That driver training I did when I wrote off my Viggen last year finally paid off as I blitzed our 17 year old and my brother-in-law in 4 go-kart races yesterday!

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There’s still hope for Saab’s European Delivery Program in the US, according to a new article published by WRAL.com:

“We hope to reinstate it later this year,” said Jan-Willem Vester, spokesman for Saab USA, who estimates that in a normal climate about 100 cars per month are direct-delivered to American buyers.

And Saab, like the others, has good reason to lure buyers to its plant, Vester said: A customer who comes all the way to Trollhattan, Sweden, to pick up her car is – by virtue of the experience – probably going to be a customer for life.

“Typically people who do that, they remember,” he said.

Here’s hoping. That’s one heck of a program and it’s the only way I’d buy a Saab if I lived in the United States. Trollhattan Saab was first to break the news of the program’s demise for the 2008 model year and as the 2009 cars will be with us very soon, I hope there’s some good news on this front in the near future.

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Automotive News (sub) report that Volvo workers want Ford to sell the company:

“”Ford has not been a good owner,” said Vera Coutinho, who works in bumper assembly. “I think another owner would be better.”

Another worker, Simon Kidane, said the mood in the factory is depressed. “People just want Ford to go,” he said. “Ford is not making that much money, and neither is Volvo. Ford needs the money, so everyone expects Ford to sell.”

All I can say is be careful what you wish for. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side. At least Volvo got to make cars that look and behave like Volvos. Talk to any Saab enthusiast and they’ll be somewhat green with envy about that. If Ford sell Volvo there’s every chance they could go to a much less sympathetic owner who takes them out of Sweden all together.

The good news for Saab is that they’ve done what it seems Volvo is yet to embark on – cut costs to the bone. This has ensured the future of the Trollhattan plant for the medium term and whilst there’s still a plant in Trollhattan, there’s still a very good chance that Saab will retain a core element of its identity.

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Our unofficial Saab Ambassador to the UK, Robin M, has just returned from a quick trip to Sweden. Robin flew there and enjoyed a Turbo X experience as a prize awarded to him for conducting the most test drives of a Saab 9-3 TTiD that he had custody of earlier this year.

The trip included a session with the Saab Performance Team as well as plenty of seat time in the Turbo X, which he assures me is 100% brilliant.

He’s posted a few videos on Flickr – here’s one – and I’m hoping to get a quick account of his trip to post here in the near future, when he recovers!

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Saab Germany are hosting a 30 Years of Turbo Technology event this weekend. The event kicks off this Friday night at 7pm in a venue my Babelfish translation describes as the Saab of Frankfurt Center.

There’ll be a host of historical Saabs there, as well as the Turbo X being shown with a classic black Saab 900 turbo. Cars will also be rolling in from Switzerland for the event.

There’s going to be a host of Saab historical stuff on display, as well as Swedish musicians and of course, the cars.

If you’re in Germany and want to register for the event or find out more information, an email to h.herzog@autohaus-saab.de is in order.

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And whilst we’re thinking of shows and tours, I let my imagination run a little wild this evening.

Imagine if we were able to replicate the great TS Pacific Northwest Meetup in other places. What if there was a season where a rolling succession of Meetups like this were held right accross the United States? Accross Europe?

Would they gather attention from the motoring press, or the motoring blogosphere as they rolled along and gathered momentum, each one tring to out-do the last in scale and nature? What of there was a new car to show at this rolling roadshow? What if it were a sea-to-shining-sea road trip that involved an ever-changing Saab convoy from venue to venue?

Imagination. A cruel but wonderful taskmaster.

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