Saab History

Saab Ice Racing – Lake George, New York, cont.

Posted on 28. Feb, 2007 by Ryan.

I have posted recently, covering the Ice Racing event that took place betweeen February 24th & 25th at the recent Winter Carnival in Lake George, New York, the same area of last year’s United States, Saab Owners Convention.

I have recently received even more great photography by Adirondack Motor Enthusiast Club photographer, Jeff Nicol.

Please take your time and look through the photography. If you know anyone who I have not indicated here, please e-mail me so that I can identify the owner and driver.

For more information on the AMEC and this Ice Race event, please visit http://www.icerace.com

Owner: Bruce Turk
Saab: SAAB 96

Owner: Bruce Turk
Saab: SAAB 96

Owner: Matt Nelson
Saab: 1974 99

Owner: Lucas Weston
Saab: 1986 9000 Turbo

Owner: Lucas Weston
Saab: 1986 9000 Turbo

Owner: Matt Nelson
Saab: 1974 99

Owner: Bruce Turk
Saab: SAAB 96

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E-85 Availability in the United States

Posted on 28. Feb, 2007 by Ryan.

Photo Credit: Saab Automobile

There has been an overwhelming amount of positive news about Saab Automobile’s move with their E-85 capable BioPower models that began with the 9-5 in 2005 and now include the 9-3 range as well that we’ll see at the Geneva Motor Show in March and one thing is for sure, Saab Automobile is now a major player in the Ethanol industry.

Saab Automobile now has E-85 BioPower capability covering 5 out of 6 or 83% of their entire model lineup. This move into the ethanol industry is perfect timing now with the United States E-85 filling station infrastructure, is growing, now covering 38 out of 50 states minus my district. This leaves just 13 states that have not yet adopted the E-85 Infrastructure. Those states that have not yet adopted E-85 as shown above are, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, Washington, D.C., Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alaska & Hawaii.

I am looking forward to the excellent exposure and press Saab Automobile deservedly will receive at the Geneva Motor Show this March and I can’t wait until I see those states without E-85, getting on board with the rest of the country soon.

Source: http://e85prices.com

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Saab’s Dynamic Aero 9-3 SportCombi—BusinessWeek.Com

Posted on 28. Feb, 2007 by Ryan.

There has also recently been a writeup at Businessweek.com by writer Thane Peterson on the 2007 9-3 Aero SportCombi. To read this writeup, please visit this link.

http://www.businessweek.com/autos/content/feb2007/bw20070226_671362.htm?chan=autos_autos+index+page

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2007 Saab 9-5: With Age Comes Experience

Posted on 28. Feb, 2007 by Ryan.

There has been a terrific writeup as a result from the 60th Anniversary Edition press event in San Diego that I have written about prevously.

To read this writeup, please visit the following link titled “2007 Saab 9-5: With Age Comes Experience – About Cars.com”, here http://cars.about.com/od/saab/fr/07_saab_95_60th.htm

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Saab Ice Racing – Lake George, New York, cont.

Posted on 27. Feb, 2007 by Ryan.

I posted earlier that this past weekend, February 24th & 25th at the recent Winter Carnival in Lake George, New York, the same location of last year’s United States, Saab Owners Convention, that there was an Ice Racing event where a number of Saab owners & enthusiasts participated. This ice racing event, in it’s 52nd year was organized and managed by the Adirondack Motor Enthusiast Club (AMEC)

I have recently received a number of photos since the first posting that I hope to properly identify by model and owner with your help. Here are the photos thanks to the AMEC members, Mike Kamm, Jeff Nicol and Rik Rydent.

For more information on the AMEC and this Ice Race event, please visit http://www.icerace.com

Bruce Turk, SAAB 96

Photo Credit: AMEC

Owner: Bruce Turk
Saab: SAAB 96

Photo Credit: AMEC

Photo Credit: AMEC

Photo Credit: AMEC

Photo Credit: AMEC

Owner: Eric Nelson #34
Saab: SAAB 96

Photo Credit: AMEC

Photo Credit: Jeff Nicol

Photo Credit: Jeff Nicol

1966 SAAB 96, Rik Rydent
Photo Credit: Rik Rydent

Photo Credit: Rik Rydent

Photo Credit: AMEC

Photo Credit: Rik Rydent

Owner: Matt Nelson
Saab: 1974 99

Photo Credit: AMEC

Photo Credit: Rik Rydent

Owner: Eric Nelson #34
Saab: SAAB 96

Photo Credit: AMEC

Photo Credit: AMEC

AMEC Lake George, New York Ice Racing Competitors list (incomplete), with Saab models highlighted.

1966 Saab 96 #41 owned by RiK Rydant, High Falls, NY.
Saab 99,
’62 Studebaker,
’70 Saab 96,
’69 Saab 96,
Corvair Spyder,
’59 Volvo 544
Saab 99,
71 Saab,
61 Saab,
69 Alfa Romeo Berlina,
73 Volvo P1800ES,
1966 Saab 96
1970 Saab 96 V-4 owned by Tom Cox, Woodtock, MD
’69 Alfa Romero,
’73 Volvo P1800ES
1969 Saab 96,
1962 Corvair Left-
1971 Saab 96 V-4,
1962 Studebaker Lark

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Saab BioPower goes Rinspeed

Posted on 27. Feb, 2007 by Ryan.

Photo Credit: Saab Automobile, Switzerland

This just in from Saab Automobile Switzerland, translated with some modifications thanks to Babelfish

Saab BioPower goes Rinspeed

To lead while respecting the environnement constitutes this year the principal focus in the main room of the Geneva motor show. In collaboration with Rinspeed, Saab shows with one “9-5 BioPower Rinspeed” how vision and reality can harmonize. The model is equipped a system with propulsion of bioethanol and proves the possibility to reduce the fossil CO 2 emissions considerably, without giving up the pleasure of performance.

Glattbrugg. The recent report/ratio of on the climatic change is clear: man, by his behavior, strongly contributes to the climatic reheating. The reduction of the CO 2 emissions becomes a central topic – also with the main focus of the Geneva motor show. However, the respectful control of the environnement continues with more one futuristic idea. With the presentation of the Saab BioPower in the main room of the motor show, a functioning vehicle with E85 (bioethanol 85% and 15% gasoline), Saab has once again made figurehead in the field of ecological control and had proven that ecological technologies and assiduous pleasure of control can coincide perfectly.

Joined together vision and reality
This year, Saab crosses a new step as the main focus of the Geneva Motor Show. The visitors can admire on stand 5030, a union excellently successful between vision and reality. The “Saab 9-5 BioPower Rinspeed”. The Altered Saab BioPower immediately attracts the glance of the visitor thanks to the shine of this yellow gloss paint chrome. The special modification of the lowered Saab is covered by materials used by Rinspeed for its futuristic prototype “eXasis”. (eXasis constitutes the first transparent plastic car of high technology which is equipped, just like Saab BioPower, has a propulsion system of bioethanol). Thus Saab BioPower Rinspeed sparks new applications in the shape of rhombuses out of glass fibres metallized to aluminium. One finds the reason for the rhombuses in the coating of the seats. The ̱interior also supplements an aspect of innovating with a saddlery of seats modern made up with stuffed fabric of parts in Technogel. Safety belts yellow Speed and the new dashboard covered with glass fibre complete with the perfection the metamorphosis of Saab BioPower.

Saab with ecological and sporting special models
Saab BioPower Rinspeed as well as the model eXasis quoted above, will cause ̱admiration. It the study that Rinspeed presents to celebrate the 302nd birthday of its company. With ’eXasis, Rinspeed presents a car able to develop 150 CH with an ecological propulsion. The parallel project of Saab BioPower ecological and sporting of 180 CH led the two companies traditions to cooperate.

Saab also celebrates a jubilee in 2007, to the topic of “60 years of turbocharging”. On this occasion, Saab launches the special model “Anniversary Edition”. Saab will also presents at the Geneva Motor show, the new 9-3 Saab BioPower as well. It will be available in Switzerland starting in the fall of 2007 and will compliment the Saab 9-5 BioPower.

Saab wants to continue its idea of reducing the CO 2 emissions on their cars completely. With the “Saab 9-5 BioPower100 Concept”, Saab will also be presenting at the Geneva Motor show,a vehicle which can function with hundred percent with bioethanol. Saab continues its philosophy thus to put “man and the environnement at the center of its activities”.

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Saab Ice Racing – Lake George, New York 2/24 & 2/25

Posted on 27. Feb, 2007 by Ryan.

This past weekend, February 24th & 25th at the recent Winter Carnival in Lake George, New York, the same location of last year’s United States, Saab Owners Convention, there was an Ice Racing event where a number of Saab owners & enthusiasts participated. This ice racing event, in it’s 52nd year was organized and managed by the Adirondack Motor Enthusiast Club (AMEC).

AMEC is according to their website a “not-for-profit club established in 1954 to provide motor enthusiasts and their families with a variety of affordable motor sports and related activities for fun and courteous competition.”

One of the participants was an individual by the name of Bruce Turk, current President of the Vintage Saab Club of North America (VSCNA) in his 96. In addition to all of the participants in their SAAB 96 Race vehicles, there were also individuals participating in 9000s (shown above), 900s (shown right) and 99s present as well.

You will notice with the list below, that the event has historically seen Saab owners and enthusiasts mainly in the SAAB 96. Although there are no photos currently shown here in this posting of the 96, I do plan on providing photos of these individuals in their 96s as well as the rest of the Saab models present, as soon as they come in.

Here is a historical partication roster of Saab Enthusiasts thanks to Bruce Turk.

Revised Current Historic Driver’s Roster (Still building list to include everyone)

Rubber to Ice class

#67 Sam Patterson, Saquiot, NY, ’69 Saab 96 -
#16 Matt Nelson, E. Longmeadow, MA, ’74 Saab 99

Street Studs

#41 Rik Rydant, High Falls, NY, ’66 Saab 96
#34 Eric Nelson, E. Longmeadow, MA, ’71 Saab 96 V-4

Screw tires

#96 Bruce Turk, Walden, NY, ’61 Saab 96 Rallye Car
#00 Nick Julian, Baldwinsville, NY, Saab 96 V-6

The Post Star Newspaper in the Lake George, New York also did a writeup recently, covering this event. To read their story, visit the following link

The Post Star – “The fun of racing sideways”

For more information on the AMEC and this Ice Race event, please visit http://www.icerace.com

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Saab 9000 Television spot – Czech Republic

Posted on 27. Feb, 2007 by Ryan.

In 1993, Saab-Scania did a Saab 9000 Television spot for the Czech market. It is important to note that as of January 1st, 1993, Czechoslovakia was dissolved and became the Czech Republic.

The voiceover was apparently done by Zdeňek Svěrák, notable Czech script writer.

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