The Ancaster News, and a few other syndicated papers, are running a story on Saab’s 60th Anniversary.

Good to hear it in the news again. It was a big buildup prior to June but has faded since and we’re still in that 60th Anniversary year. There’s a whole bunch of people driving around in Anniversary model Saab 9-3s and 9-5s and they’re probably grinning from ear to ear at the value they got.

I was fortunate enough to receive a 60th Anni present myself, an Ice Blue metallic color sample (frog), which I probably should have photographed by now. It looks great sitting on the window ledge with my other frogs.

If you’re feeling nostalgic about Saab’s 60th Anniversary this weekend, here’s a few links:

Saab USA - 60th Anniversary Editions

Saab UK Anniversary Editions website

Saab Global’s 60th Anniversary microsite

And with regards to the Saab Festival, which celebrated Saab’s 60th in grand style:

All of my notes from the Festival - every event I attended, plus a few extras.

Saab Australia have had a special offer on for Saab’s 60th Anniversary. The offer is available on MY06 cars still in stock here in Australia and comprises a free automatic transmission, 3 years free servicing and a portable SatNav unit.

The fine print:

That initial offer lasts up until June 27 and is available on any MY06 cars purchased before that date.

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This weekend only, they’re also offering to pay your on-road costs as well. The initial offer was around $4,300 worth and the addition of on-roads lifts it to around $7,500 in value.

Not bad, that. You still get the button dash, too

IT’S ON FOR THIS WEEKEND ONLY - so if you’re thinking of an upgrade, now might be the right time to get your groove on.

Click here for the Saab Offers page or go see your local dealer, (before he splits and goes to sell BMWs - he he)

As part of the 60th Anniversary celebrations, there’s a number of Saabs from GM’s Heritage Collection on display at the Renaissance Centre in Detroit.

Andrew G popped along to Ren Cen and had a look at the exhibition and for the benefit of those of you who won’t make it there, he also snapped some pictures.

Andrew writes:

They also had the 60th anniversary 9-3 sedan and convertibles on display, as well as a 9-5, two 9-3s, and a 9-7x. GM also shows a number of their current models, mostly trucks and Cadillacs or Buicks. The RenCen is more of a small town than an office building.

There’s a couple here and a bunch more after the jump. Thanks Andrew!

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[Read the rest of this entry →]

I got this via email from Tim R in Sweden, a Trollhattan local.

It’s a map from Google earth and Tim’s marked all the Saab notable points in town, as follows:

1. The SAAB Factory
2. SDCC SAAB Car-recycling
3. SAAB ANA (cars are sold here)
4. SAAB Museum and main festival area
5. Overby shopping Mall (this is where the garaget.org meeting is on saturday evening)
6. SAAB ANA Delivery Center (cars sold in Trollhättan go through this point prior to deliver)
7. SAAB Metal factory (special welding operations)

Click to enlarge.

In addition, the pink markings on the map are where Tim reckons the best parking’s available.

See you in Trollhattan - 5 weeks to go (for me at least!)

Oh boy! The whole thing’s just getting closer and closer!

News has come in via email from Ryan that tickets for the Saturday night dinner at the Saab Festival are now available for booking.

The dinner will be one of the feature events of the festival, along with the track day, the new car unveiling, the parts market……..actually, just being there will be incredible.

From the website:

After an exhausting day at the race track we head home to wash the brake dust off and to prepare for the anniversary banquet (informal style) that will take place in Trollhättan Saturday night. Where we naturally will be served a nice meal but also will get plenty of opportunities to discuss about the day’s adventures. Besides, there will be a good chance for you to meet some of all the invited Saab celebrities that will be given a lot of focus during the evening.

At this point, the booking section is on the Swedish version of the site only. Click here and look for the yellow box that says “Boka biljetter”, which is Swedish for “here’s the spot where you get your tickets for the dinner”.

Saab Australia had been very quiet about what it was doing for the 60th Anniversary of the brand. Finally there’s some news out there by way of the website.

Whilst other markets have offered specced up 60th Anniversary editions, Saab Australia have opted for a more low-key approach.

Saab Australia customers that pick up the 60th Anniversary offer get their Auto Transmission for free, three years scheduled servicing for free, and in what I believe is a first for Saab here in Australia - SatNav.

Not the built-in integrated type, but the portable type. I believe some dealers have been offering these as an aftermarket thing anyway, so I guess it’s just coming from the front office now.

The offers are here.

Saab are going to take centre stage at GM’s headquarters, with a flight of Saabs from the GM Heritage Collection going on display there.

The note from GM reads as follows:

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Saab, the Swedish automaker that earned its wings from aviation, is celebrating its diamond anniversary this year with a number of special activities and events.

This Monday, April 16, a unique all-Saab display will open in the GM World Headquarters exhibit area, which is located on the first floor of the Renaissance Center on Jefferson Avenue in Detroit, Michigan.

The Saab display is accessible to the general public during business hours until mid-May. Beyond a number of current Saab products, including special 60th Anniversary editions, and dedicated Saab videos and commercials, there are 9 highlights of Saab’s rich heritage to be featured:

1952 Saab 92, green - the very first Saab model on the road, the basic design stayed in production for 33 years

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1956 Saab Sonett “Super Sport”, orange - fiberglass roadster, # 2 of only 6 ever made

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1960 Saab 96, red - superstar Erik “On the Roof” Carlsson won the British RAC rally overall, in this very car

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1966 Saab Quantum IV, red - an extremely rare, handbuilt U.S. racer with Saab technology

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1970 Saab 99, beige - timeless design that set the tone for today’s Saab line-up, first to feature the ignition key between the front seats

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1970 Saab Sonett III, blue - Swedish sports coupe with Italian styling found most customers in the U.S.

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1978 Saab 99 Turbo, red - only one model year in the U.S., first to make turbocharging popular in a sedan for daily use

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1987 Saab 9000 Turbo “The Long Run”, silver - this very car shattered a number of endurance speed records at the Talladega race track

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1990 Saab 900 SPG, red - the engineering and design pinnacle of the most produced Saab model in history.

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The next big outings for the Saab USA Heritage Collection are the Nationals event in Carlisle, Pennsylvania on May 18-20, and the 25th North American Saab Owners Convention in Troy, Michigan on August 24-26.

Saab Germany are now offering a special Anniversary models in recognition of Saab’s 60th Birthday.

The 9-3 Anniversary model offers customers some decent value, giving purchasers a saving of 1,900 Euro over a similarly specified Linear 9-3.

Purchasers will get special 10 spoke alloy wheels, heated leather seats, walnut decor and color-coded body kit. Then there’s the dual zone climate control, electric windows and mirrors and all the other stuff that comes as both standard Saab 9-3 equipment and special Anniversary equipment.

Why am I rushing that bit???

- because it’s not as important as this…

Saab Germany, with the 60th Anniversary Editions are the first Saab division to offer the BioPower option at the same price as the gasoline version.

Saab BioPower is normally available at a premium on top of the regular gasoline price, however Saab Germany are offering their 60th Anniversary models with a free BioPower option. The German market has both the 2.0 litre and 2.3 litre options available and now….they’re available for free.

I’ve been saying ever since driving the 9-5 BioPower myself back in January that Saab Oz should take away the chicken and egg conundrum and go ahead and offer it as standard equipment.

It’s good to see a market taking this sort of initiative and I’m sure we’re going to see others do the same in the future.