The Saab time capsule is here - that's what it looks like!
Anyone who read here on Sunday knew about it. Our Saab time capsule is on the runway, ready to take off. The project is pretty crazy but also creative and something the team enjoys. A time capsule - we haven't had that in the last 12 years.
So it was necessary to create one. And here she is!
It all started with the simple consideration of what to do with the Saab brochures that we have in store. The latest brochures are dedicated to the 2012 model year. They are also already 11 years old, the model year only existed in the form of a few pre-series vehicles, and the lights on Göta Älv went out too early. The brochures for model year 12 and those of other model years now have an appropriate collector's box. The Saab time capsule.
Our Saab time capsule builds a bridge
With the Saab time capsule we build a bridge between the present and the past. We have chosen two important years in Saab's history. 1963 and 2006. Are not important you say? They are, because they represent important turning points in the history of Göta Älv's cars.
In 1963 Eric Carlsson was victorious in Monaco, taking the second consecutive victory for the hitherto relatively unknown brand. For Saab, winning in series was an initial spark. "Saab wins” the German importer headlined his advertisements in the trade press. Now motorsport fans and journalists became aware of the brand with the strange, two-stroke cars. Saab, previously primarily successful in Scandinavia, also became popular in continental Europe - which should lead to the establishment of the first branch in Frankfurt am Main only a few years later.
Saab Time Capsule - modernity and past meet
Eric Carlsson is the godfather of the time capsule
The winning scene 63 in Monaco, the goosebumps moment when car number 283 with Erik Carlsson at the wheel crosses the finish line in the port of Monte Carlo and the flag falls, is the main motif for the time capsule. Carlsson adorns the lid of the capsule with the exact second that will make him immortal for all time.
Saab used the success for advertisements. The photo of the victory was contemporary alienated and published. We have processed it, digitized it and carefully modernized it. Carlsson and the Saab, the skyscrapers and the harbor in the background, a moving scene.
The model year 2006
The shell of the Saab time capsule, that was clear, had to be completely different. Away from history towards what could have been. An old, washed Saab T-shirt showed us the way. In 2005, the cult brand dared to try something like a new start.
Projects like the new 9-5 and the 9-4x were already on the way, now (and finally) more attention to detail in the series.
The carelessness and cheap choice of materials of the years before should be forgotten, and in the hold of the Saab 9-3 and 9-5 sports suits, as a fine detail, a stylized airplane was found as a handle from then on. A subtle reminder of the root that initiated the journey back to the plane.
Beginning in the luggage compartment of the station wagon, continued with the model year 2012 with the airplane in the line speedometer.
In fact, the plane has been heavily modernized and made compatible with the Born from Jets campaign made. To the IAA In 2005, Saab Germany distributed shirts with the airplane symbol to the invited visitors, one of these shirts has survived the years.
The Saab model year 2023
We thought about what the plane might have looked like 18 years later. For model year 2023, if Saab still existed, we further reduced the shape to the absolute minimum. All that remains is the outline of the plane, which can be seen on the matt black shell of the time capsule. The result is what we wanted.
Stylish, timeless and noble.
The Saab time capsule (time capsule) will accompany us and the readers for a certain phase. We fill them with prospectuses from different years (but not only) and offer them in the Aero X Club Store at. In March we will take off with the 2012 model year.
The time capsule is a great idea. There is only such a thing here! Craziness!
Is the content in each time capsule the same for each model year so that you get all the existing brochures or is it always a "surprise box"?
The plan is to have collections that are as similar as possible. All existing brochures, per model year. But there will also be differences because some brochures are super rare and only available in very small numbers.
Has there already been a request from the museum to sell the blog products? At least I wouldn't be surprised, it's completely crazy how good all these product ideas are. Really outstanding.
There wasn't. We will never experience that again in this life.
Time capsules are great! I already have ideas of what to do with the cardboard. I have so many little Saab things, pens, key rings and such, they would have such a stylish place!
When will the first time capsule go online?
Thanks! We will go online on Friday, March 03.03rd in the afternoon. We still have to pack the brochures first 😉
I was almost through with the article on the day of publication and already in the shop....and irritated that nothing was available to order yet 😀 Yes, you should always read to the end.
What model years do I have? 2002 and 2009. And what would I like then….hmmmm……I still had room for storage and display somewhere in the storeroom……
The boxes are great! Will they also be available individually?
We didn't actually plan that, but you're not the first to ask. The problem is that there is so much manual work involved in the production that the boxes are actually priceless. I'm thinking about it.
I now had a time capsule, had been to a site survey appointment twice and only at the second appointment did I notice the original 2 Turbo 900 poster from 16. Before that, the shop was packed with thousands of bike items. Then the two young architects wanted to dispute the poster with the argument that the 1991 Turbo is the architect's car par excellence. In the car quartet manner, “how many SAAB do you have in the garage?” what then went out 900 against 0 for me I was able to convince you. I then emailed them a scan as a small consolation and assured them that I could help them get the right architect's car.
I immediately put the poster in a DIN A1 frame and together with the designs from the blog shop it now beautifies my office :-))
...oh, forgot part 2 of the time capsule. At the first appointment there was actually a new Centurion MTB in the shop, the model where mine was stolen in 2003 on the Baltic Sea. But also almost at the new price from 1999! 🙁
Nice story! That's always fun 😀
At one of my customers (transport company) there are many photos of the vehicles and from the company hanging up in the meeting room. On one, a chic intercity bus curves through the “Stern” in Bremen. And behind him appears a SAAB 9000 in midnight blue. I stood in front of the recording and looked at the SAAB; and was then asked if there was anything conspicuous at the rear of the bus….
Hi,
Two things happened last weekend. I had philosophized about SAAB, Morgan, MG and Triumph with a friend who is also very enthusiastic about cars. Following this conversation, in which I explained to my friend how active the SAAB scene is, it was time to finally register with the Aero X Club. And now I'm rediscovering the good old SAAB Spirit and an action like this is so uniquely cool! To pull the bow and to pack the 60s with the 2000s in one box, totally crazy. Thanks for the creativity!
Class! Of course I'll order the 2012 capsule right away, for my convertible. Will you then continue chronologically (please! ;-))? Then I could order the next one for the 2011 SC and wouldn't wait so long in nervous anticipation.... 😉
As I said, I think the result is very successful, although I could have imagined (additionally?) the dark Saab blue instead of black. Especially when it comes to furnishing, black is often the more masculine taste (black leather seating!), I think it's too harsh. But here it fits well - above all, it couldn't be any other way with the stylized bw photo. Therefore absolutely correct. However, I find the background with the many small colorful Saabs very pretty, especially in contrast. What is that? Printouts, wrapping paper, wallpaper??? 😉 Is there anything planned with this?
I'm looking forward to the order, thanks for the great idea and implementation! 🙂
We hurry because we need the space on the shelves! The dark blue was an option, but overall the matte black fits better. It's quite stylish and internally the crates are already going away for collectible purposes. Let's see where this takes us.
The basis for the pictures comes from an old, never realized Saab project that was many years ago. Nothing is planned with it.
Thank you - yes, other beautiful Saab things will also fit in the box - wants to have! 🙂
When I think of the background, I immediately think of wallpaper, serviettes, table and tea towels, everything that can be printed and doesn't have to be embroidered...
I find the colorful potpourri of historic Saab incredibly attractive and charming.
I even enjoyed it for a short time. It was the notepad of an on-board folder from here, which unfortunately my dog, who was still young at the time, found just as tasty as I did...
I still carry after him (and myself). He grew up too fast. The upbringing lagged...
The on-board folder (on the table) was within reach too early. what a loss ! !
I can imagine anything with the colorful Saab. Small paper flags on toothpicks would also be conceivable, as is common in buffets for small appetizers or on cakes. They have endless potential...
Yes yes yes, exactly! For example, I also have the cups with the small Saabs on it (1 × Classic, 1 x Modern), which are very pretty and of high quality (there is or was at Stephan Individual) and together with the current Saabblog cups and the Troll cups ( from earlier times of the blog) provide the necessary encouragement and variety with the coffee every morning. I also see mouse pads and carrier bags with these beautiful prints here - which of course (still?) have to be protected 🙂 and therefore not used. I could really imagine many articles with it that give you pleasure every day, e.g
Tea towels, etc. (except, maybe, disposable buffet flags 😉 ).
The idea of questioning the flags in the name of the environment hadn't even occurred to me. Are they really that bad?
I have a sticker on the mailbox (please no advertising) and still need a waste paper bin because there is a loophole in the law. Advertising-financed (non-subscribed and free) weekly papers still end up in the “Post” including 4 to 5 advertising inserts.
Some of them are also shrink-wrapped in plastic foil, which I tear open and dispose of separately.
So I volunteer to sort someone else's garbage, pay a fee for a paper bin to get rid of something I never wanted. Trucks drive around to pick up something that's unread, unwanted, and meaningless...
You would have to do the math, but my gut feeling tells me that I could instead consume hundreds of buffet flags a week, thousands a month and around 100.000 a year to get at this tolerated and over-helped waste of energy and resources.
Somehow I don't see that on the one hand I let myself be so littered, on the other hand I should do without 10 to 15 compostable flags per year and Saab driver. I am firmly convinced that we have completely different and bigger problems.
Wasn't meant to be serious with the disposable flags, look at the smiley 😉 Even if it is well known that "small livestock also makes crap", the environmental damage is likely to be rather small (at least in my highly insignificant opinion, because I have no factual knowledge in this regard). I thought the practical use was rather small and wondered what kind of events you could need something like that for - especially with Saab decoration. Which is also probably due to my lack of experience with such events. But who knows? Perhaps, for example, a Saab-enthusiastic architect would like to "infect" his audience with Saab enthusiasm at the ceremonial presentation of his latest design, for example something similar to the Elbphilharmonie? 😉 Then of course it would be great too - so bring on the flags! 🙂
Yes of course …
I also run out of imagination when it comes to application – but only almost. It would be typical for dealers and when presenting new models to put a flag in the appetizer.
On the other hand, the scene is lively and there is usually a culinary supporting program at meetings and trips. What would be more ecologically correct and stylish than compostable Saab flags? 😉
How many more sleeps before we can order?
Next week it's time. We're packing the first time capsules this weekend!
Very nice. Exactly my taste. Believe immediately that the Saabblog team had a lot of fun making the capsule. And yes, there are damn good reasons to be satisfied and proud of the noble result. Big, big cinema! ! !
I don't think Saab would have done anything similar in 2023 though. Neither box nor cover. Not because it would not be good and timeless, but because fashion, the spirit of the times and the political and social framework conditions for cars have changed radically and are forcing manufacturers to present themselves differently - more digitally and electrically.
The Capsule celebrates the “good old days” in a very stylish way. With a propeller plane on the box and an image processing on the cover that looks with “harsh” b/w and image lines as if it had been photographed analogously from a small tube monitor (such as Macintosh SE) for print media reproduction …
That's almost Saab Steam Punk. As I said, I'm totally thrilled 🙂 - ultimately I don't care if Saab would have done it that way in 2023. I just think it's great that and how you did it.
No, Saab would certainly not have done it in 2023 because they would have said goodbye to analog, paper-based data carriers long ago. I have no illusions about that. But it's a beautiful fiction, I think.
do you also make the model year 2008? that would be great and would complete my saab convertible from june 2008! LG from Lake Constance
alexander
The planning is complete including model year 2009, everything else is difficult. But not impossible. A former Saab partner still has brochures and wants to make them available to us (instead of in the paper container). It may be that model year 2008 is available there.
Pretty cool. Now I'm waiting for the 2012 model year! The ordering finger is already twitching!