146 replies to this topic

[zencat]

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.

[center] [st=2284] Back to top #2 DLibrasnow DLibrasnow Commander Enlisting 16568 posts Location:Washington D.C.. USA Posted 08 March 2004 - 07:20 PM Excellent! I look forward to reading this when I get home! Back to top #3 zencat zencat Commander GCMG Commanding Officers 25814 posts Location:Studio City, CA Posted 08 March 2004 - 07:32 PM 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 Back to top #4 Tarl_Cabot Tarl_Cabot Commander Veterans 10505 posts Location:The Galaxy of Pleasure Posted 08 March 2004 - 07:33 PM 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... Back to top #5 Athena007 Athena007 Commander RNVR Commanding Officers 12936 posts Location:H O L L Y W O O D Posted 08 March 2004 - 07:44 PM I know you're my boyfriend, but... wow baby! You did an awesome job on this article! Back to top #6 DLibrasnow DLibrasnow Commander Enlisting 16568 posts Location:Washington D.C.. USA Posted 08 March 2004 - 07:54 PM 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! Back to top #7 The Silver Beast The Silver Beast Sub-Lieutenant Crew 142 posts Location:The mind of John Gardner Posted 08 March 2004 - 08:16 PM Not a subject that really interests me. Back to top #8 Qwerty Qwerty Commander RNVR Commanding Officers 85605 posts Location:New York / Pennsylvania Posted 08 March 2004 - 08:35 PM 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! Back to top #9 zencat zencat Commander GCMG Commanding Officers 25814 posts Location:Studio City, CA Posted 08 March 2004 - 08:38 PM 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). Back to top #10 Qwerty Qwerty Commander RNVR Commanding Officers 85605 posts Location:New York / Pennsylvania Posted 08 March 2004 - 08:39 PM 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..." Back to top #11 Xenobia Xenobia Commander RNR Veterans Reserve 9744 posts Location:New York City Posted 08 March 2004 - 08:45 PM I'm really proud of it. I feel like it's my first real contribution to the James Bond legacy. You are not wrong. This is a magnificent article, and the best piece I have ever read about the cars Bond drove. -- Xenobia Back to top #12 Bryce (003) Bryce (003) Commander RNVR Commanding Officers 10110 posts Location:West Los Angeles, California USA Posted 08 March 2004 - 08:47 PM BRAVO Zencat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Great article on one of my favorite Bond cars. Fantastic John. Back to top #13 DLibrasnow DLibrasnow Commander Enlisting 16568 posts Location:Washington D.C.. USA Posted 08 March 2004 - 08:53 PM I couldn't wait until I got home....just finished reading it and loved this trip down memory lane...Great job! Back to top #14 Turn Turn Commander Veterans 6837 posts Location:Ohio Posted 08 March 2004 - 09:23 PM I concur - nice article, Zencat. A screenwriter and a feature journalist as well. I have been rereading License Renewed recently and it was weird reading about Bond's escape in the Saab and not really being able to picture it very well. This ties in nicely with that and when I reread the other Gardners. Back to top #15 DLibrasnow DLibrasnow Commander Enlisting 16568 posts Location:Washington D.C.. USA Posted 08 March 2004 - 09:26 PM The first Gardner I read was "Icebreaker" back in the early 1980s and it still remains my favorite of all of his works. I also remember the encounter Bond has with the snowplows as being one of the highlights. Back to top #16 Tarl_Cabot Tarl_Cabot Commander Veterans 10505 posts Location:The Galaxy of Pleasure Posted 08 March 2004 - 09:33 PM Nice work Zencat. Back to top #17 Kronsteen Kronsteen Sub-Lieutenant Crew 418 posts Location:Stockholm, Sweden Posted 08 March 2004 - 09:39 PM Sweden has contributed with something great *proud* I love that car and it was so was perfect for Bond in the 80's. Wasn't the car supposed to be in a movie, but was turned down at the absolute final moment? Well, I would've loved to see the Saab in a movie... Back to top #18 zencat zencat Commander GCMG Commanding Officers 25814 posts Location:Studio City, CA Posted 08 March 2004 - 09:44 PM ...Wasn't the car supposed to be in a movie, but was turned down at the absolute final moment? Well, I would've loved to see the Saab in a movie... I remember hearing a rumor...but I could find nothing about this (I don't even recall where I heard the rumor). I gave this one line in the article, but if anyone could find any information, send it my way, please! I suspect there was never a plan for a Saab/movie tie-in. Back to top #19 doublenoughtspy doublenoughtspy Commander RNVR Commanding Officers 4122 posts Location:USA Posted 08 March 2004 - 09:51 PM Very nice article. I'll have to check the original manuscript (which I - cough - cough OWN!) and see if there is anything to add that didn't make it into the book. There are deleted passages. From what I remember - there was almost nothing in the Glidrose archives on the Saab. Maibaum's archives didn't have anything either - so I doubt it was ever under much serious consideration for films when he was the screenwriter. Back to top #20 DLibrasnow DLibrasnow Commander Enlisting 16568 posts Location:Washington D.C.. USA Posted 08 March 2004 - 09:52 PM I suspect there was never a plan for a Saab/movie tie-in. Well considering how many ideas EON "lifted" from the Gardner novels, I'm surprised that SAAB did not make an appearance Back to top #21 Xenia's Ferrari Xenia's Ferrari Sub-Lieutenant Crew 107 posts Location:Xenia's Garage in Russia Posted 08 March 2004 - 10:40 PM i'm maybe the only woman who enjoyed reading this word to word entirely. Back to top #22 jwheels jwheels Lt. Commander Veterans 1021 posts Location:Bothell, WA Posted 08 March 2004 - 10:40 PM Great article zencat. I always enjoy your articles, but this one has to be the best yet. A lot of great information, and a hundred times better than mi6's article. Keep these great articles comming!! Back to top #23 boeserzwilling boeserzwilling Sub-Lieutenant Crew 233 posts Location:Germany Posted 08 March 2004 - 11:19 PM Thanks a lot for this great article!!! It was a fantastic ride! In Germany the Silver Beast was shown on the (soft)cover of FOR SPECIAL SERVICES: Attached Files  sb.JPG   139.28KB   83 downloads Back to top #24 Genrewriter Genrewriter Cammander CMG Veterans 4360 posts Location:South Pasadena, CA Posted 09 March 2004 - 12:38 AM Amazing article, John. Very cool. Back to top #25 zencat zencat Commander GCMG Commanding Officers 25814 posts Location:Studio City, CA Posted 09 March 2004 - 12:56 AM Great article zencat. I always enjoy your articles, but this one has to be the best yet. A lot of great information... Keep these great articles comming!! Thank you, jwheels. And thanks to everyone else for the really nice compliments. Back to top #26 The Silver Beast The Silver Beast Sub-Lieutenant Crew 142 posts Location:The mind of John Gardner Posted 09 March 2004 - 12:59 AM i'm maybe the only woman who enjoyed reading this word to word entirely. So you like The Beast? Back to top #27 Xenia's Ferrari Xenia's Ferrari Sub-Lieutenant Crew 107 posts Location:Xenia's Garage in Russia Posted 09 March 2004 - 01:09 AM i'm maybe the only woman who enjoyed reading this word to word entirely. So you like The Beast? there is an attraction. Back to top #28 zencat zencat Commander GCMG Commanding Officers 25814 posts Location:Studio City, CA Posted 09 March 2004 - 01:13 AM Thanks a lot for this great article!!! It was a fantastic ride! In Germany the Silver Beast was shown on the (soft)cover of FOR SPECIAL SERVICES: Thanks for posting that, boeserzwilling. That's a great cover. I have that book and I wanted to put it in the article, but I couldn't find a place for it (my cover art discussion is specific to License Renewed so it didn't work). If anyone else has any Silver Beast covers that I didn't post, throw 'em up here. I would love to see them. Back to top #29 TheSaint TheSaint Commander RNR Veterans Reserve 3067 posts Location:Bronx,NY Posted 09 March 2004 - 03:16 AM Excellent article! Any chance of it seeing print in, say, 007 magazine? Second, didn't Bond get the money for the Bentley Mulsanne Turbo from Draco's estate when he "supposedly" passed away, offscreen, in Role of Honor? Back to top #30 zencat zencat Commander GCMG Commanding Officers 25814 posts Location:Studio City, CA Posted 09 March 2004 - 04:04 AM Excellent article! Any chance of it seeing print in, say, 007 magazine? Second, didn't Bond get the money for the Bentley Mulsanne Turbo from Draco's estate when he "supposedly" passed away, offscreen, in Role of Honor? Thanks, Saint. Yes, there is an excellent chance you will see this in 007 Magazine. Draco? Hmmm... My recollection was that it was "a favorite uncle" who gave Bond his inheritance, not Draco. But Gardner did say Draco had died...but I forget in which book. Maybe someone else knows. Back to top Page 1 of 5 1 2 3 Next » Back to John Gardner (1981-1996) Reply to quoted posts     Clear

[DLibrasnow]

Excellent! I look forward to reading this when I get home!

[zencat]

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

[Tarl_Cabot]

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...

[Athena007]

I know you're my boyfriend, but... wow baby! You did an awesome job on this article!

[DLibrasnow]

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!

[The Silver Beast]

Not a subject that really interests me.

[Qwerty]

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!

[zencat]

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).

[Qwerty]

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..."

[Xenobia]

I'm really proud of it. I feel like it's my first real contribution to the James Bond legacy.

You are not wrong. This is a magnificent article, and the best piece I have ever read about the cars Bond drove.

-- Xenobia

[Bryce (003)]

BRAVO Zencat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great article on one of my favorite Bond cars.

Fantastic John.

[DLibrasnow]

I couldn't wait until I got home....just finished reading it and loved this trip down memory lane...Great job!

[Turn]

I concur - nice article, Zencat. A screenwriter and a feature journalist as well. I have been rereading License Renewed recently and it was weird reading about Bond's escape in the Saab and not really being able to picture it very well. This ties in nicely with that and when I reread the other Gardners.

[DLibrasnow]

The first Gardner I read was "Icebreaker" back in the early 1980s and it still remains my favorite of all of his works. I also remember the encounter Bond has with the snowplows as being one of the highlights.

[Tarl_Cabot]

Nice work Zencat.

[Kronsteen]

Sweden has contributed with something great *proud*

I love that car and it was so was perfect for Bond in the 80's. Wasn't the car supposed to be in a movie, but was turned down at the absolute final moment? Well, I would've loved to see the Saab in a movie...

[zencat]

...Wasn't the car supposed to be in a movie, but was turned down at the absolute final moment? Well, I would've loved to see the Saab in a movie...

I remember hearing a rumor...but I could find nothing about this (I don't even recall where I heard the rumor). I gave this one line in the article, but if anyone could find any information, send it my way, please!

I suspect there was never a plan for a Saab/movie tie-in.

[doublenoughtspy]

Very nice article. I'll have to check the original manuscript (which I - cough - cough OWN!) and see if there is anything to add that didn't make it into the book. There are deleted passages.

From what I remember - there was almost nothing in the Glidrose archives on the Saab.

Maibaum's archives didn't have anything either - so I doubt it was ever under much serious consideration for films when he was the screenwriter.

[DLibrasnow]

I suspect there was never a plan for a Saab/movie tie-in.

Well considering how many ideas EON "lifted" from the Gardner novels, I'm surprised that SAAB did not make an appearance

[Xenia's Ferrari]

i'm maybe the only woman who enjoyed reading this word to word entirely.

[jwheels]

Great article zencat. I always enjoy your articles, but this one has to be the best yet. A lot of great information, and a hundred times better than mi6's article. Keep these great articles comming!!

[boeserzwilling]

Thanks a lot for this great article!!! It was a fantastic ride!

In Germany the Silver Beast was shown on the (soft)cover of FOR SPECIAL SERVICES:

Attached Files

•  sb.JPG   139.28KB   83 downloads

[Genrewriter]

Amazing article, John. Very cool.

[zencat]

Great article zencat. I always enjoy your articles, but this one has to be the best yet. A lot of great information... Keep these great articles comming!!

Thank you, jwheels.

And thanks to everyone else for the really nice compliments.

[The Silver Beast]

i'm maybe the only woman who enjoyed reading this word to word entirely.

So you like The Beast?

[Xenia's Ferrari]

i'm maybe the only woman who enjoyed reading this word to word entirely.

So you like The Beast?

there is an attraction.

[zencat]

Thanks a lot for this great article!!! It was a fantastic ride!

In Germany the Silver Beast was shown on the (soft)cover of FOR SPECIAL SERVICES:

Thanks for posting that, boeserzwilling. That's a great cover. I have that book and I wanted to put it in the article, but I couldn't find a place for it (my cover art discussion is specific to License Renewed so it didn't work).

If anyone else has any Silver Beast covers that I didn't post, throw 'em up here. I would love to see them.

[TheSaint]

Excellent article! Any chance of it seeing print in, say, 007 magazine?

Second, didn't Bond get the money for the Bentley Mulsanne Turbo from Draco's estate when he "supposedly" passed away, offscreen, in Role of Honor?

[zencat]

Excellent article! Any chance of it seeing print in, say, 007 magazine?

Second, didn't Bond get the money for the Bentley Mulsanne Turbo from Draco's estate when he "supposedly" passed away, offscreen, in Role of Honor?

Thanks, Saint.

Yes, there is an excellent chance you will see this in 007 Magazine.

Draco? Hmmm... My recollection was that it was "a favorite uncle" who gave Bond his inheritance, not Draco. But Gardner did say Draco had died...but I forget in which book.

Maybe someone else knows.