Förfina

Free online magazine for SAAB owners and enthusiasts around the world • Autumn 2019 Welcome to the third issue of Förfina.

It is almost impossible to tell you what to find in this issue, as like the previous versions, the content evolves over time, depending upon the input from fellow SAAB owners from around the world.

But what I can tell you is, we start this issue with a fascinating article on the Sonett range by well known SAAB author, Lance Cole.

To those who take the time to view Förfina, many thanks. To those who submit an article or photo, my deep gratitude. To those who have yet to do either, I await your input with anticipation.

As with the previous issue, we will compile SAAB articles and photos from owners around the World, which will be added to this publication over Summer period. This may be how they bought their SAAB, how they repaired their SAAB or how much they enjoy their SAAB. So if you are reading this and have a story or photo you would like to share simple email me at [email protected]

Until then, happy SAABin’

David Dallimore

Out of all the quintessentially ECU, a higher flowing exhaust system, a Getting inside a Saab reminded me how performance and pressure plate, absolutely different these were from weird cars that wore the Saab stiffened and lowered suspension components anything else in the late nineties and early The badge, this one has to be among as well as reinforced CV joints and driveshafts. 2000’s. The dashboard and are as flat as a plank of wood, and the dash Saab claimed a 0-60 acceleration time of the most eccentric. is high, filled with buttons and a large air roughly 6.5 seconds. That’s about the same as vent, presumably to look like an airplane I took one out for a drive, a one too, some current front-wheel-drive hot Last cockpit. which technically makes it more of a hot coupe like the Ford Focus ST. But unlike the Ford, the than a hot hatch. Plenty of Saabs came after Saab came with its own training program video Nothing really happens below 4,000 RPM. this one, but this one was one of the last true hosted by a professional jet fighter pilot. That’s when the insane boost pressure Great great weird examples from the brand. shoves you hard into the immensely Fundamentally, what makes this Viggen so comfortable seats and emits cool All that factory-tuned 20 psi of boost (that’s a special is that during Saab’s 67-year run of jet-like air swirl sounds along the way - lot for a factory setup) building quirky and unusual aircraft-derived pssssttttssshh - boost gauge all lit up and went straight to the front wheels via a five- automobiles, the Viggen stands out today as True everything, quickly running out of puff at speed manual gearbox. one of the fastest production Saabs ever built. Other mechanical modifications over a around 6,000 RPM. standard turbocharged 9-3 included a higher It’s an unusual way to put down power, but Saab capacity intercooler, a performance-tuned it definitely works.

Many thanks to Paul Petherick of http://saabvsscepticism.co.uk and https://jalopnik.com “Poorboys Black Hole glaze cleans and fills light swirl Square marks to leave a brilliant, glossy, slick show shine. It can be applied any time to hide minor imperfections and to enhance gloss on black, red, and all dark vehicles.” SAAB Ease of use. Very straightforward. Squeezy bottle allows you to apply a small amount at a time and you do not need a lot. Recommend applying using a polishing pad, covering an area at a time. Allow it to dry to a haze spotted before wiping off, which again is very easy to do. Put to the On dark paintwork there is a noticeable difference in colour depth and a decrease in light swirls. It does not work on scratches or larger imperfections. Remember, this is a show glaze and as such will require a sealer or Queen Square is a Georgian square in the wax to protect it from the elements. centre of Bristol, England. In 1622, it was re- modelled and the first house was built on the £12-15 UK from online stores south side of the square in 1699 and in 1700, iiiii A good additional for dark coloured cars. the square was laid out in its present form, testPoorboys Black Hole and named after Queen Anne in 1702. & Natty’s Paste Wax The first American Embassy in the UK, was “Poorboy’s Natty’s Blue Paste Wax is a located here. high quality carnauba wax for dark cars, providing patented UV light absorbers to keep your paint fresh and protected throughout the life of the wax. “ Ease of use. Again very straightforward. It is a hard wax, so you have to rub your polishing pad firmly in to get transfer. You only need a light coating to seal the paintwork - using a damp applicator helps with the application. Leave to dry to a haze, then simply wipe off, which is very easy to do. It needs no additional buffing but some say an additional layer does give an even better shine. One of the best waxes I have tested. It gives a lustre and depth to you paintwork. But remember, this is a wax and as such it’s longevity may not as great as a sealer. £15-18 UK from online stores iiiiiEasy to apply and wipe off, an excellent shine - what’s not to like. A tricolour of turbos The Sonett actually started life in 1954 as one of were bonded together to form a stiff, aviation-style, stressed hull. Over the next three spreads, Lance Cole recalls the the most revolutionary and advanced examples of , that never quite made it to epic status. It would be years later that Colin Chapman created the original post-war car design. It was a uniquely constructed Lotus Elite’s fibreglass unitary monocoque body, and decades open-topped two-seater that looked like a before a car-maker made an aluminium car. cross between an MG and an Alfa Romeo. Yet it was years before this stillborn wild child of a The original Sonett 1 was dreamed up by Rolf Mellde - SAAB’s Scandinavian design group actually became the suspension and engineering genius. Along with Sason, the SAAB SAAB Sonett. team included Lars Olov Olsson and Olle Lindkvist and Gosta Svensson. With them, Mellde created an alternative SAAB to the In Swedish “Sa natt” means “How nice”, which is firm’s teardrop-shaped 92-93 range of steel-bodied family saloons. what the legendary Swedish car-designer Sixten They cooked the car up in a barn at Asaka, half an hour’s drive from Trollhattan, mostly in their own time. SAAB management SAAB Sason is supposed to have said when his first body for the car was finished and mounted on its chassis let the geniuses get on with it, without actually being officially with a smoky two-stroke engine. involved. On seeing the Sonett, SAAB whisked it off to become an official motor-show prototype of their new : the ultra- SONETT 1 Unlike its 1950s contemporaries, the original light Sonett could do 130mph from 57bhp. If you think the SAAB Sonett is a late 1960s-to- Sonett did not have a tubular steel fabricated body nor a floppy monocoque with more shake Despite various plans and projections, and despite a great 1970s fibreglass-bodied coupé that embodies a than a jelly. Instead, the Sonett boasted a unique reception from press and public - including in America - SAAB’s body made from a blend of aluminium sheets and exquisite little car never made it to production life. Only 6 were forgotten, sportier side of SAAB, think again. plastic moulded panels weighing only 70kg, that made before the idea died. By this time Sason had designed another Premiered at the 1966 Geneva motor show, pretty, fibreglass, Italianate coupé - the the two-stroke-engined car had a steel chassis Catherina - that showed the world a lift- with conventional tubular reinforcements. out, stowable, targa-style roof for the first Draped over the top was a delicate looking time. SAAB decided to push a coupé into fibreglass shell with an early use of a large, production, yet the Catherina design was not wraparound, glazed rear window. chosen: instead the work of Bjorn Karlstrom with another Swedish aircraft company named From 1966 through to 1970 the pert little SAAB Malmo Flygindustri was taken up by SAAB’s Sonett II evolved with typical SAAB product- management. development. In 1968 it gained the V4 engine SONETT II from the . But, by 1970 the car was Karlstom’s car was called the MFI 13. Given looking odd, with scoops, engine bulges and In 1966 the idea of a sporty SAAB coupé that it had a plywood rear floor, the “MFI” tag stylistic fiddlings: only 4,000 were sold. came to the fore again. seems apposite, but it became the Sonett II. SAAB did however get its own in-house artist In the USA Sonetts scooped up many Gunnar Sjögren to style much of the new Sonett’s sports-car racing wins in the 1980s, with plastic body-details. Jack Lawrence and his tuned V4 injection Sonett proving that the it might not have The spec included moulded seat-pans, and trim items rallied, but it could race. A one-off soft- from the SAAB 96 and 99 ranges - including the alloy top was also created. wheels from the 99EMS. The Triumph-style flip-top bonnet of the Sonett II had gone, and, despite the The original Sonett open top car design SAAB addition of the new SAAB corporate grille and US- and build team under Rolf Mellde were: style bumpers, the Sonett had an elegant style and Arne Frick Lars-Olof Olsson SONETT 111 sold well - notably in the eastern seaboard states of Olle Lindqvist Erik Johansson the USA. Erik Danielson Elis Olsson This Sonett III was a long-nosed coupé with Sven Frederikson The Sonett III survived until 1974, with the final cars The car’s in house nickname by the team overtones of Italian exotica - as penned by the mostly being sold in racing colours; many remain in was “Secret Hot’. Milanese designer Sergio Coggiola. use and for sale at cheap prices in California today. SAAB at sunrise By Nigel Holme Etienne Morsa created the Huy Saab Gathering in Belgium, for us all to enjoy. Sadly Etienne passed away last year and in honour of his memory and Saab enthusiasm, it was decided to hold a memorial.

Nicolas Demuynck (Saab Farm) and Roby Sunday morning saw the beautiful Saabs Fouarge (Luxemburg Saab Club) knew Etienne start to arrive in the town square and areas was planning a 5th Huy Saab Gathering so around the town - everywhere you looked Etienne they decided to pick up the thread again, there were Saabs. Despite the weather, complete it, and dedicate it to him. around 150 enthusiasts came from Belgium, Germany, France, Great Britain, Netherlands, An evening meal was arrange for those Luxemburg, Switzerland and Spain to show Morsa distance travellers that arrived on the their love for Etienne. Saturday evening, something Etienne had done since the very first Gathering. During the morning, some cars went on a tour On this occasion a standing one minute into the countryside to Etienne’s grave, where silence and toast was presented before food, they all presented blue and yellow Roses to him. drink, chat and a long night, took place. Later in the day we all took part in choosing our favourite models. It was a difficult decision with so many to choose from, but the best prize in the category was Etienne’s rally car and the award was presented to his girlfriend, Martine.

Submitted by Robin Morley.

Etienne Morsa and his “It is 36 years since this car rolled out of the factory in Trollhättan and started rolling on our roads. Now she is 36 years with only 17000 km on the meter. “

Rasmus Töbo Ekman

900 T16s two door By Martin Lyons in the UK. his is my treasured 900 T16s two door Tsaloon. I highlight ‘saloon’ as the T16s was saloon mainly built as a three door . owever, for a SAAB promotional event Hwith Mobil Oil it was insisted by Mobil that for rigidity purposes, the two door body shell suited their requirements better.

SAAB immediately agreed and built 263 models, 13 of which were retained for the event with the remaining cars distributed throughout the dealer network for demonstrations and sale vehicles.

I was working at a SAAB dealership at the time and these very limited models created quite a stir.

I acquired this car in 2007 and ran it as a daily driver until 2009 when I took it off the road for a major restoration and overhaul in an attempt to get it ready for Swedish Day 2010.

Working every weekend plus mornings and evenings around my showroom duties I just about managed to get it to a standard where I could take it.

The car is now a regular at many events organised by Dragon SAAB here in Wales and Great Western SAABs in the West Country and even had a few laps around Spa - Francorchamps at the SAAB International in Belgium!

The car continues to impress me even to this day and that SAAB smile which we all know about hits at exactly the same time as the turbo kicks in, EVERY time! Lachlan Chalmers

My story

I’ve been a serial SAAB owner for nearly Earlier this year, the entire rear axle has 10 years and had my 9-5 Aero 2.3T Estate been replaced, changing every bush, nut for the last 6 years. I am only the second and bolt. The rear inner arches, a known owner since it was registered 12 years ago, rust spot, have been stripped, primed and in which time it’s driven 118,000 miles and 3M sealer protected to reproduce a factory is supported by a full service history. And fresh finish. Most recently, I’ve undertaken while I love the car dearly, I wanted to make a detailed refurb on the front of the car. The sure others would notice her wherever we subframe has been swapped out for a freshly go. So, with originality in mind, I began an powder coated one, and all new anti-roll bar, ambitious project to get her back to better springs, track rod ends, droplinks, bushes, than new condition – Concours standard! suspension arms, and countless other genuine SAAB parts fitted. Thanks go to As you will appreciate, with SAAB ceasing my local SAAB parts centre – Bayliss Parts production and entering bankruptcy Cheltenham and SAABits in Devon for their back in 2011, the biggest challenge was help in sourcing. going to be getting all the required parts. Surprisingly, I’ve been able to source more The end result is fantastic, and she drives than I expected from the authorised SAAB even better than she looks! It’s been a service & parts network, supplied by Orio challenging 4 years, full of sweat and tears UK and reassuring underwritten by their (aka time and money), and she will be on comprehensive warranty; some parts even proud display at the SOC SAAB Fest in warrantied for life! August where you can come over and take a closer look. Like any labour of love, the restoration work has been on-going for a number of I know I am biased, but I think she is one years – 4 to be exact! Work has been done of the best on the road; a new concours across many areas of the car, like the bonnet, standard bearer! replacing locks and insultation, as well as what seems like hundreds of nuts, bolts and screws. And virtually all genuine SAAB parts.

Book your service. SAAB Parts UK is the easy way to request a service, repair or MOT at an Authorised Service Centre. https://SAABparts.com One dollar By David Nutt I paid a single dollar for this SAAB, which had a tree growing through the bonnet. My favourite

I took this photo of my friend’s convertible, during the SAAB picture Festival, in . Mary.

As one would expect from SAAB, this dynamic two-seater sports coupe breaks with convention outside and inside. First, there are no doors or windshield pillars. That’s because the X adopts a cockpit canopy, just as you would see on a jet aircraft. It offers the pilot full 180 degree vision, and also facilitates entry and exit from its low-slung cabin. Thrust for the all-wheel-drive SAAB Aero X also comes from a power plant with a difference. The 400 hp, twin-turbo, BioPower V6 engine is fuelled entirely by ethanol, a sustainable energy source that is kinder to the environment by cutting fossil CO2 emissions. The “green power” of this advanced engine gives new meaning to the phrase “performance with responsibility.” Inside, the SAAB Aero X’s cockpit also adds a new dimension to clean Scandinavian interior design by completely eliminating conventional dials and buttons. Instead, SAAB has applied techniques derived from Swedish glass and precision instrument making, displaying data on glass-like acrylic ’clear zones’ in graphic 3-D images. All exterior and interior lighting is by LED (light-emitting diode), which has given the design team new freedom to exploit the compact packaging benefits of a technology that will be featured increasingly in future SAAB products. With weight-saving carbon fibre bodywork, a lightweight power train, electronically controlled suspension and all-wheel drive, the SAAB Aero X is an exciting driver’s car that promises a level of performance to match its looks. Despite being so tightly driver-focused, the Aero X still offers surprising practicality, again, a quality you would expect to find in all SAAB designs. That dramatically sculpted tail conceals a useful twin storage facility, with a conventional hatch Saab Aero X Concept model, made by Atlas 1:43 I’ll take opening and sliding drawer underneath. “This study shows how the strength of the SAAB brand heritage can inspire bold, innovative design,” says Bryan Nesbitt, Executive Director, GM Design Europe. “As we the Aero move forward with new SAAB products, we will remain focused on carefully cultivating this brand equity in the context of Scandinavian design values.” ...with an X With thanks to www.topspeed.com Drivers are set to benefit from new labels to “Our Road to Zero strategy set help them to easily identify the right fuel for out our ambition to end the sale SAAB legends their vehicle, thanks to new rules being rolled of diesel and petrol cars by 2040, out by the Department of Transport. while the ongoing decarbonising Stuart Turner and of traditional fuels will help during Winners of the Great Britain RAC 1960 SAAB 96 Know The labels, which will be accompanied by a this transition. wider public information campaign later this This particular car was found and restored some years ago. your fuels year, will also help drivers understand the The labels will appear on the http://winktimber.com/vintagerally/cars/saab/racsaab.htm Thanks to Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs biofuel content of the fuels they use every pumps on every forecourt and on day. Last year, the carbon dioxide (CO2 ) the filler caps of all new vehicles, New labelling requirements for savings from using biofuels in road transport allowing motorists to easily match the the UK to help motorists pick the was equivalent to taking over a million cars correct fuel to their car or motorbike. off the UKs roads. These labels will be increasingly important right fuel at home and abroad. as new fuels come onto the market. In Blending biofuels into regular petrol and 2018 we issued a call for evidence on • all filling stations to roll out new diesel reduces CO2 emissions, helping whether and how best to introduce E10, labels by September 2019 us to meet climate change commitments. a petrol grade with up to 10% renewable Petrol, which contains up to 5% renewable • labels will help motorists pick the ethanol. We plan to issue our response to ethanol, will be labelled ‘E5’, while diesel, right fuel, whilst informing them of the this later in 2019.” biofuel content of both petrol and diesel which contains up to 7% biodiesel, will be labelled The most important thing to stress to our • uniform EU-wide labels will prevent as ‘B7’. members is that the fuel has not changed, drivers from filling up with the wrong only the pump labelling will change. fuel abroad For more information please visit https:// knowyourfuel.campaign.gov.uk/ Pennsylvanian SAAB

Andrew Aliferis lives in South Central Pennsylvania. He has been a SAAB enthusiast since his brought his first car, a 1974 SAAB 99 LE. Over time he’s owned a SAAB 99 EMS, SAAB 900 turbo, four Aeros and two SAAB 9-5 Aeros. He prefers manual and all, but one of his SAABs, have been manual. Currently, his 1996 SAAB 9000 Aero has over 400K miles on it, and is running strong. He does most of his own repairs himself, which has helped to keep his cost of ownership down. Andrew loves his newest SAAB, a Laser Red SAAB 9-5 which he bought in Maine. It is one of only 37 made in 2002, in this colour, with a five speed . He is a bit of a SAAB hoarder, currently owning two SAAB 9000 Aeros and two SAAB 9-5 Aeros. The family tradition appeared destined to continue as his daughter is looking to purchase a SAAB 9-5 wagon. Great gear for this Your SAAB story? All we need is a short story of around 100 words, photographs -leave the rest time of year FREE to us! E: [email protected] delivery Whether you are looking for some Photographs? All formats can be sent from your Christmas stocking fillers, or just camera or mobile phone. Ideally the something to keep warm for the higher the resolution, the better the Winter ahead, we’ve got a range of reproduction, so your SAAB will look gear perfect for every Saab enthusiast. Beanie Hat even better, if that’s possible. E: [email protected] £18.99 They are all high quality items and exclusive to Orio – the official Your comments? importer and distributor of Always interested in ideas and ways we can improve this online publication. Saab Original parts in the UK. E:[email protected]

Check out our full range of merchandise Bobble Hat £30.99 Hawks Head Design is a graphic on saabmerchandise.co.uk. design consultancy, established in 1980, specialising in creative design solutions, And don’t forget FREE delivery! including award winning car club magazines. They have been awarded Design Council recognition for their creative work.

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