This last big Saab Festival 2022 held on the second weekend of June in Trollhättan proved that Saab is not just another car brand, but a Saab brand made up of people. Although this car brand has not existed for ten years, it still survives on another level thanks to people – fans and enthusiasts who see in these Swedish vehicles something much more than an ordinary car.
Even those of us who failed to come to Trollhattan this year, thanks to the large number of photo galleries and videos posted on social media by the lucky ones who were at the festival, we could feel the great atmosphere and grandeur of this event.
One of the lucky ones who enthusiastically attended the Saab festival was Marika Száraz-Szabó, who lives in Budapest, but managed to get organized and come to Trollhattan from Hungary. As a great artist and photographer, Marika made a large photo gallery and several videos, and she shared her enthusiasm for the Saab Festival with her friends on social media. With her consent, below we give you her view of this festival.
Saab Festival 2022
by Marika Száraz-Szabó
An incredible weekend is behind me! Anyone who hasn’t attended the Saab Festival yet can’t imagine how euphoric it feels to be where it all started (75 years ago).
No matter where one looks in Trollhättan, one stumbles upon a small detail of Saab’s history. But this weekend isn’t just about cars! You have the opportunity to meet new people who have the same passion as you, to meet people you only knew online before, or old friends you saw a long time ago.
Because of connecting people of different nationalities and occupations, discovering new things and acquiring “treasures” that you will not find anywhere else, as well as many other things, this experience will become an eternal memory to all participants present.
For example, this year I was honored to have the opportunity to step on the Saab test track, and very few people have had the opportunity to do so in their lives. When I touched a piece of asphalt, it rolled in front of my eyes as 70 years ago, the types were tested for which to this day are still admired by hundreds of thousands and have a huge cult worldwide.
True, for someone else, it would probably be nothing more than a test track, but for me (us) who were there, our hearts were pounding so hard that we could get to a place that is an important site in Saab’s history.
A lot of people smile at me for being fans of a car brand that is no longer produced, and they don’t understand why this particular car means so much to me. But these people will probably never feel like someone who can stand 5 inches from the first prototype, touch what the smartest, most experienced, most dedicated engineers and designers worked on, and then create and further develop the vehicle we still use today.
Every time I get in the car, I remember that this car came from this place, which for me is one of the most beautiful cities, and from one of the most beautiful countries.
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These words could be written by any true Saab enthusiast because he is overwhelmed by the same shared feeling.
Thank you!
Buying that ’74 99 in sunset orange back in high school will always be a treasured memory. I recently purchased a ’74 Saab WagonBack in sunset orange that my nephew is working on. Can’t wait when it’s done!
DiVitto