Photo Credit: Keith Coleman

Keith Coleman, one of the participants that attended the “SAVE SAAB” kickoff event in Detroit this past January, has kindly shared a photo for this week’s “Saab Sighting of the week” at Saab History.

Here’s his quote below describing the photo of the Saab 9-3 SportCombi and how he took it. It looks spectacular!

I was traveling in Spain and Scotland the past few weeks and enjoyed seeing a good amount of SAAB’s on the road. Here is a shot of one in Elgin, Scotland. I shot it on my infrared camera. Hope your well, keep up the great work. Thanks, Keith

Photo Credit: Saab History

This week’s Saab Sighting of the week depicts yet another Saab sighting at an embassy, this time a red Saab 9-3 Convertible in front of the Embassy of Nicaragua in Washington, D.C. taken this past weekend.

Photo Credit: Saab History

The Saab sighting of the week this week depicts a diplomat driving a Saab 9-5 sedan in Washington. D.C.

This is not the first diplomat to have owned a Saab as depicted at both the Embassy of Argentina and Mexico back in 2007.

It’s nice to see diplomats that have so many options to choose from in the automobile marketplace, specifically choosing to to buy Saab while here in the United States.

Photo Credit: Saab History

This past week, I was in nearby Vermont and unlike my visit a few years ago, this time I was impressed by the sheer numbers of Saab models that I noticed. The photo opportunity above for the Saab Sighting of the week, is of a Saab 9-5 Wagon taken near the pedestrian area known as Church Street in Burlington, Vermont. As I was preparing to take the photo, I must have seen at least 5 Saab models pass me as I was taken this photo within the course of 10 minutes, reaffirming that Vermont still has a lot of loyal Saab owners out there.

However, as we know, time passes on and each year we see less and less variety of Saab models on the road. Today, we now usually see just 9-3 and 9-5 models and that is also true for the Saab dealers and independent mechanics that service them. As I learned from visiting a local, longtime Saab independent shop in rural Vermont, it’s the lack of variety that is his biggest challenge as an independent that keeps him from getting as excited as he used to get. This lack of variety is also a challenge for the dealers as well, however these challenges will slowly begin to change as the new product roll out gets fully underway.

Here’s hoping that this variety comes back with this new era of Saab, so we can once again see a noticeable and varied Saab product lineup on the roads again.

I have to say that it is always refreshing to see those colors and varied products at all of the Saab Owners Conventions year after year.

Photo Credit: Ross

Saab History frequenter Ross in Bridgeton, Maine has recently submitted a photo of a Saab sighting from a visit to Provincetown in Cape Cod, Massachusetts during the summer of 2009.

Photo Credit: Saab History

Saab History has discovered yet another small business owner in Portland, Maine that owns a Saab. This business is Brian Boru, a notable Irish Pub located right in the heart of old port in Portland.

I find that now that I walk by this pub, I refer to it as Björn Borg, not just because the owner drives a Saab, but because the crown in the logo reminds me of Sweden’s National Emblem, “Tre Kronor” (Three Crowns).

In the meantime, I’m now going to track down the other Small business owners here that also own Saabs, including the one that drives a similiar 9000 as mine with the license plate “SMALBIZ”.

Photo Credit: Peter F

Saab History has received a photo by Peter F here in Portland, Maine for this week’s Saab Sighting of the week.

This photo taken by his mobile phone, depicts a Saab 9-5 Sedan in Polar white on a flatbed getting hauled away from what looks to be a rear-end accident.

I hope that the owner’s of this vehicle realize just how much Saab focuses on Safety in every vehicle they produce. If the insurance adjuster claims the vehicle totaled, one can hope that the owners are looking at the newer Saab 9-5 as a worthy replacement, just look at those crash tests!

Photo Credit: Michi

This week’s Saab Sighting of the week depicts a Saab 900 Turbo with the SPG kit painted in yellow, taken near what looks to be a boat house of some sort with the Boston skyline in the background.

I am surprised that in all of my travels, this is the first time seeing this unique Saab in the greater Boston area. I hope to get more details from the owner of this Saab.

Photo Credit: Chris C

This week’s Saab Sighting of the week depicts Saab Enthusiast Chris C of Maine with his 2002 Saab 9-5 parked in front of the entrance of the Saab Parts Facility in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

This photo was taken last spring when he was en-route to the “Saabs @ Carlisle” event.

A thank you to Chris for the great shot!

Photo Credit: Saab History

Over the past year, I have passed through North Conway, a ski resort town located in the White Mountains of New Hampshire and have encountered a few curious Saab sightings each time. These Saab sightings peaked my curiosity because each of the two Saab 9000 models I discovered, had a yellow sign mounted on the roof. As we drove by them, we never got the chance to read what type of business they represented (I initially presumed Pizza Delivery Services), until now.

Today, I decided to explore more deeply into what company was driving these Saabs and that turned out to be a company appropriately called “Fast Taxi”. According to the owner of the Fast Taxi, they own “two Saab 9000 CSE models for taxi services in the greater ski resort area”.

These vehicles have been in use for approximately 5 years now as the current owner has been acquiring the vehicles from the greater Boston area. Apparently the previous owner of these vehicles believed that once the Saab’s hit 100,000 miles, they are no longer useful, the owner of Fast Taxi strongly disagrees. In fact, her vehicles now have over 200,000 miles on them and today, her customers indicate that they continue to enjoy being chauffuered and with the hatchback utility, luggage is never a problem.

This is another one of these great marketing stories for Saab, specifically here in New England. Please expect a follow-up to this Saab Sighting Of The Week.