It’s supposed to be a Saab spin on Knight Rider and whilst I’m not sure how well it succeeds at that (then again, would you want to? Not even Knight Rider succeeds at Knight Rider in 2008), it’s very well made and is a lot of fun to watch. The big drawcard for me is that it gives you a fantastic look at one of the Saabiest Saabs in history – a Saab 99 GL.

It was a special treat for me personally, too, as the car had the same white exterior and green interior color combination as my old Saab 99 Turbo.

Thanks to Peter for the link, and whoever you are, please feel free to give us more.

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I’m having some trouble hosting video here at the moment, so you have two options:

1) watch it in small screen using the video embedded in the right sidebar —–>

OR

2) Click here to watch it on YouTube

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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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The edited photos may be found here.

The complete unedited set may be found here.

Enjoy!

My speculation is that Saab will feature the turbocharger as both “green” and “go”. Performance that makes sense. It is already happening with the BioPower everywhere and the turbo diesel in Europe. The remainder of the message isn’t so clear, but I believe that you’ve already seen the first wave of appeals to the urban sophisticates with Anthony Lo so prominently displayed during the last year or so. Again, it’s my guess, but artful design and European heritage will play a large part.

To get us talking about that turbocharging history, Saab USA provided these cars for us to flog on Tuesday:

19761978 Saab 99 Turbo (the first Saab turbocharged car available in the US)
1987 Saab 9000 Turbo from “the Long Run” at Talladega
1993 Saab 900 SPG
1996 Saab 900 Turbo from the Talladega Challenge
1997 Saab 900 Turbo from the Pikes Peak Hillclimb driven by Simo Lampinen

I drove them all but the 9000. Given more time, I would have driven it, too. Pictures below!

Eat your heart out, Swade. I must say that I learned a valuable lesson with the 99: power steering is a good thing, a very good thing.

Check out the period-correct plates! For those of you outside the US or too young to remember (ahem), 1976 was the year of our country’s bicentennial so the nationalistic red, white and blue motif was ubiquitous. Michigan was obviously no exception. (It even has the 1978 registration sticker!!)

More pictures on Flickr at some point.

And it looks brilliant!

My second thought was why haven’t I seen this website before now??

The picture comes from a site called saab99.net, which seems to be a pretty good resource for hooking up with other 99 owners or finding some links for like-minded websites.

I’ve added it to the sidebar and will definitely be checking it out a bit more thoroughly in the weeks to come.

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They go a long way to reminding us just how advanced Saabs were, back in the day. Many of the qualities like safety and utility remain but there’s still some work to do…..

Click to enlarge, though you’ll still need to squint a little.

And if I may indulge just a little, how good does that 99 look in the second poster? I know the 900 will likely be regarded as the Saabiest Saab for all time, but the 99 with it’s slightly shorter nose is the one for me.

Bring it back in a retro-modern style with a modern engine and I’d camp out at a showroom to own one.

Maaaaaaagnificent!

For that reason, I apologize that I’ve got little in the way of new Saab news or clever Saab verbiage. But I do have a few interesting photos from Flickr!

One of them is well worth the wait, believe me. But you’ll have to wait until after the break.

First up, we have another Saab recently purchased by our resident Frenchman, Golfhunter. It seems that Jeff can’t keep his checkbook in his pocket whenever vintage Saabs are around. I’ve completely lost count, but it was just over two months ago when I congratulated him on his last purchase. I’m sure that it will look better when he’s through with it, but it already looks pretty good — and those appear to be genuine TRX wheels! Now, if you could only find tires to fit…

Next, a fine example of a Saab 99 Turbo 2-door in original condition. Our brother-in-arms, Thorstensson, found an unbelievably well-preserved 99 and has obviously maintained it well. Take a look at the Incas. I love Incas. They are a unique part of Saab heritage.

Oh, and the photo is excellent.

More after the break…

Finally, there are two photos from Swisstroll that caught my eye.

First, the serious one: The old and new together at the Geneva Auto Show. Ursaab (respect!) and AeroX (the great one!) together on one platform. The beginning and the end in one location! I might be talked out of a kidney for the chance to spend the day on that stage.

And then, there’s this other photo from Swisstroll.

You’re
going
to
have
to
scroll
for
it.

Because
it’s
spectacularly, umm…

spectacularly odd.

I call this committment. Probably helped along by a few beers, but it is committed nonetheless.

But, we aren’t Finnish, we aren’t in 1985 anymore, and we, for the most part, are weasel-free. (I’ve got my doubts about a couple of you.)

In 1985, a Finnish Saab dealer entered a competition sponsored by a Finnish magazine to show how inexpensive it can be to modify a base model car for a more customized driving experience. Scan-Auto started with the Saab 90, a car that was sold only in Northern Europe and was essentially the front portion of the Saab 99 and the rear portion of the classic Saab 900 two-door sedan/saloon. They named the modified Saab 90 “Lumikko”, which means “Snow Weasel”.

I am not making this up. They named the thing “Snow Weasel”.

One the plus side, the modified Saab 90 won the competition, which resulted in a small run of orders — they produced ten of the cars according to the only source that I can find. The resulting modified 90 is quite a looker, as you can see.

The cars were not turbocharged, nor were they particularly well-equipped — this was a competition to explore the possibilities of low-budget motoring. Presumably, they were 2.0l 8-valve, 4-speed cars with standard equipment. The Lumikko added the Aero wheels, body kit, spoiler and the special all-white paint scheme.

Sometimes fact is stranger than fiction, let me tell you.

In 1977, Saab thought enough of the hatch to feature the size and advantages of the hatchback style in their advertising. Advertising that actually sells cars, not Saab’s aviation heritage.

Click to enlarge.

Great stuff.

The orange color looks great here, for sure.

The body kit certainly enhances the overall lines of the 99 hatch, and I think the bigger wheels (I’m guessing 16″) really give the 99 a more muscular look.

Finally, the front air dam gives us a clue to the modifications under the hood — it appears that this turbocharged car has an intercooler for additional boost.

Click on the pics to enlarge.