The Saab Thread

[IVR007]

I spent a week at my father's house in Båstad, Sweden. This is where the annual ATP swedish open is played (Nicolas Almagro defeated Söderling). Actually, Saab is the main sponsor of the event. So Saabs were allowed to park for free and people were able to test drive the 9-5. In fact, Victor was there as well, I only just missed him (we were at the same restaurant). He did some work for Swedish television.

(This one is from realtid.se)





We've seen a couple 9-5s on the road, some of them must have been customer cars.

There also was a (pretty unique I guess) meeting of 6 koenigseggs (factory is very close by)

Article and photos on autogespot.com (Dutch).

[amzamz]

Still interested in Saab, and that's how he would manage it :lol:: Vladimir Antonov was driving a Saab 99 Turbo CC for the Midnattssolsrallyt 2010. Co-pilot Denis Giraudet. So, I guess his Spyker LM85 was just at the start for show... and not starting. Saabs seem fun at rallys, too. I am not sure what everything looked like 5 seconds later...
source here

[Spyker 007]

I spent a week at my father's house in Båstad, Sweden. This is where the annual ATP swedish open is played (Nicolas Almagro defeated Söderling). Actually, Saab is the main sponsor of the event. So Saabs were allowed to park for free and people were able to test drive the 9-5. In fact, Victor was there as well, I only just missed him (we were at the same restaurant). He did some work for Swedish television.

(This one is from realtid.se)

Victor in #018 in China in 2004.

[IVR007]

Thanks for the info Spyker 007. I couldn't find any other pictures taken from Victor in Båstad , so I used the one from the realtid article, assuming they used a proper one. But seeing it again, you are right, those guys surrounding the Spyker don't look a lot like Swedes :lol::lol:

[DavidMorgan]

Aviation inspired Saab 9-5 is plane delightful.

So says our friend Richard Hammond on July 30, 2010 2:41 PM in http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/cars-motor...ab-9-5-is.html

"Clever people buy Saabs.

Not people who know facts like which of Henry VIII's wives was beheaded and which died, but really, really clever people who conduct orchestras, discover cures for diseases or who understand what Einstein was going on about.

Unfortunately buying a Saab won't necessarily make you brainy - or I would have bought a shed-load of them by now - but perhaps owning this new Saab 9-5 would make you look like you know a lot, which is no bad thing.

For the past 20 years, Saab has been owned by General Motors. Big old GM didn't really know what to do with the Swedish company and some fairly good cars were made, and some shockers.

This year GM sold Saab to Spyker, the Dutch maker of eccentric sports cars. A bit of a shock move, but Spyker at least understands the importance of unique design.

Anyway, before the Dutch took over Saab already had this 9-5 ready to hit the showrooms.

It's aimed at BMW's 5 Series and the Mercedes E-Class. Big targets, but not everyone wants to own a German saloon car. And as you can see, the 9-5 looks very different."

[SpykerOwner]

Saab 93 artist impression on autoweek.nl

[IVR007]

Wow looks cool! I don't know whether the original Saab customers would like it but to me this looks great

[SpykerOwner]

Saab held an enquiry, here are the results (in Dutch, sorry):

De nieuwe Saab 9-5 daagt iedereen uit.

[F Spider]

Look what arrived at JMK Saab today

[SpykerOwner]

How cool is that? When can you collect your 95?

[Spyker 007]

Look what arrived at JMK Saab today

Hi Rijk,

Congrats!

Hope you can drive her soon!

We enjoyed the test drive in the 95 very much! A good looking car!!

Jeffrey

[DavidMorgan]

Time Magazine "Saving Saab .. Monday, Aug. 30, 2010

This looks like a fine article:

For all practical purposes, the Saab brand was as dead as a Studebaker last January. Abandoned by its owner, General Motors, Saab was pushed into liquidation as GM struggled to save itself. Saab's factory in Sweden was shuttered tight. It couldn't advertise, its dealers were out of cars, and its fans were reduced to writing plaintive notes to GM's management. GM was prepared to let Saab die during a long winter night in the high latitudes.



Read more: The Man Behind the Plan to Save Saab - TIME

[F Spider]

Hans pointed out that the wrong wheels are under the car. By Monday this is all fixed.

[DavidMorgan]

Hans pointed out that the wrong wheels are under the car. By Monday this is all fixed.

Sorry, but I didn't realise that it was YOUR 9-5
Hope you and your wife enjoy driving it .. I'm sure you'll let us know about it later.
Cheers
David.

[F Spider]

Spyker picking up Saab (again)