"The demise of Saab is one of the more painful episodes in the collective memory of car enthusiasts worldwide. Saab was always a manufacturer that did things its own way – and that sense of principle and engineering purity has left "
![](https://cdn-influx-wp.adrianflux.co.uk/uploads/2010/11/961-960x540.jpg)
Erik Carlsson & Saabitude
![Erik](https://www.adrianflux.co.uk/influx/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Erik.jpg)
Not sure wether it’s just the motorsport success or not – but there’s something about the older generation of Saabs that we really dig. I was always fascinated by the 96 (below) – not least because an old teacher of mine had one in bright orange that put the rest of the Dagenham-wrought cars in the car park to dreary shame.
![961](https://www.adrianflux.co.uk/influx/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/961.jpg)
It was the 96, first released onto the world in 1960, that was famously driven to a ton of rally success by by Erik Carlsson – that put Saab on the radar of global car culture, and established the company’s reputation for building, tough, reliable cars that could be pushed to the limit with success. A rare combo if ever there was one.
But with the 99, below, the flowing lines crossed with a boxy simplicity was retained – but for me was retained for a new generation. The Turbo wheezed itself into legend, and set the tone fo the brand well into the nineties.
![Saab_99_-63-1024](https://www.adrianflux.co.uk/influx/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Saab_99_-63-1024.jpg)
Whatever the future hold for Saab with its twisted relationship with messianic industry saviours and countless rumours of buyouts, fall-throughs and other sorts of intrigue – isn’t it time they got back into Rallying? They could at least market some great T-shirts.
![Carlsson_1](https://www.adrianflux.co.uk/influx/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Carlsson_1.jpg)
CLICK TO ENLARGE
Really like these old tankers.A snip these days too