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This is the sort of stuff I love. Old Saabs getting out there promoting new Saabs. Bring on the legends!

This is a terrible Bablefish translation of a press release from Saab Germany (I’ve tried to clean it up a bit) . It seems they’re going to be promoting the release of the Saab Turbo X there with a few laps around the ‘Ring in some old 99s, and I assume in the ‘X’ as well. The original Saab 99 Turbo made it’s world debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show back in 1977, so a return to Germany is quite appropriate.

I really hope they take a camera crew and get some great footage of the event. Maybe they’ll even get The Original Stig to talk (he’s a pretty quiet fellow).

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Saab at that 36th AvD Oldtimer Grand Prix

Stig Blomqvist and two Saab 99s on the Oldtimer Grand Prix. From the Saab 99 to the turbo X: Saab celebrates 30 years turbo-technology in Ruesselsheim/Duesseldorf.

From 8 to 10 August 2008, the AvD Oldtimer Grand Prix at the Nürburgring starts into its 36th Round. The premium marque, Saab will celebrate it’s 30 year guiding rolde with turbo technology with two Saab 99s and prominent support by rally icon Stig Blomqvist from Sweden. Current proof for Saab’s authority: the top-class sportsman Turbo X, available since last autumn.

The two Saab 99s – an original WRC rallycar from 1979 and a Saab 99 in pearl white, the same color as the first turbo-model of Saab on the IAA in the year 1977 – will participate in demonstration trips on the Nürburgring. With the exposure of the turbo-model on the IAA 31 years ago, Saab placed its foundation-stone for the role of pioneer with the development of turbocharged engines. Today there is hardly a manufacturer that does not offer vehicles with turbo-technology.

From the Saab 99 to the turbo X – three decades guiding role with the turbo-technology

The turbo-loading is the key for what calls Saab “Rightsizing”. A turbo engine is smaller and offers better fuel consumption than an normally aspirated engine with larger capacity offering similar output. Additionally, a turbocharger produces more torque because it uses the energy from the exhaust gas stream of the engine. The intelligent recycling of energy, which remains otherwise unused, agrees with the philosophy of responsibility for the environment, which Saab feels particularly obligated.

The employment of a turbocharger with the two-litre engine of the Saab 99 brought an increase in output of 23 per cent to 145 HP and proud 45 per cent more torque and with it a clearly higher passage strength of the engine. In order to achieve the same output, a non-turbo engine of that time would have been up to 50% bigger to obtain similar power ratings. It wo9uld also be heavier, which meant around 30% more in terms of fuel consumption.

In the 80’s the usually black models Saab coined/shaped 99 and 900 turbo – which possess today cult status – the image of the mark. By innovations in the electronic engine management and turbocharger design the turbo engines of today show Saab’s work in an extremely progressive way.

The current high point of technical development is the Saab Turbo X. It is a special model limited to 2,000 units and for the first time will use the turbo-powered 2.8 V6 motors with 280 HP and 400 Newtonmeters to maximum torque in combination with a sportily co-ordinated chassis and the ultramodern all-wheel drive system Saab XWD (CROSS Wheel drive). The Turbo X thereby sets new yardsticks and Saab celebrates three decades of turbo leadership at the same time, leadership which took its beginning with the Saab 99.

Saab 99 – Innovative carrier also with security and comfort

Turbo-technology was not the only way that the Saab 99 was ahead of its time. Since the beginning of the 1970’s it was ha the following innovations honouring its name: Headlight washer, impact-absorbing and self-repairing bumpers, seat heating, side impact protection in the doors and many comfort and safety details that were held first with the Saab 99 introduction.

Rallye legend Stig Blomqvist is inseparably connected with the successes of the 99 Model. 1976 showed the Swedish driver had much potential in the Rallye sport of prepared Saab 99 EMS put: The car took full 220 HP out of its Zweiliter-16-Ventil-Aggregat and sprintete with the Rallye run in the Belgian Spa as the first by the goal. Likewise in a Saab 99 EMS it won one year later the Swedish rally, before it proved 1979 with the victory with the Sweden rally ranking among the Rallyeweltmeisterschaft for the first time, to which a turbo-loaded engine is also in the hardest Rallye employment in the situation. With an output of 270 HP the special turbo-version had the nose in front – also in the years after with Wettfahrten everywhere in Europe.

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Wett fartin? Everywhere in Europe??

The mind boggles!

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