P3 305 MarchApril 01-21:Layout 1 17/2/11 13:47 Page 1 MARCH/APRIL 2011 ISSUE 2 £6.00 SAABDRIVERThe Magazine of the Saab Owners Club of Great Britain Limited INSIDE GENEVA DEBUT FOR SPORTWAGON HOW GOOD IS THE NEW 9-5? MOTORSPORT Erik Carlsson attends XIV Rallye Monte Carlo Historique www.saabclub.co.uk INSIDE DEALERSHIPCARD PULLOUT & SPLAT P3 305 MarchApril 01-21:Layout 1 17/2/11 13:47 Page 2 P3 305 MarchApril 01-21:Layout 1 17/2/11 13:47 Page 3 10 48 24 50 CONTENTS 6 STEERING WHEEL 34 RETURN TO SAAB 8 SAAB NEWS 36 NOTICEBOARD Geneva Debut for SportWagon 38 REGISTERS 12 IN THE NEWS Triple Whammy for Drivers 48 THE CHOCOLATE CONVOY TO HUY 14 ROBIN’S REVIEW 50 MOTORSPORT Erik Carlsson attends XIV Rallye Monte Carlo Historique 18 CAR CLINIC 52 SOC TRAVEL CLUB 19 POSTBAG 53 MOLLY’S LATEST ADVENTURES 20 NOTICEBOARD 54 A SWEDISH LOVE AFFAIR 22 WHAT’S ON 55 CLUBSHOP 24 AROUND THE UK 56 PRODUCT OFFER 30 HOW GOOD IS THE NEW 9-5? Win an Aqua Gleam de-ionising filter 32 IT REALLY WAS A WHITE CHRISTMAS! 58 CLASSIFIED 33 NEW SAAB ON THE BLOCK FRONT COVER: New Saab 9-4X © newspress Please state your Membership Number on all correspondence Design, print & production: MYPEC, The Old Pottery, Fulneck, Pudsey, Leeds LS28 8NT. Tel: 0113 255 6866 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.mypec.co.uk © Copyright 2011 MYPEC Ltd ISSN 1477-2604 MARCH/APRIL 2011 3 P3 305 MarchApril 01-21:Layout 1 17/2/11 13:47 Page 4 Orpington Saab Full service only £95.00 Free collection & delivery anywhere on the South coast Free courtesy cars available Service also includes wash & vacuum New & used spares we will better any price Mail order service available • All major credit cards accepted Tel: 01959 574737 Mob: 07956 458323 Orpington Saab, Tatsfield Garage, 7 Paynesfield Road, Tatsfield, Westerham, Kent TN16 2AT www.orpingtonsaab.co.uk Distributors of SAAB & VOLVO PARTS We stock a full range of Saab Components All major credit cards accepted Very competitive prices Next day delivery anywhere in the UK Trade and retail enquiries welcome Examples of some of our prices :- Part Part No Price ex. VAT To Fit Pollen Filter 97.7303C £17.00 9-5 Pollen Filter 97.2493 £8.50 900, 9-3 Front Discs 20.9320 £20.00 900, 9-3 Front Pads 40.2203 £25.00 900, 9-3 Air Filter 97.6030 £5.50 900, 9-3 Air Filter 97.2491 £6.00 9-5 Call our Parts Department now on 020 8985 2255 or visit our website at www.braydonmotors.co.uk 4 SAABDRIVER P3 305 MarchApril 01-21:Layout 1 17/2/11 13:47 Page 5 WHO’SWHO FOR CLUB MEMBERSHIP, RENEWALS, CHANGE OF ADDRESS, DIRECTORS CLUB QUERIES CHAIRMAN – Richard Elliott Phone: 01457 852944 Contact the Membership Team on: ‘The Quorls’, 9 Wheatcroft, Tel: 01954 232810 Fax: 01954 232106 E-mail: [email protected] Hadfield, Glossop, SK13 2EN. [email protected] POSTAL ADDRESS VICE CHAIRMAN – Dave Garnett PO Box 1063, Octagon House, Swavesey, Cambridge, CB24 4YR. Phone: 01706 368724 Gorsey Field House, Club Insurance Schemes. Tel: 0800 298 4071 Birtle, Bury, BL9 6UD. [email protected] IMPORTANT VICE CHAIRMAN – Alistair Philpott Please quote your Membership Number on ALL correspondence Registers’ Co-ordinator Phone: 01653 697561 Rivendell, Middle Street, Swinton, CONTRIBUTIONS Classified Advertisements Malton, North Yorkshire YO17 6SR. Please send your contributions to: – see details on page 62. [email protected] ‘DRIVER’ Editor, DAVE GARNETT, COMPANY SECRETARY Gorsey Field House, Birtle, Bury, BL9 6UD. Copy should be submitted either by e-mail or on Finance – Keith Copperwheat Phone: 01692 535482 E-mail: [email protected] CD or DVD, either in PC or AppleMac format, Cobble End Cottage, Pennygate, along with a hard copy for reference where Barton Turf, Norfolk NR12 8BG. For information, and ALL articles, Group possible. Photographs should be undamaged and [email protected] Organisers’ reports, Post Bag, Sport, etc. of a good quality and, if supplied digitally, be of a Motorsport Secretary – David Barrow (See above for address.) high resolution for print, either 300dpi or taken Phone: 0151 510 0681 27 Lilac Avenue, Widnes, Cheshire, at the highest resolution setting on your camera. WA8 6SX. Technical queries for Car Clinic, Richard [email protected] Elliott. (See Car Clinic for details.) DEADLINE DATES FOR Regional Groups’ Co-ordinator – Ellie Wilson CONTRIBUTORS Phone: 01527 403596 Register articles to respective Registrars. May/June 2011 ISSUE: 18th March 2011 43 Towbury Close, Oakenshaw South, Redditch, (See individual Register Pages.) July/August 2011 ISSUE: 20th May 2011 Worcestershire, B98 7YZ. [email protected] Saab Independent Dealer Liaison – John Ransley DISPLAY ADVERTISING IN THE SAAB ‘DRIVER’ Phone: 0161 338 2423 Anyone in the business of selling goods or services related to the motor industry can advertise in ‘Driver’. 133 Stocks Lane, If Members can recommend a service or would like to suggest a potential advertiser please contact our Sales Stalybridge Executive: Cheshire, SK15 2NU. [email protected] Kay Scott KJS Advertising Tel: 01943 461679 Press and Publicity, Saab GB and Dealer Liaison E-mail: [email protected] – Robin Morley Phone: 07515 112120 10 Arundel Road Yeovil, Somerset BA21 5JZ CLUB VALUATION SCHEME [email protected] The Club Valuation Scheme is continuing to provide a very important service to Club Members. However, I would like to Derek Best remind everyone that the purpose of the scheme is to provide The Valuation Service for any model of Saab which qualifies Phone: 01900 814317 for an ‘Agreed Value’ Insurance Policy. To obtain a Valuation please request a form, return this along with a series of good Longview, Central Road, quality photographs showing all aspects of the vehicle. The Valuation will be issued soon after receipt of the information, but Dearham, Maryport, please remember that if there is any doubt due to lack of information or poor quality photographs the Valuation may be Cumbria CA15 7ER. withheld. Finally, can I please emphasise that Valuations cannot be provided for cars less than ten years old, and are not [email protected] based on resale value. Ken Dover NON DIRECTORS Manor Heath, Manor Brow, Keswick, Cumbria CA12 4AP International Liaison – Iain Hodcroft Phone: 07976 314012 330 Manchester Road, Saab ‘Driver’ is published bi-monthly by The Saab Owners Club of Great Britain Ltd Tyldesley, M29 8NN. [email protected] Designed and produced by Librarian/Historian – Keith Long MYPEC, The Old Pottery, Fulneck, Pudsey, Leeds LS28 8NT Phone: 01226 385139 Tel: 0113 255 6866 E-mail: [email protected] www.mypec.co.uk 10 Byrne Close, Barugh Green, Barnsley, South Yorks S75 1NS. [email protected] Disclaimer Valuer – Ken Dover The Club welcomes contributions to ‘Driver’, but reserves the right to amend them where necessary. All contributions, Manor Heath, Manor Brow, Keswick, whether they bear names, initials or pseudonyms, are accepted on the understanding that the author is responsible for the Cumbria CA12 4AP. Post only opinions expressed and that they do not necessarily reflect or comply with those of the Club, publisher or editor. Although Shopkeeper – Sharon Foxley every care is taken, the Club, publisher and editor cannot be held responsible for loss or damage to material submitted. Phone: 01824 750 639 Whilst every care is taken to ensure contents are accurate, the Club, publisher and editor assume no responsibility for any Tyn-y-Celyn, Derwen, Corwen, effects arising from errors or omissions. Acceptance of material is not a guarantee of publication in any particular issue, since Denbighshire, LL21 9SF. space is at a premium. The Club, publisher and editor cannot guarantee to return original material and photographs. [email protected] MEMBERSHIP TEAM NUMBER: 01954 232810 – 9.00AM TO 5.00PM – MONDAY TO FRIDAY MARCH/APRIL 2011 5 P3 305 MarchApril 01-21:Layout 1 17/2/11 13:47 Page 6 STEERINGWHEEL The nights are rapidly becoming shorter and it’s time to think The website continues to be updated with content and you about holidays and participating in many of the interesting Club can do your part by updating your details, log on and check events taking place in 2011. your email and car details are correct so we can contact you We have just returned from the Stratford weekend organised with last minute events and any other news when it happens. by Hilary Philpott. It was a weekend to remember, well We would like to make faster progress with the website and organised and a superb hotel, Erik Carlsson attended the the Board wish to appoint a Webmaster, if you are interested Saturday evening dinner and captivated the audience of 60 and would like more details please contact me. people with his rally exploits. The local groups are important to the Club and some Also on the Saturday, I have to mention that Mike Philpott meetings are being arranged early this year so local and Club entertained us after dinner in his usual style with amusing issues can be discussed with some Board Members, we can stories from a well known Cornish comedian. then work out the best way to promote and support groups. This edition is full of interesting articles and I am pleased to A new director has been appointed to replace Robin see the return of Robin’s Review on page 14, there is an O’Connor with responsibility for improving communication with interesting article featuring Erik Carlsson who attended the X1V Saab specialists. He is John Ransley who has been a Member Rallye Monte Carlo in Reims on page 50 and also something since the early 70s, we wish him every success in this new role.