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by Swade

9 things I want to see in the next Saab 9-3

October 16, 2009 in Saabology

We’ve done this sort of listing before, but not for a while and not with the real genuine prospect of a grass roots model Saab being in development.
It should still be early stages right now, so hopefully Saab might still be able to fit a few of these in.
This is just my own personal wish list. As usual, comments are open for yours…..
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Really Intelligent controls.
I’ve lost count of all the things about Saabs that captured my interest when I first came across them. Things as seemingly simple nowadays as split-circuit brakes. They’re possibly not that sophisticated nowadays, but back in the early 1970s they were and even when I read about them for the first time in the early 1990s they were virtually unheard of here in Australia.
Another thing I’ve always loved are the intelligent interior controls Saabs were blessed with. Controls like the cold/hot setting on the HVAC system, which would blow cool air on your face and warm air on your feet.
Then there’s the big chunky buttons on the Saab 900. They looked odd, but they were pure function dictating form. Able to be operated by a gloved hand, they were not only useful, but usefully arranged.
The trend today, of course, is to miniaturise everything. Make it smaller, more multi-functional and compact. I like the button dash of the early Saab 9-3s and I’m not advocating a return to huge chunky buttons, but perhaps a return to the ideas behind that arrangement would be a good thing.
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2010 Saab 9-5 to make first US showing…. next week!

October 16, 2009 in News

The Saab 9-5 is on a roadshow around Europe at the moment, where dealers and a select group of customers can get a closer look at the car. It should be noted that this roadshow is primarily for Saab dealers, who will be getting a real thorough tour of the car and Saab’s plans for the future. Those dealers are able to bring along a few selected customers.
The US leg of this dealer tour is expected just after Christmas. But that doesn’t mean that US Saabers can’t get a look at the car themselves before that.
The US debut of the Saab 9-5 has been announced on the Saab Cars Official page on Facebook:
SFIas2009.JPG
The Saab 9-5 will show at the South Florida International Auto Show, which starts on the 23rd of October. The show takes place at the Miami Beach Convention Center, which surprisingly enough is in Miami Beach :-)
It’s nice to see the site organisers use a Saab on their website banner, too (even if it’s an older one).
Floridians and other Saabers in the region – get ye to Miami!!!!
——
Thanks to ‘Cokeisit’ in comments….
And I agree. Coke is it.

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GP.se on Saab’s EIB loan

October 16, 2009 in News

There are several different news reports and theories going around at the moment about the EIB loan process. Doubt was cast (once again) last night when thoughts emerged that the European Commission could hold up the process by a couple of months while it determines if Saab’s loans are within it’s “no assistance” guidelines.
GP.se has an article about this, with thanks to JV for the translation:
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Guarantees for Saab loan might take some time
The decision by the European Commission whether Saab will have state guarantees to borrow four billion SEK might take into next year. But EIBs Board of Directors will process the loan itself on Wednesday.
Saab Automobile and the designated byuer Koenigsegg Group was hoping to get all the pieces of the puzzle together by the turn of the month October – November. But now yet another deadline is passed without clarification.
Admittedly, it does seem like the European Investment Bank will grant the loan on Wednesday. According to TT the EIB is in principle ready with the review of Saab’s loan application and will raise the question during next weeks Board of Directors’ meeting the 21st of October.
It indicates that the bank’s expertise and clercs judge that Saab fulfills the requirements to get the loan granted. Saab must show that the company has a long-term survivability and that the environmental and safety related projects that the loan will fund, follows the rules.
But this is just a step on the way. The Swedish Government must guarantee the loan and the European Commission must approve that the state gives this aid.
No definite timeplan
So now the company has the opportunity to prove the longterm survivability, at the same time as the sales of cars, according to the latest sales statistics, continues to fall.
Bengt Wennerstein, Senior Legal Advisor at the Ministry of Enterprise, Energy and Communication, explains that the process of getting a reply on the so called “notification” to the European Commission just started.
But there is no definite timeplan and different wagers about how it will turn out, depending on how optimistic you are.
- It’s an expression for the somewhat floating insecurity regarding exactly how long such a process will take in the commission, says Bengt Wennerstein. What the commission says, is that it will take two months after they have recieved the information they need. This is what they need for their internal process.
So far the EIB and the Swedish Ministry of Enterprise, Energy and Communication has had two contacts.
- We where in Brussels this Tuesday, says Bengt Wennerstein.
He explains that they are using Volvos EIB application as a sort of template. That process took four months.
The commission has for Saab’s part recieved information from the Swedish National Debt Office with details of the guarantees and the market conditions of the loan requirements. Additionally, the independent consulting company KPMG’s review of Saab’s business plan is included.
- We have a dialogue with the commission and will, with returning mail, supply them with the additional information they require, says Wennerstein.
A certain amount of disappointment
At Saab you can trace a certain amount of disappointment, even though the Director of Communications Eric Geers keep his face.
- We’re working toward the goal we have, to be ready by the end of October, he says.
Eric Geers don’t want to answer on how long Saab’s money will last, but he says: – We’re working with several different scenarios.
GP yesterday tried to reach Christian von Koenigsegg, VP for the Saab buyer Koenigsegg Group, but Halldora von Koenigsegg, PR Manager, explained that he was in South Africa and could not be reached.
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I just really don’t understand why this is going to take so long.
The plan’s been stress tested. The government has (finally) recommended the plan proceed and the EIB is poised to grant the loans.
This EU crap should be a rubber freaking stamp, not the be-all and end-all of the situation.
If Saab have to rely on the Industry Ministry having dialog with anyone then they may as well pack up now. It seems to me that mob would have a hard time organising a horizontal folk dance in a house of ill repute.
Government apologists, please refrain. You’ll not get an easy hearing today.

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by Swade

Decision on Saab loans could be a couple of months away…..

October 15, 2009 in News

I knew when I read Maud Olofsson’s name in this story, that it’d be bad news. Not that it’s her fault or anything. Not at all. It’s just process. But all that we ever get when she speaks is bad news.
Here’s hoping she’s incorrect on this occasion. The EIB is meeting next week and from there, it was supposed to be quite a quick process.
From Reuters:

UMEA, Sweden, Oct 15 (Reuters) – A decision on whether the Swedish government will give loan guarantees to troubled auto maker Saab is still a couple of months away, the country’s enterprise minister told Reuters on Thursday.
The Swedish government said last week it had asked the European Commission to assess whether proposed loan guarantees to Saab Automobile would break rules on state support.
Sweden’s Enterprise Minister Maud Olofsson said it would take some time for the Commission to reach a decision.
“A couple of months, I think they have said,” Olofsson told Reuters on the sidelines of an informal meeting of European ministers in Umea, northern Sweden.

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Saab Pride: Eggs style

October 15, 2009 in Saabology

Thumbnail image for Saab PrideI had plans last year to do a Saab Pride book, however time and a few other things scuttled the idea, unfortunately.
This is the entry that my SU partner-in-prose, Eggs n Grits sent in. Eggs has since bought another C900 convertible to replace this white car and when we spoke on the weekend, it seemed the fate of this car is still a little uncertain.
So I thought I’d better get this story and these shots online before the white car is parted out, or otherwise ceases to look as good as it does here. The story’s been told once before, back in the old TS days, but bears repeating.
To read all of the Saab Pride stories, where owners like you tell your stories, click here.
Click the photos to enlarge.
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eggsngrits 1st ave Nashville 2a.jpg Why I drive a Saab
My first ride in a Saab was in 1982. I was a freshman at Vanderbilt University, and one of my friends there had a 1978 Saab 99. It was silver with a maroon cloth interior. At the time, I had just traded my 1975 Oldsmobile Cutlass S for a 1979 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme. That is, I leaned towards American muscle cars rather than towards anything European or Japanese. I liked the Saab, but it was, to me, alien given that the key was between the seats and it had a tiny (at the time) 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and the most spartan of interiors. After all, my ’75 Oldsmobile had a 350-cubic-inch (5.8-liter) V-8 and the 1979 Oldsmobile had enough padding under the velour to fill your average sleeper sofa! On the other hand, I loved the way that his car sounded, and I loved the fact that the car was utterly different from anything that I’d ever ridden in before.
About the same time, I also took notice of an advertising campaign from, of all marques, Buick. In 1982, Buick re-introduced the Grand National. The advertisement went something like this: “there are only four turbocharged vehicles available in America — and two of them are Buicks” (the second car being the decidedly pedestrian Buick LeSabre). Being an American muscle fan and avid reader of Motor Trend, I likely noticed the ad right about the same time as I first rode in Jeff’s 99. Of course, the other two vehicles were the Saab 900 and the Volvo 200-series (240, I think). This piqued my curiousity about Swedish cars, which had previously been off the radar for me. Why didn’t we have more of them? Why were they so different?

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Vehicle for a Saab roadshow

October 15, 2009 in Saabology

The Saab 9-5 European Tour is now into its second week. The team have just left France and are now in the UK, showing the vehicle to dealers and invited customers.
The Saab Newsroom has a post about the tour hitting the road, including this image of the truck they’re rolling in. If you see it, give them a nice big Saab wave.
New+era+truck.jpg
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For those still waiting or wondering, here are the dates of countries still to come:

  • United Kingdom – Oct 14-17
  • Spain+Portugal – Oct 21-22
  • BeNeLux – Oct 20-25
  • Poland – Oct 29
  • Switzerland – Nov 3
  • Hungary – Nov 10-11
  • Austria – Nov 18-19
  • Greece – Nov 26-28
  • Italy – Dec 10-11

Has anyone been to one of the roadshow presentations yet? Your thoughts?

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Koenigsegg-Saab update

October 15, 2009 in News

All has been quiet on the Koenigsegg bid to purchase Saab. It’s like the cone of silence has descended over everything. As a blogger, it’s been quite a shock as I’ve had to revert back to being in ‘ownership’ mode rather than ‘news hound’ mode.
But that doesn’t mean that there’s nothing going on. In fact, I could well imagine that things are quite frantic behind the scenes.
There’s nothing new to report at this time, but as I looked at my calendar today I was reminded of a couple of things.
1) Saab had always hoped to have the deal stitched up by the end of September. That got pushed out to the end of October when the group failed to get loan documentation to the EIB on time. It’s October 16 today, which means that in as little as two weeks, the paperwork could be signed, formally beginning the real process of separating Saab from General Motors ownership.
Of course, all of that relies on……
2) Next week’s meeting of the European Investment Bank. The EIB is due to meet on October 21 and news services expect that a decision should be made about Saab’s loan application either then or the day after.
——
Bottom line – “Marzipan Cake Day” is getting closer and closer :-)
Bring it on, baby!

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Automotive breeding theory – 2010 Saab 9-5

October 15, 2009 in Saabology

From a friend of Robert B’s.
An independent observation of the possible parents of the 2010 Saab 9-5.
Audi Saab breeding
I can see where he’s coming from.
Regarding the front (aka Audi) – There’s been some conversation in another post today about automotive frontal design becoming more generic between different carmakers. Simon Padian acknowledged this trend in my recent interview with him, citing the new pedestrian safety regulations as the main reason why. What you end up with is similar shapes amongst many cars (though not all) with different faces drawn on them.
Regarding the rear (aka the 99) – There really is a hint of 99 there where the rear window meets the trunk at the back. It’s quite noticeable when you see the car at the right angle.
Interesting theory.

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Alt Saab: Kalevala concept

October 15, 2009 in Saabology

These images of a proposed Saab concept vehicle are from a Spanish design student named Rubén Barrientos.
Note: they are not Saab images nor do they come from Saab design. They are a student’s design project only. But they’re interesting.
When I first saw that rather noticeable front end, my immediate reaction was ‘arrghhhh!’ But having spent a little more time with it this morning, and having read what it’s meant to symbolise, I’m coming around to it. I’m not so sure I’d like to see it in production, but it is the type of quantum leap from current design that could be justified given Saab’s impending new circumstances.
i.e. – change of owner, change of design language.
Here are some of the images. There’s a whole bunch more at Car Body Design.
Click to enlarge…..
Saab-Kalevala-Clay-Model-3-lg.jpg
OK, to the front of the vehicle.
If I’m reading the designer’s notes correctly, those lights and the shape of the front ‘grille’ is supposed to mirror the face of an eagle/gryphon. The lights are eyes and the inverted angular bits are kind of like how a beak would look, front on. Look at it long enough and you’ll see it.
Saab-Kalevala-Concept-3-lg.jpg
At the back, there’s a shallow tribute to the way UrSaab angled down to a point at the rear of the vehicle. I’m not so much a fan of the single exhaust that forms that point on this model, but I can see what he’s trying to do.
Saab-Kalevala-Concept-5-lg.jpg
I this panel, you can see how he’s pointed a note towards Saab’s avaition background with the point behind the rear doors mimicking the tail fin of an aircraft. I think those rear doors are rear-hinged, a-la the Mazda RX-8, to allow easy pillarless access to the rear seat.
Saab-Kalevala-Design-Panel-1-lg.jpg
If had one criticism of the design over all, it’s that I prefer softer edges to the hard ones used here, and that goes especially for the interior concept. And why we’d want a massive shifter like that for the transmission, I’ll never know.
Saab-Kalevala-Interior-1-lg.jpg
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Over all, I like this a lot more than my initial reactions indicated I would. It’s pretty bold, that’s for sure, and I wonder if it’s maybe a little too ‘loud’ for a company like Saab. Then again, the Aero-X wsn’t exactly a shrinking violet and even the Saab 900 looked like little else at the time.
Kudos to Mr Barrientos for a well executed bit of work. In my opinion, at least.

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An update from the Saabs United Historic Rally Team

October 14, 2009 in Rally Team

Thumbnail image for Saabs United Historic Rally TeamThings are really starting to take shape with our competition car.
Now that it’s had its paint stripped, it’s ready for the next stages of construction. That’s included some re-fabrication in areas and the delivery of some new bits and pieces.
Here’s the break down:

  • We’re just about to take delivery of some fibreglass fender extensions thanks to the guys at RP Glasfiber. They run a workshop in northern Sweden where they make a whole heap of reproduction panels and pieces in fibreglass, many of them replicas of Saab factory items or the original Saab Sport and Rally catalog items.
  • We’ve fabricated an exhaust tunnel though the area where the spare tyre normally sits in order to allow adequate space for our new exhaust system when it comes.
  • The car has now been completely stripped of paint, is ready for its roll cage and will shortly go in for a paint job, being finished in black truck paint (tougher and cheaper!)
  • We managed to get hold of a whole swag of images from Tekniken’s Varld, showing the original 1978 competition car that we’re basing our build on. These have been invaluable in nailing some of the finer details of that car.
  • And finally, just yesterday, Jörgen took delivery of a groovy little toy – a genuine 1978 Coralba rally tripmeter, which will be fitted inside to aid Bo’s navigation.

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Check out all the updates at the Saabs United Historic Rally Team website. The excitement is building slowly as we aim to get the car finished in time to run it and iron out the bugs before the Midnight Sun Rally in mid-2010.
CoralbaFront.jpg
–

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Saab Club of Canada’s enhanced driving school – reviewed and praised

October 14, 2009 in Saabology

The Saab Club of Canada runs an Enhanced Driving School twice a year at the Shannonville Motorsport Park in Belleville, Ontario. It’s always well attended, primarily because they’ve been doing it for a long time now and have great instructors who know their stuff.
Their most recent session was attended by a journalist from Canadian Driver, a guy named James Bergeron. He was fortunate enough to score a XWD Saab 9-3 for the day, too.
His account of the day is now online at Canadian Driver.
The intro….

Driving is serious business; most people get their license when they are 16, pass the “driving test” which is more of a test of one’s abilities to follow the law than to operate a motor vehicle, and then never look back. The majority of the drivers on the roads today haven’t had any training other than a few quick lessons from their parents or a driving school.
Do you remember what to do if your car goes into a skid? Was it turn into the skid? Or maybe it was turn away from the slide? Across the hood, that’s a good one; wouldn’t that mean you always turn right?
Forget all of that. The best way to learn, or re-learn, how to drive, is to practice. Twice a year at Shannonville Motorsports Park in Shannonville, Ontario, The Saab Club of Canada offers an Enhanced Driving School to all members of the public that offers the opportunity to learn and improve driving skills in a controlled environment……

….and the conclusion (both the course and the car)

All the instructors were extremely knowledgeable, easy-going and friendly. My instructor, Paul Kitchener, was extremely knowledgeable and went above and beyond by letting me take his Corvette Z06 onto the track for some added thrills.
After taking the Saab driving school, I would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone looking to improve their car control skills. For $265, it is a bargain; heck, they even provide lunch!
How did my Saab 9-3 fare on the track? I came away impressed….

You can read the in-between stuff at Canadian Driver.
viggenSaabCA.jpg
If you’ve not attended a driver training course in the past I really recommend you consider it. Your Saab’s limits on the road exceed your own by a large margin and it’s best to learn where yours are in a controlled environment.
Just don’t do what I did.
If you’re in Canada and you want to attend the Saab Club of Canada’s Enhanced Driving School, unfortunately you’ll have to wait until next year. Courses are usually run in May and October each year.
Bookmark the club’s website and be sure to check it out in the early stages of 2010.

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Driving the Electro Engine Saab 9-3 Convertible

October 14, 2009 in Saabology

There was a comment earlier today from theSandySaab stating that he’d recently driven the Electro Engine Saab 9-3 Convertible.
I wrote to him asking for some more background so that I could post the comment as an article here. Instead of a little background, we’ve got the whole enchilada!!
It turns out tSS is a real electric-car-watcher, as you’ll see below.
The vehicle sounds impressive (still, again) and here’s hoping that Saab get to continue to play a role in its continued development. I noted when checking out Electro Engine’s website today that they’re running an electric SportCombi as a well as the electric Convertible we’ve seen before.
My thanks to theSandySaab for these thoughts.
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So, as a Saab nut since almost as long as I can remember, I have been following SU and THS for some years now, especially during the recent financial/car industry crisis. The day starts and ends with SU. For financial reasons I have done most of my own work on old VW Beetles many years ago, but have at least a reasonable mechanical and engineering understanding. Also tried to understand the technology behind wankel/rotary engines, EGR, VVC etc… but always had a feeling the technology behind even new ideas was already old. Why explode dino juice to get propulsion? After all, even the first cars were electric.
Thanks to the strong oil interests weighing in on Ford’s decision to produce a gasoline engine in the model T, we still today using mainly oil to propel our vehicles. I have always wondered what happened to the GM EV1 that went silent after the initial massive media coverage. A year ago I came across the movie “Who killed the electrical car”.
The sad truth is explained very well in this documentary, revealing how the car industry needs the internal combustion engine, as they are in bed with the oil industry, the technology is there already and paid for with no or little interest to reinvent, but mainly, they need the customers back to for scheduled maintenance and servicing of this dirty, old engine technology. Oil, spark plugs, filters, you name it, you pay for it. See the movie!
Since then I have followed electric car developments, mainly the Tesla Motors and it’s Roadster. Finally there is a fun to drive electric alternative with very good range and clever people behind the company. However, the car is prohibitively expensive, and the more you get to know about their battery technology you realize how complex it is. Still, they guarantee the battery pack to keep at least 80% of it’s original range up to 7 years. Also, the model S looks promising, and looks very good.
ElectroEngine Saab 9-3Reading on SU about the ElectroEngine’s True Electric concept, I was very happy, intrigued and curious. An electric Saab with the latest technology!
So when passing by in Sweden I contacted them and got a talk and a short test drive, one of many they did that day. With a core team of only 3 persons, they are working on a very tight schedule. The drive was a very pleasant experience, very drivable, also at low speeds and extremely nice low end torque. It virtually looked, felt and drove like the original (or better) and very quiet. Even the fuel gauge was the same, just wired to indicate the charge status.

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9 things to do to Saabify your world

October 14, 2009 in Saabology

Not feeling Saaby enough? Could you use some boost in your automotive life?
There are several things you can do to enhance the enjoyment you get from your favourite automotive brand. Saab have a tradition of doing some great things when given the opportunity, and that opportunity is just beginning again now. They’re going to need people like you to be in it for the long haul.
So here’s a few thoughts. Some of them might cost a little and some will cost you nothing but some time well spent.
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Saab 96Buy a Saab!
Whether it’s restoring a classic bought on the cheap or getting hold of the latest and greatest Saab have got to offer, there’s nothing quite like a new set of wheels to get the juices flowing.
Personally, I’m a classics guy, which is why I’m going for a classic 1978 Saab 99Turbo, though if my wife’s 9000 dies then we’ll be looking for a 9-5 to join the household. The thought of either of those arriving in the driveway fills me with anticipation.
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Custom Saab 9-3Enhance your existing Saab
Don’t want the trouble/strain of finding and financing a new ride – then why not do up your existing one? This is something I factor into every car that I buy.
I love personalising my car, whether it be the wheels, the interior, some handling or engine upgrades. This is a process that I find builds a stronger connection between me and my car (and don’t deny it or think I’m silly – you wouldn’t be reading this if that connection didn’t exist between you and yours!)
The most exciting upgrades are the engine upgrades, giving you more zing for your dollar than anything else. A car is for driving, after all. Whether it be Hirsch for the warranty conscious or Maptun or BSR for the aftermarket tuner, there are plenty of really cost effective upgrades available that will transform your car to the point where it really does feel like you’ve bought a different one.
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Saab engine loving!Detail your car
There’s still a little while before the really nasty weather starts hitting the northern hemisphere. Why not enjoy your car a little more in the few weekends that remain with good detail?
There’s nothing quite like showing your Saab off in best condition at a local club event to restore a little of that Saab Pride.
It takes a bit of elbow grease and a little bit of product (like this kit from Saab Parts USA or any of these from State of Nine), but the gleaming results will have you in danger of crashing as you spend all your driving time gazing into shop windows to see your car’s reflection.
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scca_logo.gifJoin a Saab Car Club
There are heaps of Saab Car Clubs around the world and wherever you are, there’s a chance there’s one not too far away.
Car Clubs are great for meeting like-minded enthusiasts and can really help you get more enjoyment from your car. Activities like technical meetings, drive events and social gatherings all help you increase your interest in, and knowledge of the Saab company a little more.
I’ve got an incomplete list of Saab Car Clubs from around the world here. Check it out. There’s probably one not too far away from you.
And if your club isn’t listed there, please feel free to get in touch and I’ll happily add it to the list.
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SClogo.gifGet online
OK, so you’re here already. That’s a good start.
But for those who aren’t aware, there’s a number of really good Saab forums and websites out there that you can participate in. I cut my teeth on Saab Central and to a lesser extent, Saabnet. But there’s also Saab Scene, The Saab Link and a whole bunch of other regional forums in different countries. If you speak Swedish then the Saab Turbo Club of Sweden forum would be a must.
These are all sites where you can read, but also participate more in a back-and-forth discussion and get assistance with any difficulties you might be having.
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Saab%20badge%20small.jpgGo on a photo shoot
There’s no better way to show your car off, either here at SU or on one of the aforementioned forums, than to take your freshly detailed Saab out to a good location and take some great photos.
I’ve published some useful car photography tips in the past (here, here and here) and you can use sites like Flickr or Picasa for inspiration. Both are searchable so you can find some great Saab shots really easily.
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99900lance-150x150.jpgRead up!
The first thing that got me into Saab was a ride in a Saab 9000 all those years ago. The thing that sucked me right into Saab as a company and a ‘culture’ was reading about all the things this little company did. It really is a rich and unique history.
Essential starters for those who haven’t got any Saab books would be Mr Saab (about Erik Carlsson), Saab 99 and 900 The Complete Story (by our good mate, Lance Cole) and if you can find one that’s affordable, Saab: Half a Century of Achievement by Eric Dymock.
Hit this link for some other good titles.
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Koenigsaab T-ShirtBuy a shirt.
Simple and pretty inexpesnsive, really. I wear Saab shirts of some description at least two or three times a week.
Saab Expressions have a great range of stuff, and of course, there’s also SU’s own Saab Design custom shop.
The custom shop’s really good in that you can add to the designs we’ve already created with your own lettering, etc. It’s very flexible and the garments themselves are really long-wearing.
Also, check out Griffin Gear for some great stuff, too.
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Saab TattooGet hardcore!
You think things are already Saaby enough? There’s always room to step it up a notch.
Saab model car collections, for instance. Or Saab real car collections.
Or for the really comitted (think lifetime or laser removal committed) – Saab tattoos!!!!
No matter how hard you think you’re going, someone… somewhere is going harder.
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Those are just a few thoughts on how you can inject a little more Saabiness into your life. I hope you find one or two things there that might be useful.
SW

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Your vote for the Saab 9-3x would be welcome in Norway

October 14, 2009 in Saabology

Saab has a new Norwegian part-owner (well, they will soon).
The Saab 9-3x is a candidate in a car of the year poll in Norway.
I think one is closely enough connected to the other to justify a vote, don’t you?
Saab96NorwayRusty.jpg
If you’d rather see shiny new Saabs on Norwegian streets instead of rusted Saab 96s on the Norwegian coast, then give the Saab 9-3x a hand in this Dagbladet car of 2009 poll and get the editors thinking about The Saab a little more seriously.
Why vote?
Aside from the fact that it’s a Saab, it’s just a darn good vehicle and a great player in that alt-SUV niche.
As of a couple of hours ago, the top 10 standings were as follows:

  1. Audi A5 Sportback (1285)
  2. Mercedes E-Klasse (424)
  3. Toyota Prius ( 373)
  4. Mazda 3 (373)
  5. Skoda Yeti ( 354)
  6. Saab 9-3X (348)
  7. Opel Insignia (343)
  8. BMW X1 ( 323)
  9. Peugeot 3008 (275)
  10. VW Polo ( 204)

It shouldn’t be too hard for the 9-3x to muster a respectable second place from there (and let’s face it, the opel Insignia is just too close for comfort!)
Click here to cast your vote by selecting your chosen vehicle (ahem) and pressing the SEND INN button..
…..and you can also read my quick review of the Saab 9-3x, which I got to drive for a few days in Sweden last month.

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by Swade

Tuesday night snippets – circle of life edition

October 13, 2009 in Saabology

Thoughts on Saab from Autocar:

So here’s my message to Saab’s new owners, if that is what they eventually become. Well done on seeing the deal through; you’re clearly patient and determined types, and that bodes well. Now to your cars; make sure get the basics right. Strive to make the new 9-3 more competitive than it ever was under GM, and that means bigger inside, better built, better quality, more refined and better-handling.
Second, can I gently suggest that you drop the aircraft allusions; they don’t sell cars. Third, refine the design language; be bold and original, but classy. And realise that it is possible to make cars that are both beautiful and alternative-looking.
Lastly, give us a car that’ll bring some younger clientèle into showrooms and some extra desirability to the brand. A TT rival, or even smaller; maybe a Saab ‘Mito’. You could even call it a Sonett if you like. Best of luck to you.

I don’t necessarily agree with some of his earlier sentiments (click through to read the full piece) but I concur with everything except the use of the Sonett name, 100%.
Thanks to various emailers…..
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Just in via email…..
This car is for sale. If you’re in or around Sweden and you’re after a slingshot, get in touch.
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Wheels.ca have a review of the Saab 9-3 online at the moment and it’s an encouraging read.
Is it just me or did the 9-3 struggle to gain traction after the 2008 facelift, a trend that’s starting to ease since the announced separation from GM? Maybe it’s just wishful thinking?

Being known primarily for outside-the-box designs and turbocharging were not enough, nor was the ad copy tie-in to Saab’s aircraft-building origins. The few Saab loyalists decried the adoption of GM platforms and engines.
However, the past three years have been kind to the 9-3, and it deserves more notice than it garners.
Since 2006, Saab has added the option of a delightful and punchy 280 hp turbocharged V6 (used in Aero models); tweaked the 9-3′s interior and restyled the front end.

Should we tell him the V6 is gone for 2010??
The conclusion sums up what many of us feel ourselves.

It’s been a long process, but Saab’s renaissance finally appears to be underway. I can’t wait to see what comes with Koenigsegg’s added passion.

Hear hear!
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I’m not sure how big a vote of confidence this is, but it seemed significant to me when I read it.
Saab are said to be considering the sale of older vehicle tooling to BAIC, in China. They should also get some new impetus for their new vehicles out of the BAIC relationship, too.
So how important is the Chinese market, and especially the higher end of it?
Well, Bugatti have apparently just opened their first company showroom outside of France – and it’s in Beijing.
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I don’t know if many of you have read my Damascus Road experience – the day I first came to love Saabs – but just tonight I’ve received some fascinating follow-up on it.
The guy who owned that car, let’s call him Nathan (because that’s his name), is a guy I haven’t seen nor spoken to for around 15 years now. Tonight I got a call from his sister, who’s been a friend of mine for a long time and is married to a good mate of mine.
Anyway, she and I haven’t been in touch for some time, either. It’s one of those things that happens when you move to a different city. November will see her husband turn 40 and she called to invite us over for the party. We got to catching up on the latest news about various people, one of which was her brother, Nathan.
I thought he’d have given up his Saab interest years ago when his 9000 died. It cost him an awful lot of money (he drove it pretty hard) and he was a country kid with an interest in the 4WD stuff. It turns out he hasn’t lost his Saab interest, though.
In fact, he’s apparently got wickedly fast red Saab that Rachel wasn’t able to accurately describe to me. Nathan will be overseas so I won’t be able to thank him for all the Saabology in my life – if only he knew what he started – but hopefully the car might be there at the 40th so I can check it out.
It’s always nice to close these circles.

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