SaabsUnited.com

It’s been a little while since I’ve featured the work of some 4-season convertible drivers. It’s been an unofficial theme for this month and we’ve had quite a few people write in sharing images of their convertibles being used top down, all year round.

Today’s images come from Simon P, in England, who got up to a little yuletide fun with his 9-3 Convertible last Christmas. OK, there’s no snow on the ground here, but Christmas in England isn’t generally considered to be warm.

Click.

I often drive my convertible with the roof down in very cold weather, sometimes as low as -5.

Here are a few photos taken this year and last at Christmas, just for fun with some friends and my children. I love the looks of disbelief that we receive.

All the best

Simon

—-

Thanks to Simon, and if you’ve got any topless Saab winter pics (you know what I mean), please feel free to send them along…..

–

It’s been a little while between entries, but I do have more winter convertibles to show you, celebrating the all-weather nature of Saab’s drop top.

Marien has a 2.0T Vector convertible, black on parchment, that’s tuned by Maptun. It’s driven in all weather, and as long as it’s 6 degrees or more and not raining, the top’s down.

It’s shown here with 17 light alloys fitted with winter tyres.

Thanks Marien!

–

In one of the previous 4-seasons Convertible posts, the following was asked….

I am confused. Being new to the Saab world (bought a 2008 9-5 cpo ss) I am curious what the fuss is all about a 4 seasons saab converible? Couldn’t any convertible on the market with fwd and heated seats brave four seasons?

Theoretically, I suppose another FWD convertible with heated seats could actually provide adequate passage through a snowy winter. But there are a few things that Saab people love about Saab convertibles (even if they’re like me, and don’t own one but just like to know they’re there).

First – they’re not just adequate in snowy conditions. They’re designed in a country that designs everything to withstand and even flourish in a snowy winter. Saab convertibles are as liveable in winter as they are in summer.

Second – it’s not just the heated seats, it’s the whole toasty warm HVAC system. Most companies have good heating nowadays, but when the 900 Convertible came out back in the mid-80′s, there could be a huge disparity between the ability of different HVAC systems to heat a closed cabin, much less a convertible with the roof off.

Third – The great thing about the Saab convertible lineage is that it’s always been a true four-seasons and four-seater convertible. For a long time, the only convertibles you could drive in a mildly sporty way were two-seat roadsters with almost no luggage space (hello MG and later, the Mazda Miata/MX-5). The only 4-seat convertibles were big barges. When the Saab 900 Convertible came along, it was smart looking, stylish, comfortable for two and very manageable for four, great to drive and as safe as a roof-less car could get.

That lineage continues, which is why Saab Convertible owners today are still happy to drive their drop-tops in winter just like in any other season.

——

Some of the winter convertibles sent in over the last few days……

From Barry P…..

“This car truly is a car for all weather and climates!

–

Alexandros has a 2007 model convertible, which should really have had the top down in the glorious first photo

Alexandros’ car also saw some action in the Frankfurt Saab Support Convoy….

–

SVX92 has a very smart looking 9-3, along with a couple of very smart looking dogs (Aczar and Ayden).

A word for convertible owners, and for Saab….

anyone who doesn’t have a wind screen (i.e. at the rear of the front seats) needs to invest in one.

If they cant find a way to design one into the next 9-3 (a la Mercedes E-class) then I hope (are you listening, SAAB?) they design a false bottom in the floor of the trunk for the collapsed windscreen to rest without interfering in luggage space as presently is the case

—–

More convertibles later in the week!

Thanks to everyone who’s sent in photos, thoughts and stories about their winter convertible experiences.

–

Saab convertibles are built to withstand tough winter conditions, making them the perfect all-year car for someone who likes some top-down fun.

We’re celebrating the winter-friendly nature of the Saab convertible this month and I’ve got a few more pics to share.

——

Robert P doesn’t own this Saab drop-top any more, but it looks like it saw some top-down action in less than summery conditions…..

–

This isn’t a snow-filled image, but Hovsep in Beirut assures me that it was indeed in winter – at around 8 degrees C – so you have to admire the courage of this young bride riding to her wedding in the back of this 900 Convertible.

–

James lives in Seattle (we met at one of the great Trollhattan Saab meetups a few years ago) and his Viggen sees regular winter use.

That’s around -5 degrees C to those using the Swedish scale….. and the top is down “with the footwell heater and rump-roaster on. Woohoo!”

–

Here’s another entry celebrating the year-round adaptability of the Saab Convertible – a car built for winter conditions and lots of summer fun!

Martin D is a big fan of the classic yellow Saab convertible. In fact, he’s got a few of them in the family and has sent through a few images of them. As you can see, they both get regular use, no matter how cold the season!

Click to enlarge.

Parked top-down in the snow….

Brrrr…..

Picking up the Christmas Tree…..

At a skiing holiday….

At the Saab Support Convoy in Russelsheim….

——

My thanks to Martin for the images.

I’ve got a bunch more, too. It seems there are a LOT of people who love their winter convertibles

–

We’re looking for people who use their Saab Convertibles all year round. Gunnar has taken up the challenge.

They’re made in Sweden for Swedish conditions, so there’s no reason to keep them tucked up during the winter, right?

I am not such an extreme topless driver like Frederik, since I have [some medical sensitivity to cold conditions] when driving in my former Cabrio (MX-5) at temperatures around freezing point. The doctor asked me if I would be nuts and my boss at work asked me if I did that on purpose for getting a few days off being sick…no kidding…

But I really bought the Saab because I wanted to have a Cabrio for every season. And yes, it works perfectly.

Here are some images of Gunnar’s car. Click to enlarge. My thanks to him for sending them in!

17″ Aero rims with winter tyres – nice!

Wearing a winter coat…..

At the Saab Support Convoy in Russelsheim last January…..

And in more pleasant conditions….

——

If you’ve got a Saab Convertible that gets winter use, please send along some photos of your 4-seasons 4-seater convertible. I’d love to share them here on the site.

–

The Saab Convertible has been referred to in the past as the 4-seasons, 4-seater ragtop. Whilst many convertibles of the last few decades were small, cute affairs, Saab rocked the world in the mid-1980′s by building a robust convertible with 4 useable seats. Best of all, it wasn’t just a pretty little show pony. The Saab Convertible has always been a car built to cope with true winter conditions.

I thought it might be interesting to see how many people get their Saab Convertibles out during the colder months. Better still, do you get the heater cranked and the top down?

If you do, send me some photos of your Saab Convertible doing one of the things it was designed for – looking awesome and delivering driving fun even in the winter.

Send your photos to swade99@gmail.com with Winter Convertible in the header.

——

One such Convertible owner with no fear of the cold is Fredrik A, from SU sponsor Maptun.

Fredrik’s Saab 9-3 Convertible was built in 2004 and runs on E85 thanks to some tuning from his employer. The car has several other tweaks to the exhaust and suspension, helping it put around 280hp and 400Nm to ground.

Fredrik drives his Convertible all year round….

I doubt there’s anyone who drives around with the roof down as much as I do, at least in this kind of climate. If it’s above –5 and sunny – the roof goes down! The manual says you’re not supposed to operate the roof below –5 C , but since my car is nice and comfy in a warm garage I’ve dropped the roof as low as –10 C.

Today’s reactions include : Heads shaking, staring, wide smiles, thumbs up, and something I only expected to happen in the movies; a girl actually dropped a cigarette that she was about to light from her lips.

——

I know there are more of you 4-seasons Convertible drivers out there.

Get some photos and share the love!

–