Author: Swade

Ex-Saab blogger, multiple Saab and Alfa Romeo owner and football tragic.

Wednesday Night at the Locks

I hadn’t been down to the locks for around 6 weeks (here’s the report from last time) but my wife and I headed down last night for a slice of life in Trollhattan in summertime – the Wednesday night car show at the locks.

It was a good night to go, too. The weather was great and the cars were 90% different from last time I was there. It always amazes me how many incredible vehicles are located within close driving distance of this place.

If you ever come to Sweden in the summer (and you SHOULD) then make sure you schedule a Wednesday night in Trollhattan. You won’t regret it.

First up, the Saabs…..

OK, so that’s not a Saab, but it’s an interesting way of introducing the first Saab I saw last night. The DeLorean was, of course, clothed in rust-free stainless steel and last night’s example (the first I’d ever seen in person) did look impeccably clean.

The same couldn’t be said of this very curious looking Saab 9000…..

Continue reading Wednesday Night at the Locks

Best of the Road nears the End of the Road

The Best of the Road teams are now coming close to the end of their journey as they converge on Los Angeles. On Friday, their collective journey will end and one lucky pairing will win $10,000 plus a Saab 9-4x for their work!

Nice work if you can get it, huh?

I hope you’ve been tracking their respective journeys as they’ve covered some amazing places and had some pretty good experiences along the way. I travel a lot by air now, not so much by road, so it’s been good to see people neck-deep in a great road trip. It makes me want to get out and do a bit more driving (and no need to guess as to what particular car I’d be driving!)

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I mentioned in our last update that the Fun Finders had the good fortune to hook up with Dimmit Saab in Florida to receive a Saab 9-3 Convertible for the 4th July parade. They didn’t end up driving it, though. They would up being guests of honour in the parade, riding in the back of the Convertible.

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And in case you’re wondering how many miles these teams are covering during this trip, here’s the Fun Finders’ map, showing the route taken by them to cover the small towns with the best food.

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I’ve really been enjoying the work of the Gone with the Wynns team. They’ve had a heap of fun in their Saab 9-5…..

…… and you can tell from their road-trip slideshow that whilst they can have a fun time, they also know when to take a look around and appreciate the beauty that the road can bring.

Driving is an opportunity to see the country in a way that no other form of travel offers. It is an exploration rather than a destination.

Take a look at their slideshow at this link – please!

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Captain and Clark had a note pop up on their SID unit telling them it was time for an oil change, so they had to make a side trip to Sid Dillon Saab in Lincoln, Nebraska, and have the job done. The dealership was quite excited by the visit, too, as this was the first 9-4x they’d seen on the road whilst they were waiting for their own to be delivered.

Change it up! from Chris Staudinger on Vimeo.

Captain and Clark recently visited Rapid City and from there, took a look over both the iconic Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse monument that’s still under construction.

This is the stuff that road trips are made of, if you ask me.

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Traveling Jules and Joan have been in Park City, Utah, at what looks to be a sensational year-round facility.

They’ve been a little down on the Saaby content, but are very good at travelling, traveling-with-family and road-trip tips.

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The McNavigators left my friend Mike’s hometown in Franklin, TN, and proceeded a loooooooong way northwest to Sandpoint, Idaho.

While there were there, they took their Saab 9-5 up Mt Schweitzer, from which they can see neighboring states Montana and Washington, as well as Canada to the north.

They’re now in Baker City, Oregon, visiting the World Beer Cup(?)

I hope they take some time off before getting back behind the wheel (which I’m sure they will).

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The winners of the Best of the Road rally will be announced late on Friday, California time. We’ll publish the outcome as soon as we know it.

If you want to support your favourite team in their bid to win the $10K and the Saab 9-4x, then make sure you follow them on Facebook or Twitter – the links are all here – as your support will help them win.

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Saab 9-3x Griffin

I received the following via email over the weekend:

Would it be possible you to take some photos of new 9-3 Griffins especially 9-3Xs? Interior footage is the most interesting. It is hard to make decisions of ordering a new car if you don’t know how it looks like – dash, steering wheel, seats etc.

Griffins can be a little hard to come by at the moment, but when I was at the Saab Museum yesterday photographing the Saab 9-6 prototype, they happened to have a Saab 9-3x Griffin on display there.

Seeing that the enquiry sought some more details about the Griffin, I think it’s appropriate to share a few things about the Saab 9-3 Griffin range of vehicles. You can also read the full 9-3 Griffin press release from vehicle’s debut at the Geneva Motor Show.

Click the images to enlarge:

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Refreshed exterior styling:

  • ‘Ice block’ headlamp effect introduced on the new 9-5 sedan now on the 9-3.
  • More prominent, wing-shaped central bar carrying the SAAB wordmark, again like the 9-5 sedan.
  • The SAAB wordmark replaces badging on the chrome trim at the rear, and all Sport Sedan variants receive a trunk-mounted spoiler.
  • Re-profiled front bumpers include a deep, trapezoidal air intake finished with black, ribbed bars, or a mesh insert for Aero variants.
  • Front fog lamps fitted as standard.
  • 16-inch alloy wheels are now fitted as standard, increasing to 17-inch for Aero and Saab XWD variants. New 17- and 18-inch wheel designs are also offered.

Refreshed interior styling:

  • Titanium metallic-effect trim is introduced around the instrument panel, gearshift molding, doors and glove box, and as an option for the instrument panel fascia.
  • The Aero interior features a graphite fiber-effect for all these items, including the fascia. A brushed metallic effect is also introduced as an option for both standard and Aero variants.
  • Shark grey fabric inserts now complement both the black and parchment standard leatherette seats, while irregularly ribbed leather with contrasting stitching is introduced for Aero upholstery.

Engines.

The BIG news about the 9-3 Griffin range for many European markets is that the Saab 9-3 SportCombi now joins the Saab 9-3 Sport Sedan in offering a diesel variant with less that 120g of CO2/km. The TTiD engines offer up to 180hp and all three variants of the engine produce just 119g/km, offering significant ownership savings.

There’s good news for those who prefer gasoline engines, too, with the Saab 9-3 Griffin range getting the new direct injection engine as offered in the Saab 9-5. The new 2.0-liter gasoline engines offer 163 and 220 hp variants (market dependent) and include direct injection, variable valve timing and twin scroll turbocharging. Combined cycle fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are reduced on average by 4% across the range.

That’s 10hp more, using 4% less fuel.

E85-compatible Saab BioPower variants of both gasoline engines are also available, and six-speed transmissions become standard across the entire powertrain line-up. Saab’s XWD system is also available with both gasoline engines.

The Saab 9-3 Griffin is the best 9-3 we’ve ever offered for sale and we can’t wait to get them out the door.

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The Saab 9-6 in pictures

Last week we had a poll on Twitter, asking people which model from the Saab Museum they would like to have photographed – the Saab EV-1 concept or the Saab 9-6 prototype. Guess which car won?

Here we are, then, with a photo study of the Saab 9-6. The car is now on display at the Saab Museum after spending several years in hiding storage out the back.

The Saab 9-6 was a joint project with Subaru, based on their B9 Tribeca SUV. Saab, at the behest of General Motors (who owned 20% of Subaru’s parent company at the time), had already launched the Saab 9-2x based on the Subaru Impreza WRX. This vehicle was supposed to build on that relationship.

Even though the 9-2x was loved by those who owned it, the car was lampooned by the press for being a poorly executed mimic of a cult classic. The Saab was actually better equipped than the WRX of the time with several components from Subaru’s performance division (STi) added to the car, but it ended up selling for a lot less in an employee-pricing fire sale back in 2005.

Whilst it had nothing to do with the fire sale, GM ended up selling its 20% stake in Subaru later in 2005 and the Saab 9-6 project was cancelled. Prior to this cancellation, Saab had built two prototype vehicles – this five door model now on exhibition at the museum, as well as a three-door version.

Many will refer to the 9-6 as the 9-6x, which makes sense as it would have had a 4-wheel drive system on board, which is the usual trigger for the added ‘x’ (9-3x TTiD owners – your objection is noted). I used to call it the 9-6x as well in stories that I wrote about it back in 2005. The museum example, however, is referred to without the ‘x’ in the title so I’m going to stick to that protocol.

Click to enlarge the images.

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Saabosphere – links we linked this week

Forgive me, but I’ll start with a bit of reading I didn’t like. Analysts. I’m so over reading thoughts from analysts.

Auto industry analysts in Sweden said car company Saab looked to be on its last legs.

Actually, it’s analysts from all over the place, not just in Sweden.

No analyst wants to be on the wrong side of an issue and everyone wants to get their name (or their firm’s name) in the paper so they look like “the man”. Right now the issue is the state of Saab and we have a massive target on our backs.

Here’s the thing, though. The same people were making the same predictions about us back in late 2009, when GM said they would close our doors. We’re still here, and if the people who work at Saab have anything to do with the decision, then we’ll still be here in five, ten, twenty years and more from now.

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In contrast to all the doomsayers out there, BNET has an article that looks at the various rays of hope emerging in the last weeks.

Good to see someone bucking the trend and seeing the threads that are tying things together here in Trollhattan.

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In a similar vein, TTELA journalist Valdemar Lönnroth took a look at the five reasons, both positive and negative, why Saab will survive or perish in the near term. (in Swedish)

TTELA is always recommended reading for issues to do with Saab. They’re local, well connected and quite objective when it comes to Saab coverage. And Valdemar….. we’ll be OK.

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It was nice to see our recent news about the Top Safety Pick award for the Saab 9-4x making the rounds. This, from Motor Trend.

The IIHS tested the Saab 9-4x for frontal offset, side impact, and rear crash performance; the 9-4x earned “Good” ratings in all tests, the Institute’s highest mark. The IIHS also gave the 9-4x a “Good” rating for rollover protection and roof strength. The 9-4x also comes standard with Electronic Stability Control (ESP), which is a requirement for all Top Safety Picks.

In the words of the hokey-pokey: That what it’s all about.

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Speaking of the Saab 9-4x, enthusiast website Saabs United got photos of what could well be the first Saab 9-4x delivery over the weekend.

The car was a fully loaded black Aero, purchased from Saab of North Olmstead, in Ohio.

I had a Premium [model] on order, but the dealer (Saab in North Olmsted Ohio) received their first one yesterday – a black Aero, fully loaded. I put my butt into the seat, looked around and bought it on the spot before even driving it.

If other dealers would like to dispute this “first” claim, please get in touch and send along your photographic proof 🙂

There are photos of the car at the Saabs United link, above. It looks fantastic, and I’d like to pass on my congratulations and appreciation to the new owner.

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German website Saabblog.net takes an enjoyable look into the crystal ball to see what will be happening at Saab in 2017.

Great vision! I’m not sure about how much of that can/will get done, but there’s a good deal of stuff there that’s well reasoned and do-able. And what excited me even more was the fact that this came out of Germany, where we need to build a bigger presence. It’s always great to see some more German Saab fans getting engaged in things.

We wait and see.

And thanks to my mate RedJ for the tip.

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And finally, my feeds have been blowing up this week over stories from Fashion Week and the designer, Elie Saab. Apparently he’s released a new fragrance as well as a whole bunch of new clothing (which everyone seems to rave about).

A few years ago, a friend of mine from England (and Saab 99 and 900 book author) named Lance Cole wrote a spendid piece on the (original) Saab Smell.

It’s highly recommended reading (link to a copied version on SaabScene as my old website, Trollhattan Saab, seems to be having a hard time at the moment).

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The 9-4x would fit perfectly here….

My wife and I did some west-coast touring today, taking in beautiful Fjallbacka and Smögen (I want to live in Fjallbacka – I absolutely loved it!)

The coastal towns certainly earn their living during the summer. There are people everywhere and when you spend a little time, you can see why. Picturesque villages abound and the shops, cafes and restaurants are sublime. Throw in a perfect summer’s day with lots of happy people and you can see why half of Norway seems to invade Sweden’s west coast during the summer months 🙂

We passed this small car park as we headed back to our street parking in Smögen and the lineup of cars here was typical of what we saw throughout the day. New-ish Audis, BMW’s, Mercedes and Volvos everywhere. Lots of the private holiday homes had Porsches and Jaguars, too.

As we passed this particular carpark, however, I was struck enough to take a picture of it (click to enlarge). It made me think right away of how the 9-4x would look amongst these vehicles. The answer – it would make them look decidedly second hand.

Like lots of people, I was a little slow to catch on to the idea of a Saab SUV. I’ve traditionally been into smaller, more practical and clever cars, and Saabs have always stood out to me because of the good use of space in the hatchback form. The more I’ve seen of the Saab 9-4x, though, the more I’ve come to like it. I’ve been seeing them around here, in Trollhattan, for the last few weeks now and the presence this vehicle has on the road is just outstanding.

I saw a lot of very classy cars today – all the marques I’ve named above were in plentiful supply on the streets and in the driveways of homes that I saw. Saab’s new products would have looked completely at home with any of them. When you think of where Saab were just a short time ago, from a product perspective – with one 6 year old car and one 12 year old car – it’s been a little while since we could say that with such confidence.

Below: The Saab 9-4x one day earlier – in a less idyllic setting – but in good company and still looking superb.

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The dream factory – Saab 9-5 convertible

I always love to see what fans with photoshop skills can dream up.

X-Tomi is one such Saab fan, from Hungary. He refers to himself as a “virtual tuner” – a description I like a lot. If you have a look at X-Tomi’s website you’ll see a lot of different models receiving some treatment and they look great.

X-Tomi recently submitted this illustration of a Saab 9-5 morphed into convertible form for an online design competition. This was the base image.

First, I ripped the lid, I pushed back the door, a shorter wheelbase and length of the car, got new wheels, larger rear wheels, the grille is changed minimally.

Nice work, X-Tomi. Always fun to see.

My thanks to Yang for the tip on this one, and X-Tomi for being happy to have it shared here.

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Saab at the 2011 Swedish Open tennis

Saab have been the main sponsor of the Swedish Open tennis tournament for the last 25 years. That all changed this year of course, because of our current circumstances, but our initial commitment to the tournament some time earlier meant that we were still able to have a presence there.

The ladies singles and doubles finals took place earlier today and I was there to see the show.

The tournament is held in a small, beautiful seaside town called Båstad (Aussie/Swedish pronunciation: Boh-stahd). Apparently the numbers in the town swell by around 80,000 over the two weeks of the tournament, which is why Saab like to be there. Accommodation is booked out in the region as the beautiful people from Stockholm head west and the Goteborgers (my term for them) head south to mingle and mix amid the heat and the bouncing balls.

The weather gods turned on a glorious day today and the social set really did get value for their money. The tennis was pretty good, too.

That’s the eventual ladies champion, Polona Hercog from Slovenia, serving to local favourite and runner-up, Johanna Larsson. Hercog really did seem to have Larsson’s measure for most of the match, but the Swede did make a late comeback with a break in the second set, but used up too much energy in doing so and was flat in the final game. The final score was 6-4, 7-5.

So aside from that little courtside naming banner to the left of Polena, what else did Saab have on show?

There were a number of Saab 9-5’s being used as courtesy cars at the tournament. We saw these in action but didn’t have the camera around at the time. Needless to say they were looking pretty smart.

Saab also had a 9-4x Aero on display just outside the centercourt area……

…..as well as a 9-3 Independence Edition Convertible looking over the main court area. I’m still trying to figure out how they got it there…..

That photo was taken during the ladies doubles final, inevitably won by a Spanish team. Two Spanish teams were fighting it out in the final and the lack of a local contestant probably lowered the crowd numbers.

The doubles final provided me with an opportunity to realise a long-held childhood dream (OK, not really) – being a ballboy at a national tournament:

The Swedish Open is a little different from some tournaments in that the women’s tournament is held one week earlier than the mens. There are only a limited number of courts at Båstad so there are only a small number of players in each of the womens and mens tournaments, too.

Now that the women are done, the men will begin work tomorrow.

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Surprise bonus!!!

As we were driving home from Båstad, a quick look in the side mirror told me there was an extremely handsome SUV coming up behind me. I moved over to let a very nice, Silver Saab 9-4x pass by at a reasonable rate of knots. The car took off ahead and I figured that was probably the last I’d see of it.

Little did I know the driver, one of our product marketing team, would be getting hungry around the same time as we were…….

That’s my car on the left, and quite possibly my future car on the right 🙂

A Saab 9-4x sighting on top of a perfect day’s outing at the tennis. Can you ask for anything more?

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