Top Gear Saab Tribute to be broadcast on the 26th of February.

[Audax]

The episode of Top Gear due to be broadcast on the 26th of February is going to have a feature about Saab and be some kind of tribute.

[Steve McF]

"Tribute"??

Oh yes, and MG Rover style slagging off courtesy of Clarkson, no doubt!!!! :-o

[Audax]

I'm just going by the information that the BBC have given! http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01cytpx Clarkson has (mostly!) been very kind to Saab in the past and May is a bit of an aficionado too from what I recall.

[Steve McF]

Well that wasn't too bad. One did get the impression that they only had access to 3 cars (apart from the 900 that they dropped from a crane!!).

Also, was all that stuff about the new 9-5 being put into showrooms before it was ready and therefore being a commercial flop strictly true? I thought the car was ready when GM pulled the plug initially? And it was only a commercial flop because the media reports about Saabs future killed off any showroom traffic.......

[TomPaine]

And it was only a commercial flop because the media reports about Saabs future killed off any showroom traffic.......

And at least partly because Clarkson did a big review in the Sunday Times in which, although he liked aspects of the car, he said the ride was appalling.

[Audax]

And it was only a commercial flop because the media reports about Saabs future killed off any showroom traffic.......

And at least partly because Clarkson did a big review in the Sunday Times in which, although he liked aspects of the car, he said the ride was appalling.

Was that one of the original press cars in the UK that they stuck on hard suspension and 20" rims and the ride was actually appalling? I recall that they fixed it and/or made modifications it for the next model year.

[sgould]

I don't know the origins of the 9-5 on Top Gear, but it's now owned by the Chairman of the Saab Owners Club.

[TomPaine]

Was that one of the original press cars in the UK that they stuck on hard suspension and 20" rims and the ride was actually appalling? I recall that they fixed it and/or made modifications it for the next model year.

That's right I believe. Crazy. Hard to recover from the negative publicity.

[freddiebrown]

The Saab Clarkson and May were driving around in is owned by the DCA garage I take my Saab to (better than the main dealer by far) !!

[phoenix]

The Saab Clarkson and May were driving around in is owned by the DCA garage I take my Saab to (better than the main dealer by far) !!

There were at least 6 models in the film- which one?

[TomPaine]

The Saab Clarkson and May were driving around in is owned by the DCA garage I take my Saab to (better than the main dealer by far) !!

There were at least 6 models in the film- which one?

The one with the DCA number plate I'd have thought.

[sgould]

The 99 with the DCA number plate is Chris Foxley's.  He's from up north.

[Steve McF]

What about the new 9-5?

[TomPaine]

I guess they had quite a lot to pack in but I was surprised they didn't use any clips from Clarkson's (positive) TG review of the 9-5 Aero back in the day (40-70 quicker than a 911 etc).