot already is a good start.
 
#15 ·
Bet you enjoyed the trip back from Scotland! A good shakedown. You didn't actually comment on it, how does the car feel?[/b]
Very comfortable - plenty of ooomph and what a fantastic stereo!
Very different to the 3.0 Tid estate it replaced - the 2.3T has all the power at the top end - and boy does it shift. The 3.0 V6 has a good spread of power across the the revs - with a shove when required.

The biggest difference is the suspension - both cars have the sport chassis - but the 2.3T has a much more forgiving ride. The car averaged about 33 mpg over the 463 miles, the diesel would have been about 41 mpg - which I will miss.

Overall the car feels very luxurious - some of the plastics feel a bit flimsier than the previous model - the plastic seat surround where the electric switches for the seat are housed doesn't seem very secure - which I will have to look at.

Overall very pleased and really liking the colour (glass grey) despite earlier doubts!