Press release n. 1 Aug. 28th. 2025
The Griffin Has Returned. Introducing the Saab Scania Club Italia.
We are pleased to inform you that the Saab Scania Club Italia, the Historical Registry of the Swedish brand, has now completed its preparations and is officially up and running.
We aim to celebrate the legacy of Saab Scania, a company that built airplanes, automobiles, computers, hydrofoils, hovercrafts, missiles, satellites, buses, tractors, and trucks — reaching the pinnacle of its success in the 1980s.
Our goal is to bring together enthusiasts of the Saab Scania brand, creating opportunities to meet at events and activities we organize, and to enjoy being part of a cohesive group of friends. The Club will be a place of relaxation and enjoyment, enhanced by that unique bond formed through our wonderful vehicles.
We want to fill the void left in the world of classic vehicles by the prestigious creations of Saab Scania.
Saab Scania was much more than cars, and we therefore want to promote, safeguard, and enhance the knowledge of the entire Saab Scania Group’s production, while seeking to understand the context and culture in which Saab Scania was born and developed in Sweden, and its contribution to the country’s industrial growth.
The Saab Scania Club Italia, reflecting the structure of the original Swedish industry, includes:
A Historic Car Register
An Aeronautical Register, featuring a historic 1954 Saab Safir 91C aircraft
A Register for Trucks, Buses, and Tractors
We will also be active in Historic Rallies for interested members. These activities have been entrusted to Vice President Dino Vicario, a well-known historic rally driver.
On August 27th, 2025, to celebrate our official launch, we gathered in Carzago Riviera (see attached photos) several member-owned cars from the Register, alongside a 1979 Scania 141 truck and their ideal predecessor, the Saab Safir 91C aircraft. This is particularly meaningful as Saab’s first automobile project was numbered 92 — following directly after the Safir 91.
We seek to highlight a brand that stood out for producing — in its time — modern, innovative, prestigious, and technologically advanced vehicles. We aim to underscore the unique technical choices made by Saab Scania, while bringing together enthusiasts who own and identify with the values of the traditional Saab customer base.
Italy’s art cities will serve as the perfect backdrop for the International Elegance Cup “Sixten Sason”, established by the Register. Its debut will take place on June 19–20, 2026 in the stunning surroundings of Lake Garda, Mantua, and Verona, with the start line at a private airstrip in the presence of the Saab Safir 91C. This will mark our 1st International Gathering, open to Saab aircraft as well.
The Club aspires to give an international dimension to our events, welcoming foreign vehicles and also participating in major events held by foreign clubs.
The presence of representatives from the USA, Sweden, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Germany, and the UK in our board as Guest Advisors and Ambassadors reflects the international spirit of the Club.
As for the car register, the following models are admitted:
92, 93, GT750, 94 Sonett I, 95, 96, Formula Junior, 97 Sonett II & III, 99, 900, 600, 90, and 9000, as well as other vehicles designed and/or built between 1947 and 1989.
The Aeronautical Registry is managed by Vice President Giovanni Marchi.
The Truck and Bus Registry is led by Vice President Massimo Condolo, a well-known journalist and respected expert in the field.
The iconic — and revolutionary for its time — Saab 99 Turbo is the central car from which our Register’s automotive journey unfolds:
Looking backward: from the Sonett III to the 92
Looking forward: from the 900 to the 9000
Not by chance, the motto of our Register is inspired by a phrase well known among Saab 99 Turbo enthusiasts:
“Not for everyone. Essential for many.”
The restoration, preservation, or faithful reproduction of the vehicles’ original features is one of the primary goals of the Saab Scania Club Italia. We align ourselves with national and international bodies that share these principles.
We aim to catalog all Saab Scania vehicles, aircraft, trucks, buses, and other machines currently in Italy by creating dedicated model-specific registers, many of which are already active and managed by individual members.
We are open to the contributions of each and every member — and we hope many of you will join — to share in our goals and bring forward your ideas and energy.
We have also created a library gathering everything written about Saab Scania, and we are happy to make it freely available to members, translated into Italian, alongside more technical literature (manuals, instruction booklets, etc.), not to mention the many films in which Saab vehicles played starring roles.
Club-branded custom clothing is also available directly from our supplier, based on agreed specifications and at no profit to the Club (thus no extra cost to members).
We also want to make a social impact, dedicating time and effort to charitable initiatives, where we and our vehicles can contribute to helping the less fortunate.
The Club is born out of people’s passion for their cars.
Our guiding principle is:
“First the people, then the cars.”
This reflects who we truly are.
We hope Saab Scania enthusiasts will join our Historic Register in large numbers.
You can reach us at club@saabscania.it
Press Release No. 2 – November 1, 2025
Halloween treat for the Saab Scania Club Italia
The Saab Scania Club Italia celebrated Halloween at the Historical Aeronautical Museum of Friuli Venezia Giulia in Fiume Veneto (PN), in the company of the “Viggen” fighter jet (“Thunderbolt” in Swedish) owned by Giovanni Follador.
Beneath its wings and canard foreplanes, several magnificent vehicles found a special place: a Scania 110 Super (1964), a Saab 96 two-stroke (1960), a Saab 900 Aero (1991), a Saab 900 Cabrio (1987), and a Saab 9000 CS Anniversary (1998)—all splendid examples belonging to the enthusiastic members of the Italian Historic Registry of the Saab Scania brand.
The members in attendance had the opportunity to visit the extraordinary Aeronautical Museum of Friuli Venezia Giulia, enjoying the company of its patron Giovanni Follador, aviator, experienced pilot, and passionate scholar of the field, who also serves as the Museum’s President.
The Saab Scania Club Italia aims to celebrate the legacy of the Swedish group Saab Scania, which throughout its history produced aircraft, automobiles, computers, hydrofoils, hovercraft, missiles, satellites, buses, railway carriages, and trucks.
The group reached the height of its success during the 1980s and ceased to exist as a single industrial and technological entity in 1989, following the entry of General Motors into the capital of Saab Automobile AB.
We hope that other enthusiasts of the Saab Scania brand will join our Historic Registry by contacting us at club@saabscania.it
Antonio Pellegrino
President – mobile +39 392 9475477
Press Release No. 3 – November 8th, 2025
ORION AND SAAB SCANIA VEHICLES
On November 8th, 2025, in the splendid setting of Piazza Duomo in Messina, under the benevolent gaze of the God Orion sculpted by Montorsoli in the monumental fountain that bears his name — described as “the most beautiful fountain of the European sixteenth century” — some of the most beautiful Swedish cars from the Saab Scania Club Italia, the Historical Register of the Saab Scania brand, gathered for a photo shoot.
Thanks to the kind concession of the location by the Messina authorities, it was possible to capture some extraordinary shots that immortalized the elegance and history of Saab Scania’s prestigious Swedish vehicles in this monumental square, dominated by the magnificent bell tower with the world’s largest and most complex astronomical clock.
The Duomo complex of Messina, originally built during the reign of Emperor Justinian I, under Pope Boniface II, by General Belisarius in the year 530, served as the setting in which Saab Scania Club Italia wished to honor the ties of its President and Founder, Antonio Pellegrino, and Vice President, Giovanni Pagano, with their native city.
Saab Scania Club Italia aims to celebrate the epic history of Saab Scania, whose peak success in the 1980s saw the Group producing aircraft, automobiles, computers, hydrofoils, hovercraft, missiles, satellites, buses, tanks, and trucks.
The Saab Scania Club Italia includes, in addition to the Historic Car Register, an Aeronautical Register featuring two historic aircraft (a Saab Safir 91C and a Viggen fighter jet), and a Register dedicated to trucks, buses, and other vehicles.
Italy’s art cities will provide the backdrop for showcasing the “Sixten Sason” International Elegance Cup, established by the Register, which will make its debut on June 19–20, 2026, in the magnificent setting of Lake Garda, Mantua, and Verona, during the 1st International Gathering.
The Club seeks to give an international dimension to its events, encouraging participation from vehicles abroad and, in turn, taking part in major events organized by foreign clubs.
The presence of representatives from the USA, Sweden, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Slovakia, and the United Kingdom within our Board as Guest Advisors and Ambassadors symbolizes the international spirit of the Register.
As for vehicles, the following models are eligible for inclusion in the Historic Register: 92, 93, GT750, 94 Sonett I, 95, 96, Formula Junior, 97 Sonett II and III, 99, 900, 600, 90, and 9000, along with other vehicles designed and/or produced between 1947 and 1989.
The iconic and, for its time, “revolutionary” Saab 99 Turbo stands at the heart of the Register’s automotive journey:
Looking backward in time: from the Sonett III to the 92
Looking forward: from the 900 to the 9000
It is no coincidence that the Register’s motto is inspired by a phrase well known among Saab 99 Turbo enthusiasts:
“Not for everyone. Essential for many.”
The Register aims to catalog Saab vehicles and other related models present in Italy, creating dedicated model registries within the organization — several of which are already operational and entrusted to members.
The Club was born from people’s passion for cars — and without people, there would be no cars.
The phrase “first the people then the cars” truly reflects who we are.
We hope that Saab enthusiasts will join our Historic Register by contacting us at club@saabscania.it
Antonio Pellegrino – President
a.pellegrino@saabscania.it mob. 0039 3929475477
Press Release No. 4 – 24 November 2025
THE SAAB SCANIA CLUB ITALIA AT MILANO AUTOCLASSICA
The Saab Scania Club Italia – the Italian Historical Registry of the Saab Scania brand – took part in Milano AutoClassica, held at the Rho Fairgrounds from 21 to 23 November 2025.
The Registry exhibited three splendid members’ cars, which visibly moved the large and knowledgeable audience in attendance:
a 1979 Saab 96, a 1991 Saab 900 Aero, and a 1976 Saab 95.
Equally admired was the large background image depicting a 1964 Scania 110 truck and a Viggen fighter jet, along with other vehicles, as a reminder of the broad production of the Swedish Group, which manufactured aircraft, automobiles, computers, hydrofoils, hovercraft, missiles, satellites, buses, railway carriages, and trucks, before being dissolved in 1989.
Saab Scania represented an industrial, technological, and design excellence that feared no rivals on the world stage, an achievement born of the industriousness and ingenuity of a nation that at the time had only about 6,000,000 inhabitants.
The Registry, whose aims are primarily cultural, organized two conferences on the History of Saab Scania and the Tipo 4 Project, held respectively by the President Antonio Pellegrino and Alfredo Stola of STUDIOTORINO, moderated by the well-known journalist Massimo Condolo, President of the Bus and Truck Registry of the Saab Scania Club Italia.
The participation and interest shown by attendees marked another step forward for the Registry in promoting the brand and its history among enthusiasts.
The Saab Scania Club Italia aims to celebrate the Saab Scania epic, which reached the height of the Group’s success in the 1980s, and in addition to the Historical Car Registry, also includes an Aeronautical Registry—featuring two historic aircraft (a Saab Safir 91C and a Viggen fighter jet)—and a Registry dedicated to trucks, buses, and other vehicles.
As for automobiles, the following are eligible for the Historical Register: 92, 93, GT750, 94 Sonett I, 95, 96, Formula Junior, 97 Sonett II and III, 99, 900, 600, 90, and 9000, as well as other vehicles provided they were designed and/or built between 1947 and 1989.
We hope that brand enthusiasts will join our Historical Register by contacting us at club@saabscania.it and by visiting our constantly updated website www.saabscania.it
Press release no. 5 of 20th June 2026
SAAB SCANIA CARS PARADE THROUGH PIAZZA SORDELLO AND PIAZZA BRA
On 19 and 20 June 2026, the 1st International Gathering of the Saab Scania Club Italia and the Italian Historical Registry of the brand was held in the splendid settings of Piazza Sordello in Mantua and Piazza Bra in Verona.
Numerous vehicles took part, arriving not only from Italy but also from Germany, Poland, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.
At the conclusion of the event in Piazza Bra, Verona, the “Sixten Sason” Elegance Cup, a trophy established by the Italian Historical Registry jointly with the Saab Club Nederland, was awarded.
The winner is Davide Turchet’s 1993 Saab 900 Convertible, named “Best of Show.”
In the Saab 900 category—excluding convertibles—the winner was the splendid 1991 Aero coupé owned by Ermanno De Marchi.
The winner of the Saab 99 category was Hanna Rowiński’s 1969 vehicle from Poland, while the queen of the 9000 class was the 1993 car owned by Frank and Hanna Schneider from Germany.
The Meeting format was highly appreciated, allowing participants to visit enchanting villages such as Castellaro Lagusello and Borghetto, the Ducal Palace and the Camera degli Sposi in Mantua, the Tower of San Martino della Battaglia, and the Castle of Valeggio sul Mincio.
At the end of the award ceremony in Piazza Bra, crews who wished to do so were able to attend the opera *La Traviata* at the Verona Arena.
The Saab Scania Club Italia combines a passion for vehicles designed and/or manufactured by Saab Scania from 1891 to 1989—before the split of the group bearing the same name—with a passion for Italian cities of art, introducing them to participants in Registry events. The Registry’s objective is to celebrate the Saab Scania saga, which saw the group reach the height of its success in the 1980s. During that period, the company produced aircraft, passenger cars, computers, hydrofoils, hovercraft, missiles, satellites, buses, tanks, and trucks.
Antonio Pellegrino – President (a.pellegrino@saabscania.it) mobile: +39 392 9475477
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Press Release No. 6 of Sept. 6th 2026
OVE AND RUNE ON LAKE ISEO – SAAB 900 CABRIO AND BMW Z3 TOGETHER ON THE LAKE
Poking fun at the 2015 Swedish cult movie “Mr. Ove” (En man som heter Ove) directed by Hannes Holm, in which Ove – a Saab enthusiast – and Rune finally break up their friendship when Rune buys a BMW Z3, the Saab Scania Club Italia – Italian Historic Registry of the Saab Scania brand and the Z3mendi Club shared a pleasant evening together, having fun and admiring the landscapes of the beautiful Lake Iseeo.
The event took place on the afternoon of Sept. 6th 2026 among the landscapes and vineyards of Franciacorta, skirting Lake Iseo and then concluding in Pisogne with a breathtaking view of the lake.
The event for the Saab Scania Club Italia was reserved for the Saab 900 convertible and saw a distinguished participation of prestigious vehicles, including the 2026 winner of the “Sixten Sason” Elegance Cup, a trophy established by the Italian Historic Register in conjunction with the Saab Club Nederland, held in Mantua and Verona on June 19th and 20th of this year.
The splendid roadsters and coupes of the Z3mendi Club, which organized the event impeccably, were much more numerous.
During the aperitif in Pisogne, members of the two clubs were able to share their mutual passions for their favorite brands and enjoy a wonderful time together.
The Saab Scania Club Italia combines a passion for the vehicles designed and/or built by Saab Scania from 1891 to 1989—before the split of the eponymous Group—with a passion for Italian cities of art, introducing them to participants in the Registry’s events. The Registry’s aim is to celebrate the Saab Scania epic, which saw the peak of the Group’s success in the 1980s—the Group that built airplanes, cars, computers, hydrofoils, hovercrafts, missiles, satellites, buses, tanks, and trucks.