Monthly Archives: September 2008

Driving the Lambofierorghini

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A few weeks ago, we threw a surprise party for my inlaws in celebration of their 50th wedding anniversary. We really surprised them, too, as their anniversary isn’t until March next year, but we figured we’d do it now while we had the family all in one place.

Imagine my surprise when I popped outside for a moment and saw this in the car park….

This isn’t the sort of car that you’d normally expect to see at a 50th wedding anniversary. I saw it from a distance in the fading light and figured that we actually had a Lamborghini in our midst. The truth wasn’t quite so exotic, but it was a lot more exciting in one way. The fact that it wasn’t a six-figure supercar meant that it was likely to be much more accessible, and I found out later that night just how accessible it would be.

The car belongs to my wife’s cousin, Eric. He lives on Vancouver Island, which is where we happened to be heading a few days later. Conversations ensued and invitations were issued. Sure enough, a few days later, we found ourselves heading to Eric’s place to stay on the first night of our Vancouver Island trip.

So to the car itself.

This is a kit car, comprising a custom interior (as yet unfinished) and a customised Lamborghini Countach exterior made from fibreglass. Underneath it all are the basics of a Pontiac Fiero, a mid-engined coupe that was made in the US from 1984 to 1988. The few that still exist are now popular targets for kit cars due to the weight-friendly rear-engined layout and the small, low body shape.

Here’s an example of a Pontiac Fiero SE for those who haven’t seen the original car before:

Check this out for a list of Fiero kit car links. As you can see, it’s a popular past time, with some pretty good results, too.

Eric’s car looked a fair bit different when he first bought it. It was incomplete and ended up being stripped down and fully rebuilt. The front wheel arches were hideously high and ended up being lowered by around 5 inches. It had no finished paint job. The front headlamps were more traditional Countach style units, but these were ditched for small conical units that were taken from a early 1990s Honda, with fibreglass mounts made to suit.

The engine is the original 2.8 litre V6 from the Fiero. In its original state, this engine put out just under 150hp and whilst many kit-car builders replace the V6 with a V8, Eric’s opted to retain and tune the V6 to just under 200hp.

The interior is unfinished at this point, though the basics you need in order to drive the car are there. The dashboard functions and there’s a stereo in place. Eric’s also installed a rear view camera with a dash-mounted screen so you can see what’s going on out back. It’s essential, too, as there’s no rear visibility otherwise.

Eric’s pondering what to do with the interior at the moment. He’s even considering replacing the whole instrument cluster with a digital readout, which would be very 1980′s indeed.

Eric brought the car out of the garage for these photos and after I’d wandered around the vehicle recording the shots you see here, he asked me if I wanted to go for a ride – would I ever?!

The car roared to life and I got an instant reminder that the worked V6 was literally just inches from the back of my head. The noise was incredible. We got out on to the open road and when Eric opened her up it was an absolute feast for the senses. You have the visual experience of being so low to the road with a huge raked windscreen in front of you. Then there’s they physical experience of being so low-slung, being pushed back into your seat when the driver hits the gas and the wind rushing past like you’re in a convertible (note: there are no windows in those doors as yet). Combine all this with the aural sensation of an engine sitting almost on your shoulders and it really is an experience.

A few miles down the road, I was presented with another opportunity that I was NOT going to miss. “Would you like a drive?” Eric asked.

I didn’t need a second invitation.

Getting into the car is an experience in itself. It’s really low to the ground and the scissor doors and low roof-line make for some interesting contortions (especially for someone who’s enjoyed Oreo cookies like I have for the last 4 weeks). You have to get your right leg in first and make sure it’s on the right side of the steering wheel, then sit lightly on the sill and try to shimmy your butt over on to the driver’s seat.

Once you’re in there, there’s plenty of room and driving position is actually quite comfortable. The engine roared to life and we were on our way. I was a little more accustomed to the whole experience by this time, so I could concentrate a little more on actually driving the car without being too overwhelmed by things.

At around 200hp, the car has just a little more power than my 1985 Saab 900 Turbo, but without the turbo rush. It’s a completely different type of power, though. Obviously. In this car, the power comes on straight away and whilst you’re travelling at a reasonable clip, it feels like you’re travelling much faster due to the noise and the low seating position.

There’s a lot of reasons why you wouldn’t buy a kit car like this. The vibrations and rattles are too numerous to mention. The visibility in any direction other than straight ahead is terrible. The potential for mechanical or structural failure is ever-present. It has next-to-no storage.

And yet there’s one very important reason why you would buy a kit car like this – it’s every fun thing that motoring should be. It’s noisy the way you want a car to be noisy. It’s got character. It’s got speed. And you’re never likely to see your car coming at you in the other direction.

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End of the Canada Trip megasnippets

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We’ve come to the end of another fantastic Canadian holiday and I’m a little sorry that it overwhelmed content here in the last few weeks, but such is the way of these things.

Lance, I’ve got your emails and will get back to you as soon as I land in Oz.

So, on to some Saaby topics before I pack up the laptop and head upstairs to pack my bags and leave the northern hemishere.

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Normally, when a new Saab concept or new Saab model shows it’s face, I end up writing a column here explaining my thoughts and feelings about the vehicle. I haven’t done that with the 9-X Air for a couple of reasons.

a) On the day it was released, I had one hour to get the press material on the site before we loaded the Buick and headed for Vancouver Island. Consequently, I’ve probably seen and read less about the car than anyone.

b) One of my main points of interest is with the convertible mechanism, which we still haven’t seen yet, as far as I can tell. I’ve seen it with the top down (stunning) and with the top up (wearing the toupee), but I haven’t seen the journey from one to the other. It seems Saab are holding that back for the car’s debut in Paris.

My one overriding hope is that with the adjustment in the size of the 9-3 in the future, this will be the template for the convertible version of the car. I think it looks fantastic over all, and it’d be a shame if the entire “noughties” decade yields little more than a number of concept cars for Saab that never got built.

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Further to cars and motor shows, several news sources are reporting that the production version of the Saab 9-4x will not be shown in Detroit early in 2009, as originally assumed. Rather, both Autoblog and AMS in Sweden are hinting that it’ll show late in 2008 at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

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I haven’t updated the Saab Future Model Timeline in a while now. I’ll look to do so with the most recent information when I get back to Australia.

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Saab will also show the 9-3x SportCombi at the Paris Motor Show. I can’t wait to see it. Having just spent a bucketload on fuel in a Buick Rendezvous for a week, I can tell you that the trip would have been just as well travelled (in terms of load carrying) in a Saab 9-3 SportCombi. The addition of XWD and some extra rugged bits should make it a genuine SUV alternative.

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Forbes announce that the Saab 9-5 is apparently the worst selling car in the US, though I’m sure they have deliberately discounted high-price low-volume marques such as Lamborghini when they tallied the numbers.

Fortunately for Saab, they consider the 9-5 very much worth a second look for anyone looking for a safe, well equipped four door saloon.

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If you, like me, are a little down on Saab’s current development and loss of heritage and character, then please remember that things can always be worse. You could be a fan of the storied, race and rally winning marque that is Lancia.

Fiat have done some great things in the last few years (Alfa 8c, Fiat 500) but the latest from Lancia must make an enthusiast tremble.

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Consumer Reports have been driving the latest Eurodiesels and predictably, they find them to be a great alternative with smooth, torquey engines.

Of course, the cars they drove were samples provided by Audi, BMW, Mini (think BMW) and Chrysler (think ex-MB). The emergence of the diesel car in the US will really come to the fore in the next couple of years and it will be synonymous with a rise in the US perception about European vehicles.

If GM wants to (quite rightly) raise Saab’s profile as a European manufacturer selling vehicles in the united States, it should be preparing Saab’s excellent TTiD engine for release there. The spoils will go to those first into the market.

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As mentioned earlier, I recently drove the family around for a week in the Buick Rendezvous. I won’t do a full review of that car here as it’s pretty much irrelevant to the Saab demographic.

A few quick thoughts, though.

1) It got us there and back, covering just over 1,000 kms with no problems whatsoever. Kudos for that.

2) It had plenty of space for us three and all our gear for a week-long trip. Kudos for that.

3) If I were to identify a negative about the car (and you know I will) it’s the car’s complete lack of identifiable character. If I had to take this vehicle as a representation of what Buick is, then I’d have to ask “what’s the point?”

They have a reputation as an old guy’s vehicle and as such, I assumed it would be well appointed, comfortable and quiet. It was definitely quiet. The appointment level and comfort, though, were what I’d expect from a base level brand and a base level vehicle. Cloth seats, column shift auto, climate controls that were reminiscent of a 1980s Toyota……

In short, the Buick Rendezvous is quite possibly symptomatic of the identity problem facing GM right now with eight brands to manage in it’s US portfolio. There just aren’t enough distinct vehicles to go around.

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EnG out for a while, too

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Usually I don’t bother to announce my departures but with Swade out-of-pocket it seems right to do so.

In the meantime, I’ve got a few links that can help to pass the time and perhaps even teach you something in the process.

Read on!

Alongside Swade’s vacation, I’ll be working some long hours on a trip to corporate headquarters that I’ve been putting off for some months, hence the fact that I’ll be working the longer hours. Very dry stuff for the most part — checking the boxes on some baseline requirements for on going training, annual reviews, project updates, etc. I’ll be back on Friday for a quick hit and then it’s off to visit some of my wife’s family (I’m channelling Swade) on a lengthy day trip on Saturday.

The upshot is that I may not be able to release certain comments from the unapproved slot to the approved slot in timely fashion (spammers create issues for all, they really do). This primarily pertains to comments with links embedded, so if you post a link it may be a while before it shows up on the board.

Of course, there will be little written during this span, which I hope to remedy with the following links:

Time Magazine’s 50 Worst Cars of All Time

The Story of James Bond 007 and his Silver Saab 900 Turbo (newly expanded)

A short lesson in ice racing – Saab v. Porsche.

Enjoy!

Ice racing Saab v. Porsche

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I’d like to thank Eggs for stepping into the breach once again whilst I was gallavanting around British Colombia.

I’ll be posting a bit more tomorrow, prior to jumping on a plane tomorrow night and heading back to the Land of Oz, where hopefully my dog Charli is missing me as much as I’m missing her.

Thanks again, Eggs!

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Listen to me ramble, please!

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Something utterly new on TS — an audio post by someone other than Swade. That’s right, nine minutes of my blathering on and on about things from my own little world. Aren’t you the lucky ones!!
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Seriously, I wanted to try the audio medium for future editions of TS, and I figure that you dear readers can help me out at the same time: to Saab or not to Saab? That is the question!

Click here to download my first audio post.

I’ve not got the time nor the software loaded to marry the audio with good pics lie Swade does, so I appologize in advance for that.

Now, if I could just quit the nasty habit of “ummmm…” I’d be happy!

Comments are open.

Saabs of the Week

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Since I’ve decided to put this note into the much-prized “featured” position on TS, I’ve selected two great Saabs to feature this week instead of the usual single.

Additionally, with all of the recent run of news with the 9-X Air, I’ve purposely selected two cars from the past that are, well, not white. Not that I’ve got anything against white, I’ve got two white Saabs myself. It’s just time for a little color.

First up, from goeff.chittendon in the UK comes these great photos of his second gen 9000 Aero, resplendent in red.

From Spain (I’m guessing) we have this beautiful Scarabe Green Classic 900 S convertible. Hectoramez has this car in tip-top condition, and, naturally, this one is a favorite of mine.

Extra —- (and this one is white)

jens.lilienthal has posted quite a few excellent shots from the Stadtparkrevival 2008 apparently in Hamburg, Germany. His pics include this great example of Saab’s rally heritage, a white Saab 96V4:

Saab 9-3 Turbo X continues to generate press

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The Saab 9-3 Turbo X is still generating interest in the press, in this entry, we see:

- Saab 9-3 Turbo X vs. Lincoln MKS (odd juxtaposition, in my opinion)
- The San Diego Union-Tribune Reviews the Turbo X
- A video interview with Steve Shannon on the subject of the Turbo X posted on the Kelley Blue Book website.

As we’ve discussed, even though the Turbo X isn’t a high-volume product, it has been used effectively as a halo model to generate media attention. Three more examples posted today.

From the Cox News Service via the Greenville, North Carolina newspaper, Rob Douthit asks a question that I think that very few will ask: Saab 9-3 Turbo X or Lincoln MKS? The comparison ends just as you would expect:

The 9-3 is a clear winner in terms of performance driving. It would knock the socks off the MKS on pretty much any track test you would administer. But when it comes to styling, the MKS does the sock knocking, with its elegance and maturity.

Naturally, I’ll debate the Saab styling anytime/anyplace vs. the Lincoln. The MKS could be an Infiniti or Hyundai without stretching the imagination. I guess that some folks like conventional designs and bling. What can I say?

Mark Maynard of the San Diego Union-Tribune reviewed the Saab 9-3 Turbo X and it appears that his opinions match the majority of Turbo X reviews. I like this line:

BMW’s all-wheel-drive X6 gets 20 mpg highway and it isn’t nearly as much fun to drive as this Saab.

Finally, Steve Shannon, General Manager of Saab USA, appears via digital video on the Kelley Blue Book website, kbb.com. Other than reinforcing the standard Saab company line, I like to see Steve getting “excited” about the upcoming 9-5, which can’t come soon enough, in my opinion. Nothing overly interesting here unless you are planning to puchase a Saab in North America in the near future.

Click to view on kbb.com

Click to view on kbb.com

Swade’s Away EnG Snippets

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While Swade’s enroute to Whistler, we have:

A little-known Automotive website names Saab a “Best Brand Buy”.

Forbes.com names the Saab 9-5 “worthy of a second look”.

Our favorite Nothern European 9-5 photog is back with new pictures.

Did someone say “car lust”? Of course, it’s an SPG!

Autotropolis.com has named Saab the “Best Brand Buy” based upon the following statements:

It’s too bad Saab is often an overlooked brand because this GM-owned Scandinavian automaker has it all: fun to drive, above average fuel economy, safety that rivals its nemesis Volvo and even sexy good looks.

Another reason to buy Saab? The price and fuel economy. The MSRP of a base Saab 9-3 is just $28,835. And, seven of Saab’s 9-3 models get 27 mpg or better.

I think that we’d all agree!

Forbes.com has grouped together several cars under the “worthy of a second look” category. The Saab 9-5 is the lowest volume car on the list at just under 2,000 units sold year-to-date. As an interesting aside, the Audi A3 hatchback also made the list at low volume which cetainly doesn’t encourage those of us that would like to have an option for a hatchback 9-3. I think that the A3 isn’t selling because the darn thing doesn’t look special at all and it costs almost the same as a 9-3.

Erik Nygard has two beautiful Saab 9-5s: one a wagon, the other a sedan. He’s also pretty darned handy with his camera. Lucky for us.

Erik Nygard

Erik Nygard

Finally, Mr. Hafner, apparently a fellow blogger, has named the bull-nose C900 SPG as his all-time favorite, or, as, he puts it, “This is the big one, the big Kahuna, the lustiest of my Car Lusts.” Amen, brothah!

Seeya in a few days

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I’m out of action for a few days as we travel back to the Canadian mainland and the onwards to Whistler.

Yeah, I know. Tough life.

Anyway, I’ll be offline all the time in Whistler, so there’ll be no news here from me. Feel free to chat amongst yourselves for a few days, or visit other places in the blogosphere. And on that note, my sincere thanks for hanging around during this vacation period. I know it’s been a little all over the shop and I’m sorry I haven’t been able to cover the recent news as well as I’d like, but that’s life, I guess.

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A few more automotive observations from here in Canada:

* Diesels would sell here. I don’t know if Canada uses the same environmental regulations as the US, but if they don’t then Saab would do well to test the waters with the TTiD here. I’ve lost count of the number of Smart ForTwos here, and the curious thing is that the vast majority of them have been diesels (as if a minimicrocar wasn’t efficient enough already).

* I can’t really believe I’m saying this, but I really hope Chrysler survive the current hardships in the US. You see a lot of US cars on the roads here, and of the big three, the Chrysler vehicles (in particular, vehicles with a Dodge badge on them) are the ones that look the most distinctive. The large sedans and trucks look just like they should – big and tough. Of course, translating that down to smaller vehicles doesn’t work.

* Conversely, taking small-car styling and trying to apply it to a larger vehicle doesn’t work either. I saw a Mini Clubman on the street today and the vehicle looks totally stupid. To make things even worse, pictures emerged recently of the proposed Mini SUV, which was proof positive that small cars look good as small cars only.

* Both of the previous two points give me grave concerns for the Porsche Panamera.

* The Mazda MX-5 (Miata) is way cool. My brother-in-law has just got one to have some fun in and it really is a groovy little car. As he said, it’s like an MG, but reliable.

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Non-automotive:

* I could really see myself living in Victoria, on Vancouver Island, if the house prices weren’t so expensive. It’s unbelievable how much it costs to buy here. But it’s a beautiful place. Much like Hobart, actually, except quite a bit bigger and with access to better entertainment options.

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And finally, a beautiful Saab 9-5 HDR shot from Flickr:

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