Kroum has spotted Range Rover doing yet another partial copy of Saab’s work. One of their concept vehicles last year looked very Saab 9-4x-ish and the new 2010 Range Rover sees them pinching one of Saab’s trademark pieces.
….digital dials like on the S-class. They’re deeply cool, and allow the designers to reconfigure the instruments depending on whether you’re cruising on a motorway or plugging across a meadow to your horsebox or driving a night (there’s a Saab-style nighttime setting).
I’ve always wondered why somebody hadn’t copied Night Panel already. Now someone has.
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What do we call this?
Saaberrari?
It’s a one-off vehicle built by a guy named Leif Mellberg. I’ve seen it before but there’s precious little info about it on the web as far as I can tell.
The reason I’m posting it here is because this one-off custom Saab is for sale. It’s on the Swedish site Blocket, selling for 475,000 SEK, which is pretty pricey (around $81,000 Aussie dollars, or $57,600 US).
I believe it’s based on a 1987 Saab 900 chassis with a 250hp worked Saab turbo engine.
Thanks Golfhunter!
——
So, to the headline….
On the whole, gay consumers, regardless of genitalia, own the same sort of cars that their hetero counterparts own. The largest slice of brand ownership goes to makers such as Toyota, Ford, etc.
Subaru are the company perceived as being the most gay friendly, by a long, long way.
But an interesting result in a survey conducted by Gaywheels.com indicates that if you’re gay, you’re 18 times more likely to own a Saab than the heterosexual guy next to you.
And it’s not just the guys. Gay women are 11 time more likely to own a Saab than hetero women.
The results were gleaned from comparing Saab ownership as a proportion of both the hetero and LGBT markets. What it means is that Saab take a disproportionally high slice of the gay pie.
It’s a market Saab should be targeting, no doubt about it.
Thanks to Taylor from LotusEnthusiast.net
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Leif Mellberg was a well know car builder. He has done several remarkable Saabs. I think it was him who hand-built Envall’s EV-1.
Well then I guess I finally fit the stereotype lol!
I’m a complete gearhead when it comes to classic 900s’ and yeah, I’m gay. I’ve owned 6 SAABs over the years and currently have a 1985 SPG that I’ll never let go (currently doing headgasket replacement surgery on it).
I don’t really fit in to the rest of the gay community but now, NOW I suppose I do. Hahahaha Jeez.
Comment removed. Sorry, but it was off-topic and inflammatory. This is a genuine part of Saab’s demographic and I think the numbers alone justify the conversation, which should be had in a civil manner – SW
Ya I think that’s ridiculous the whole gay thing and Saab. I don’t think sexual preference has anything to do with these cars, and I’m offended that gaywheels even mentions it.
I know gay people that are offended by all of these so called surveys where high-profile people within the community do everything they can portray LGBT as a separate species who do this, prefer that, etc. It’s as interesting as asking 50+ coal miners in rural Virginia about their choice in underwear. Of course you will find a trend. So what?
Consider geography. Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Vermont allow same sex marriage, and that means gay-friendly places to live, which just happens to be historically Saab-friendly New England. Combine that with the higher incomes…
CTM: the LBGT community in U.S. is VERY activist – I assume this survey will be used to pressure auto companies to spend more advertising dollars somewhere. Socio-demographic cluster marketing (as pioneered by Claritas) RULES everything from where a retail store locates to how a politician runs a camapign. I’ve used Claritas “You are Where You Live” zip code clusters to focus house hunting. Very helpful. Each socio-demographic cluster includes car preference.
In case anyone wonders, I have never gotten used to being hit on by women here in Pioneer Valley, Massachusetts, which seems to be for lesbians what San Francisco is for gay men.
hi to all ,
I did received some bad feedback about Mellberg after having sent the mail informing Saab friends about that sale .Here it is : ” Hi Jeff!
The car is a real piece of work, but the seller is infamous and does not have a very good reputation in Sweden
”
And another one more explicit :
”
Warning, the former used car company “Wasabil” , now called Classic Cool Cars Swed .AB., appears to be a bunch of crooks selling cars way above their market prices includong cars that they do not own! They do copy ads on E-bay and pretend that the cars are in their hands long before the auctions on E-bay have ended!
I would never buy anything from them !
“
How funny, Karen. I’m also in the Pioneer Valley in Massachusetts. Amherst College here.
Regardless, I think a lot of what you’ve said is true. Many LGBT consumers don’t want to support a company that is, by company policy, opposed to them, and supportive of those that go above and beyond to support marriage equality.
For what it’s worth, I’m both young gay male and a Saab owner. And I appreciate the company efforts. That said, I find the entire idea of “Gay Wheels” rather silly.
Swade: Thanks for shutting down Vagabond. While I certainly think he’s entitled his opinion, he’s made homophobic comments before, and there’s little point in derailing this conversation into a flame war.
The explanation may very well be that gay people are more open to try new things, and I guess you/they have to explain your/their choices in general. Both leading to a higher likelyhood of finding and choosing Saabs.
The real question is about cause and effect. Sure, Saab ownership may be 18x higher in the gay community than the straight community, but is that because gays like Saabs or because Saabs cause gayness???
My Turbo X has made me more happy at times, but not more gay. (The first four Saabs may have done that!)
I took that survey and I thought it’s a bit misleading. I’m just likely to pick up a Dodge RAM if the need rises for me to own one. In fact I’m considering a ute when/if I move to OZ land.
However, having said that, I do appreciate (and pround of) Saab doing the right thing by not discriminating their same-sex employees.
On the same page, Honda is basically deleted from my buying choice due to their anti-gay policy.
So there is some use to differentiate a gay friendly brand to a none-one.
this is s non issue people
I’m straight. I drive a Saab. I have gay friends who all drive BMW’s…not that there’s anything wrong with that.
I choose a Saab because its a great car! Me being gay is secondary to that fact. Happy motoring!
Citroen (French maker of quirky cars) has allready, it is almost an offence to the “original” night panel, but it turns most of the IP off.
Saabs are stylish and expensive. Most of the gay people I’ve met have good taste and money. Makes sense to me.
Well, gay or straight anyone who drives a Saab has immaculate taste. Any car company that ignores the “Double Income No Kids” market be it gay or straight is quite frankly insane and I am surprised that Honda is so homophobic.
Having lots of friends that drive beamers is a bit suspicious though.
There was an accident in Norway a few days ago involving a BMW and a VW Caravelle. The beamer got two wheels outside the road and ended up in a “four wheel skid” and went towards the VW with its side first. The entire family of three inside the BMW died. And no, there was no snow on the road judging by the published picture.
My belief is that SAABs would not end up in a skid in such a situation. (My certainly don’t) And even if it did, it would not go fubar just because someone tries to drive a Caravelle into its side.
Nobody should drive a BMW. Gay or not.
I find all these sort of surveys somewhat misleading. It’s like the countless surveys that talk about how alcohol is good for you in moderation. They have 3 groups: moderate alcohol consumers, people that drink heavily and then those who don’t drink at all. The moderate drinkers always have the best health outcomes. But is that because they drink moderately or they practise moderation in all aspects of their lives?
Unless they isolate all the variables it doesn’t really prove anything. For this kind of survey to have any credence it should choose a group of people with the same income level, education, profession and relationship status. Then you could consider whether sexuality makes a difference.
I’m gay and I drive a SAAB but i don’t think it has anything to do with my sexuality. It has more to do with my preference for good design and safety.
Latest news is that GM Bondholders will be forced to take only GM stock (equity) on the unsecured debt, which is much worse than the deal they were offered by Wagoner unless you believe in fairy tales like GM stock will rebound once they are restructured. If that happens, a lot of former bondholders will be driving Tata Uno…
Thought I’d change the subject though here is a hello to Yonah at Amherst!
Seems to be a new TV show making it’s debut on USA channel where the lead character (not gay) drives a Saab. Maybe USA channel (Burn Notice) is owned by a Saab enthusiast?
Everyone have a nice weekend.
Don’t know anything about that “Saaberrari”, but the owner DOES have good taste. He’s also got a 1st generation Mazda Miata parked right next to it!
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