What a year it has been. In the year leading up to 2012 we saw countless deals where Saab had looked to be saved with start and stop production and with it all ending with Saab declaring bankruptcy in December of 2011. To say it has been a tough year for Saab fans would be a complete understatement and would not even begin to paint a picture of the frustrations we have all felt. As a group though, there were many things that happened to make us all feel very connected no matter how far apart we may be.
The year 2012 started with a worldwide rally. The We Are Many, We Are SAAB events that took place January 14-15 sent a strong message that Saab fans are still here as the fans, groups and clubs united around the world to say, someone buy our car company and build us some cars.
Some of the things I will take out of the past year are things that I hope I will grow stronger with in the years to come. There are two camps when it comes to what people think of Victor Muller but one thing he has given me is the never give up attitude. He had said he would never ever give up and he didn’t. That is one thing that will continue to push me as I go forward in anything I do in life. Sure in the end it didn’t work well for him but you can’t fault someone who gave their everything to the cause. I believe for me, the best quote to sum up what this looks like to me is an anonymous one that says, “Do or do not, there is no try. You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” In the end, if you have done all you can then success or failure is secondary to the effort you put out and for that, Victor will always have some respect from me.
We can’t forget that another huge thing we saw last year was a community of Saab owners and fans who came together and united to purchase the last production built Saab 9-3 from the Spyker era for the Saab Museum which had just been saved itself in January. Near the end of April last year, we posted about trying to save the last 9-3 and started collecting donations for it. Within just over two weeks this was accomplished with donations coming from all over the world. I often talk about what SAABSUNITED means to me and this best sums it up in a group of people who love the brand so much that they unite when needed and put differences aside. Saving this cars was no small feet and was accomplished even with some doubts about being successful which again brings that quote to mind of “Do or do not, there is no try. You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”
In the end, our brand was bought through bankruptcy and we are still playing the waiting game. In the very short term though, I have seen parts become more available and see Saab Parts and NEVS working well together and I expect more from both in the near future. I constantly see NEVS adding more job listings which to me is promising. I have a dream for 2013 to be an exciting and ground breaking year for the future of Saab and I can promise that we will continue to bring you everything as it happens.
2012 was a year that a lot of people would like to sooner forget then remember but for me, there were still some incredible things that happened to make it in a way worth it. Sometimes you need to fall to be picked up again and become better then you ever were.
From all of us at SAABSUNITED, Happy New Year to all of you.
Happy New Year from Slovakia!!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR to all at SAABSUNITED and to NEVS!
Happy New Year from Holland!!!!!
Happy New Year Saab People from Ireland 🙂
Happy New Year to you all, from Scotland!!
Happy New Year to all from New Jersey, home of toxic waste dumps and the Sopranos! 🙂
Happy New Year, everyone!
Happy New Year to everyone!
Happy new year to all SAAB people everywhere!
Happy New Year to everyone from Gran Canaria 🙂
Have you eaten 12 grapes?
That is an interesting tradition and I watched the others eat that while enjoyed a very small glas of champange
happy new year to every one !!!
Saaby New year!
A happy and peaceful 2013 to the entire global SAAB community, from Saab Club of Western Canada (www.saabwest.ca) ! 🙂
Well said! Happy, healthy, and a prosperous New Year to everyone!
Saaby New Year everybody! 😀
Happy New Year from Paris!
And loooooong live Saab!
Happy New Year to you all and may all your Saaby dreams come true in 2013! 🙂
Happy New Year Saab People and SaabBrothers from Belarus!!!
Happy new Saab Year!
Happy New Year to you all from Yeovil, UK.
Happy New Year from Skåne. 🙂
A very happy and prosperous New Year to SAABISTAS everywhere, from Tonymac
Happy New Year from Latvia!
And a very happy New Year from Wales…..iachi dda
Greetings and Best Wishes for 2013 to all SAABista from Alberta, Canada!
Best wishes to all Saabisti from Belgium
Xxx
I do add my wishes to this wish from Belgium too.
Well written summary, Jason, makes us all feel we nevertheless accomplished quite something.
A truly great year to all Saab enthusiasts from Romania !
Happy New Year from Washington, DC, USA to the Saabs United crew and members! And Happy New Year to Rachel Pang too (or should I wait until Chinese New Year?).
We won’t know how good or bad 2012 was until we learn more about NEVS’ intentions with Saab. Right now, it does appear that the building blocks for SOMETHING are being put in place. If that something turns out to be cars destined for a bunch of Saab’s trandtional markets (not just China), then I think we will look back on 2012 as a positive turning point for Saab. If it’s EVs only, China only—-2012 will be the year Saab officially went away for most of us.
Happy new year to everybody! Indeed, 2012 was the worst year for me as well, ever. I get the impression that the Saab community is still holding on to their company, though. I started looking for a replacement car, and despite having only a couple of points on my check list (a dame Edna SportsKombi TiD, no navigation, non-black interior), the market is void, null and nill. Apparently, Saab owners presently have the attitude of “you must grap it from my dead cold hands”. 😉
Happy New 2013 to you all
Happy 2013 to you all from Torino, Italy
Griffin Up!
Thank You, and the same to you.
Sorry, bit late, parties, headache……but Happy New Year from Long Island, NY!
Happy new year from the desert, the wonderful Valley of the Sun. I was at our dealer today in north Scottsdale, and there were 6 Saabs present getting service, a great day, and a sign of the future, I hope. Thanks Luke and Ian!
Happy New Year from Barcelona!!!
Feliz Año Nuevo
Bon Any Nou
HAPPY NEW YEAR to all Saab drivers and Saab pilots throughout the world and a Big Thanks to the SU crew for providing us with the latest news and information all the time ! 🙂
Happy New Year from the Bahamas! 🙂
(I work on a cruise ship so I ended up celebrating here… And yes, I do have Saab waiting for me at home in Hungary :))
Happy New Year from New Jersey USA!
HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM THE SAAB OWNERS CLUB of Great Britain……see you at intsaab 2013 hosted in the UK
elli