Skiing and snowboarding perilous untouched mountain peaks; climbing vertical frozen waterfalls and magnificent red-rock spires; surfing this century's largest waves and windsurfing El Nino strength winds, Extreme will make audiences part of the action like never before. Viewers will feel like they're personally experiencing these extreme sports adventures, courtesy of the unique IMAX camera filming process. All footage is shot on 15/70 mm film, with a negative ten times the size of traditional 35 mm film. Images are then projected with crystal clarity onto eight-story high screens.
"Saab owners aren't the type of people who sit on the couch all weekendÑthey love action, adventure and the outdoors, which made this sponsorship opportunity almost a 'must- do' for us," said Sal Gatbonton, promotions manager, Saab Cars USA, Inc. "Extreme is all about pushing the envelope when it comes to performance and control of potentially dangerous situationsÑand that's very much the backbone of our product philosophy."
Saab will also be the presenting sponsor of The Making of Extreme television series, an eight part series that takes audiences on location and behind the scenes with the athletes and filmmakers. The series will be shown worldwide, with distribution scheduled to begin in May 1999. The Making of Extreme will also be available on video. As the presenting sponsor, Saab will also introduce a line of Extreme merchandise through its accessory program, including CDs, videos, logo wear and more. All merchandise will be available through Saab's U.S. dealers, or can be ordered online at www.saabcatalog.com.
Extreme will appear in 170 IMAX theaters around the world, with the grand opening of the film scheduled to coincide with the New York Auto Show, in New York, NY, during the week of March 29, 1999. For the latest available information, visit the Extreme web site at www.extreme70mmfilm.com.
Saab Cars USA, Inc., headquartered in Norcross, Georgia, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Saab Automobile AB, Trollhattan, Sweden. Saab's 1999 model line includes the Saab 9-5 sports sedan, and the Saab 9-3 Coupe, Convertible and 5-door. Saab's newest model is the Saab 9-5 Wagon, scheduled to go on sale April 12, 1999.