By Michael Berenis

Tampa Sports Car Examiner

Pushing a Saab 9-3 down the standing mile at 193.25 miles per hour thanks to 50 pounds of boost, a new Saab standing mile record was born. That’s not the half of it; they were running stock Saab internals! If you want strong OEM internals, look no further than Saab. Read more about the run at Tampa Sports Car Examiner.

By Jen Dunnaway

Editor

I’ve always felt that the time-honored dirtball technique of punching a screwdriver through an oil filter was just plain asking for trouble, but from the looks of it, this poor guy was doomed from the start no matter what he tried. In the course of the struggle, the filter ended up getting sheared off down to its base, so there’s now basically nothing left to grab onto to make it turn. I’m not exactly sure how the Saab 9-5 is set up, but from these pics, it doesn’t look like getting to the threaded spigot from the other side of the block wall with the motor disassembled is much of an option either. Ever had this happen to you? What should he try next? Via VWVortex.

Continue reading "How Not To Un-Stick A Stuck Oil Filter" »

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

We’re in New York. I just did a quick tour of the floor and it looks like it’s gonna be a pretty quiet show. Saab doesn’t have any press conferences scheduled, but it’s nice to see them here, and the 9-5 looks good! More pics after the jump!

Continue reading "NYIAS: Saab is in the House" »

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

Keep those photo of the day PMs and e-mails coming!

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

I think I finally found the perfect car for Seattle. From the eBay auction:

This is a SAAB Convertible stock body and interior, converted with Handcrafted fine engineering to a V-Bottom with Pontoons on the side for stabilization to a Boat Car. The Car-Boat still has a stock Saab steering wheel in the car that does operate the steering on a 70 hp Mercury Outboard engine. It does come fully equipped with Electric Start, Navigational Lights both front and Rear, Horn, Fire Extinguisher, Radio, 2 Way Radio, Fish Finder, Anchor & Anchor Line, Life Preservers & all coast guard approved equipment.

See all the pics on eBay!

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

Yesterday GM reached an agreement to sell Saab to Spyker. I’m cautiously optimistic, but somehow I don’t think the troubled brand is out of the woods yet… Via Autoblog

By Rich Truesdell

Automotive Traveler

I took this photograph of the Saab booth at last month’s Los Angeles Automobile Show, knowing full well it might be the last time we would see the embattled Swedish brand’s wares on display at a major auto show. I couldn’t help thinking, as I walked around the gorgeous near-production 9-5, what a crying shame it would be if we were to lose the iconoclastic and quirky brand. On New Year’s Day morning, Autoblog.com posted an interview that gives a faint light at the end of a long, dark tunnel that Saab might dodge the Grim Reaper. By Thursday, January 7, we should have our answer. As a serial orphan-car owner, I’m hoping that in the weeks to come I won’t feel compelled to go out and buy an Eighties-era Saab 900, that the brand will survive, and that the 9-5, the 9-3, and the Cadillac SRX-related 9-4X will see the light of day in your local Saab showroom. Continue reading more about the Saab Retrospective at Automotive Traveler!

By Fireball Tim

Movie Car Design Master

Adios 2009! Welcome 2010! We don’t have flying cars. We don’t teleport our asses around the globe. And we don’t eat square Star Trek food. BUT, we do have G3 phones. We DO have bluetooth contraptions hangin’ on our noggens and WE DO…

…have bitchin’ rides. Bring it, Fireball.

1. THE AUDI AVATAR

No, not designed by James Cameron. Although, he coulda had it in the movie. Audi is poised to create future car badness with this and the ETRON. Although, I think they’re going to too many movies. Their next car is their wind-powered SUV called the RAMBLOW.

Continue reading "Fireball’s Cool Designs for the New Year" »

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

GM has decided to drop the December 31 bidding deadline and has even announced that production of the new Saab 9-5 will begin shortly. More at Autoblog

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

Apparently, Spyker is making a last ditch effort to acquire Saab. Think they have a shot? The whole thing reminds me of this.