Saab Pride - Finnish Style! | Trollhattan Saab

Saab Pride - Finnish Style!

Posted by swade on January 7th, 2008 8 Comments Printer-Friendly

It’s time for yet another entry in the Saab Pride of Ownership Competition, the best darn competition ever held on the face of the earth!

My thanks, as always to my good mates at Elkparts, who need to check their email.

Today’s email is from MarkoA, a regular commenter here on the blog and resident of Finland.

Go!

——

Here´s some pics from Finland. I know, these pics are not really good as a pic, but I thought they´d show some of Saab pride in Finland (which is what it’s all about - SW)

I guess I´m a quite typical Finn, who likes all the different types of nature in Finland and all four seasons very much.

The first pic is from Ylläs - Lappland. It really shows why I appreciate safe car with precise driveability and good communicative steering. There´s no use for wide tires or sports suspension. Also a effective cabin heating system is not so bad to have.

The car is 9-3 Vector 1.8t MY07.

Ylläs area consists of seven fells and two original lappish villages. At *718m*, Ylläs fell itself is one of the highest fells in Lapland. *Äkäslompolo* village is located on the northern side of the the Ylläs fell and *Ylläsjärvi* village on the southern side. Ylläs has a skiing tradition dating back to 1930’s. The first ski fans were making their way here even before the area was served by a road. The Pallas-Ylläs National Park provides unforgettable experiences all year round.

The next one is taken at the coast of our hometown, Raahe. Behind the car is the Bothnic bay. A sea between Finland and Sweden. Also our dog, the Belgian Shepherd called Masi.

Then again a shot from nothern region. The Tornio river, a border between Finland and Sweden. And on the pic is our previous 9000 Aero ´93. There´s xc-skis and mountain bike on a roof rack, for some sports.

And then, my pride and joy Saab 900 T16S 1991 in Talladega red behind is some birch timber at the Raahe railwaystation. Important raw material in Finland.

Then there´s a oic from lake Livo, Posio. Closer to the Russian border. It´s a small lake with crystal clear water, very beautiful nature all around not very much settlement and everything is as clean as it gets. …and whale tail!

And the last but not least, a true Saab pride! That´s Mrs A sleeping at the back of T16S during the Pori Jazz festival some years ago. C900 gives you always a spare place to sleep! There´s enough room for two if you´re not too picky about the bed.

That´s it. These pics are not taken in any competition in mind. Mostly just random pics from holidays and so on.

Happy new year and keep on Saabin´

regards,
Marko

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Comments

Golfhunter said:

Thanx Marko for your interesting report .
It’s allways a pleasure to see Saabs in their natural environment . Where they are borned.

-January 7th, 2008 at 9:58 pm
GripenAustira said:

Very nice pics! The nature there is awesome! Regards from Austria to Finland!!!

-January 7th, 2008 at 10:03 pm
Bengt P said:

Nice report Marco.
Perfect environment for a diesel (I hope you will get it delivered soon).

-January 7th, 2008 at 11:00 pm
blix said:

these pics are gorgeous. the second is now my desktop background (if you don’t mind). the saab in its element!

-January 7th, 2008 at 11:28 pm
tompa said:

Hieno auto Marko!

Svensk bil (Ja till viss del finsk då.. ) i storslagen miljö.. Ser ju ut som du gamla du fria storslagna Sverige Fina länder vi bor i Marko. Men alla länder har ju i och för sig sin charm.

Translation from swedish: Swedish car (Ok partly finnish then ) in a grand scenic environment… Looks like old and free Ruotsi (Ruotsi= Sweden, in finnish) Nice countries we live in Marko. But then again, all countries has their charm.
(Wish Swade could invite the lot of us to Tasmania the day he becomes CEO of GM, with office in Tasmania ofcourse, and take us all in Saabs on that wonderful route of his and his fellow Tasmanians…)

Marko…. Hyvä Suomi Poika! Hyvä työ!

Cheers/Tompa

-January 8th, 2008 at 12:11 am
BaRa said:

Did you take any of these pictures in december ‘07? I thought there was a slight lack of snow in Finland last year … which was the reason for not having our vacation in Finland

-January 8th, 2008 at 3:08 am
MarkoA said:

Thank you all for the kind words! Tack så mycket Tompa. Du talar bättre finska som jag talar svenska eller hur?

Cheers Gripen Austria, I spent six weeks in austria two years ago and I really enjoyed the enviroment and people there.

Bara, the first pic is from 26th of dec ´07. There was good amount of snow, but considering how much there´s normally this time of the year, I´d say there´s not much. I have other pics from that trip where the amount of snow is more evident. During night the whole car was covered with 20cm of new snow.
That pic is from lapland, Ylläs and it´s a good amount of km´s above polar circle.

About the origin of our Saabs, T16S has been made in Uusikaupunki SAAB-Valmet. It´s, by the way, one of the very last Finnish made C900 hard tops. 9000 Aero and 9-3 SC are from Trollhättan if I remember correctly. I imported 9000 from Sweden in 2003. It was a very interesting drive from Malmö to Haparanda and from there to Finland, Raahe. 2000kms roughly. But it was good opportunity to see the Sweden.

I truly love lapland. Northern Sweden, Norway and Finland are very nice places with clean nature and great views!

Thanks for comments again! Come and visit Finland some day. You´ll like it here. 2011 will be next international Saabclub meeting in Finland, mind you…

-January 8th, 2008 at 4:20 am
MarkS. said:

Those pictures are great…..and one reminds me of past occasions camping in my own classic 900! My three door 9-3 doesn’t have that nice, flat cargo area…not so good for the back!

-January 8th, 2008 at 5:44 am