I’m sure there are reasonable people out there for whom horses are a hobby that consumes their every thought. There are stamp collectors, gardeners, painters, trekkies, pigeon fanciers, football fans and fetishists. It takes all types to make up a world.
Me? I love to drive.
I love the connection between man and machine.
I love the way I can see so much of where I live in such a pleasurable way.
I have no idea how they do it, but I love the way engineers make everything fit. It must be a skill as some cars are so much more enjoyable to drive than others.
I love the feeling of a sweeping right-hander.
I love seeing a view open up as you pass over a crest.
I love overtaking.
I love the kick of a turbo and the breathless manner in which my Saabs get up hills.
I love a good exhaust note, especially in a tunnel.
I love a unknown road, some good music and good company. Do you need much more than that on a weekend?
——
This is one of my favourite bits of road. It’s about 10 minutes or so from my place and it’s called Grasstree Hill.
Grasstree Hill is one of the stages in the famous tarmac rally we have here every year, called Targa Tasmania. The event happens next month and already the do-gooding ninnies around the state are calling for it to be banned as they see it as a form of organised hooning for the rich. Don’t get me started.
We’re fortunate here in Tasmania in that we have some absolutely spectacular driving roads, most within an hour of one of our four main cities, and all pretty decently surfaced as well. It really is a driver’s paradise here.
Last weekend we took the WRX out for some filming and discovered yet another fantastic bit of road. I’m hoping to finish editing the video from that trip in the next week, but here’s a couple of screenshots to whet the appetite:
Of course, great roads are pointless if you don’t have a car that’s up to driving them.
Yet another reason why I love my Saabs. The low end torque makes getting up to speed an absolute breeze. The absolute masses of power and torque available in the Viggen make the drive exciting (ok, it’s partly because you’ve got to work so much to keep that chassis under control) and the cabin makes almost any drive a joy.
Again, it’s the total package in a Saab that makes it so worthwhile. I can leave home in my 900, be at Grasstree Hill in around 10 minutes, spend 15 minutes or so doing a return trip and then call into the hardware store on my way home and fill the hatch up with all manner of stuff to take home.
What other car gives you the best of both worlds like the Saab hatch does?
swade, that would make a terrific voiceover in a commercial. many ads don’t really seem to “get it.” the saab ads with jets that run in the US don’t convey at all the thrill of driving a saab. my reasons include yours – and – less make-specific – b/c i love exploring. one of my favorite things to do is to get intentionally lost in a rural paradise. it helps now that i can turn on a GPS when i need to get home. otherwise my trips were taking a few hours longer than planned
personally i don’t need the space of a hatch, so my 9-5 sedan succeeds in meeting all of my needs in a very spirited and comfortable way.
Well said, Swade!
Except for the Subaru part, I’m on board!
The trunk/boot on the current 9-3 is HUGE!
Ok its not made to take a chair or a washing machine but it is more than big enough for what most people need.
Swade, my favorite place to drive a car? Up Cypress Mountain in West Vancouver long straights, shift down to second for a hairpin turn then gun it as you leave the turn. Total Saab country even if it was in a borrowed 900SE turbo.
Love the story…so far.
talking about getting things into a 9-3 ss. i took a patio set complete with four chairs and two rolls of carpet to my sisters in mine the other day, like you said zippy that boot is huge,
I love driving at 10,000 feet (3000+ meters) with the sunroof open.
It’s a little crisp at this altitude, so the windows are up, my wife has a jacket on. The radio is off, so occasionally I hear the birds as I blow by. I can hear the whine of the turbo better this way as ‘the jet’ warms its muscles up the side of the mountain. The smell of the pine blows through the cockpit. My wife is asleep, which is good, so she can’t watch the speedometer.
enjoying creation, with my girl at my side…mmmmmh..does it get any better?
My manual shifter gets its summer workout. The occasional Sunday driver in front of me is only a temporary irritation, because he also gives me a chance to practice my passing maneuvers – and to get out a little aggression.
I’m turbo-cruising at 50 mph (80kph) in the mountains of Colorado,
We stop for lunch at the Sunshine Cafe, because for years we’ve always stopped here. My wife chats. The Eggs Benedict are great – again. We get back in the little 9-3 and hit the road.
My wife is soon asleep again. The road is ahead…
What a blessed day!
oops…SunDANCE Cafe….
http://www.sundance-lodge.com/cafe.php
(wait for it to load)
swade you probably know the song, but if not, give a listen to Red Barchetta by Rush. always gets me ramped up for a drive.
maybe someday my red viggen will be a future son’s red barchetta.
(lyrics)
aahhhhh rush!
‘Wind in my hair —
Shifting and drifting —
Mechanical music —
Adrenalin surge —
Well-weathered leather
Hot metal and oil
The scented country air
Sunlight on chrome
The blur of the landscape
Every nerve aware’
that’s what it is all about
so Swade, hoe are the police on these driving roads? Not that they’re free-for-all speeding and racetrack roads, but surely there’s a little road course apexing action from your cars
Rarely see them, Andrew. Only so many on duty at any one time and they’re normally more concerned with the highways.
Swade, I envy you for living 10 minutes away from Grasstree Hill; needless to say, I would be one happy guy if I have that road at my fingertips and enjoy that drive at moment’s notice. In my neck of the woods, especially after a long and mind-numbing day, I have a course that I drive at night. A full tank of gas with the Black Panel helps me unwind.
This reminds me of the Pacific Highway between Berowra and Kariong ( aprt from the washout bit which means it ends at MT White these days). I haven’t got a G-Earth image but its a similar flavour. The road has long since been replaced by a parallel freeway so traiffic is minimal.
Nothing better than taking this on the way home in the evening when the sun isn’t yet down, winding down the windows and having some fun with the gearbox.
We really should do some kind of exchange trip one day Steve. I know that GrassTree hill is but one of MANY roads of this nature through Tasmania.
Swade: That sentence “What other car gives you the best of both worlds like the Saab hatch does?” kind of sums up why I have bought Saabs for the past 20 years. What other car would have given me a coupe that was also so highly practical? Sadly, it’ll be some time (if ever?) before anyone can buy a Saab like that again.
Hmm I’d love to be at this point. As I’m just learning to drive I can’t really enjoy it too much, else I might crash. Hopefully I’ll come to love driving as much as you guys obviously do.
Aeronautt and Jeff K,
I love that Rush song. Good driving music.
Heres another one, you´ve probably seen this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9JHw5H2ydI
It´s just playing with my camera some time ago and there´s my previous 9000 Aero ´93.
I love driving, yes. And there´s got to be good music too. Old ZZ Top is one very good backing music for driving easily on a nice summer weather.
Winter time I prefer something more aggressive, like Nightwish or the like.
But Rush is over the top!