Steve Jacoby isn?t superstitious.
But ask him to part ways with the only thing he recovered from a near-fatal car crash in July 1999, and he?s likely to resist.
That?s what happened when Jacoby went to trade in his car and the folks at Saab of Baltimore in Cockeysville asked if he wanted a brand-new license plate to complement his new 2008 Saab Turbo X.
“The tag was a University of Maryland alumni association ? one of the original Terrapin tags. It was a low number and I wanted to keep that,” Jacoby said.
But other reasons were underlying the surface. Jacoby knew he was fortunate and didn?t want this reality to escape him.
“I was a little stiff, but I walked out of the car,” Jacoby said. “You can always get a new car. It?s tough to get a new body.”
The trial lawyer from College Park has been a faithful Saab owner for over two decades. So dodgingclose calls like this reinforced his belief that buying a Saab continued to be a safe investment.
When Jacoby found out that Saab was putting out a performance car to top anything he previously owned, he was concerned that with the purchase of the company by General Motors, Saab had lost some of its identity.
As he learned more about the Turbo X however, the all-wheel drive configuration, the 280 hp package, as well as a stylish, classy look that hid beneath its hood a sports car-like power, it had all the appeal it was meant to evoke. Jacoby ordered the car in December 2007. In May 2008, he walked into Saab of Baltimore to take delivery.
“I couldn?t keep my composure. I had a grin on my face. Just a grin,” said Jacoby upon seeing the vehicle.
With only 600 of the Turbo X special edition Saabs headed for the United States, Jacoby found himself in an elite group. And Saab was about to reward him for his purchase.
“The first 100 owners who bought this car in the United States got to go to the Saab Turbo X Driving School,” Jacoby said.
So last month, Jacoby, along with a handful of other participants from all over, took part in a once-in-a-lifetime racing school at Road Atlanta, one of the premier racing sites in the country.
“This is a great car,” said dealer Jenny Trostel. “It?s great to see a customer so excited about his car.”
Check Out My Stats:
Engine: 2.8L 6-cylinder turbocharged
Performance: 6-speed manual gearbox, traction control system, limited slip differential, 4-disc high performance ventilated front and rear brakes
Wheels: 18″ x 7.5″ (45.7 cm x 19.0 cm) 3-spoke, twin wheels
Interior: Leather sports bucket seats, carbon fiber trim, illuminated/cooled glove box, leather-wrapped steering wheel
Exterior: Xenon cornering headlamps, titanium exhaust pipes, front fog lamps
