Rare James Bond SAAB Promotional Material
By johncox on 2004-06-12
“Nice little car,” Bismaquer said from the portico, giving the Saab a condescending look, which seemed somehow out of character.
-For Special Services, Chapter 11
Earlier this year CBn took a definitive look at James Bond’s SAAB 900 Turbo (a.k.a. “The Silver Beast”), Bond’s vehicle of choice in the first three 007 novels by John Gardner. Now CBn offers up some recently unearthed rare promotional material from the 1981 James Bond/Saab tie-in that ran in conjunction with the release of the first John Gardner book, Licence Renewed. Some of this material has never been seen before.
Author John Gardner with the promotional "Silver Beast" in a previously unpublished photo.
An illustration of a scene from Licence Renewed.
The real thing in action on a promotional stop.
1981 promotional flyer - front.
1981 promotional flyer - back.
1981 magazine advertisment.
Artwork in Cosmopolitan featured the SAAB prominently.
Promotional banner.
Promotional poster.
A Saab give-a-way was part of the promotion for the 1984 paperback release of Icebreaker.
The "Silver Beast" today
For the complete story of the James Bond SAAB tie-in, be sure and read CBn’s THE SILVER BEAST: The Definitive History of James Bond’s Saab 900 Turbo.