Category Archives: Sweden 2007

Saturday Morning Snippets

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Numbers haven’t been published yet, but I can tell Aussie Saabers that sales were up in October by 37% over the year before.

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Today is the day when I’m supposed to be going to one of the more exclusive events on Melbourne’s social calendar – Derby Day. Saab have their Ice Bar set up in The Birdcage, which is hands down the hottest ticket in town today.

My pass to get into The Birdcage is sitting here on a coffee table, but I’ve woken up this morning feeling pretty darn sick, so the beautiful people will have to go on being beautiful without me bringing them down.

The saddest part for me is that we’ll have to rely on others for photos of it all.

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And on the Ice Bar that Saab have built….

One journo mentions it in a piece on Australia’s poor record when it comes to climate change:

But it’s a jolly good thing those refreshment tents have gone up at Flemington. I particularly like the sound of Saab’s ice bar — somehow the idea of a car manufacturer creating a mini-Antarctica that will slowly melt as cup day rolls on seems exquisitely apt.

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I’ve got around 10MB of emails and attachments to get through at the moment. What a difference missing a day can make! To those who have emailed me about various things, I have got it and will hopefully get around to checking it all out and responding where appropriate soon. Cheers.

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BusinessWeek has put together a list of the 20-heaviest discounts in America at the moment. Among them, the Saab 9-7x.

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And further on discounts, Edmunds have reported the US industry’s incentive figures for October 2007. Once again Saab are at the wrong end of the table (who’s saying that their incentives aren’t enough?)

Cadillac spent the most, $4,953, followed by Saab at $4,790 per vehicle sold. Relative to their vehicle prices, Saab and Mercury spent the most, 14.5 percent and 13.0 percent of sticker price, respectively, while Mini spent virtually nothing and Scion spent just 0.6 percent.

But apparently this isn’t all bad news:

“It wasn’t long ago that the big spenders invested over $7,000 per vehicle,” commented Edmunds’ AutoObserver.com Senior Editor Michelle Krebs. “Automakers are really sticking to their guns, staying true to the real-world pricing strategy they have talked about.”

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If you’re wondering why a bunch of websites are featuring Saab’s press release on their new safety technology – where they have computers reading your eyes and seeing if you’re drifting off to sleep or not concentrating – well, it’s not on this site today for a very good reason.

The reason: it was on this site around a week ago, thanks to ctm providing a tranlsation of the Swedish release when it first came out.

We aren’t just ahead of the Saab curve here at TS – we’re holding the freaking pencil that draws the curve – yeeeeha! I might be feeling sick but that doesn’t mean I can’t feel happy :-)

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A great collection of photos from The Saab Festival has popped up on Flickr. It’s from SaabRobz, whose photos have featured here previously as well.

Saab badge

Aussie drives the Sonett 1

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You’ve seen these photos before. I first published them a little while ago, but I didn’t have the story to go with them.

Since then, Brendan has put the story together for publication in the Saab Car Club of Australia’s magazine – have I ever mentioned that it’s just about the best car club magazine on the planet?

Anyway, allow me to set the scene. It’s June 11, and while I’m out west driving the new Saab 9-3 just outside Gothenburg and down the coast, my fellow Aussie-in-Sweden, Brendan B is driving one of the rarest Saabs there is – the original Saab 94.

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It’s a beautiful sunny Monday afternoon in Trollhättan. Tim, a Trollhättan local, is driving me out to Sjuntorp, a town that is part of greater Trollhättan. We’re on our way to visit Gösta, a ex-Saab employee and a Saab collector. Gösta worked in engine development back when they were making two strokes; then working with after-sales fixing known faults with cars that were in between delivery from the factory and to the customer. He told stories of fixing cars sitting in various dock yards around the world! He’s also one of the people that lost their jobs when GM demanded that 800 jobs be axed at Saab. Gösta also owns a Sonett 1… chassis number 3 of 6!

Saab 94 Sonett plate

Back in 1963, Gösta had recently received his drivers licence and joined the Swedish Automobile Club. His boss at Saab knowing this suggested that he purchase one of the Sonett 1s. Gösta left a message with Ross Meldor, the head of Saab back then, enquiring about the Sonett. Two months later Gösta’s boss asked him what the Sonett was still doing there and instructed Gösta to take it home.

The Sonett was then towed through town and back to his home, where his father remarked at how silly he was for bringing home a car with no roof. His father then quickly learnt that the car also had no registration, no engine and no gearbox! Gösta was almost kicked out of home!

Saab Sonett

However a 850cc motor and a 4 speed gear box soon found a home in this Sonett. Not too long after that the talk of the town was all about a little red Saab sports car. Some complain that this 3rd manufactured Sonett 1 isn’t original, but what is an original? The 1st
Sonett came with the 750cc GT engine and a 3 speed gearbox. The 2nd Sonett came with the 750cc GT engine and a 4 speed gearbox. The 3rd Sonett came with no engine and no gearbox. The 3rd Sonett is as original as the first two predecessors.

So here I am on the opposite side of the world to Australia, standing next to a Sonett 1, being given a personalised guided tour by it’s owner. The hood and boot open revealing the insides. Looking over the car reveals that this is in fact a car built by a company that builds planes. Tim who accompanied me on this visit and whom is a pilot, happily pointed out the features that have been carried over from it’s aircraft heritage: zig zag rivets, aluminium frame and structural design are the blatant clues.

Saab Sonett

Gösta then puts the car back together and it’s time to get into the car. I am then told that there are two ways in: one can use the door or one can simply just step over the door! The car is 825 mm high at the top of the windscreen. I open the door and stepped into the car, not wanting to hurt the car. Gösta then jumps into the car!

As we drive slowly down the driveway he explains that he’s tuned the car and estimates power at 60hp and the car weighs around 500kgs, probably more with a couple of people in it.

Saab Sonett Engine

Then we’re off! What a fantastic car, the weather is perfect for open top motoring and the car is quick! After only a five minute spin I’m sold. This is a fantastically fun car! I’m left wondering why Saab never put the car into full production, as I believe it would have sold in bucketloads.

Saab Sonett

Saabs Downunder

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You’ve seen some of Jeff B’s cars before.

I’ve featured them in posts and on TS calendars.

Well, here’s all of them and all in the one place. I haven’t contacted Jeff yet to see if these are all his. I was under the impression he owned five magnificent Saabs, not SEVEN!! It matters little, as they’re worth drooling over anyway.

His website, Saabs Downunder, has a separate gallery for each car. Jeff and his wife Di were also part of the Aussie contingent at the Saab Festival in Sweden back in June and he has a fantastic gallery of pictures from the trip, too.

Following is just one pic of each car in the collection, but you’ll find heaps more at the website. Click any of these to enlarge.

I should add that Jeff has done the lions share of restoration and customisation work himself – that’s a 1980 900 there, with a custom made body kit well before Saab did body kits. Having seen and driven a number of these cars myself, I can tell you that the workmanship is first rate.

Get a napkin to catch the dribble and head on over to Saabs Downunder.

JB Saab 96

JB Saab 900

JB 900 cab

JB9000Aero

JB Carlsson

JB Viggen

JB Hirsch

99 reasons why a SaabNut should visit Trollhattan during Saab Festival

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I said the other day that I could sit and write 100 reasons why a Saab fan should visit Trollhattan, especially during the Saab Festival. Given that this is a Saab site, the number 99 seemed more appropriate – but I’m ashamed to say I got stuck around 50. I’m in one of those recirculating whirlpools of thought where I just keep coming back to the same things again and again.

I guess I could have listed 50 different brilliant cars that I saw or people that I met, but I felt like that might be a bit like cheating.

So here’s my 50 or so reasons why a Saabnut should visit Trollhattan during Saab Festival. Maybe with your help in comments we can get to 99…..

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1. You can’t separate this city and Saab, but it’s undeniable that Trollhattan itself is a beautiful little place.

2. The locks. A great place to go for a walk.

3. “The release”. I didn’t see it, but apparently they open the gates and do a massive release of water every week during the warmer months. The photos look spectacular.

4. It’s an easy place for an English-speaking tourist to get around. Like most places in Sweden, nearly everyone speaks English and they don’t get uppity about doing so (hello, France!)

5. Web access. They have faster access in just about any hotel you’d stay at than what most people have at home here in Australia. Made my job a lot easier.

6. Breakfast. Everywhere I stayed had a huge cooked breakfast buffet available and it was included in the cost. This happened in Stockholm too. Maybe it’s a European thing, but you’d pay plenty for that in Australia.

7. They have Viggens mounted as statues just out of town.

8. Only 4 hours of ‘darkness’ in June means there’s heaps of activity.

9. The kids finish high school and provide plenty of entertainment, both night and day.

10. Pizza is readily accessible and quite good. Combine this with the 4 hours of darkness and it makes for a great night out, eating El Fresco with some Trollhattan mates (English ones too).

11. The urban myths about Sweden and the number of blond inhabitants are totally true. I’m happily married man but can appreciate some of our Lord’s finer works from a distance.

12. #11 combined with a social predisposition towards riding bicycles

13. The Erik Carlsson roundel (roundabout) just near the Saab Museum. At one point of the Festival I sat there quite happily just watching the Saabs go by.

14. The Saab Factory – do I even need to explain?

15. The carpark of the Saab Factory. It was interesting to walk through on my way to the factory office and just see what the locals are driving. lots of Saabs there, naturally. Lots of older Saabs there, too.

16. Hearing a 2-stroke in the distance.

17. Knowing that you’re driving around many of the same streets that Carlsson did as a kid.

18. The Wednesday night car show – the locals all get out their favourite cars, head to the locks and show them off.

19. ANA – the big local dealership. At the time of my visit it was still Saab/GM owned, but for sale.

20. The locals. Saab is a common thread through almost all their lives. I was even accosted by a drunk who hadn’t seen a bath, shower or bed for several days yelling “Saab – 60 years” at me. It was great.

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Saab Parts Going Cheap – the SDCC sale

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This video was shot during my time in Sweden for the Saab Festival back in June 2007.

The SDCC sale is a huge affair, with heaps of new-old stock going for absolute peanuts. Wood or carbon fibre dashboard kits for SEK400. Gearboxes, engines, panels, scale models, clothing, books…..you name it.

It’s one of the many reasons you should head over for Saab Festival when it’s on again in 2009.

Come drive with me…

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This is a video I shot whilst in Trollhattan for the Saab Festival. It’s a short drive from the hotel I was staying at (The Swania – great place) to the Saab Museum.

Lots of Saabs on the way and especially in the carpark. And note the Toppola at the end!

Seeing this one brought back a whole bunch of good memories.

I put the music with it as the wind noise on the video camera was terrible. Please be kind in your commentary, as someone you all know is playing bass on that one (you can comment on the odd timing on one of the drum fills in the first verse, though).

Another SaabFest Gallery

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Steve B from Melbourne shot me an email last week to let me know about his new Flickr gallery from the Saab festival in June. Steve was one of the six Aussies there, notable for having one of those great Aussie T-shirts on nearly all the time and having his camera working overtime, all the time.

There’s heaps of cars from Kinnekulle there, so if you were on the track on Saturday 9th, then you might just see yourself. Steve had prime position for the Saab Performance Team as well, and of course there’s a lot of cars from the exhibition on Sunday 10th.

It’s obviously not the best one in the collection, but I’ll use this one as a feature, as it looks like Steve snuck further into the museum than I did!

Saab 98

Sonett Experience

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When you can photograph something like this, below, you know you’re in the presence of something rare.

Saab 94 Sonett plate

Whilst I was hanging out with the new Saab 9-3 on June 11 and having the time of my life, another Aussie – Brendan B – was enjoying himself in the undisturbed presence of one of Saab’s rarest vehicles – one of the six original Saab Sonett Super Sports.

I’ve not yet asked Brendan for the story about how this came to happen, but I figured the pictures were too good to leave unpublished for now. I’ll get the story from him some time soon and re-post this entry in it’s entirety. As good as the drive in the new 9-3 was, I’d have to say that Brendan probably scored a more worthwhile treat, when looked purely from a Saab fan’s point of view.

Until that story arrives, click these images to enlarge and enjoy one of Saab’s greatest creations. The full Flickr set featuring a couple more photos is here.

Saab Sonett

Saab Sonett

Saab Sonett Engine

Saab Sonett