There was a comment from “Marc” in an IntSaab entry about an hour ago and Marc has since sent some photos through via email to accompany the story.
This is typical of some of the magic that accompanies Saab events like this – those little moments you can get involved in, either actively or just as an observer.
Remember as you read this, that there are only six of these Sonetts in existence. Saab could be forgiven for mothballing them but here they are, out on the track, doing what they were made to do.
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We were making some photos of the Sonett on the oval.
First we were driving in front in a Saab 95 me sitting backwards in the little backseat. Later we were driving behind it, again to make pictures.
JP, one of the organizers had the priveledge to be the passenger in the Sonett I. But he is quite a big bloke so he rose above the little windscreen like too big a mast on a little boat. The driver didn’t particulately like it as he thought JP was fauling the aerodynamics. So, to squeeze the last rpm out of the Sonett JP was ordered to get his head down but as he was already cramped in, all he could do was bent it down a little.
It must have helped. When we came on one of the straights, I told our driver to give the 95 the berries to get closer to the Sonett but he already had the pedal to the metal and as we were crawling to 150kph I could see the Sonett getting away from us….
JP told me later they were nodging 7000rpm backshifting.
My thanks to Marc for the photos and one of those special little insights from IntSaab 2009.
If you ever get the chance to go to one of these big Saab events – whether it be in the US, greater Europe or in Sweden itself – I’d encourage you to take the opportunity.
It’s well worth it.
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