TACH March 15 1996 Bunch of Maloney column

Bunch of Maloney

SAAB BREAKS OUT AT GENEVA SHOW WITH NEW SPORTSTER

Saab's first specialty car in eons mad it's debut at the Geneva auto show yesterday to a very positive reception from the global automotive media. Called the Saab Granturismo, 750 is a product of Saab's newly formed Special Vehicles Operation (SVO) the 250 hp coupe will sport 17 inch alloy wheels, spoilers fore and aft, and like its 9000 and 900 model cousins will be turbocharged.

According to SVO manager, Peter Leonard, SVO's mission is to provide faster response to Saab customer demands for niche products. Translated this means...we have loyal,I mean loyal...long time Saab-ists and they are tired of people laughing at our outmoded styling..so now we are breaking out and entering the real world styling and performance-wise.

BRAZILIAN CART/INDY CAR DRIVERS INVADE BRAZIL FOR RIO 400

It's going to be a hot time in the old town (Rio de Janiero)this weekend as nearly 1/3 of the Indy Car field of drivers for race No. 2 in the CART series are home town boys. They'll be playing in front of relatives and friends in the inaugural Rio 400 at the Nelson Piquet International raceway and you KNOW they are going to put on a reallygood show for the hometowners.

Wheras the I.R.L. says they exist to nurture U.S. bred drivers and promote good old American style oval racing...which is "The American way"..the way it all began...CART/Indy Car likes the global look. Hence the proliferation of go-kart educated professional drivers from Brazil such as:

    DRIVER                   CAR                U.S. RESIDENCE
    Raul Boesel       Brahma Sports Reynard Ford  Key Biscayne,Fla
    Gil de Ferran     Pennzoil Reynard Ford       Carmel, Ind
    C. Fittipaldi     Budweiser Lola Ford         Miami,Fla
    Emmo Fittapaldi   Marlboro Penske Mercedes    Key Biscayne,Fla
    Marco Greco       Samyang Lola Ford           Costa Mesa, Ca
    Mo Gugelmin       Hollywood Reynard Ford      Ft.Lauderdale,Fl
    Roberto MOreno    Mi-Jack Lola Ford           Brazillia
    Andre Ribeiro     LCI Intn'l Lola Ford        Sao Paulo

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