Ten years go by quickly. On this day, May 27, 2015, we received the news that Mr. Saab had left us for new adventures among the clouds in the sky. With the vibrant personality he was, the world of Saab suddenly became grey.

Erik was a truly unique personality. You all know of his sporting achievements that made him a giant in the world of motorsport and, at the same time, put little Saab and Trollhättan on the global map.

After his career as a rally driver, he was employed as a PR-man in Saab´s communications department – and he never retired! He was made redundant along with 3,100 colleagues when Saab went bankrupt on December 19, 2011.

Erik’s loyalty to Saab never wavered, despite lucrative contracts from other car manufacturers being placed in front of him, pen ready on the table.

He never let go of his love for Saab, the company born in his hometown. Erik met his wife, Pat Moss, and moved with her to England. Even though he lived there for most of his life, he held tightly to his “Västgöta”-roots and the Trollhättan accent in particular. His way of speaking "Swenglish" was legendary. Erik’s British vocabulary was extensive – there’s no doubt about that – but he enjoyed slipping in the odd Swedish word during his speeches, which were always entertaining. I’ve never met anyone who could match Erik when it came to dinner speeches or quick-witted remarks in a conversation.

When Erik was present at motor shows, the top journalists would come to the Saab stand just to have a chat with the great Erik – who always spoke his mind, even when it wasn’t quite what the communications director had intended…

In this context, we must also mention his genuine interest in and curiosity about people at all levels. His memory for names and faces was simply extraordinary – and it never failed! Even though it’s been ten years since Erik passed away, he is far from forgotten. It is you Saab- and motorsport enthusiasts who proudly carry Eriks legacy today, with all the stories and adventures he so generously shared with us.

Even though it’s been ten years since Erik passed away, he is far from forgotten. It is you Saab- and motorsport enthusiasts who proudly carry Eriks legacy today, with all the stories and adventures he so generously shared with us.

And at the Saab Car Museum in Trollhättan, he remains the eternal chairman of the board. As it should be…

Peter Bäckström
Curator at the Saab Car Museum and long-time colleague of Erik Carlsson.

PS. For those who want to pay Erik a little extra tribute today, we recommend a grilled sausage “hot dog style” with strong sweet mustard – something he always longed for after returning from a trip abroad with Saab… DS.