SOTW - Saab Motorsport - bring it back
You can’t underestimate the contribution that motorsport can make to a car company. Engine development, suspension, fuel, safety - it’s the pinnacle of everything that makes up a car.
Saab had a lot of early success in rallying but eventually motorsport got too expensive for a little company like Saab. They certainly punched above their weight when they were competing, though.
Which is why I still get shivers when I see great shots like this one. It came up on my Flickr feed tonight, taken by Arild (the same one who comments here???).
An inspiring shot. And how good does that 99 look?
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It’s funny. I know how great the 900 is. I own one and I love it. But I’m going to sell it soon and I probably won’t miss it much. I know the role the 900 plays in Saab’s history and how much fun it is to drive, yet for some reason I haven’t had the connection with it that I know some of you have.
The 99 on the other hand…..I could almost buy my 99 Turbo back for the third time! It was the first modern Saab and in my eyes, still one of the best.
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i miss the days when Rallying wasn’t a huge-budget sport almost on the level of F1. There is no originality in rally cars today. Although there is certainly a lot of driver skill involved, they’re all the same - 2.0L 4 cylinder turbo, sequential gearbox, AWD… it’s dull. I’m quite sure there’s more than one way to skin the cat.
Although I just don’t think any of Saab’s current lineup really is “tough enough” for rally duty - much like Audi. Audi used to make some seriously tough cars - my friend had a 5000 CS Quattro Turbo (Fantastic car! Try one. Locking center and rear diffs, defeatable ABS, 5 speed, 2.2L 10v I5 turbo, built like a tank) and that is just a completely different animal from the namby-pamby Audis of today. And i mean, could you see a production-based 9-3 Rallying? I just can’t picture it in the same way as the tough old 900’s and 99’s.
To me, THIS is what made Saab. Motorsport.
Every car company that is a car company should have one. It really says something about the “toughness” of the cars, and how rough they really are.
This is the main reason why I believe next years Saab 9-3 Aero XWD needs to be admitted into Motorsport until we get the 9-1 out the door.
I know that may cost a mouth full of money, but it is virtually advertising for the hardcore racing/rally fans. Saab needs to stop sobbing and get the job DONE. No more excuses and such, just simply shut up or put up. Even if that means having heavy losses in rallying until that 9-1 comes out. (maybe GM will see how badly XWD would be needed on this baby).
Saab gave up rallying after the 99 because the 900 was supposedly too heavy.
Speaking of heavy Swade, I know you love 99s and so do I but, I can still remember parking my last EMS on a hot day with no air con and that really heavy steering. No RHD models had power steering because it didn’t fit! The 900 was more comfortable with better handling but I still like the size of the 99 two door.
I would love to see GM enter a 9-3SS with a built 2.0T ecotec and xwd in the WRC, but we all know that it’ll never happen.
It’s a shame too, that would do wonders to pitch Saab as the rich man’s Subaru, a harder-edged firey Swedish BMW alternative…