Born From Props

There’s a contingency of Saabisti here at Hemmings,  yours truly included, who wear their blue and yellow hearts on their sleeves. Like many of you, we’ve been watching the safety dance between General Motors and Saab’s intended suitors with bated breath. It pains us to think of one of our favorite brands being dissolved… but time will tell.

What will become of Trollhättan’s trolls?

While we wait until GM’s self-imposed December 31 deadline, we’d like to revisit some of the fantastic Saab automobiles that we’ve known and loved in the pages of Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car magazine.

We’ve delighted in a Driveable Dream 1965 Monte Carlo 850, a car that caught the attention of none other than på taket himself:

Quite the literal translation…

Owner Eric Nelson has been driving and enjoying his 96 for 31 years.

Dave LaChance spent some time with the Saab USA Heritage Collection’s 1970 Sonett III and 1978 99 Turbo during the automaker’s 60th anniversary celebration in 2007; both of these beautifully restored cars were perfect examples for buyers guides.

Sergio Coggiola restyled the Sonett III in a most convincing fashion.

Rorty Ford-sourced 73hp V-4 is very tunable.

The Februrary 2010 issue featuring the 99 Turbo Buyer’s Guide is available at your finer newsstands today, so why not pick up a copy, or better yet, subscribe to Sports & Exotic Car!

The 1978 99 Turbo heralded the start of a new era in motoring.

Such joy in making this needle dance…

Proving the speed and longevity of the turbo concept was an integral part of Saab’s two record-setting forays – 1986 and 1996 – at the Talladega Superspeedway.

Three cars drove 100,000 kilometers, setting a 132.542 MPH world record.

Six New Generation 900s were driven by professionals and journalists.

We were honored to spend some time with the legendary former Saab USA president, Bob Sinclair, who shared some delightful stories of the company’s golden years in America.

"Uncle Bob" was beloved by everyone in the Saab community.

One of the most revered cars Saab has ever built, the limited production 900 Turbo SPG made a big splash upon introduction in 1985, and it continues to be one of the company’s most identifiable models – this 1990 example, from Saab’s Heritage Collection, has just 53,623 miles on the clock.

7,625 900 Turbo SPGs came to America between 1985 and 1991.

Someone once said the best part of being in a Classic 900 is the view out.

One of Saab’s most overlooked and underrated cars is the 9000, and yet in hi-po Aero trim, this car was among the fastest, most capable four-doors (well, to be precise, five-doors!) to be built in the 1990s. We found a spectacular local 1997 9000 Aero at the 2006 Saab Owners Convention to feature in our Buyer’s Guide.

The 1993.5-1997 Aero made 225hp with a 5-speed manual gearbox.

Aero's unique Recaro sport seats are supremely supportive and comfy.

We’ve got still more Saab delicacies “in the can,” as we say here at HMN HQ. Here’s a taste of some stories to come in the pages of Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car magazine:

Saab's first wagon, the unique seven-passenger 95.

Frolicking with Saab's Seventies Sportsters, the 99 EMS and Turbo.

Our best wishes are with the Saab community for a positive 2010!

See? Born from Props! ; )