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We continue on our merry look through the happening of 2008 here at Trollhattan Saab.

So far we’ve covered the events of January to March, which included the Detroit and Geneva motor shows and the 9-4x and 9-X BioHybrid unveilings, and a lot more as well.

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APRIL 2008

We started the month with me giving one of my periodical soapbox speeches about the lack of Hirsch performance products in the United States. It was a symptom of the wider lack of belief in Saab over there that we’re seeing bear fruit right now. Ain’t nothing different under the sun.

I got mad about the possibility of GM not building the Saab 9-1:

Car companies can survive without a presence in the US. If GM’s rejection of a genuinely Saabish concept car is based on its perceived inability to succeed in the US then my days with Saab are done. If GM cannot give the brand what it needs, all while sucking it clean of talent, then what we will be left with are memories and commemorative festivals.

I’m still here. The fact that Saab may now be sold is one of the primary reasons why.

In April I confirmed that the 2009 Saab 2.0T would have Bluetooth and XWD available. Many people were very happy about this. What we didn’t know then was the price and right now, many people aren’t happy.

That same week I hired a Holden Commodore and discovered some audio controls that I’d still like to see incorporated into Saabs.

Convertible owners shared their thoughts on being…… convertible owners.

Pete DeLorenzo predicted that if GM had their way and didn’t have to worry abot state franchise laws in the US, then Saab would be cas aside. This was months before the current crunch really began to bite. It seems the government’s forcing them into having their way.

One of our regulars shared a breathtaking story from his youth involving a Saab 96, a temporary bridge ramp with a 30 degree incline and a speedo that was well above the recommended maximum for approaching the aforementioned 30 degree incline. The resulting trip put some wind in Ted’s sails, that’s for sure. He provides the figures and the physics behind it all in that post and hopes to do some follow-up some day.

We got a peek at the interior of a Saab 9-4x test mule and compared it with the concept car. The results were encouraging, though I’d still like to know what materials they propose.

Wulf shot some excellent photos of the incredible, restored black Saab 900 Turbo from the GM Heritage collection. Wulf also shared his thoughts on driving the Saab Turbo X around the track in Michigan. What a day!

Mark McNabb was appointed chief of the GM Premium Brands channel in the US, which apparently is a black hole becuase he hasn’t been heard from since. Steve Shannon has been quoted for, oh, around 4 sentences since then.

Left Lane News claimed a definite 9-5 sketch on their site, and the news that the 9-5 might get a 1.6 turbo engine. I say maybe on the sketch and nada on the engine.

After 10 months of arguments, I won my insurance battle following my crash in the Viggen.

We got some sage advice from our resident GM technician, TedJS about the potential pitfalls of Saab tuning.

We rated Saab’s exhaust note.

Saab Turbo X owners chimed in to let us know how their new rides were going. If I’m going to listen to anyone review a car, it’s someone who’s shelled out their own hard-earned money for it.

I ended the month with one of the best pieces of writing I’ve ever done here: An apology from a Saab blogger. It’s every bit as relevant now as it was then.