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Fantasy Friday – Saab Shopping in Sweden

One of the really fun parts of my time living in Sweden was car shopping. I love car shopping under any circumstances, but the ultimate car shopping experience is being in your favoured marque’s country of origin and having access to a bunch of cars that are very rare in your home country.

I ended up buying a car that wasn’t rare at home – a classic Saab 900 – but I spent hours checking out Blocket.se and fantasising about what I could get if price wasn’t a constraint and I felt confident that I’d be in-country for a long time. Sadly, neither of those two factors were working in my favour back in 2011.

So let’s window shop a little. If I were to import a Saab into Australia in the future, my first choice remains a Saab Sonett III, imported from the US. But there are plenty of other Saabs that are rare here and are relatively rare in other countries, too. Fortunately there are still a good number of them in Sweden and Blocket.se is one of the best sources for finding them.

Here’s a selection….. click any of the pictures to enlarge.

Saab 92B

Why not start at/near the beginning. The Saab 92 was the first Saab model ever produced and the 92B was the refreshed version of this initial car. This is a 1954 model, so it’s 60 years old this year. Refreshed paint and brightwork and if the engine’s as good as the day it was first installed, it’ll be pushing out a whopping 39hp!!

The car is for sale in Ängelholm so you might just spot a Koenigsegg being tested when you go to pick it up. The asking price is 135,000SEK.

Here’s the link: Saab 92B (blue) for sale.

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Saab 92B

If you like your old Saab to be a bit more of project, this might be the car for you. It’s said to have all it’s original paint. My guess is it’s mostly original. That glossier section behind the door looks a bit suspicious to me. But aside from a couple of small dents on the other side, it looks like a straight car.

The seller says some interior work needs doing and I’m sure there will be some mechanicals to attend to, but this looks like a (mostly) original starting point for someone. It’s a 1956 model.

The car is for sale in Umeå, in northern Sweden. If it’s been there all its life then that would explain the well preserved, original patina. The price is 43,000SEK.

Here’s the ad: Saab 92B (grey) for sale.

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Saab 96 2-stroke racer

This would be good, I think. Very, very good.

I’m not so hot on the big padded roll bar inside, or the non-standard seats. Concessions to modern safety, I suppose. The car looks outstanding and is said to be fully race-ready with both engine and gearbox rebuilt in Trollhattan.

The seller is asking 125,000SEK and the car is for sale in Linköping.

Here’s the ad: Saab 96 2-stroke racer.

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Saab 96 2-stroke

This car is the standard version of the one above. It looks to be completely standard. Just an early Saab 96 from 1960. Both the exterior and interior look clean, which makes me wonder why it’s advertised at such an affordable 25,000SEK.

The car is for sale at a second-hand dealer in Malmö. He had similar cars for sale back in 2011. At similar prices, too. I never got down south to look at them, unfortunately.

Here’s the ad: Saab 96 2-stroke for sale.

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Saab 95 Castrol

The Saab 95 is desirable to many as it’s much rarer than the classic Saab 96. And how many cars come with just 2-doors but seven seaters? And how many wagons nearly took a podium finish at Monte Carlo?

This looks to be a recent renovation with a reconditioned engine and straight cut gears installed. The minilites and driving lights looks quite good but if I’m reading the translation correctly, this car hasn’t been through an inspection since its restoration. Tread carefully!

The car is for sale in Lund. No price is mentioned but the owner is open to offers.

Here’s the ad: Saab 95 in Castrol colours for sale.

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Saab 95

This 1978 Saab 95, also painted in green, seems to be a much safer bet according to the information in the ad. This car is also restored but in much more standard configuration. The engine is said to run like clockwork and the car passed it’s most recent inspection without comment.

It’s got a new exhaust, new brakes, new tyres and reconditioned soccerball rims. Nice. The asking price is a reasonable 59,000SEK and the car is located in Danderyd, just north of Stockholm.

Here’s the ad: Saab 95 for sale.

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Saab 99 Turbo racer

I haven’t seen this colour scheme on a Saab racing team, but you don’t need the text from the ad to tell you the blue-and-white treatment on the car is in honour of Saab’s Finnish racing efforts.

The car is said to be race-ready to Group A standard and has raced successfully since being built. It certainly looks like it’s been used in anger, but a lack of pristine presentation is not a drawback with a car like this. The engine has a healthy 217hp and is recently reconditioned. Porsche brakes are a standard conversion.

The seller is asking 165,000SEK and the car is located in Sigtuna, between Stockholm and Uppsala.

Here’s the ad: Saab 99 Turbo Grp A racer.

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Saab 900 Turbo

This is a personal indulgence because I love Acacia Green Saabs and I also love the early Saab 900. Later 900’s got a little conservative compared to the early cars, which still had plenty of 70’s Swedish funkiness. Note the green interior with the clip-down seat belt clasps, straight out of the 99 Turbo.

This car is said to be completely original and unrestored. It’s been off the road since 2005 and hasn’t seen a winter since the late-1980’s.

The car is listed at 85,000SEK but it sounds like the seller expects the price to go higher, saying that he’ll sell to the highest bidder.

The car is located in Habo, on the shores of Lake Vattern. Here’s the ad: Saab 900 Turbo for sale.

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Saab 96 Monte Carlo

OK, I’ve got to cover another 96. I simply can’t resist and I hope you won’t be able to, either.

This is a 1966 Saab 96 Monte Carlo 850. It’s quite possibly the prettiest Saab ever and would be one of the most fun to drive, too. There’s not much detail on this car but if it’s a good one, the 150,000SEK price would be justified.

Here’s the ad: Saab 96 Monte Carlo 850 for sale.

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Saab 90

All the cars listed above are pre-1980. I had to expand my search to find some Saab 90’s.

To the unfamiliar, the Saab 90 was a local model that was basically a Saab 99 with a Saab 900 ‘notchback’ rear end. The interior is Saab 99, as well. This is a faily basic car but if you’re a non-Swede, it’s a definite curiosity.

I saw plenty of these on the road in Sweden and there are quite a few for sale, too. The good thing is the price. This one’s the most expensive for sale on Blocket right now and it’s on 16,000SEK.

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So there you have it, some of my personal favourites from Blocket.se right now.

Check out your local import costs and go for your life!!!

Saab 9-3 TTiD vs the Top 10 green cars in Sweden

I’ve talked a little bit over the last few months about what Saab engineers were able to do with the Saab 9-3 in terms of reducing emissions. Today, you can order a Saab 9-3 TTiD with a full 180hp (or 160, or 130) that emits only 119g of CO2 per kilometer.

The powers-that-be didn’t think that was possible with the 9-3, and yet Saab achieved this figure, first with the Sport Sedan and then with the SportCombi, in just a matter of months after being freed to pursue this goal. It’s a prime example of the engineering expertise that exists here at Saab Automobile.

Some of you, like me, may not come from a country where vehicle taxes are based on emissions and the significance of this might be lost on you. Others will understand a bit better right from the get-go.

In Sweden, a ‘green’ car is referred to as a miljöbil and this vehicle class attracts quite a few benefits. Firstly, a new car that is compliant with Euro5 and has CO2 emissions of max 120g/km attracts zero vehicle tax for its first five years. Company car drivers who choose a miljöbil for their company vehicle may also benefit from reduced fringe benefits tax rates compared to non-miljöbil choices (which would be a massive drawcard for Saab).

There are other benefits, too, which some will make use of more than others. In Stockholm, for example, miljöbil drivers pay no congestion charge and there are parking zones in many cities around Sweden that miljöbil drivers can use for free.

So, some significant benefits are there if you’re driving the right sort of car. It’s not just tax benefits and parking convenience, though.

A car has to fit in with your lifestyle. One of the biggest criticisms of a vehicle like the Nissan Leaf, for example, is range anxiety. That is, the car might be able to run on pennies per day, but if it can’t get you where you need to go (and back) without running out of battery power, then it’s not really suitable for anything other than a short commute.

Some of the cars you’ll see on the list below have wonderful emissions figures and prices, but do they allow the average family to live their normal lifestyle, to travel with comfort, performance, safety and adequate space – AND accrue the various benefits of a miljöbil?

To give us all a better picture of what Saab have been able to do, of what Saab can offer in this segment of the Swedish market (and some others that incentivise the same way), I thought I’d put together this table.

The following table shows the Saab 9-3 TTiD range as well as the current top 10 selling miljöbil offerings in the Swedish market.

[table “26” not found /]

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So what’s the point?

The Saab 9-3 TTiD involves no sacrifices. Some cars on the table have equal (or better) cargo capacity, but the driving experience will be compromised due to much low power and torque.

Others lose out on the driving experience as well as the storage capability, relying on their small engine size and weight to get under the emissions limits.

Saab engineers re-worked the 9-3 TTiD SportCombi so that owners can have a complete vehicle experience – all the comfort, performance, safety and amenity that the car offers in its normal configuration – PLUS the benefits of a miljöbil.

Bottom line: You don’t have to drive an underpowered rollerskate to get the benefits of driving ‘green’.

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Saab’s Magnus Hansson – Rising Star

He’s probably going to kill me for writing this up publicly 🙂

I’m very, very pleased to pass on that Saab’s Director for the Nordic Region, Magnus Hansson, has received a Rising Star Award from Automotive News Europe.

Automotive News Europe is delighted to announced its first winners of the Rising Stars — a new annual award that honors mid- and upper-level managers who are likely to become CEOs or executive board members in the future. ANE will honor the 2011 Rising Stars, and their mentors, at a gala dinner in Cologne, Germany, June 29.

This is fantastic news. I don’t want to sound like I’m sucking up here, but back when I was writing about Saab independently, I had fantastic communications with Magnus and always thought that big things would come his way. Having the chance to work in the same building with the man has only confirmed this. He’s been a steady hand in Saab’s home market during a difficult period, much like a guy who used to walk the same corridors until recently, Jan-Ake Jonsson.

Congratulations, mate! Some well deserved recognition for you and your team.

Two Saabs and 2,000 kilometers in two days

As mentioned the other night, I was up in northern Sweden for a few hours over the weekend, a town called Skellefteå, just over 1,000kms from Trollhattan. I was there with a couple of friends, Rune and Anna. We drove up there on Sunday and drove back on Monday.

The reason? Well, it all started back in the Swedish winter with an icy road, a bend, and a telegraph pole…..

This photo was taken in the dark with a cell phone, so it’s a little blurry, but here’s a look at some of the damage. This sort of damage isn’t something you could repair overnight, but it’s not impossible. Usually googling ‘auto repair shop Lynchburg‘ or something similar could help you find reliable mechanics. For our car, the work needed was extensive, so it took some time.

After the repair was complete, the first opportunity to pick up the car was last weekend. I came along to share the driving responsibilities so this story is part vehicle comparison, part road trip, and part lessons learned (more on that later).

Continue reading Two Saabs and 2,000 kilometers in two days

Not quite the Midnight Sun…..

It’s overcast here in Skellefteå so I can’t show you the midnight sun, but here are the five-minutes-to-midnight clouds and ambient light, photographed just fifteen minutes ago as I sit here writing this from the Scandic Hotel here in town.

Our ride for this day-long drive of some 1,058km was a 2010 Saab 9-3 SportCombi rental from Avis, which got fuel economy of some 10.5 litres per 100km running at occasional overtaking speeds 🙂 on 85% ethanol.

And the reason I’m here? I’ll get to that later in the week but it’s 15% northern exposure and 85% helping a friend – a long and slightly sad tale that will finally get its happy ending tomorrow.

I can tell you this much: the Avis rental is staying here and we’re taking another Saab model from the same year back home.

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