Friday 27th November 2009

Pic Of The Week: Saab 96 V4

Reasons to save Saab no. 946: rallying, snow and the Saab 96

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Saab might not have shone brightly under GM stewardship, but it is still a brand with a glorious history, and the news that it was to have been bought by Koenigsegg could have signalled a return to its glory days.

But Saab's future is now hanging in the balance again, following the collapse of Koenigsegg's deal to buy the famously quirky car maker from GM.

This is news that has us crossing our fingers and hoping that GM will either keep it or find another suitor, because the loss of the brand would be a crying shame.

So to help provide some positive energy, we've dug out this super-Swedish rally shot for this week's POTW.

In case you're wondering, it's taken from the 1969 Swedish rally, and the wheelman employing a deft 'dab of oppo' in his Saab 96 V4 is Simo Lampinen, on his way to 2nd place.

GM will decide on the future of the brand next week, apparently, so we're wondering if we should mount our very own PH bid to buy the company. If everyone put in a fiver...

Click below to download this week's wallpaper:
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[PPPPPP]

Simple, lightweight cars with great handling & mediocre power - it was all down to the driver. The Saab Monte Carlo was rather special.

Happy Motoring days.

Edited by PPPPPP on Friday 27th November 11:15

[Belfast Boy]

indeed, Driver skill, rare nowadays!

[Beirut Taxi]

RE: above comments: I don't understand how modern day rallying demands less driver skill in contrast to the old days of rallying

Or indeed how any modern day motorsport is less driver skill demanding.

[ZesPak]

sad to see saab go :'(. It was a very good alternative for a couple of years if you didn't want an A4/3-series like 99% of the peoples.

I want to buy a 9-3 now :'(.

[ZesPak]

Beirut Taxi said:

RE: above comments: I don't understand how modern day rallying demands less driver skill in contrast to the old days of rallying

Or indeed how any modern day motorsport is less driver skill demanding.

Indeed, the speed has gone up with the drivers aids!
Seeing rally now, their speed is immense, speeds they would claim to be impossible fourty years ago.

Maybe the "skill" has shifted (less car control, more reflexes/reaction?) but I even doubt that...

[NiceCupOfTea]

A few years ago I was at the SOC National at Staffordshire Knot when they had an autotest. All manner of big power 9000s, 9-5s, and a couple of 900s.

Which car won it by a country mile? A 2-stroke 95. Amazing maneouvreability, the thing stopped and turned on a sixpence!

I think I still have a phone movie of it somewhere, God knows where though...

[Beirut Taxi]

ZesPak said:

Beirut Taxi said:

RE: above comments: I don't understand how modern day rallying demands less driver skill in contrast to the old days of rallying

Or indeed how any modern day motorsport is less driver skill demanding.

Indeed, the speed has gone up with the drivers aids!
Seeing rally now, their speed is immense, speeds they would claim to be impossible fourty years ago.

Maybe the "skill" has shifted (less car control, more reflexes/reaction?) but I even doubt that...

Basically along the lines of what I was thinking.

[LuS1fer]

I love these old automotive sport pics. Seemed far more about how big the cahunas of the driver were:

[soad]

What a great photo, reminds me of Russian winters (snow).

[aarondrs]

Beirut Taxi said:

RE: above comments: I don't understand how modern day rallying demands less driver skill in contrast to the old days of rallying

Or indeed how any modern day motorsport is less driver skill demanding.

I dont think the OP meant there was less skill now, I think he meant that, as a proportion of the reason each driver won or was successful, driver skill accounted for a much greater proportion.

[Turbobanana]

Has the co-driver just caught a huge fish?

"Honestly, it was THIS big".

[Bacchus]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkkyg3-R_hM

[nickpan]

Beirut Taxi said:

RE: above comments: I don't understand how modern day rallying demands less driver skill in contrast to the old days of rallying

Or indeed how any modern day motorsport is less driver skill demanding.

Double declutch.

[Beirut Taxi]

Fantastic photo though, now have it as the wallpaper on my phone

[Nickellarse]

Top photo!

Shame Saab lost the plot.

I loved my 9000, but the recent models just couldn't inspire.

I'll enjoy this photo for the next week.

[CooperD]

Great picture. My father had a two stroke Saab 96 when he was stationed in Cyprus with the RAF in the mid 60's. You could the hear car arriving for miles.

Edited by CooperD on Saturday 28th November 16:28

[graeme36s]

aarondrs said:

Beirut Taxi said:

RE: above comments: I don't understand how modern day rallying demands less driver skill in contrast to the old days of rallying

Or indeed how any modern day motorsport is less driver skill demanding.

I dont think the OP meant there was less skill now, I think he meant that, as a proportion of the reason each driver won or was successful, driver skill accounted for a much greater proportion.

I have a very good mate who lives in the South of France. He looks after last years ex works Subaru amongst others. The point I am trying to make is that although skill is required the amount of electronic trickery and gizmos that the car posseses is beyond my old fashioned comprehension. Yes you still have to steer the thing but the electronics enables a driver of very average ability to look like a driving god.

[grahamr88]

My dad's daily driver is a 96 V4 (until the head gasket went last week anyway), and he's got a 2-stroke triple in the garage, which he bought off someone who'd had it in their garage for about 30 years and almost never used. He's gradually upgrading it to Monte Carlo spec. Cracking cars!

[carl_w]

Nickellarse said:

I loved my 9000, but the recent models just couldn't inspire.

9000/Fiat Croma/Lancia something. 900 FTW

[tgx4776]

Now I want one again.........


Jay Leno has a nice video of his 1958 93B

http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/at-the-garage/classi...