Monthly Archives: August 2006

Finnish Saab Ads

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The Finns had a couple of funny Saab ad campaigns going back in the day.

This first one’s from 1987 and a word of warning to the easily embarrassed, it does feature bare butts….

Translation (provided at the Google Video source):

(packing their stuff in to the Saab) “Hi! Haven’t seen you for a long time!” “Hi, … all » it’s nice to get going together again!”

(while driving) “It’s like sitting on your own couch at home.” “It is, but you can’t drive to Lappland with your couch *laughs*” “That’s true *laughs*”

(when arriving to the sauna cottage) “Cottage is still there, where we last time left it”

(when in sauna) “*gabble*” “Saab… it keeps man on the road.” “*laughs*” “*gabble*”

(when cooling off outside and doors slams closed) “DOOR!”

(waving to the others to get in to the car) “Quickly!”

(in the car) “And then what?” “*laughs*” Text: Saab. Made in Finland. For Finnish people.

I’d love to get a translation of this one if possible as it seems like the same group of guys at it again…..

UPDATE: Thanks to Pika for supplying the following translation…………..

(packing their stuff in to the Saab) – “Pack your things and let’s get going!”

(after arriving) – “And then let’s set up the camp!”

Fisherman: “Got it!”

Men in the camp: “What is he yelling about..?” – “*Gabble*”

(when bear comes out from the bushes)

“BEAR!”

“Get in to the car!”

(while in the car) – “What is it doing?”

“It took my fish..!”

“Uh oh guys, it’s coming here…”

(after bear climbed on the Saab’s roof) – “Well… Saab can bear this up easily *laughs*”

Text: Saab. Safest car in Finland.

Fantastic stuff.

Tuesday Night Snippets

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I love iTunes.

I’ve just made my first full album purchase from the iTunes store. I reached back to get in touch with my inner Metalhead and bought Iron Maiden’s “Live After Death”, which I haven’t heard for at least 10 years. I would have bought just the songs I wanted but you could only get The Rime of The Ancient Mariner by buying the full album.

I’ll have to check out how that Trollpod device is coming along.

And then buy an iPod.

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SaabVideos.com should be getting some content up from the Saab Owners Convention in the next few days. Keep an eye out. I’m hoping there’ll be some film of the ’roundtable’ discussion featuring Saab USA Managing Director, Jay Spenchian.

I published Jay’s speech to the convention a few days ago. As I read it, I was frustrated a little by the corporate flavour of the content. I’ve been assured that the roundtable was quite a bit more frank and that all subjects were on the table.

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Here’s another fuel option arriving in the UK to make us all a little more jealous. Honestly, the UK’s got it all except decent weather. They get cars that the US can’t, engines that the US can’t. If only it was warm and they were good at sport – it’d be a paradise for your average petrolheaded guy.

Now they’re about to up the RON ante and introduce V-Power, a new 99-RON fuel from Shell that’s been formulated in conjunction with the Ferrari F1 team.

UPDATE: Judging from the entries in comments, it seems the poms are getting this a few years after at least some of their European counterparts.

Having just upgraded to 98-RON here in Hobart I can honestly tell you it’s worth the change. Can’t wait to try this new gear. If it takes as long to drift down here as things usually do then I should be able to fill up my Saab 9-21xx during my retirement in 2030.

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We’re approaching the end of the month again, which means a whole slew of sales figures will be raining down, most likely from early next week. That’ll be two-thirds of the year done and dusted and we should be able to guage an accurate figure as to how the total sales figure might end up. I’m still gunning for 150,000 but it’ll be a tough target.

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It’s not often I link to Saabnet. As far as I know I’m still banned (it must be around 400 days or so by now).

This is worth sharing though. Mike Lynch, one of the regulars there, is a Saab dealer in California and he’s just posted a notice saying that there’ll be a few rebates going on around the Labour Day holiday period.

Here’s the posting. Short and sweet:


Just announced, effective tomorrow, $500 Bonus Cash (rebate after tax) on all Saab Passenger cars.

$1,500 on 9-7Xs !!!!!!!

A follow-up posting also notes that this is over and above the current offers.

Convertible Wallpapers

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From our good (if sometimes feral) mates at Saab Australia, some groovy 9-3 Convertible wallpapers, which I’ve re-sized for 800×600 and 1024×768. If you need another size then let me know in comments.

These were put together as part of the recent 20th Anniversary celebrations that were held in Sydney. Please note the correct use of font here (actually, only the date in in Gill Sans here. Hmmmmm….)

1. Two Saab Convertibles

Click on the image below to enlarge to 800×600.

For the 1204×768 version, click the following: View image

Saab Conv 2x 800.jpg

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2. Four Saab Convertibles

Click on the image below to enlarge to 800×600.

For the 1204×768 version, click the following: View image

Saab Conv 4x 800.jpg

Flummoxed

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The whole Cadillac-in-Europe thing is still getting my goat. It’s really annoying to hear of developments at Cadillac, of which there are a few doing the rounds at the moment (a coupe for example), whilst Saab hasn’t featured on any of the news services for some time now.

I took a quick look at a Caddy STS-V review at Autoweek this morning. I think this picture should sum up my thoughts on Caddy pretty well.

caddySTS-Vinterior.jpg

Now, the STS-V isn’t available in Europe but GM want to grow Cadillac in that market so I think it’s fair to be taking a look at what they want to push there eventually. Can you imagine a European market accepting this?

This has got to be just about the ugliest car interior I’ve ever laid eyes on. It’s vile. It’s the automotive equivalent to a bad case of crabs. The only person I could really imagine liking it is Rodney Dangerfield, and only if he was in character.

For some reason, GM sees fit to give European development, promotion and production dollars to the company that produces this crap rather than give further support to Saab.

Saab are doing better in Europe in 2006, but with the German market still in it’s infancy and other markets emerging, the potential is huge.

Global Premium Brand?

Prove it.

The One-Man-Million-Mile Saab

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I heard from a guy some time ago that this might be coming up. I wasn’t aware that he was going to preserve the millionth mile for the SOC though.

The following press release from Saab tells the story…

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Lake George, N.Y. — The affair began in 1966… it’s still running strong 40 years later. Insurance and financial sales may be his trade, but Saab enthusiast and owner Peter Gilbert certainly has Saab blue-blood coursing through his veins. The Swedish automotive brand has been his transport of choice since 1967 after being smitten by the Saab’s rally victories with famed driver Erik Carlsson. Since, he has owned several Saabs.

British by birth, cheese-head by home address, Gilbert and his current vehicle – a 1989 grey Saab 900 SPG – reached a milestone in their 17-year relationship – 1 million miles. This milestone took place and was celebrated at the 2006 Saab Owners Convention, held this year at the Roaring Brook Ranch, Lake George, N.Y. in the world-famous Adirondack region. Saab Automobile USA General Manager Jay Spenchian was the first to congratulate Gilbert and his SPG on the occasion.

Gilbert attributes his vehicle’s longevity, other than being a Saab, to “maintenance and rigorous fluid replacement.” The ’89 SPG and Gilbert share many a fond memory, including reaching 135 mph on the straight-away at the Road America course at Elkhart Lake, Wis.; coming into involuntary contact with at least eight Wisconsin deer; and using the equivalent of two tanker trucks of fuel over the course of their relationship.

As for the couple’s future? Gilbert plans to finally let the tried and true Saab 900 SPG relax. “I plan to retire the car to The Wisconsin Auto Museum,” Gilbert said. “The museum is in Hartford, which is not too far from me – that means I can visit my dear friend any time.”

Million Mile Saab Handshake SOC 06.JPG

Top Queer and the 9-3 Convertible

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Saab is a gay-friendly company. Apparently. I never knew. I always thought they just treated everyone the same, but apparently they’re gay friendly, whatever that means. Perhaps the dealers have finely tuned gay-dars and offer the incredibly neat and stylishly dressed customers a kiss and a tickle? All you dealers out there please do tell!!

With that out of the way, it’s time to see what Gaywheels (or Top Queer as I nicknamed them last time) think of the 9-3 Convertible.

You guessed it – It’s two willies up!


The intinerary included 2 weeks, 5 states and over 1,600 miles. The car performed flawlessly, rain and shine.

Top Queer did a review of the 9-5 SportCombi recently and the result wasn’t exactly shining. They compared it to a “little black T-shirt” that you just can’t do without, if you’re into that sort of thing. Yeah, it’s as camp as a row of tents, but the point is valid.

So is the point they make with the 9-3 Convertible. It’s great to drive, it scores points in all the right areas and as all of us Saabers know – it’s car you won’t see around every corner.


The engine is smooooooth, loves to rev and has just a small amount of turbo lag. It is so vibration-free and quiet I found myself doing 85 in 4th gear and not knowing it – more than once.

At the end of the alloted time, I was honestly sad to see the car go. This will be on my list of cars that I’ll offer when the inevitable “what should I buy” question comes my way. It is softer and more civilized than it’s german competitors and offers a great gay-friendly alternative to the pervasive BMW 3-series that every third gay man drives.

Jay Spenchian remarks at SOC

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Following is a transcript of (Managing Director, Saab USA) Jay Spenchian’s address to the delegates at the Saab Owner’s Convention over the weekend. I’d like to thank Saab USA for allowing me to provide it here for the wider Saab community.

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“The State of Saab 2006”

It is again a privilege to be with you all here at the 2006 Saab Owner’s Convention. This year is extra special, as we are celebrating that Saab started its sales activities in the USA exactly 50 years ago.

Pictured is the kick-off at the 1956 New York auto show (picture here)….Boy – have we come a long way since then…

And here’s how we honored that at the New York auto show this year – with a special display that featured the very first Sonett, brought in from our Saab USA heritage collection.

It was just one of the many, many Saab initiatives that we have started, since we met last, just one year ago at Mount Stratton in Vermont. Then, as now, our focus is on four major areas:
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