Monthly Archives: February 2007

February Wrap

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No new stuff. Apart from this entry, I’m taking the night off.

Here’s what happened here at Trollhattan Saab in February 2007. If you ever wonder how someone could write so much about a little company like Saab, then check out all that happened in the course of one little 28-day month.

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- I took possession of a fantastically groooooovy Saab dealer trophy from 1998.

- A commenter named Fred Flintstone gave us a supposedly guaranteed, signed-off-by-GM production schedule for Saab from now until 2012.

- Saab USA recorded their 6th consecutive sales rise and were the only GM brand in the US to record a rise in February. Swedish sales were flat.

- I did some educated guesswork on the XWD system to be used in the MY08 9-3. It’s a new generation system from Haldex. Jakob did some good homework too, finding Saab’s registration of the XWD trademark.

- Without a doubt the biggest story in a month of big stories was the emergence of the first spypics of the MY08 Saab 9-3. I think it looks fantastic.

- Australian Saab head honcho Parveen Batish was named as the grand poobah of GM Premium here in Australia, and now sells Hummers as well as Saabs. Caddy to come soon.

- I posted what I believe will remain the best photo that appears on this site all year.

- We learned first that the 9-3 range would get a BioPower option. At the same link, it became evident that the entire 9-5 range would have a BioPower option as of later this year.

- The Aero-X won the Car Design News Concept Car of the Year award, scooping both the judges choice and people’s choice awards.

- Documenta, the art festival in Germany, took delivery of its fleet of Saabs.

- I took a look at a number of reasons why my hope has recently been renewed for Saab, given all the recent good news. The future is bright as a button.

- 1985Gripen gave us some incredible coverage of the 60th Anniversary press event, held in San Diego in early February. His write-ups were comprehensive, insightful and very entertaining. He had the chance to drive not only the 60th Anniversry 9-5 and 9-3 range, but he did so in the company of Erik Carlsson for the entire day! He also took heaps of pictures of the vehicles present from the GM Heritage Collection, which were also driveable on the day – an unbelievably rare treat. All Mike’s writings and pictures from this incredible event are available at this link: Saab 60th Anniversary.

- We saw pictures (lot 1 and lot 2), a few years old but entertaining nonetheless, of an incredible Saab 96 in black with a V6 installed. Magnificent.

- We got a better look at the MY08 Saab 9-3 SportCombi thanks to these pictures of a silver version rather than the original black car that was pictured.

- Those new photos led to several bouts of photoshop speculation as to how the finished grille and lights might look.

- The Saab BioPower100 was uncovered prior to it’s official unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show. It runs on 100% ethanol and has the coolest tail lamps EVER.

- We had some collective discussion as who Saab’s competitors are. I expanded on my thoughts about Saab’s competition here. It’s fair to say we’re not really any closer on agreeing, but even a little progress is progress.

- Eggs n Grits showed us all how good a new Trollhattan Saab T-Shirt can look. You too can look as smooth as Eggs by clicking here and helping to send Swade to Sweden by purchasing a TS T-shirt.

- I put together a little YouTube video on the cars Saab provided for the 2001 Race Of Champions.

- Bring Back The Hatch! The Saab 9-3 and 9-5 SportCombis have more cargo space and towing capacity than a whole bunch of SUVs in a similar price bracket. Some more great research by 1985Gripen.

- More MY08 Saab 9-3 photos emerged, this time the convertible. These were received somewhat more coolly than previous images.

- I had some issues with a family of huntsman spiders moving into my Viggen. I eventually embarrassed myself and got the last one about a week ago.

- A young Korean guy got to re-live his first meeting with Erik Carlsson, and provided a fantastic cartoon image of his RAC rally winning Saab 96.

- I started a collection of Saab desktop wallpapers for everyone’s enjoyment. This will feature cars owned by visitors to this site, or photos taken by same.

- David R gave us the great purchase and drive story regarding his new 9-3 Aero SportCombi. David C also gave us a great story about his family purchase of a 2006 9-7x that now compliments his 206 9-5 quite nicely in the garage.

- I opined that Saab should make all it’s gasoline engines BioPower compatible.

- We got some new info on the coming twin-turbo diesel unit, as well as the Black Turbo. It’s absolutely mouth-watering.

- The Rinspeed 9-5 BioPower is absolutely stunning.

- We got a better look at the BioPower100 that will debut at Geneva with the release of a full set of exterior and interior photos.

- Saab are going BioPower crazy at Geneva. The entire Swedish lineup will have a BioPower option in the Swedish market first, with this expanding to other countries over time.

Saab 9-5 Anniversary Review

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Redesigning the 9-5 was a divisive move by Saab. That much is a given. Some like the new look and some don’t. Personally, whilst I still prefer the classy aggression of the 05 model, I’ve become much fonder of the Dame Edna 9-5 as time has progressed.

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Our host at About.com, Aaron Gold, isn’t so forgiving, but then he had to have something to complain about and he had no complaints whatsoever about the way the 2007 Saab 9-5 drove.

Aaron was a participant in the 60th Anniversary event in San Diego in early February 2007. He got to spend a day driving Saabs, both old and new. This review concerns the 60th Anniversary Edition of the 2007 Saab 9-5 Sedan.

A few salient points from the review:


Saab was years ahead of the industry in applying technologies like turbochargers and front-wheel-drive, and to this day their cars have an air of individualism that adds greatly to their appeal.

GM would do well to write that in big bold letters at wherever-it-is that Saabs are designed nowadays.


….for 2007 Saab ups the ante with a longer warranty and an appealing 60th Anniversary option package. But that doesn’t change the fact that the basic 9-5 design is still in its ninth year. How’s it holding up? Better than I expected, that’s for sure.

That’s because something that’s well designed, properly conceived and engineered will stand the test of time. The 9-5 is holding up well because it’s a fine car.

When I drove the BioPower version in January my first thought was how good it was to be back driving a new version of an old friend. The fact that it’s nine years since the first model just means they’ve got the bugs ironed out.

Make no mistake. This is one heck of a good car, people.


….the 9-5′s interior … needed rescue, and here Saab really came through. Gone are the Clinton-era steering wheel with its oversize airbag enclosure and zillion-button controls. Today you’ll find a new dash with a svelte three-spoke steering wheel, three-dial climate controls and a touch-screen stereo/navigation system (overpriced at $2,945) that’s almost too simple, with just a handful of buttons and a big black plastic surround that contrasts with the wood trim around it.

Each to their own. I think a mild re-style of the old dash would have been more Saaby. Bring the top vent into line with the centre section and incorporate the hazard button and all of a sudden it looks more streamlined. Employ some better color coding as per the new layout. OK, replace the steering wheel if you must, but there’s nothing wrong with the old one.

It’s just the buttons on the old style are very intuitive and easy to use and if you want to play on your jets heritage then the old unit has it all over the new one. Just my 0.02c.

Comparative old (left) and new (right) dashboards below….

old9-5dash.jpg new9-5dash.jpg

But it’s here that our digressions end.

This is a very well appointed car that drives like a dream. I know it, and Aaron was reminded of it in San Diego….


….Materials are top-notch….

….remarkably comfy front seats….

….The sedan has a nice-sized trunk, but the wagon’s cargo bay is really impressive — it’s so big you could rent it out as office space…..

….I’ve always liked this engine; it pulls like a V6 and gets great gas mileage….

….The 9-5′s automatic does such a nice job of managing the turbo engine’s power and promptly serving up lower gears when acceleration is needed that I think it’s the way to go. That said, the gentle clutch and well-chosen gear ratios mean that those who do buy the stick-shift won’t regret it when they get stuck in stop-and-go traffic….

And the bottom line:


I went into this test drive regarding the 9-5 as the elder statesmen of European cars…..the 9-5 can still hustle with the best of ‘em, and that’s what really counts.

Absolutely.

href="http://cars.about.com/od/saab/fr/07_saab_95_60th.htm">Read the
full 2007 Saab 9-5 review at About.com Cars

Wednesday Snippets

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It’s the 28th of February and given that it’s 2007 and not 2008 that means it’s the last day of the month.

So we’ll be looking forward to reviewing Saab sales numbers for February in the next few days.

Can the US market maintain its momentum and post a seventh consecutive month of year-on-year growth? They need approx 2,800 sales in Feb 07 to do so. We’ll wait with baited breath and fingers crossed.

Will there be a ripple effect on 9-3 sales in Sweden with spyshots emerging this month of the MY08 9-3? Will BioPower availability for the 9-3 provide a boost and if so, will it dent 9-5 sales?

February is traditionally a slow month in the UK as everyone holds out for new registration plates in March. Only 830 units sold last year.

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I’ll also be disclosing TS traffic data for the month in an ongoing effort to prove to Saab worldwide the value inherent in the blogging format. Numbers won’t be finalised until midnight, but I can tell you right now that I have a 126GB bandwidth limit per month for this site and as of this morning the 200GB mark has been breached for the month. Ouch!

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There will be a couple of minor changes on the site, with a couple of advertisers joining up. Shouldn’t be too obtrusive. The ads will be for a new-car and used-car search site, so if you’re US-based and in the market then please consider supporting them if they provide a good service.

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Regarding the next generation 9-5 article posted last night: I am yet to receive any further information regarding this. I’m starting to consider that it was a little of a knee-jerk reaction to post it. The source has historically been reliable, however a lack of response to my follow-up email gives me some cause for concern.

I’ll be chasing this closely. If the source is right then I’d expect articles to appear in selected news services shortly.

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Tomorrow, being the 1st of March, its the first day of Autumn here in Australia. Summer is officially over – boo hoo. The days are getting shorter and slightly colder.

But I shouldn’t complain. It’s still snowing in Minnesota….

Greg A’s very attractive SPG:

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Next Gen 9-5 news

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News came through a few days ago that Scania would be taking over Saab’s Sodertajle engine plant, with Saab ceasing engine production there in 2009.

Saab builds its 2.3 engine for the Saab 9-5 at Sodertajle so it was taken as further confirmation that the next new 9-5 would be sighted in 2009 as a 2010 model.

I’ve just received some news based from a reliable source stating that Scania are already establishing their presence in Sodertajle and that Saab may be out of there sooner than expected. The source mentions that the next 9-5 will be ready in late 2008 as a MY09 vehicle – a year earlier than expected.

This is incredibly fresh news and I’m attempting to find out more about it, so watch this space.

Geneva’s gonna be Saab BioPower crazy!!!

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Time for a little recap of what I believe we can expect at the Geneva Motor Show next month. The list just keeps on growing as the event gets closer.

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It started with the car with the coolest tail lamps EVER, the Saab BioPower100 concept vehicle, which features an engine that will run on E100.

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After the BioPower 100 we learned that the BioPower range would expand into the 9-3 series. The 9-3 BioPower cars are available for order in Sweden already, but will make their big public debut at the Geneva show.

The initial release will be a 1.8t but word is that there’ll be a 2.0t setup released in MY2008.

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Today, we saw the Rinspeed BioPower 9-5 with standard 180hp engine setup but a full Rinspeed body makeover, which looks absolutely magnificent.

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Finally, Bengt has noted in comments that the Geneva Motor Show website also lists a 2.3T BioPower setup – the key being the capital ‘T’.

The current 2.3t BioPower engine in the 9-5 was only released recently and it looks like they’re releasing another high-output version.

The current 2.3T gasoline engine has an output of 260hp, so it could be that this 2.3T BioPower engine might finally be the BioPower Beast incarnated. The BioPower Beast was first shown in the US at the LA Auto Show in 2006 and featured outputs of 310hp and 440Nm.

Given that the Black Turbo is coming in the MY08 9-3 range with an output believed to be around 290hp, this 2.3T BioPower engine could be the one to keep the 9-5 at the top of the Saab tree.

Saab BioPower100 – more pics

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I would have shown these earlier today but for fogetting that my office firewall doesn’t allow zip files.

Still, they’re worth the wait. Previously we’d only seen the coolest tail lamps EVER, but now we get to look over the whole BioPower100 concept car that will debut at Geneva next week.

It looks pretty close to Aero spec with the addition of those tail lamps, the turbofan wheels and some white upholstery inside the car. A tasteful job indeed.

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lots more after the jump….

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9-5 BioPower by Rinspeed – Hubba Hubba!!

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To all those who think the 9-5 is looking a little long in the tooth, hmph! This baby scrubs up pretty nicely if you ask me.

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The Saab 9-5 by Rinspeed has just been covered in a Saab Switzerland press release. Here’s my slightly liberal translation along with a truckload of pictures after the jump.

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A principal topic at the Geneva Motor Show this year will be the auto industry leading by example in respecting the environment. Saab, in collaboration with Rinspeed, will be showing with the “9-5 BioPower Rinspeed” how vision and reality can harmonize.

The model is equipped with a bioethanol engine and proves that it is possible in today’s world to considerably reduce fossil CO2 emissions without giving up the pleasure of driving.

Recent reports with regard to climate change are clear: mankind, by it’s collective behavoiur, is a primary contributor to global warming. The reduction of CO2 emissions has become a central topic around the world – as it is at the Geneva Motor Show.

The notion of care and respect for the environment is not one that is just for the future, nor has it been for a long time now. At previous motor shows, Saab has proven it’s leadership in this field and shown with its BioPower concepts that ecological technology and driving pleasure could coincide perfectly.

This year, Saab will cross a new threshold at the Geneva Motor Show. The visitors can come to stand 5030 and admire a perfectly successful union of vision and reality – the “Saab 9-5 BioPower Rinspeed”.

The altered Saab BioPower immediately attracts the glare of visitors thanks to the glare of its yellow gloss paint. This special lowered Saab model incorporates materials used by Rinspeed for its futuristic prototype “eXasis”. (eXasis is the first transparent plastic car of high technology that is equipped, just like Saab BioPower, with an E85 engine).

The Saab BioPower Rinspeed shows new applications in the shape of rhombuses out of fibreglass metallized to aluminium. One finds the reason for the rhombuses in the coating of the seats. The interior also shows the innovative aspect of the car with seats padded with a compound called Technogel.

Yellow safety belts and a new fibreglass dashboard complete the metamorphosis of the Saab BioPower to perfection.

The Saab BioPower by Rinspeed and the eXasis are both studies to celebrate the 30th birthday of the company. With the eXasis, Rinspeed presents a car able to develop 150hp with using an ethanol engine. The parallel Saab BioPower, sporting 180hp led the two company’s traditionalists to cooperate.

Saab also celebrates a birthday in 2007 – 60 years of turbocharged ideas. To this occasion, Saab will launch the special “Anniversary Edition” models. However, it is the move towards ecological vehicles that will be maintained henceforth.

Saab will present the 9-3 BioPower in a world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show. It will be available in Switzerland starting from autumn 2007 and will compliment the Saab 9-5 BioPower. Saab wants to continue its idea to reduce the CO2 emissions on its cars right through the range.

With the “Saab 9-5 BioPower100 Concept”, Saab presents at the Motor-show a vehicle that can function with 100% bioethanol. Saab continues its philosophy thus to put mankind and the environment at the center of its activities.

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This is the eXasis vehicle they’re talking about, along with the 9-5 BioPower.

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A bunch of photos to see after the jump…
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