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Top Gear will be doing a tribute to "over 50 years of Saab production"

15K views 61 replies 33 participants last post by  TunnanXWD 
#1 ·
The British program Top Gear is preparing a tribute to Saab covering “over 50 years of Saab production” . And the production has contacted the legendary Saab Owners Club for helping them by providing cars. “Following their approach to us a few weeks back we have now supplied almost all of the cars for 2 days of location filming."

http://saablog-in.blogspot.com/2012/01/saab-owners-club-of-great-britain-top.html
 
#5 ·
I know at least James May must appreciate SAAB, Can't wait. Wish they would have done it a few years BEFORE we went under *facepalm*
 
#8 ·
What i will be looking for is how they portray GM's involvement and the feedback from the Europeans. It might have an effect on GM's other products.

I don't think a majority of Americans will care and they seem to have a short term memory for things like this. It is just Capitalism at work.

.
 
#9 ·
Just like I have a short memory for my Fiat 124 ... POS. Three of us had them and none lasted a year.

Then there was the Peugeot ... aka ... "Dog Breath"

Mercedes 220S that rusted out from under me.

MG .. actually I had one good B Limited, but the Midgets were .. :roll:

You really wanna' bash GM? :cheesy::cheesy:

Still have my 1998 Volvo and the only Saab to make it to the 100,000 mile mark was an ng900. All 4 of the pre GM Saabs got "the hook" before 85,000 miles.
 
#11 ·
I don't think my comment was too hard to comprehend, but maybe i was being... obtuse.

Top Gear could say GM ended up buying SAAB so they could raid its turbo technology and then mostly neglected it for almost 20 years. Then they were instrutmental in the death of SAAB by making it impossible for new buyers to sell the cars.

If they do this, the Euro's may think twice about GM, America, and its Capitilistic ways. In America, people would just say it's business and forget about it.

.
 
#13 ·
Moekazi, let me give you a little lesson. :nono;

GM "raid the turbo technology" ?? :cheesy::cheesy::cheesy:

GM had the first turbo on the streets in a production Olds in 1962.

GM then followed a few months later with a turbo Chevy Corvair in the Spyder and Corsa series between 1962 and 1969.

They had thousands and thousands of them on the streets and were not "problem turbos", like Saab would like you to believe.

There was one change to sodium valves for heat in air cooled engines but it had nothing to do with turbos. With a stick, keep a few RPM's up to get over "lag" and there were no problems. I had many, many happy miles in my 1963.
 
#14 · (Edited)
Gee, GM made it easy for me to buy my wife's 2009.

When I went back to buy one from Spyker/Swan ... there were no deals to be had and the dealer was a great guy. His hands were tied by Muller and crew.

I keep asking why GM could sell me a car for a reasonable price but under Muller or Antonov they wanted list ... and it was not worth anywhere near list. I should be, driving a 2010 XWD but in some ways I'm lucky.

Where do you get this stuff? SU?

Not to further burst your Saab bubble, but they used the Garrett Air turbo built here in the US in LA. :roll:
 
#15 ·
c900 at Salt Flats episode

Not that they showed it in the episode, but I was driving my '84 c900 out at Bonneville Salt Flats the same day they shot an episode with the new ZR1, CTS and Charger. I have a fun picture of my little c900 lined up between those guys at the starting line. Blew my engine trying to hit 130mph in 1 mile that day.
 
#17 ·
Not that they showed it in the episode, but I was driving my '84 c900 out at Bonneville Salt Flats the same day they shot an episode with the new ZR1, CTS and Charger. I have a fun picture of my little c900 lined up between those guys at the starting line. Blew my engine trying to hit 130mph in 1 mile that day.

Hey Jack, pics!

And sorry about the engine
 
#19 ·
I go and try and blow up too, so I know what its like! Also, yes...you can't just DESCRIBE a great picture, this is the internet...lets see it!
 
#20 ·
c900 w/Top Gear lineup

Here's the shot. I guess the ZR-1 was just in front of us all. If I remember correctly they were trying to unstick the transmission in the Caddy.

As far as my engine goes, I took some chunks out of a couple of valves. Other than that it was OK. After I replaced them it ran fine.

It was a really nice cool day out there. Had fun. Of course, I do every year. For some reasone I never quite make it to 130...guess I'd have to try for the 150 club if I did. It's just nice to know at least one day a year there's no potential speeding ticket involved. :D

 
#27 ·
The guy that gave them the 9-3 couldn't even send the SID in before, pft. Missing pixels galore.
 
#37 ·
There was a point in time that i scoured the internet looking for a video i heard of a 900 getting dropped on the roof, and couldn't find it. Personally, very happy they did it. I stripped my 900 to the frame to install a rollcage, only to notice there was already one there.
 
#30 ·
The early "9's", nor just the 900, also had that body roof cage and many of us who purchased Saabs back then remember Carlsson rolling down a ski jump and opening the doors.

I think Clarkson and May were a bit young for that and I have almost bought a few 900 Saabs that were on their roof at some point. Telltale scuff marks.

Safety? They missed the ball with the "ng" series horrid frontal record.

"Extra" button? Well I pondered for months what this one black black rocker button did on my 9-3 as my wife's and finally after after a bit of searching found it was there if you wanted to add an extra. All c900 series had an empty or blank phony place where a dealer could add something but since they looked like "buttons" occasionally you would push, hoping for a peanut or prize or something?

Aircraft? Dead on. I have never seen anything in a Saab that reminds me of any aircraft I have ever flown or worked on. Real stupid crap ad hype that made me want to puke.

"Night Panel" .... hell, my Corvair turbo and moms 700 had a little knob called a rheostat .... aka .... night panel.

I have a few years to go on what is out there but, there are other cars and frankly, the dealers have been horrible, one just ruined my wheel during a service a few weeks ago and never called back with any resolution.

Typical, Saab, horrid service with cars so complex they seem haunted.

It's was fun, it was painful .... RIP.
 
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