 "THE SILVER BEAST", The Definitive History of 007's Saab 900 |
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Commander GCMG Group: Veterans Reserve. Enlisted: 5 June 2001 From: Lagrimas Negras  |
8 March 2004 - 19:13
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#1
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As some of you know, I've been working for months on writing the definitive history of the Saab 900 Turbo from the books by John Gardner. Well, as long last, here it is!
 Everything you ever wanted to know about the "Silver Beast" (and probably a lot you didn't want to know.  ). Enjoy.  "Fandom is where people come together and complain about what they like." Visit The Young Bond Dossier, now the OFFICIAL site for Young Bond news |
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Commander Group: Veterans Enlisted: 20 July 2002 From: Washington D.C.. USA |
8 March 2004 - 19:20
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#2
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Excellent! I look forward to reading this when I get home!
 Robert Brown was Admiral Hargreaves in TSWLM, OP, AVTAK, TLD and LTK damnit Enforcer, Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Roger Moore Proud defender of Barbara Bach, Carole Bouquet, Barbara Carrera, Maryam D'Abo, A View to a Kill, Never Say Never Again and The Spy Who Loved Me. |
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Commander GCMG Group: Veterans Reserve. Enlisted: 5 June 2001 From: Lagrimas Negras |
8 March 2004 - 19:32
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#3
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 Thanks Darren. Hope you enjoy. I'm really proud of it. I feel like it's my first real contribution to the James Bond legacy. I've pulled together everything I could find on the Saab/Bond story and I was amazed how much there was (this sucker is over 4000 words). But all the info was just fragments and sentences in interviews in old fanzines, etc. But when put together, it makes this great story! Also, there's stuff here that's appeared nowhere else. For instance, Mr. Gardner revealed to me personally where the nickname "Silver Beast" came from (incredibly, he had never been asked). And I was very happy to discover that the Saab/Bond tie-in actually increased Saab’s sales. One thing that’s still missing…There is a really nice full color flyer on its way to me that I'm going to put up in place of one of the picture/poster links in the story. "Fandom is where people come together and complain about what they like." Visit The Young Bond Dossier, now the OFFICIAL site for Young Bond news |
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Commander Group: Veterans Enlisted: 21 May 2003 From: Las Vegas, Nevada |
8 March 2004 - 19:33
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#4
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Cool.
 I became a John Gardner fan at around the same time Roger left so I'm very pleased to see this article...I always thought two things about JG's choice of SAAB: #1 it's a huge downgrade form the Aston or Lotus and therefore not as cool.  #2 but it's also more consistent with being a spy, getting around inconspicuously...etc. I always thought a BMW 635csi would have been a great Bond car, much better than the BMWs we got in the PB films... |
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Commander RNVR Group: Commanding Officers Enlisted: 11 August 2003 From: H O L L Y W O O D |
8 March 2004 - 19:44
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#5
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I know you're my boyfriend, but... wow baby! You did an awesome job on this article!
 The G33K Goddess (A woman should be two things... Classy & Fabulous!) "Someone that you think that you can trust is just another way to die." |
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Commander Group: Veterans Enlisted: 20 July 2002 From: Washington D.C.. USA |
8 March 2004 - 19:54
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#6
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I am also a big fan of the earlier Gardner books and so any material I can read on his work is a plus in my book!
Robert Brown was Admiral Hargreaves in TSWLM, OP, AVTAK, TLD and LTK damnit Enforcer, Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Roger Moore Proud defender of Barbara Bach, Carole Bouquet, Barbara Carrera, Maryam D'Abo, A View to a Kill, Never Say Never Again and The Spy Who Loved Me. |
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Sub-Lieutenant Group: Crew Enlisted: 13 February 2004 From: The mind of John Gardner |
8 March 2004 - 20:16
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#7
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Not a subject that really interests me.
 
 Bismaquer: “Nice little car." Bond: "It’d show a clean pair of heels to most commercial cars in its class.” |
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Commander RNVR Group: Commanding Officers Enlisted: 26 June 2003 From: New York |
8 March 2004 - 20:35
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#8
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Zencat, the only word describe that article is astonishing.
Fantastic job! It truly is some excellent reading! I had forgotten how many novels by Gardner it had been mentioned in!   ~ Nobody Knows Me Like You Know Me ~ 'People Look Up. Things Fall Down. And When It Rains, It Pours' Moving at the speed of life, we are bound to collide with each other ♦ ♦ ♦ Are You Ready To Go? ♦ ♦ ♦ |
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Commander GCMG Group: Veterans Reserve. Enlisted: 5 June 2001 From: Lagrimas Negras |
8 March 2004 - 20:38
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#9
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Thanks, Qwerty, my friend.
Yes, most people think of the Saab as just being in the first 3 books (or even just the first book), and while that's true of the "Silver Beast," Gardner's Bond continues to drive Saabs throughout the Gardner series and the Gardner series ended with Bond back in a Saab (the 9000). "Fandom is where people come together and complain about what they like." Visit The Young Bond Dossier, now the OFFICIAL site for Young Bond news |
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Commander RNVR Group: Commanding Officers Enlisted: 26 June 2003 From: New York |
8 March 2004 - 20:39
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#10
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Exactly, when you think of it, usually For Special Services pops to my mind, or Licence Renewed, it was nice to see all those other quotes of where it is mentioned or driven in his later novels.
"Nice car." "She hasn't let me down yet..."
~ Nobody Knows Me Like You Know Me ~ 'People Look Up. Things Fall Down. And When It Rains, It Pours' Moving at the speed of life, we are bound to collide with each other ♦ ♦ ♦ Are You Ready To Go? ♦ ♦ ♦ |
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Commander RNR Group: Veterans Reserve Enlisted: 22 February 2002 From: New York City |
8 March 2004 - 20:45
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#11
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You are not wrong. This is a magnificent article, and the best piece I have ever read about the cars Bond drove. -- Xenobia President, Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Roger Moore
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Commander RNVR Group: Commanding Officers Enlisted: 17 April 2002 From: West Los Angeles, California USA |
8 March 2004 - 20:47
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#12
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BRAVO Zencat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great article on one of my favorite Bond cars. Fantastic John.
 "When it comes to Bond, You've gotta do it" "There's a reason spies don't have many parties. Everyone has a history with everyone else." Bryce (003) - Living Bond so you don't have to. |
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Commander Group: Veterans Enlisted: 20 July 2002 From: Washington D.C.. USA |
8 March 2004 - 20:53
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#13
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I couldn't wait until I got home....just finished reading it and loved this trip down memory lane...Great job!
Robert Brown was Admiral Hargreaves in TSWLM, OP, AVTAK, TLD and LTK damnit Enforcer, Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Roger Moore Proud defender of Barbara Bach, Carole Bouquet, Barbara Carrera, Maryam D'Abo, A View to a Kill, Never Say Never Again and The Spy Who Loved Me. |
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