Saab Automobile
Encyclopedia
Saab Automobile AB, better known as Saab (ˈsɑːb, or SAAB, an acronym
for Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget), is a Swedish car manufacturer
owned by Dutch automobile manufacturer Swedish Automobile NV, formerly Spyker Cars NV. It is the exclusive automobile Royal Warrant
holder as appointed by the King of Sweden
. Originally the automobile manufacturing division of Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget (Swedish Aeroplane Limited), later known as Saab AB
, Saab Automobile was acquired by General Motors
in 1990 who sold it to Spyker Cars N.V. (now Swedish Automobile) in 2010.
. The company had been established in 1937 for the express purpose of building aircraft for the Swedish Air Force
to protect the country's neutrality as Europe moved closer to war
. As the war drew towards a close and the market for fighter planes evaporated, the company began looking for new markets in which to diversify.
In 1944, Project 92 began, with the goal of creating the first Saab passenger car. The result, the Saab 92001
(or Ursaab), was unveiled three years later, with a design that highlighted the company's roots in aviation. Notably, the car's drag coefficient
of 0.30 was the lowest of any production car of the time.
Three years into Project 92, a company site in Trollhättan
was converted to allow automobile assembly and the project moved there. The company has remained headquartered there since.
In 1949, Saab was ready to bring the car to market, and the Saab 92
went into production, selling 20,000 examples through the mid-1950s.
The 92 was thoroughly redesigned and reengineered in 1955, and accordingly was renamed the Saab 93
. The car's engine gained a cylinder, going from two to three and its front fascia became the first to sport the first incarnation of Saab's trademark trapezoidal radiator grill. A wagon variant, the Saab 95
, was added in 1959.
The decade also saw Saab's first foray into performance motoring with the Saab 94, the first of the four Saab Sonett
s.
1960 saw the third major revision to the 92's platform in the Saab 96
. The 96 was an important model for Saab: it was the first Saab to be widely exported out of Sweden. It proved very popular, selling nearly 550,000 examples.
Even more important to the company's fortunes was 1968's Saab 99
. The 99 was the first all-new Saab in 19 years, and unlike its predecessors, severed all ties with the 92. The 99 had many innovations and features that would come to define Saabs for decades: wraparound windscreen, self-repairing bumpers, headlamp washers and side-impact door beams.
The design by Sixten Sason
was no less revolutionary than the underlying technology, and elements like the Saab "hockey stick"
profile graphic continue to influence Saab design.
In 1969, Saab merged with the Swedish commercial vehicle manufacturer Scania-Vabis AB to form Saab-Scania AB.
The 99 range was expanded in 1973 with the addition of a combi coupe model, a body style which quickly became synonymous with Saab. Owing to its great success, the millionth Saab was produced in 1976.
Saab entered into an agreement with Fiat
in 1978 to sell a rebadged
Lancia Delta
as the Saab 600
and jointly develop a new platform. The agreement yielded 1985's Saab 9000
, sister to the Alfa Romeo 164
, Fiat Croma
and Lancia Thema
; all rode atop a common Type Four chassis
. The 9000 was Saab's first proper luxury car.
1978 also was the first year for the 99's intended replacement: the Saab 900
. Nearly one million 900s would be produced, making it Saab's best-selling model. A popular convertible version followed in 1986, all of which were made at the Saab-Valmet factory in Finland, making up nearly 20% of 900 sales. Even today, the "classic 900" retains a cult following among enthusiasts.
GM's involvement spurred the launch of a new 900 in 1994. The new car shared a platform with the Opel Vectra
. Due in large part to its success, Saab earned a profit in 1995 for the first time in seven years. However, the model never achieved the cult following of the "classic 900" and did not achieve the same reputation for quality.
1997 marked Saab's 50th anniversary as an automaker. The company used their jubilee owner's convention to launch a replacement for the aging 9000: the Saab 9-5
. The 900 received a facelift and renaming complimentary to its new larger sibling: it would now be called the Saab 9-3
. The 9-5 was the first Saab without a combi coupe bodystyle option in twenty years. Filling that space was a wagon variant, introduced in 1999.
GM exercised their option to acquire the remaining Saab shares in 2000, spending US $125 million to the turn the company into a wholly owned subsidiary.
The newly close relationship yielded its first product in 2003's all-new 9-3. The new model, marketed as a sport sedan, dropped Saab's iconic hatchback in favor of a more conventional four-door approach. The model shared a platform and components with the Vectra again, but the relationship was much closer than had been in the past.
Under GM's direction, the badge-engineered
Saab 9-2X
(based on the Subaru Impreza
) and Saab 9-7X
(based on the Chevrolet Trailblazer
) were introduced in the American market in 2005 with the hope of increase sales. Both models were a critical and commercial failure and were scrapped a few years after production. GM also delayed the 9-3 wagon by three years, canceled a 9-5 replacement in 2005 and announced a planned shift of production away from Saab's historic home in Trollhättan to Opel
's factory in Rüsselsheim
.
Owing to fading fortunes across their entire business, GM announced that the Saab brand was "under review" in December 2008, a process which included the possibility of selling or shuttering the carmaker. Reportedly, 27 potential buyers emerged, including BMW
, Fiat
, Geely, Hyundai
, Magna
, Renault
and Tata Motors
; serious talks progressed with three bidders: Koenigsegg
, Merbanco and Renco Group
.
As the talks progressed, GM's support receded, and the company went into administration, the Swedish equivalent of America's Chapter 11 bankruptcy
. Saab's managing director Jan-Åke Jonsson
said that this was "the best way to create a truly independent entity that is ready for investment". For its part, the Swedish government was reluctant to become involved, with Maud Olofsson
, industry minister, saying: "The Swedish state and taxpayers in Sweden will not own car factories. Sometimes you get the impression that this is a small, small company but it is the world's biggest automaker so we have a right to make demands."
On 16 June 2009, Koenigsegg, the Swedish supercar maker, announced their intentions to purchase the brand from GM. The bid was backed by a group of Norwegian investors and the Chinese carmaker BAIC. The following month, both parties announced that GM had consented to the deal. There were outstanding financial details, but a loan from the European Investment Bank
was expected to cover them. The loan was approved in October, but on November 24, Koenigsegg announced that it had "come to the painful and difficult conclusion that it could no longer carry out the acquisition."
It was announced on 14 December that the Chinese automaker would acquire the intellectual property rights and production equipment for the previous generation Saab 9-3 and Saab 9-5 in a deal worth about US$197 million, which was enough for the company to run for three months. BAIC has expressed their intent to create a new brand around the purchased technology and admitted to the purchase of "three overall vehicle platforms, two engine technologies and two transmission systems."
Following the collapse of talks with Koenigsegg, GM announced that the brand would be eliminated in 2010 if it failed to secure a buyer before the close of 2009. As talks with several firms failed, including the Netherlands-based boutique supercar maker Spyker
, GM formally announced their intention to wind down the Saab brand.
Undeterred, a new offer round materialized. Earlier bidders Spyker and Merbanco revised offers and were joined by a submission from Luxembourg-based Genii Capital
, who boasted the support of F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone
. GM continued accepting bids until a self-imposed deadline of January 7, 2010. Acknowledging that the chances for reaching a deal with any party were very slim, they pledged to evaluate each offer with due diligence.
Saab announced that it was going to build its US headquarters in Royal Oak, Michigan. A new Saab 9-3
was confirmed for 2012, while production restarted at the Saab plant in Sweden in March 2010. Victor Muller
, CEO and founder of Spyker Cars
stated in an interview that the take-over was financed solely by Vladimir Antonov with the knowledge of General Motors.
In July, the Company expected to sell between 50,000 to 55,000 vehicles in 2010. As part of its expansion programme Saab announced plans to return to China after General Motors withdrew the brand from the Chinese market in 2008 due to the global financial meltdown, Saab plan to sell between 2,000 and 5,000 cars initially and should reception of the vehicle go well they plan to move production to China as well, the deal will see 10 dealerships opened. The deal will be signed with China Automobile Trading Co. Ltd.
In October, the Company revised its production target for the year to 30,000 to 35,000 vehicles from 45,000 vehicles as a result of longer time was needed to recover from plant shutdown for two months at the beginning of the year and reverse liquidation proceeding.
It was reported that it was the second time forecast was cut in less than three months. Eventually Saab sold 31,696 cars in 2010.
At the beginning of April several suppliers halted shipment of components to the Trollhättan assembly plant because of unpaid invoices. As a result Saab had to stop production on April 5. On 3 May 2011, Spyker Cars reached an agreement with Chinese automaker Hawtai Motor
to obtain emergency funding for Saab aiming to restart production within a week. However, the deal collapsed on May 12 when it failed to get the necessary approvals. Spyker is still hopeful a deal can be made with Hawtai. Great Wall Motor, another Chinese carmaker, was also rumoured to be in talks with Spyker about investing, this was however denied by Great Wall on May 13.
On Monday, May 16, Spyker announced that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with China's Pang Da Automobile Trade Co., Ltd that would give Saab the financing needed to restart production, and give Pang Da an equity stake in Spyker.
On May 27 it was announced that 'Saab Automobile today restarted production at its production facility in Trollhättan.'
On June 8, Saab said it had stopped production due to lack of spare parts. This occurring only two weeks after resuming production following a seven-week hiatus. Saab will begin production again starting August 9.
On June 23, Saab announced that they were unable to pay June salaries to the entire workforce of 3800 employees due to lack of funding. The trade union IF Metall
gave Saab seven days to pay the salaries to their employees, otherwise IF Metall threatened to force a liquidation of the company. On June 29, Saab employees were paid.
In June, Youngman and Pang Da announced the intention to buy 54% of Saab for 245 million euro. They also announced that they would finance three new models, Saab 9-1
, Saab 9-6 and Saab 9-7.
On July 26, Saab announced that they were unable to pay July salaries to 1,600 white-collar worker
s. The company was also unable to verify when the salaries would be paid. However the entire workforce of blue-collar workers were paid on July 25. On July 27, it was reported that Bahama-based Gemini Fund would ensure employee salaries did not pay out to Saab, because of the uncertainty arising in securities that would protect the payment. On the same day it was also confirmed by Russian businessman Vladimir Antonov's Swedish representative Lars Carlström that Antonov has close ties to the fund. On July 28, the trade union, Unionen
announced that if Saab did not pay the white-collar workers within two weeks, Unionen will force the company into bankruptcy. On the same day, European Investment Bank
(EIB) announced they rejected the request from Vladimir Antonov to become part-owner of Saab. In response to that decision, the director general of Swedish National Debt Office
, Bo Lundgren
severely criticized the EIB for their handling of Antonov in recent months. On August 5, Saab paid the salaries to the white-collar workers through equity issuance where the Gemini Fund bought five million shares in Saab.
On August 17, the Swedish Enforcement Administration started a distraint
process of Saab as a result of the company not settling its debts. On August 19, it was confirmed that the Enforcement Administration had more than 90 cases with claims amounting to 169 million SEK ($25.5 million/€18.4 million) against Saab, of which 22 are currently in the distraint phase. On the same day, the Enforcement Administration found an account at Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken
, which they hoped contained at least 5.1 million SEK ($0.8 million/€0.555 million) which would be used to pay off Saab's debt to Kongsberg Automotive
. On August 23, Saab spokesperson, Gunilla Gustav, announced there was a chance the August salaries may not be paid because of lack of funding. One reason is that Saab has not received the money they were promised. The President of Unionen, Cecilia Fahlberg, is highly critical of unpaid slaries becoming an issue for the third time during the summer, and would restart bankruptcy proceedings unless the salaries were paid. As a result of the announcement, shares of Saab's parent company Swedish Automobiles, plummeted by 20%. On August 25, it was confirmed that the August salaries had not been paid to the blue-collar employees, and most likely its white-collar workers also, whose salaries were rumoured to be paid on August 26. On the same day, Enforcement Administration announced that it has foreclosed on about 50 million SEK ($7.9 million/€5.45 million) and they are entitled to the money from the company's payroll account if they do not find the remainder earlier. Saab must have approximately 100 million SEK ($15.8 million/€10.9 million) each month in the payroll account in order to remunerate their entire workforce. On August 26, Swedish Automobile announced that they have pushed forward the interim report until next week (week 35). On the same day it was reported that Saab was preparing an application for reconstruction of the company. Saab was lacking the appropriate funds to start production, pay salaries to their employees, and debts to their subcontractors. On August 31, after a 5-day delay, Saab released its interim report which announced a loss of € 201.5 million with revenues of € 359 million after the first six months. It was also reported that Saab was preparing an application for reconstruction of the company. Again this is as a result of insufficient funds preventing the start of production, payment of employee salaries, and payment of subcontractor debts.
On 28 October 2011 it was reported that the Chinese carmaker Youngman and the Chinese automotive retailer Pang Da Automobile Trade Co had agreed a joint $140 million takeover of Saab Automobile and its UK dealer network unit from Swedish Automobile, with Youngman and Pang Da taking 60 and 40 percent stakes respectively.
Saab manufactured various models at the Valmet Automotive
plant in Uusikaupunki
, Finland, between 1969 and 2003, in a joint-venture established in 1968 together with Valmet
. Since 2003, Saab no longer manufactures any cars in Finland as the production of the 9-3 Convertible
was moved to Graz
, Austria. In 2010 production of the 9-3 Convertible was moved to Trollhättan. This marked the first time that the Trollhättan facility manufactures the 9-3 Convertible.
and 9-5
, both of which are manufactured in Trollhättan
, Sweden. Until 2008, the 9-7X
was manufactured by General Motors
along with the Chevrolet Trailblazer
and its platform-mates. The exception to this naming rule is the Saab-Lancia 600, which was a rebadged
Lancia Delta
.
as elk are a common cause of accidents in Sweden. Saab have compiled a database containing over 6,100 real-life accidents with Saabs. The first recorded event was in 1948 where Julian Shermis had an accident.
All modern Saabs (except the 9000
and 9-2X
) have a floor-mounted ignition. This is for many reasons, some of which follow: Saab believes this is a safer position in case of an accident. The driver's knee often jerks upward in a collision; the compact and dense ignition module on the steering column of many other cars has shattered many kneecaps. Saabs have bolstered dashboards for both front seat occupants. Also, the floor-mounted position yields more space, allowing modern Saabs to have a metal bar that rotates over and up into the ignition when the key is turned to the "Lock" position. This makes Saabs very challenging to hotwire. Ergonomically, the ignition's location next to the parking brake lever, gearshift, and seatbelt, saves time. Last of all, the ignition is located on the floor because, in the aircraft that inspired Saab automobiles, the throttle controls were all located on the floor. Originally Saabs also had the key located on the right side of the steering column, but when they changed from a column shifter to a floor shifter, the ignition key followed along, except in the Sonett III and 9000.
Turbos set 2 world records and 21 international records at the Talladega Superspeedway
in Talladega, Alabama
, USA. 100000 km (62,137.3 mi) were covered with an average speed of 213.299 km/h (132.537 mph) and 50000 miles (80,467 km) with an average speed of 213.686 km/h (132.778 mph).
Ten years later, in 1996, three standard Saab 900 (NG) Turbos driven by factory test drivers and two standard naturally aspirated Saab 900s driven by journalists set new world records on the same speedway.
In early December 2006, a Wisconsin
traveling salesman donated his 1989 Saab 900
SPG (Special Performance Group) to the Wisconsin Automotive Museum after amassing 1001385 miles (1,611,568.9 km) on the original factory engine. This mileage was verified by Saab.
Dating back to 1937, Svenska Aeroplan AB (SAAB) created airplanes, introducing their first car, the Saab 92001
, in 1947. Currently, Saab
AB is separate from Saab Automobile (which is owned by Swedish Automobile, formerly Spyker Cars), and is probably best known for its Saab 37 Viggen (the Viggen badge would be shared by a 9-3
). This has led to an ad campaign, "Born From Jets", evoking the days when Saab produced both aircraft and automobiles. Saab is imported into many countries. Each company has a president to the subsidiary or importer. In the case of the U.S., the first president was Mr. R. Millet.
In 1987, Saab created a TV advertisement called "Saab suite" (subtitled Ballet in 3 acts for 8 Saab 9000 Turbos). In the film, stunt drivers show incredible driving with stock cars, such as one-wheeled burnouts, bumper-to-bumper driving through a slalom, cars slaloming from opposite directions on the same course, two-wheel driving, sliding in full speed, and jumping over passing cars—all on a closed airport runway with classical music playing in the background. Click Here to view the video.
To commemorate its 40th anniversary, Saab formed a Performance Team in 1987, which laid on exhibitions of automobile acrobatics and formation driving. Initially this was done with Saab 9000s, as above, then later models, such as the Saab 900 (NG) were used. All of the team's members have previously competed in rallies, but what's unusual is that all 5 Performance Team members hold regular jobs at Saab: there are two engineers, a quality controller, a technician and the head of Saab's photo studio. The picture shows these vehicles on display at the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of the Saab Aircraft Company
, at Linköping
, in 1997. Click here to view one of their videos
A Hewlett-Packard CPU-support chip features a Saab 900 Turbo 16 Cabriolet etched into its structure.
. Writer John Crace
characterised the typical "Snaab" as a creative advertising executive
with large spectacles and an asymmetric hairstyle
. Rüdiger Hossiep, a psychologist at Ruhr University Bochum, found that Saab drivers have the highest level of psychological involvement with their cars, being over 10 times more passionate than the average Volkswagen
driver. Saab's main three markets are Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States.
's vehicle of choice in many of the John Gardner
Bond novels of the 1980s, beginning with Licence Renewed
. In the second novel, For Special Services
, the 900 was dubbed the "Silver Beast". The car is Bond's private vehicle that he had outfitted with various gadgets by the real-life company Communication Control Systems, Ltd. (CCS). In conjunction with the release of Licence Renewed, Saab had a real "Silver Beast" created that was virtually identical to the specifications in the book. The car is currently located at the Saab Museum in Trollhättan
, Sweden.
In an essay originally published in In These Times
in November, 2004 entitled Have I Got A Car For You, writer Kurt Vonnegut
recounts his experiences as the owner/operator of a Saab dealership in West Barnstable, Massachusetts
and humorously claims that his criticism of Swedish engineering is the reason he was never awarded a Nobel Prize in Literature
. The essay also appeared in the 2005 anthology A Man Without A Country.
and a 850. Saab also entered its 9-3
in the Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship
.
Acronym and initialism
Acronyms and initialisms are abbreviations formed from the initial components in a phrase or a word. These components may be individual letters or parts of words . There is no universal agreement on the precise definition of the various terms , nor on written usage...
for Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget), is a Swedish car manufacturer
Automotive industry
The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles, and is one of the world's most important economic sectors by revenue....
owned by Dutch automobile manufacturer Swedish Automobile NV, formerly Spyker Cars NV. It is the exclusive automobile Royal Warrant
Royal Warrant
Royal warrants of appointment have been issued for centuries to those who supply goods or services to a royal court or certain royal personages. The warrant enables the supplier to advertise the fact that they supply to the royal family, so lending prestige to the supplier...
holder as appointed by the King of Sweden
Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden
Carl XVI Gustaf is the reigning King of Sweden since 15 September 1973, succeeding his grandfather King Gustaf VI Adolf because his father had predeceased him...
. Originally the automobile manufacturing division of Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget (Swedish Aeroplane Limited), later known as Saab AB
Saab
Saab AB is a Swedish aerospace and defence company, founded in 1937. From 1947 to 1990 it was the parent company of automobile manufacturer Saab Automobile, and between 1968 and 1995 the company was in a merger with commercial vehicle manufacturer Scania, known as Saab-Scania.-History:"Svenska...
, Saab Automobile was acquired by General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
in 1990 who sold it to Spyker Cars N.V. (now Swedish Automobile) in 2010.
Company history
Saab was originally a division of Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget (Swedish Aeroplane Limited), which had been created in 1937 in LinköpingLinköping
Linköping is a city in southern middle Sweden, with 104 232 inhabitants in 2010. It is the seat of Linköping Municipality with 146 736 inhabitants and the capital of Östergötland County...
. The company had been established in 1937 for the express purpose of building aircraft for the Swedish Air Force
Swedish Air Force
The Swedish Air Force is the air force branch of the Swedish Armed Forces.-History:The Swedish Air Force was created on July 1, 1926 when the aircraft units of the Army and Navy were merged. Because of the escalating international tension during the 1930s the Air Force was reorganized and expanded...
to protect the country's neutrality as Europe moved closer to war
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. As the war drew towards a close and the market for fighter planes evaporated, the company began looking for new markets in which to diversify.
Svenska Aeroplan AB (1948–1969)
In 1944, Project 92 began, with the goal of creating the first Saab passenger car. The result, the Saab 92001
Saab 92001
thumb|right|350px|UrsaabThe first Saab Automobile was the SAAB 92001, the Ursaab.As the Second World War was drawing to a close, the SAAB company, a manufacturer of warplanes, realised that it needed to enter a different market. An automobile project was envisaged codenamed XP92, meaning...
(or Ursaab), was unveiled three years later, with a design that highlighted the company's roots in aviation. Notably, the car's drag coefficient
Automobile drag coefficient
The drag coefficient is a common metric in automotive design pertaining to aerodynamic effects. As aerodynamic drag increases as the square of speed, a low value is preferable to a high one...
of 0.30 was the lowest of any production car of the time.
Three years into Project 92, a company site in Trollhättan
Trollhättan
Trollhättan is a city and the seat of Trollhättan Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden with 44,498 inhabitants in 2005. It is located 75 km north of Sweden's second-largest city, Gothenburg....
was converted to allow automobile assembly and the project moved there. The company has remained headquartered there since.
In 1949, Saab was ready to bring the car to market, and the Saab 92
Saab 92
Saab 92 is an automobile from Saab. The design was very aerodynamic for its time, and the cW value was 0.30 . The entire body was stamped out of one piece of sheet metal and then cut to accommodate doors and windows. Full-scale production started December 12, 1949, based on the prototype Saab 92001...
went into production, selling 20,000 examples through the mid-1950s.
The 92 was thoroughly redesigned and reengineered in 1955, and accordingly was renamed the Saab 93
Saab 93
The Saab 93, pronounced ninety-three, is an automobile manufactured by Saab. It was announced on August 18, 1955, and was first presented on December 1, 1955. It was styled by Sixten Sason and had a longitudinally-mounted three-cylinder 748 cc Saab two-stroke engine giving 33 hp . The...
. The car's engine gained a cylinder, going from two to three and its front fascia became the first to sport the first incarnation of Saab's trademark trapezoidal radiator grill. A wagon variant, the Saab 95
Saab 95
The Saab 95 was a 7-seater, 2-door station wagon made by Saab. Initially it was based on the Saab 93 sedan version, but the model's development throughout the years followed closely that of the 96 since the 93 was put off the market in 1960...
, was added in 1959.
The decade also saw Saab's first foray into performance motoring with the Saab 94, the first of the four Saab Sonett
Saab Sonett
The Saab Sonett is an automobile manufactured between 1955 and 1957 and again between 1966 and 1974 by Saab Automobile AB of Sweden. Sonetts shared engines and other components with Saab 96s and 95s of the same era....
s.
1960 saw the third major revision to the 92's platform in the Saab 96
Saab 96
For the modern car, see Saab 9-6The Saab 96 is an automobile made by Saab. It was introduced in 1960 and was produced until January 1980, a run of 20 years. Like the 93 it replaced, the 96 was a development from the old Saab 92 chassis and, on account of its improvements and modernisation, it...
. The 96 was an important model for Saab: it was the first Saab to be widely exported out of Sweden. It proved very popular, selling nearly 550,000 examples.
Even more important to the company's fortunes was 1968's Saab 99
Saab 99
- Development :On April 2, 1965, Gudmund's day in Sweden, after several years of planning, the Saab board started Project Gudmund. This was a project to develop a new and larger car to take the manufacturer beyond the market for the smaller Saab 96...
. The 99 was the first all-new Saab in 19 years, and unlike its predecessors, severed all ties with the 92. The 99 had many innovations and features that would come to define Saabs for decades: wraparound windscreen, self-repairing bumpers, headlamp washers and side-impact door beams.
The design by Sixten Sason
Sixten Sason
Sixten Sason was a Swedish industrial designer.Sason started working for Saab, designing aircraft throughout World War II. Following the war, he was asked to contribute to Project 92, the result of which would be the first Saab automobile, the Saab 92 which began production in 1949...
was no less revolutionary than the underlying technology, and elements like the Saab "hockey stick"
Saab hockey stick
The hockey stick is a automotive design feature seen on all Saab automobiles. It is a C-pillar curve from the base of the rear passenger window that resembles the shape of an ice hockey stick or the Nike swoosh symbol....
profile graphic continue to influence Saab design.
Saab-Scania (1969–1989)
The 99 range was expanded in 1973 with the addition of a combi coupe model, a body style which quickly became synonymous with Saab. Owing to its great success, the millionth Saab was produced in 1976.
Saab entered into an agreement with Fiat
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
in 1978 to sell a rebadged
Badge engineering
Badge engineering is an ironic term that describes the rebadging of one product as another...
Lancia Delta
Lancia Delta
The Lancia Delta is a small family car produced by Italian automaker Lancia with the first generation being produced between 1979 and 1994, the second generation running from 1993 until 1999, and the third generation Delta entering production in 2008. It was first shown inFrankfurt Motor Show in 1979...
as the Saab 600
Saab 600
The Saab-Lancia 600 is a rebadged Lancia Delta, sold by Saab after a deal with Lancia.The deal was a part of the 1980s co-operation between the Swedish car manufacturer Saab and the Italian Fiat Group, which includes Lancia and Alfa Romeo in addition to Fiat...
and jointly develop a new platform. The agreement yielded 1985's Saab 9000
Saab 9000
The Saab 9000 is an automobile that was produced by the Swedish company Saab from 1984 to 1997. The 9000 was replaced by the 9-5 in the late 1997....
, sister to the Alfa Romeo 164
Alfa Romeo 164
The Alfa Romeo 164 is an executive car with saloon body, produced by the Italian automaker Alfa Romeo from 1987 to 1998.The 164 was re-badged as the 168 for the Hong Kong and Malaysian markets, as the number "164" had a very negative connotation , and "168" has quite the opposite The Alfa Romeo 164...
, Fiat Croma
Fiat Croma
The Fiat Croma is a nameplate used for two automobiles produced by Italian automaker Fiat, one a large family car built from 1985 to 1996 and the other a cross-over wagon built from 2005 to 2011.- Fiat Croma :...
and Lancia Thema
Lancia Thema
The Lancia Thema is an executive car produced by the Italian automaker Lancia between 1984 and 1994, and one of four cars to share the Type Four platform alongside the Alfa Romeo 164, Fiat Croma and Saab 9000...
; all rode atop a common Type Four chassis
Type Four chassis
The Type Four chassis was a common front wheel drive platform used in the 1980s and 1990s for the Saab 9000, Fiat Croma, Lancia Thema and Alfa Romeo 164. It emerged as an agreement between the four carmakers in October 1978 to reduce development costs. The Fiat and Lancia looked much like the Saab,...
. The 9000 was Saab's first proper luxury car.
1978 also was the first year for the 99's intended replacement: the Saab 900
Saab 900
The Saab 900 was a car produced by Saab Automobile from 1978 until 1998 in two generations. The first generation from 1978 to 1993 is known as the "classic"; the generation from 1994 to 1998 is known as the "new generation" ....
. Nearly one million 900s would be produced, making it Saab's best-selling model. A popular convertible version followed in 1986, all of which were made at the Saab-Valmet factory in Finland, making up nearly 20% of 900 sales. Even today, the "classic 900" retains a cult following among enthusiasts.
General Motors ownership (1989–2010)
In 1989, the Saab car division of Saab-Scania was restructured into an independent company, Saab Automobile AB, headquartered in Sweden; General Motors and Investor AB controlled 50% each. GM's investment of US $600 million gave them the option to acquire the remaining shares within a decade.GM's involvement spurred the launch of a new 900 in 1994. The new car shared a platform with the Opel Vectra
Opel Vectra
The Opel Vectra is a large family car that was engineered and produced by Opel. In the United Kingdom, the car was sold under the Vauxhall marque as the Vauxhall Cavalier and later as the Vauxhall Vectra, from 1995 onwards...
. Due in large part to its success, Saab earned a profit in 1995 for the first time in seven years. However, the model never achieved the cult following of the "classic 900" and did not achieve the same reputation for quality.
1997 marked Saab's 50th anniversary as an automaker. The company used their jubilee owner's convention to launch a replacement for the aging 9000: the Saab 9-5
Saab 9-5
The Saab 9-5 is an executive car produced by the Swedish automobile maker Saab. The first generation was introduced in 1997 as the replacement to the Saab 9000 for the 1998 model year. At the time, the car represented a great leap forward for Saab...
. The 900 received a facelift and renaming complimentary to its new larger sibling: it would now be called the Saab 9-3
Saab 9-3
The first generation 9-3, a substantially improved 'new-generation' Saab 900 was launched in 1998 for the 1999 model year. Saab claimed that 1,100 changes were made, including a revised suspension in an attempt to tighten up the handling characteristics of its predecessor, the Saab 900...
. The 9-5 was the first Saab without a combi coupe bodystyle option in twenty years. Filling that space was a wagon variant, introduced in 1999.
GM exercised their option to acquire the remaining Saab shares in 2000, spending US $125 million to the turn the company into a wholly owned subsidiary.
The newly close relationship yielded its first product in 2003's all-new 9-3. The new model, marketed as a sport sedan, dropped Saab's iconic hatchback in favor of a more conventional four-door approach. The model shared a platform and components with the Vectra again, but the relationship was much closer than had been in the past.
Under GM's direction, the badge-engineered
Badge engineering
Badge engineering is an ironic term that describes the rebadging of one product as another...
Saab 9-2X
Saab 9-2X
The Saab 9-2X is a station wagon automobile that was sold by Saab only in North America as a 2005 and 2006 model year car. It was built in Japan by Fuji Heavy Industries’ Gunma Yajima Plant Ōta, Gunma....
(based on the Subaru Impreza
Subaru Impreza
Introduced in November 1993, the Impreza was offered in either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive versions and as a four-door sedan/saloon or five-door station wagon/estate. According to a Motor Trend article written March 1992 on page 26, the name of Subaru's new compact was, initially, to be...
) and Saab 9-7X
Saab 9-7X
The Saab 9-7X was a Saab-branded mid-size sport utility vehicle based on General Motors' GMT360 platform, which also included the GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier, Oldsmobile Bravada, Isuzu Ascender, and Chevrolet TrailBlazer The Saab 9-7X was a Saab-branded mid-size sport utility vehicle (SUV) based on...
(based on the Chevrolet Trailblazer
Chevrolet TrailBlazer
The Chevrolet TrailBlazer is a mid-size sport utility vehicle produced by the Chevrolet division of American automaker General Motors.On November 10th, 2011, General Motors officially revealed a second generation of the vehicle to be sold worldwide...
) were introduced in the American market in 2005 with the hope of increase sales. Both models were a critical and commercial failure and were scrapped a few years after production. GM also delayed the 9-3 wagon by three years, canceled a 9-5 replacement in 2005 and announced a planned shift of production away from Saab's historic home in Trollhättan to Opel
Opel
Adam Opel AG, generally shortened to Opel, is a German automobile company founded by Adam Opel in 1862. Opel has been building automobiles since 1899, and became an Aktiengesellschaft in 1929...
's factory in Rüsselsheim
Rüsselsheim
Rüsselsheim is the largest town in the Groß-Gerau district in the Rhein-Main region of Germany. It is one of seven special status towns in Hesse and is located on the Main, only a few kilometres from its mouth in Mainz. The suburbs of Bauschheim and Königstädten are included in Rüsselsheim...
.
Owing to fading fortunes across their entire business, GM announced that the Saab brand was "under review" in December 2008, a process which included the possibility of selling or shuttering the carmaker. Reportedly, 27 potential buyers emerged, including BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
, Fiat
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
, Geely, Hyundai
Hyundai Kia Automotive Group
The Hyundai Kia Automotive Group is South Korea's largest automobile manufacturer, the second largest automaker in Asia after Toyota and the world's fourth largest automaker after Toyota, GM, and Volkswagen as of the end of 2010...
, Magna
Magna International
Magna International Inc. , is an automotive supplier headquartered in Aurora, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's largest automobile parts manufacturer, and one of the country's largest companies. It owns the Magna Steyr automobile production company of Austria....
, Renault
Renault
Renault S.A. is a French automaker producing cars, vans, and in the past, autorail vehicles, trucks, tractors, vans and also buses/coaches. Its alliance with Nissan makes it the world's third largest automaker...
and Tata Motors
Tata Motors
Tata Motors Limited is an Indian multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Mumbai, India. Part of the Tata Group, it was formerly known as TELCO...
; serious talks progressed with three bidders: Koenigsegg
Koenigsegg
Koenigsegg Automotive AB is a Swedish manufacturer of high-performance sports cars based in Ängelholm.-Company:The company was founded in 1994 in Sweden by Christian von Koenigsegg, with the intention of producing a world-class supercar...
, Merbanco and Renco Group
Renco Group
Renco Group is a New York City-based holding company controlled by Ira Rennert that invests in other companies across a range of industries.-History:...
.
As the talks progressed, GM's support receded, and the company went into administration, the Swedish equivalent of America's Chapter 11 bankruptcy
Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code
Chapter 11 is a chapter of the United States Bankruptcy Code, which permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Chapter 11 bankruptcy is available to every business, whether organized as a corporation or sole proprietorship, and to individuals, although it is most...
. Saab's managing director Jan-Åke Jonsson
Jan-Åke Jonsson
Jan-Åke Jonsson has been the managing director of Saab Automobile AB since April 1, 2005.Born in Valdemarsvik, Sweden, on September 18, 1951, Jonsson received a Bachelor degree in Business Administration from Uppsala University and first joined Saab-Scania's Automobile Division in Nyköping in 1973...
said that this was "the best way to create a truly independent entity that is ready for investment". For its part, the Swedish government was reluctant to become involved, with Maud Olofsson
Maud Olofsson
Maud Elisabeth Olofsson is a Swedish politician, the former leader of the Centre Party of Sweden between 2001-2011, and the former Minister for Enterprise and Energy between 2006 and 2011...
, industry minister, saying: "The Swedish state and taxpayers in Sweden will not own car factories. Sometimes you get the impression that this is a small, small company but it is the world's biggest automaker so we have a right to make demands."
On 16 June 2009, Koenigsegg, the Swedish supercar maker, announced their intentions to purchase the brand from GM. The bid was backed by a group of Norwegian investors and the Chinese carmaker BAIC. The following month, both parties announced that GM had consented to the deal. There were outstanding financial details, but a loan from the European Investment Bank
European Investment Bank
The European Investment Bank is the European Union's long-term lending institution established in 1958 under the Treaty of Rome. A policy-driven bank, the EIB supports the EU’s priority objectives, especially European integration and the development of economically weak regions...
was expected to cover them. The loan was approved in October, but on November 24, Koenigsegg announced that it had "come to the painful and difficult conclusion that it could no longer carry out the acquisition."
It was announced on 14 December that the Chinese automaker would acquire the intellectual property rights and production equipment for the previous generation Saab 9-3 and Saab 9-5 in a deal worth about US$197 million, which was enough for the company to run for three months. BAIC has expressed their intent to create a new brand around the purchased technology and admitted to the purchase of "three overall vehicle platforms, two engine technologies and two transmission systems."
Following the collapse of talks with Koenigsegg, GM announced that the brand would be eliminated in 2010 if it failed to secure a buyer before the close of 2009. As talks with several firms failed, including the Netherlands-based boutique supercar maker Spyker
Spyker Cars
Spyker Cars is a Dutch sports car marque. The modern Spyker Cars only has the legal right to the brand name. The company's motto is "Nulla tenaci invia est via", which is Latin for "For the tenacious, no road is impassable". The marque's logo displays the piston engine of an airplane, a reference...
, GM formally announced their intention to wind down the Saab brand.
Undeterred, a new offer round materialized. Earlier bidders Spyker and Merbanco revised offers and were joined by a submission from Luxembourg-based Genii Capital
Genii Capital
Genii Capital is an international financial advisory and investment firm, which specialises in brand management, promising technologies, motorsport and a wide spectrum of venture capitalism activities. It was created in 2008, by two Luxembourger investors, Gerard Lopez and Eric Lux and has a...
, who boasted the support of F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone
Bernie Ecclestone
Bernard Charles "Bernie" Ecclestone is an English business magnate, as president and CEO of Formula One Management and Formula One Administration and through his part-ownership of Alpha Prema, the parent company of the Formula One Group of companies. As such, he is generally considered the primary...
. GM continued accepting bids until a self-imposed deadline of January 7, 2010. Acknowledging that the chances for reaching a deal with any party were very slim, they pledged to evaluate each offer with due diligence.
2010
On 26 January, General Motors confirmed that Spyker and General Motors had come to an agreement allowing Spyker to purchase Saab, subject to regulatory and government approval; the sale was completed on February 23, 2010. General Motors will continue to supply Saab with engines, transmissions and also completed vehicles in the shape of the new Saab 9-4x from GM's Mexican factory. The deal includes a loan from the European Investment Bank, guaranteed by the Swedish government. It comprises $74m in cash up front, payable to GM by July 2010, and shares in Spyker to the tune of $320m (US).Saab announced that it was going to build its US headquarters in Royal Oak, Michigan. A new Saab 9-3
Saab 9-3
The first generation 9-3, a substantially improved 'new-generation' Saab 900 was launched in 1998 for the 1999 model year. Saab claimed that 1,100 changes were made, including a revised suspension in an attempt to tighten up the handling characteristics of its predecessor, the Saab 900...
was confirmed for 2012, while production restarted at the Saab plant in Sweden in March 2010. Victor Muller
Victor Muller
Victor Roberto Muller is a Dutch businessman. He is the founder and CEO of Dutch car company Spyker Cars NV, and current chairman and CEO of the Swedish car company Saab Automobile AB.-Education and early career:...
, CEO and founder of Spyker Cars
Spyker Cars
Spyker Cars is a Dutch sports car marque. The modern Spyker Cars only has the legal right to the brand name. The company's motto is "Nulla tenaci invia est via", which is Latin for "For the tenacious, no road is impassable". The marque's logo displays the piston engine of an airplane, a reference...
stated in an interview that the take-over was financed solely by Vladimir Antonov with the knowledge of General Motors.
In July, the Company expected to sell between 50,000 to 55,000 vehicles in 2010. As part of its expansion programme Saab announced plans to return to China after General Motors withdrew the brand from the Chinese market in 2008 due to the global financial meltdown, Saab plan to sell between 2,000 and 5,000 cars initially and should reception of the vehicle go well they plan to move production to China as well, the deal will see 10 dealerships opened. The deal will be signed with China Automobile Trading Co. Ltd.
In October, the Company revised its production target for the year to 30,000 to 35,000 vehicles from 45,000 vehicles as a result of longer time was needed to recover from plant shutdown for two months at the beginning of the year and reverse liquidation proceeding.
It was reported that it was the second time forecast was cut in less than three months. Eventually Saab sold 31,696 cars in 2010.
2011
On February 25, Spyker Cars N.V. announced they had agreed to sell the sports car arm to focus on Saab. They intend to change their name, in May, to include the Saab name.At the beginning of April several suppliers halted shipment of components to the Trollhättan assembly plant because of unpaid invoices. As a result Saab had to stop production on April 5. On 3 May 2011, Spyker Cars reached an agreement with Chinese automaker Hawtai Motor
Hawtai Motor
Rongcheng HawTai Automobile Co Ltd is a Chinese passenger vehicle maker from Shandong province. A former joint venture partner of Hyundai Motors, Hawtai continues to use technology from this Korean automaker as of 2010....
to obtain emergency funding for Saab aiming to restart production within a week. However, the deal collapsed on May 12 when it failed to get the necessary approvals. Spyker is still hopeful a deal can be made with Hawtai. Great Wall Motor, another Chinese carmaker, was also rumoured to be in talks with Spyker about investing, this was however denied by Great Wall on May 13.
On Monday, May 16, Spyker announced that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with China's Pang Da Automobile Trade Co., Ltd that would give Saab the financing needed to restart production, and give Pang Da an equity stake in Spyker.
On May 27 it was announced that 'Saab Automobile today restarted production at its production facility in Trollhättan.'
On June 8, Saab said it had stopped production due to lack of spare parts. This occurring only two weeks after resuming production following a seven-week hiatus. Saab will begin production again starting August 9.
On June 23, Saab announced that they were unable to pay June salaries to the entire workforce of 3800 employees due to lack of funding. The trade union IF Metall
IF Metall
IF Metall is a trade union in Sweden. It was formed in a 2006 merger between the Swedish Industrial Union and the Swedish Metalworkers' Union...
gave Saab seven days to pay the salaries to their employees, otherwise IF Metall threatened to force a liquidation of the company. On June 29, Saab employees were paid.
In June, Youngman and Pang Da announced the intention to buy 54% of Saab for 245 million euro. They also announced that they would finance three new models, Saab 9-1
Saab 9-1
The Saab 9-1X is speculated to be a future subcompact luxury car from Saab Automobile. It would be based on the Saab 9-X Biohybrid concept car shown at the 2008 Geneva Auto Show, and expected to compete with other premium small cars such as the BMW Mini...
, Saab 9-6 and Saab 9-7.
On July 26, Saab announced that they were unable to pay July salaries to 1,600 white-collar worker
White-collar worker
The term white-collar worker refers to a person who performs professional, managerial, or administrative work, in contrast with a blue-collar worker, whose job requires manual labor...
s. The company was also unable to verify when the salaries would be paid. However the entire workforce of blue-collar workers were paid on July 25. On July 27, it was reported that Bahama-based Gemini Fund would ensure employee salaries did not pay out to Saab, because of the uncertainty arising in securities that would protect the payment. On the same day it was also confirmed by Russian businessman Vladimir Antonov's Swedish representative Lars Carlström that Antonov has close ties to the fund. On July 28, the trade union, Unionen
Unionen
Unionen is a Swedish white-collar trade union, formed by HTF and Sif on 1 January 2008. Unionen is the second biggest trade union in Sweden and the biggest white-collar union in the world....
announced that if Saab did not pay the white-collar workers within two weeks, Unionen will force the company into bankruptcy. On the same day, European Investment Bank
European Investment Bank
The European Investment Bank is the European Union's long-term lending institution established in 1958 under the Treaty of Rome. A policy-driven bank, the EIB supports the EU’s priority objectives, especially European integration and the development of economically weak regions...
(EIB) announced they rejected the request from Vladimir Antonov to become part-owner of Saab. In response to that decision, the director general of Swedish National Debt Office
Swedish National Debt Office
The Swedish National Debt Office founded by the Riksdag of the Estates in 1789, is a Government agency in Sweden. The first task of the Debt office was to finance the War against Russia started by King Gustav III....
, Bo Lundgren
Bo Lundgren
Bo Axel Magnus Lundgren is a Swedish politician. He is the former leader of the Moderate Party. Lundgren was born in Kristianstad in Skåne. Between 1991 and 1994, he served as Deputy Minister of Finance with special responsibility for taxation...
severely criticized the EIB for their handling of Antonov in recent months. On August 5, Saab paid the salaries to the white-collar workers through equity issuance where the Gemini Fund bought five million shares in Saab.
On August 17, the Swedish Enforcement Administration started a distraint
Distraint
Distraint or distress is "the seizure of someone’s property in order to obtain payment of rent or other money owed", especially in common law countries...
process of Saab as a result of the company not settling its debts. On August 19, it was confirmed that the Enforcement Administration had more than 90 cases with claims amounting to 169 million SEK ($25.5 million/€18.4 million) against Saab, of which 22 are currently in the distraint phase. On the same day, the Enforcement Administration found an account at Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken
Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken
Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB is a Swedish financial group for corporate customers, institutions and private individuals with headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden. Its activities comprise mainly banking services, but SEB also carries out significant life insurance operations and also owns Eurocard...
, which they hoped contained at least 5.1 million SEK ($0.8 million/€0.555 million) which would be used to pay off Saab's debt to Kongsberg Automotive
Kongsberg Automotive
Kongsberg Automotive Holding ASA is an automotive parts manufacturer based in Kongsberg, Norway. The company produces a broad range of parts with production plants throughout the world. The company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange-History:...
. On August 23, Saab spokesperson, Gunilla Gustav, announced there was a chance the August salaries may not be paid because of lack of funding. One reason is that Saab has not received the money they were promised. The President of Unionen, Cecilia Fahlberg, is highly critical of unpaid slaries becoming an issue for the third time during the summer, and would restart bankruptcy proceedings unless the salaries were paid. As a result of the announcement, shares of Saab's parent company Swedish Automobiles, plummeted by 20%. On August 25, it was confirmed that the August salaries had not been paid to the blue-collar employees, and most likely its white-collar workers also, whose salaries were rumoured to be paid on August 26. On the same day, Enforcement Administration announced that it has foreclosed on about 50 million SEK ($7.9 million/€5.45 million) and they are entitled to the money from the company's payroll account if they do not find the remainder earlier. Saab must have approximately 100 million SEK ($15.8 million/€10.9 million) each month in the payroll account in order to remunerate their entire workforce. On August 26, Swedish Automobile announced that they have pushed forward the interim report until next week (week 35). On the same day it was reported that Saab was preparing an application for reconstruction of the company. Saab was lacking the appropriate funds to start production, pay salaries to their employees, and debts to their subcontractors. On August 31, after a 5-day delay, Saab released its interim report which announced a loss of € 201.5 million with revenues of € 359 million after the first six months. It was also reported that Saab was preparing an application for reconstruction of the company. Again this is as a result of insufficient funds preventing the start of production, payment of employee salaries, and payment of subcontractor debts.
2nd bankruptcy protection
On September 7, 2011, Saab Automobile filed for bankruptcy protection for the second time in less than three years. The aim was to keep the company alive until Chinese government approval for a € 245 million deal agreed in June 2011 with Pang Da Automobile Trade co. and Zhejiang Youngman Lotus Automobile could be obtained. On September 8, Swedish courts rejected Saab's bankruptcy petition, expressing doubt that the automaker could secure the funding necessary to continue. On September 12, Saab announced that they had signed a technology license agreement worth € 70 million with Zhejiang Youngman Lotus Automobile. On the same day, it became known that the trade unions, Unionen and Swedish Organization for Managers (Ledarna) submitted the application to request Saab into liquidation. Saab Automobile confirmed through a press release that the trade unions had filed for bankruptcy of the company. However, on September 22, Saab Automobile AB and its subsidiaries Saab Automobile Powertrain AB and Saab Automobile Tools AB (collectively Saab Automobile) received approval for their proposal for voluntary reorganization from the Court of Appeal in Gothenburg, Sweden.On 28 October 2011 it was reported that the Chinese carmaker Youngman and the Chinese automotive retailer Pang Da Automobile Trade Co had agreed a joint $140 million takeover of Saab Automobile and its UK dealer network unit from Swedish Automobile, with Youngman and Pang Da taking 60 and 40 percent stakes respectively.
Production
Saab's total world production in 2008 was 90,281 vehicles produced in 3 countries.| Country | Cars (2010) | Cars (2009) | Cars (2008) | Cars (2007) | Models |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sweden Trollhättan Trollhättan Trollhättan is a city and the seat of Trollhättan Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden with 44,498 inhabitants in 2005. It is located 75 km north of Sweden's second-largest city, Gothenburg.... |
32,048 | 20,950 | 75,073 | 102,915 | 9-3 Sedan, Wagon, and Convertible, 9-5 Sedan and Wagon |
| Mexico Ramos Arizpe Ramos Arizpe Ramos Arizpe is a city and seat of the surrounding municipality of the same name in the Mexican state of Coahuila. Ramos Arizpe is located 11 km from the state capital of Saltillo. It is part of the Saltillo metropolitan area. The city reported a population of 48,228 in the 2005 census; the... |
0 | 98 | 0 | 0 | 9-4x (Q2 2011) |
| Total | 32,048 | 20,905 | 89,086 | 125,397 |
Saab manufactured various models at the Valmet Automotive
Valmet Automotive
Valmet Automotive is a Finnish car maker. The majority of company is owned by Metso . Valmet Automotive is a contract manufacturer of specialty automobiles.-Production:...
plant in Uusikaupunki
Uusikaupunki
Uusikaupunki , is a town and municipality of Finland.It is located in the Finland Proper region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is inland water. The population density is .The municipality is unilingually Finnish...
, Finland, between 1969 and 2003, in a joint-venture established in 1968 together with Valmet
Valmet
' was a Finnish state-owned conglomerate. Valmet was formed in 1951, when the state of Finland decided to group their various factories working on war reparations to the Soviet Union under one company...
. Since 2003, Saab no longer manufactures any cars in Finland as the production of the 9-3 Convertible
Convertible
A convertible is a type of automobile in which the roof can retract and fold away having windows which wind-down inside the doors, converting it from an enclosed to an open-air vehicle...
was moved to Graz
Graz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
, Austria. In 2010 production of the 9-3 Convertible was moved to Trollhättan. This marked the first time that the Trollhättan facility manufactures the 9-3 Convertible.
Models
A common feature of Saab car types is the use of the number 9 in the model numbers. Current models are the 9-3Saab 9-3
The first generation 9-3, a substantially improved 'new-generation' Saab 900 was launched in 1998 for the 1999 model year. Saab claimed that 1,100 changes were made, including a revised suspension in an attempt to tighten up the handling characteristics of its predecessor, the Saab 900...
and 9-5
Saab 9-5
The Saab 9-5 is an executive car produced by the Swedish automobile maker Saab. The first generation was introduced in 1997 as the replacement to the Saab 9000 for the 1998 model year. At the time, the car represented a great leap forward for Saab...
, both of which are manufactured in Trollhättan
Trollhättan
Trollhättan is a city and the seat of Trollhättan Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden with 44,498 inhabitants in 2005. It is located 75 km north of Sweden's second-largest city, Gothenburg....
, Sweden. Until 2008, the 9-7X
Saab 9-7X
The Saab 9-7X was a Saab-branded mid-size sport utility vehicle based on General Motors' GMT360 platform, which also included the GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier, Oldsmobile Bravada, Isuzu Ascender, and Chevrolet TrailBlazer The Saab 9-7X was a Saab-branded mid-size sport utility vehicle (SUV) based on...
was manufactured by General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
along with the Chevrolet Trailblazer
Chevrolet TrailBlazer
The Chevrolet TrailBlazer is a mid-size sport utility vehicle produced by the Chevrolet division of American automaker General Motors.On November 10th, 2011, General Motors officially revealed a second generation of the vehicle to be sold worldwide...
and its platform-mates. The exception to this naming rule is the Saab-Lancia 600, which was a rebadged
Badge engineering
Badge engineering is an ironic term that describes the rebadging of one product as another...
Lancia Delta
Lancia Delta
The Lancia Delta is a small family car produced by Italian automaker Lancia with the first generation being produced between 1979 and 1994, the second generation running from 1993 until 1999, and the third generation Delta entering production in 2008. It was first shown inFrankfurt Motor Show in 1979...
.
Current models
- Saab 9-3 SportSedanSaab 9-3The first generation 9-3, a substantially improved 'new-generation' Saab 900 was launched in 1998 for the 1999 model year. Saab claimed that 1,100 changes were made, including a revised suspension in an attempt to tighten up the handling characteristics of its predecessor, the Saab 900...
(2002–present) second generation - Saab 9-3 ConvertibleSaab 9-3The first generation 9-3, a substantially improved 'new-generation' Saab 900 was launched in 1998 for the 1999 model year. Saab claimed that 1,100 changes were made, including a revised suspension in an attempt to tighten up the handling characteristics of its predecessor, the Saab 900...
(2004–present) second generation - Saab 9-3 SportCombiSaab 9-3The first generation 9-3, a substantially improved 'new-generation' Saab 900 was launched in 1998 for the 1999 model year. Saab claimed that 1,100 changes were made, including a revised suspension in an attempt to tighten up the handling characteristics of its predecessor, the Saab 900...
(2006–present) second generation - Saab 9-3X (2009–present)
- Saab 9-5 SedanSaab 9-5The Saab 9-5 is an executive car produced by the Swedish automobile maker Saab. The first generation was introduced in 1997 as the replacement to the Saab 9000 for the 1998 model year. At the time, the car represented a great leap forward for Saab...
(2010–present) second generation - Saab 9-5 SportcombiSaab 9-5The Saab 9-5 is an executive car produced by the Swedish automobile maker Saab. The first generation was introduced in 1997 as the replacement to the Saab 9000 for the 1998 model year. At the time, the car represented a great leap forward for Saab...
(September 2011 – present) second generation - Saab 9-4XSaab 9-4XThe Saab 9-4X is a mid-size crossover SUV introduced by Swedish automaker Saab Automobile at the LA Auto Show 2010. It is based on the all-wheel drive GM Theta Premium platform. The 9-4X will begin production in 2011 and is scheduled to be built at Ramos Arizpe, Mexico...
(June 2011 – present)
Future models
- Unnamed Saab 9-3 replacementSaab 9-3The first generation 9-3, a substantially improved 'new-generation' Saab 900 was launched in 1998 for the 1999 model year. Saab claimed that 1,100 changes were made, including a revised suspension in an attempt to tighten up the handling characteristics of its predecessor, the Saab 900...
(Production planned for October 2012, on sale in Q1 of 2013) - Small tear-drop shaped carNew Saab 92The New Saab 92 is a car that will be added to Saab's production line by 2014, under its new ownership, Spyker Cars, to compete in the growing small car segment....
, codename "92". Inspired by the classic Saab 92Saab 92Saab 92 is an automobile from Saab. The design was very aerodynamic for its time, and the cW value was 0.30 . The entire body was stamped out of one piece of sheet metal and then cut to accommodate doors and windows. Full-scale production started December 12, 1949, based on the prototype Saab 92001...
.
Historical models
- Saab 92 and descendants:
- Saab 92Saab 92Saab 92 is an automobile from Saab. The design was very aerodynamic for its time, and the cW value was 0.30 . The entire body was stamped out of one piece of sheet metal and then cut to accommodate doors and windows. Full-scale production started December 12, 1949, based on the prototype Saab 92001...
(1949–1956) - Saab 93Saab 93The Saab 93, pronounced ninety-three, is an automobile manufactured by Saab. It was announced on August 18, 1955, and was first presented on December 1, 1955. It was styled by Sixten Sason and had a longitudinally-mounted three-cylinder 748 cc Saab two-stroke engine giving 33 hp . The...
(1955–1960)- Saab GT750Saab GT750Saab GT750 is an automobile from Saab produced between 1958 and 1960. It was introduced at the New York International Auto Show in 1958, and was fitted with safety belts as standard - soon afterward the practice became commonplace on most cars.The GT750 was a sporty version of the Saab 93, mainly...
(1958–1960)
- Saab GT750
- Saab 94 Sonett I (1956)
- Saab 95Saab 95The Saab 95 was a 7-seater, 2-door station wagon made by Saab. Initially it was based on the Saab 93 sedan version, but the model's development throughout the years followed closely that of the 96 since the 93 was put off the market in 1960...
estate car (1959–1978)- Saab 95Saab 95The Saab 95 was a 7-seater, 2-door station wagon made by Saab. Initially it was based on the Saab 93 sedan version, but the model's development throughout the years followed closely that of the 96 since the 93 was put off the market in 1960...
3 cylinder two-stroke (1960–1967) - Saab 95Saab 95The Saab 95 was a 7-seater, 2-door station wagon made by Saab. Initially it was based on the Saab 93 sedan version, but the model's development throughout the years followed closely that of the 96 since the 93 was put off the market in 1960...
V4 (1967–1980)
- Saab 95
- Saab 96Saab 96For the modern car, see Saab 9-6The Saab 96 is an automobile made by Saab. It was introduced in 1960 and was produced until January 1980, a run of 20 years. Like the 93 it replaced, the 96 was a development from the old Saab 92 chassis and, on account of its improvements and modernisation, it...
(1960–1980)- Saab 96Saab 96For the modern car, see Saab 9-6The Saab 96 is an automobile made by Saab. It was introduced in 1960 and was produced until January 1980, a run of 20 years. Like the 93 it replaced, the 96 was a development from the old Saab 92 chassis and, on account of its improvements and modernisation, it...
3 cylinder two-stroke (1960–1968) - Saab SportSaab SportSaab Sport is an automobile from Saab, launched in 1962 as a replacement for the Saab GT750. It used the same body shell as the Saab 96, with slight modifications and with a different interior configuration and equipment...
3 cylinder two-stroke (1962–1966) - Saab Monte Carlo 850Saab SportSaab Sport is an automobile from Saab, launched in 1962 as a replacement for the Saab GT750. It used the same body shell as the Saab 96, with slight modifications and with a different interior configuration and equipment...
3 cylinder two-stroke (1966–1967) - Saab 96Saab 96For the modern car, see Saab 9-6The Saab 96 is an automobile made by Saab. It was introduced in 1960 and was produced until January 1980, a run of 20 years. Like the 93 it replaced, the 96 was a development from the old Saab 92 chassis and, on account of its improvements and modernisation, it...
V4 (1967–1980) - Saab Monte Carlo V4Saab SportSaab Sport is an automobile from Saab, launched in 1962 as a replacement for the Saab GT750. It used the same body shell as the Saab 96, with slight modifications and with a different interior configuration and equipment...
V4 (1967–1968)
- Saab 96
- Saab 97
- Sonett II (1966–1970)
- Sonett III (1970–1974)
- Saab 92
- Saab Formula JuniorSaab Formula Juniorright|thumb|300px|Saab Formula Juniorthumb|300px|Saab Formula JuniorThe Saab Formula Junior was a 1960 car by the Swedish car maker Saab.In 1960 the Saab 93f was being replaced by the Saab 96 and a new 841 cc engine was developed...
single seat racing car (1960) - SAABOSAABOThe SAABO was a caravan produced from 1964 to 1968, by Saab.The SAABO caravan was manufactured in Ljunga, outside Norrköping. The project was started by Bo Bjernekull of the Ljunga plant and Birger Lindberg at SAAB in Linköping. Officially they were working on a project called MEFAN that was...
caravan/camper/travel trailerTravel trailerA travel trailer or caravan is towed behind a road vehicle to provide a place to sleep which is more comfortable and protected than a tent . It provides the means for people to have their own home on a journey or a vacation, without relying on a motel or hotel, and enables them to stay in places...
(1964–1968) - Saab 99 and descendents:
- Saab 99Saab 99- Development :On April 2, 1965, Gudmund's day in Sweden, after several years of planning, the Saab board started Project Gudmund. This was a project to develop a new and larger car to take the manufacturer beyond the market for the smaller Saab 96...
(1968–1984) - Saab 900Saab 900The Saab 900 was a car produced by Saab Automobile from 1978 until 1998 in two generations. The first generation from 1978 to 1993 is known as the "classic"; the generation from 1994 to 1998 is known as the "new generation" ....
"Classic" (1979–1994) - Saab 90Saab 90The Saab 90 is an automobile from Saab made from 1984 to 1987. It was manufactured at a facility in Uusikaupunki, Finland, at that time owned by Saab and Valmet....
(1984–1987)
- Saab 99
- Saab 600Saab 600The Saab-Lancia 600 is a rebadged Lancia Delta, sold by Saab after a deal with Lancia.The deal was a part of the 1980s co-operation between the Swedish car manufacturer Saab and the Italian Fiat Group, which includes Lancia and Alfa Romeo in addition to Fiat...
(1985–1988) - Saab 9000Saab 9000The Saab 9000 is an automobile that was produced by the Swedish company Saab from 1984 to 1997. The 9000 was replaced by the 9-5 in the late 1997....
(1985–1998) - Saab 900 "New Generation" (1994–1998)
- Saab 9-3 first generation (1998–2002)
- Saab 9-2XSaab 9-2XThe Saab 9-2X is a station wagon automobile that was sold by Saab only in North America as a 2005 and 2006 model year car. It was built in Japan by Fuji Heavy Industries’ Gunma Yajima Plant Ōta, Gunma....
(2005–2006) - Saab 9-7XSaab 9-7XThe Saab 9-7X was a Saab-branded mid-size sport utility vehicle based on General Motors' GMT360 platform, which also included the GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier, Oldsmobile Bravada, Isuzu Ascender, and Chevrolet TrailBlazer The Saab 9-7X was a Saab-branded mid-size sport utility vehicle (SUV) based on...
(2005–2009) - Saab 9-5 first generation (1997–2009)
Concepts and prototypes
- Saab 92 line:
- Saab 92001 or UrsaabSaab 92001thumb|right|350px|UrsaabThe first Saab Automobile was the SAAB 92001, the Ursaab.As the Second World War was drawing to a close, the SAAB company, a manufacturer of warplanes, realised that it needed to enter a different market. An automobile project was envisaged codenamed XP92, meaning...
the prototype for the first Saab production car (1946) - Saab MonsterSaab Monsterthumb|250px|Saab 'Monster'The Saab Monster was an experimental car made by Saab in 1959. This project was part of Saab's work in motorsport and the need to derive more power from their two-stroke powerplant. It consisted of a 'Toreador Red' Saab 93 with all excess weight removed, including the...
(1959) - Saab 60Saab 60The Saab 60 was a 'special'. It was a limited edition modification of the 1962 Saab 96, peculiar to the UK. Modifications were carried out at Saab Ltd, in Slough....
(1962) - Saab QuantumSaab QuantumSAAB Quantum was a series of 5 SAAB cars built in the USA. The earliest cars used Saab 93 two-stroke engines, transmissions and suspension. The later cars used Saab 96 drivetrains and suspension parts....
(1962) - Saab CatherinaSaab CatherinaThe Saab Catherina is a 1964 prototype automobile, commissioned by the Swedish automaker Saab, designed by Sixten Sason and made at the workshops of the Aktiebolaget Svenska Järnvägsverkstäderna in Katrineholm, Sweden...
(1964) - Saab MFI13Saab MFI13The MFI 13 was a February 1965 prototype for the Saab 97, later known as Sonett II. It was built at the Malmö Flygindustri as they had some experience with plastic manufacturing. The body of the prototype was made of steel though...
(1965) - Saab ToadSaab ToadSaab Toad, or Paddan in Swedish, was a development car Saab made in 1966 to test out the new chassis, drive train and engine for the Saab 99.-Background:...
(1966) - Saab 98Saab 98Saab 98 was the number used by Saab for a project in 1974 making a combi coupé based on the Saab 95.Originally it was called X14. The construction of the 98 was based on the Saab 95 floorpan and the design was made by Björn Envall...
(1974)
- Saab 92001 or Ursaab
- Saab EV-1Saab EV-1Not to be confused with the General Motors EV1Saab EV-1, or Saab 900 Turbo EV-1, was developed by Saab in 1985 as a fully functional and roadworthy future design study . It was a wedge-shaped 2 + 2 sports coupé body style based on the Saab 900 Turbo 16v. The body was steel and the roof all glass...
(1985) - Saab 9000 Cabriolet
- Saab 9XX Concept (1991)
- Saab 9-XSaab 9-XThe Saab 9-X concept car was developed by Saab in 2001 and first shown on the Frankfurt Auto Show. The 9-X was designed to combine the qualities of a coupe, roadster, station wagon and pickup truck in the same car...
(2001) - Saab 9-3Saab 9-3The first generation 9-3, a substantially improved 'new-generation' Saab 900 was launched in 1998 for the 1999 model year. Saab claimed that 1,100 changes were made, including a revised suspension in an attempt to tighten up the handling characteristics of its predecessor, the Saab 900...
X (2002) - Saab 9-3 SportHatch (2003)
- Saab 9-5 Aero BioPower (2006)
- Saab Aero-XSaab Aero-XSaab Aero-X is a concept car by Saab unveiled at the 2006 Salon International de l'Auto. It is powered by a 2.8 L twin-turbocharged V6 running on pure ethanol that produces . 0 to is predicted to be 4.9 s and top speed is limited to . It has a 7-speed manual transmission controlled by paddles on...
(2006) - Saab 9-4X BioPowerSaab 9-4XThe Saab 9-4X is a mid-size crossover SUV introduced by Swedish automaker Saab Automobile at the LA Auto Show 2010. It is based on the all-wheel drive GM Theta Premium platform. The 9-4X will begin production in 2011 and is scheduled to be built at Ramos Arizpe, Mexico...
(2008) - Saab 9-X BiohybridSaab 9-X BiohybridThe Saab 9-X Biohybrid concept car was developed by Saab in 2008 and first shown on the Geneva Motor Show. It is based on the GM Delta platform and is thought to give an idea of the upcoming Saab 9-1X....
(2008) - Saab 9-X AirSaab 9-X AirThe Saab 9-X Air is a concept car created by the Saab division of Spyker Cars. It was first shown at the 2008 Paris Motor Show. It is a convertible version of the Saab 9-X Biohybrid, with a canvas roof denominated "Canopy Top" by Saab. The car is a plug-in hybrid combining en E100 turbocharged...
(2008) - Saab 9-3 ePower sport wagon (2010)
- Saab PhoeniXSaab PhoeniXSaab PhoeniX is a concept car by Saab unveiled at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. It was designed by Jason Castriota as one of his first creations for Saab. The design is inspired by the Saab 92001, but with design cues from nearly every Saab model made...
(2011)
Innovations
- 1958: The GT 750 is the first car fitted with seatbelts as standard.
- 1963: Saab becomes the first volume maker to offer diagonally-split dual brakeBrakeA brake is a mechanical device which inhibits motion. Its opposite component is a clutch. The rest of this article is dedicated to various types of vehicular brakes....
circuits. - 1969: Saab creates an ignition system near the gearstick - instead of behind the steering wheel like most cars - in an attempt to reduce the very common serious and permanent knee injuries during collisions, caused by the knee impacting the key.
- 1970: Saab introduces a world-first - headlamp wipers and washers.
- 1971: Heated front seats are introduced, the first time in the world they are fitted as standard.
- 1971: Saab develops the impact-absorbing, self-repairing bumper.
- 1976: Saab was the first manufacturer to produce a turbo engine with wastegate to control boost.
- 1978: Saab introduces another 'world-first,' the passenger compartment air filter (pollen filter).
- 1980: Saab introduces Automatic Performance ControlAutomatic Performance ControlAutomatic Performance Control was the first engine knock and boost control system that was introduced on turbo charged Saab H engines in 1982 and was fitted to all subsequent 900 Turbos through 1993 , as well as 9000 Turbos through 1989.The APC allowed a higher compression ratio Automatic...
(APC), and an anti-knockEngine knockingKnocking in spark-ignition internal combustion engines occurs when combustion of the air/fuel mixture in the cylinder starts off correctly in response to ignition by the spark plug, but one or more pockets of air/fuel mixture explode outside the envelope of the normal combustion front.The...
sensor that allowed higher fuel economy and the use of lower grade fuel without engine damage. - 1981: Saab introduces the split-field side mirror. This reduces the drivers blind spot.
- 1982: Saab introduces asbestosAsbestosAsbestos is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals used commercially for their desirable physical properties. They all have in common their eponymous, asbestiform habit: long, thin fibrous crystals...
-free brake pads. - 1983: Saab introduces the 16-valvePoppet valveA poppet valve is a valve consisting of a hole, usually round or oval, and a tapered plug, usually a disk shape on the end of a shaft also called a valve stem. The shaft guides the plug portion by sliding through a valve guide...
turbocharged engine - 1985: Saab pioneers direct ignition, eliminating the distributorDistributorA distributor is a device in the ignition system of an internal combustion engine that routes high voltage from the ignition coil to the spark plugs in the correct firing order. The first reliable battery operated ignition was developed by Dayton Engineering Laboratories Co. and introduced in the...
and spark plugSpark plugA spark plug is an electrical device that fits into the cylinder head of some internal combustion engines and ignites compressed fuels such as aerosol, gasoline, ethanol, and liquefied petroleum gas by means of an electric spark.Spark plugs have an insulated central electrode which is connected by...
wires. - 1991: Saab introduces a 'light-pressure' turbo.
- 1991: Saab is the first manufacturer to offer CFC-free air-conditioning.
- 1991: Saab develops its 'TrionicTrionicTrionic is an engine management system developed by Saab Automobile, consisting of an engine control unit that controls 3 engine aspects:# Ignition timing,# Fuel injection# Acts as a boost controller.Hence the numerical prefix 'Tri' in Trionic...
' engine management system, equipped with a 32-bit micro-processor. - 1993: Saab introduces the 'Sensonic clutch' and the 'Black Panel', later to be called the 'Night Panel'.
- 1993: Saab develops the 'Safeseat' rear passenger protection system.
- 1994: Saab introduces the 'Trionic T5.5Trionic T5.5Trionic T5.5 is an engine management system in the Saab Trionic range. It controls ignition, fuel injection and turbo boost pressure. The system was introduced in the 1994 Saab 900 with B204L engine.-Changes:Since 1994 a number of changes have occurred....
' engine management system, its processor is a Motorola 68332Motorola 68000The Motorola 68000 is a 16/32-bit CISC microprocessor core designed and marketed by Freescale Semiconductor...
. - 1995: Saab presents an asymmetrically turbocharged V6 at the Motor Show in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
- 1996: Saab introduces active head restraints (SAHR), which help minimize the risk of whiplashWhiplash (medicine)Whiplash is a non-medical term describing a range of injuries to the neck caused by or related to a sudden distortion of the neck associated with extension. The term "whiplash" is a colloquialism...
. - 1997: Saab introduces Electronic Brake-force Distribution
- 1997: Saab fits ventilated front seats to their new 9-5Saab 9-5The Saab 9-5 is an executive car produced by the Swedish automobile maker Saab. The first generation was introduced in 1997 as the replacement to the Saab 9000 for the 1998 model year. At the time, the car represented a great leap forward for Saab...
. - 1997: Saab introduces ComSense; an alert delay feature that reduces the risk of distraction by briefly postponing lower priority alerts when the brakes or indicators are activated
- 2000: Saab introduces SVCSaab Variable Compression engineThe Saab Variable Compression engine was a development project of Saab Automobile, for which it won an award both in 2000 and 2001.In a normal internal combustion engine, because cylinder bore diameter, piston stroke length and combustion chamber volume are almost always constant, the compression...
; a Variable CompressionVariable compression ratioVariable compression ratio is the technology to adjust internal combustion engine cylinder compression ratios on the fly. This is done to increase fuel efficiency while under varying loads. Higher loads require lower ratios to be more efficient and vice versa. Variable compression engines allow for...
, an engine in which the compression ratioCompression ratioThe 'compression ratio' of an internal-combustion engine or external combustion engine is a value that represents the ratio of the volume of its combustion chamber from its largest capacity to its smallest capacity...
is varied by tilting the cylinder head in relation to the pistons. - 2002: Saab developed ReAxs System provides crisp steering feedback and contributes to enhanced driving stability in curves
- 2003: Saab introduces CargoSET; automatic storage well retraction for the convertibleConvertibleA convertible is a type of automobile in which the roof can retract and fold away having windows which wind-down inside the doors, converting it from an enclosed to an open-air vehicle...
, a two-step tonneau action for quicker soft-top deployment - 2008: Saab introduces Cross-wheel driveSaab XWDXWD, an acronym for Cross-Wheel Drive, is an advanced all-wheel drive system designed by Haldex in partnership with Saab. Also known as Haldex Generation 4, it is an intelligent permanent all-wheel drive system that can pre-emptively and continuously change torque distribution before wheel slip...
, an advanced all-wheel drive system with eLSD.
Safety
Safety has a high priority in the design of Saab cars. The cars are subjected to the Älgtest (elk test)Moose test
A moose test or elk test is a test to determine how a certain vehicle acts when the driver evades a suddenly appearing obstacle...
as elk are a common cause of accidents in Sweden. Saab have compiled a database containing over 6,100 real-life accidents with Saabs. The first recorded event was in 1948 where Julian Shermis had an accident.
All modern Saabs (except the 9000
Saab 9000
The Saab 9000 is an automobile that was produced by the Swedish company Saab from 1984 to 1997. The 9000 was replaced by the 9-5 in the late 1997....
and 9-2X
Saab 9-2X
The Saab 9-2X is a station wagon automobile that was sold by Saab only in North America as a 2005 and 2006 model year car. It was built in Japan by Fuji Heavy Industries’ Gunma Yajima Plant Ōta, Gunma....
) have a floor-mounted ignition. This is for many reasons, some of which follow: Saab believes this is a safer position in case of an accident. The driver's knee often jerks upward in a collision; the compact and dense ignition module on the steering column of many other cars has shattered many kneecaps. Saabs have bolstered dashboards for both front seat occupants. Also, the floor-mounted position yields more space, allowing modern Saabs to have a metal bar that rotates over and up into the ignition when the key is turned to the "Lock" position. This makes Saabs very challenging to hotwire. Ergonomically, the ignition's location next to the parking brake lever, gearshift, and seatbelt, saves time. Last of all, the ignition is located on the floor because, in the aircraft that inspired Saab automobiles, the throttle controls were all located on the floor. Originally Saabs also had the key located on the right side of the steering column, but when they changed from a column shifter to a floor shifter, the ignition key followed along, except in the Sonett III and 9000.
Endurance records
In October 1986 the Saab Long Run took place. Three standard Saab 9000Saab 9000
The Saab 9000 is an automobile that was produced by the Swedish company Saab from 1984 to 1997. The 9000 was replaced by the 9-5 in the late 1997....
Turbos set 2 world records and 21 international records at the Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama, United States. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base just outside the small city of Lincoln. It was constructed by International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France Family, in...
in Talladega, Alabama
Talladega, Alabama
Talladega is a city in Talladega County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 15,143. The city is the county seat of Talladega County. Talladega is approximately 50 miles east of Birmingham, Alabama....
, USA. 100000 km (62,137.3 mi) were covered with an average speed of 213.299 km/h (132.537 mph) and 50000 miles (80,467 km) with an average speed of 213.686 km/h (132.778 mph).
Ten years later, in 1996, three standard Saab 900 (NG) Turbos driven by factory test drivers and two standard naturally aspirated Saab 900s driven by journalists set new world records on the same speedway.
In early December 2006, a Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
traveling salesman donated his 1989 Saab 900
Saab 900
The Saab 900 was a car produced by Saab Automobile from 1978 until 1998 in two generations. The first generation from 1978 to 1993 is known as the "classic"; the generation from 1994 to 1998 is known as the "new generation" ....
SPG (Special Performance Group) to the Wisconsin Automotive Museum after amassing 1001385 miles (1,611,568.9 km) on the original factory engine. This mileage was verified by Saab.
Marketing and ownership
Saab 92001
thumb|right|350px|UrsaabThe first Saab Automobile was the SAAB 92001, the Ursaab.As the Second World War was drawing to a close, the SAAB company, a manufacturer of warplanes, realised that it needed to enter a different market. An automobile project was envisaged codenamed XP92, meaning...
, in 1947. Currently, Saab
Saab
Saab AB is a Swedish aerospace and defence company, founded in 1937. From 1947 to 1990 it was the parent company of automobile manufacturer Saab Automobile, and between 1968 and 1995 the company was in a merger with commercial vehicle manufacturer Scania, known as Saab-Scania.-History:"Svenska...
AB is separate from Saab Automobile (which is owned by Swedish Automobile, formerly Spyker Cars), and is probably best known for its Saab 37 Viggen (the Viggen badge would be shared by a 9-3
Saab 9-3
The first generation 9-3, a substantially improved 'new-generation' Saab 900 was launched in 1998 for the 1999 model year. Saab claimed that 1,100 changes were made, including a revised suspension in an attempt to tighten up the handling characteristics of its predecessor, the Saab 900...
). This has led to an ad campaign, "Born From Jets", evoking the days when Saab produced both aircraft and automobiles. Saab is imported into many countries. Each company has a president to the subsidiary or importer. In the case of the U.S., the first president was Mr. R. Millet.
In 1987, Saab created a TV advertisement called "Saab suite" (subtitled Ballet in 3 acts for 8 Saab 9000 Turbos). In the film, stunt drivers show incredible driving with stock cars, such as one-wheeled burnouts, bumper-to-bumper driving through a slalom, cars slaloming from opposite directions on the same course, two-wheel driving, sliding in full speed, and jumping over passing cars—all on a closed airport runway with classical music playing in the background. Click Here to view the video.
To commemorate its 40th anniversary, Saab formed a Performance Team in 1987, which laid on exhibitions of automobile acrobatics and formation driving. Initially this was done with Saab 9000s, as above, then later models, such as the Saab 900 (NG) were used. All of the team's members have previously competed in rallies, but what's unusual is that all 5 Performance Team members hold regular jobs at Saab: there are two engineers, a quality controller, a technician and the head of Saab's photo studio. The picture shows these vehicles on display at the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of the Saab Aircraft Company
Saab
Saab AB is a Swedish aerospace and defence company, founded in 1937. From 1947 to 1990 it was the parent company of automobile manufacturer Saab Automobile, and between 1968 and 1995 the company was in a merger with commercial vehicle manufacturer Scania, known as Saab-Scania.-History:"Svenska...
, at Linköping
Linköping
Linköping is a city in southern middle Sweden, with 104 232 inhabitants in 2010. It is the seat of Linköping Municipality with 146 736 inhabitants and the capital of Östergötland County...
, in 1997. Click here to view one of their videos
A Hewlett-Packard CPU-support chip features a Saab 900 Turbo 16 Cabriolet etched into its structure.
Ownership and brand loyalty
As the brand has an unusual image in most markets, Saab owners tend to be correspondingly offbeat: intellectuals and enthusiasts. In his studies of brand communities, Albert Muniz, professor of marketing at DePaul University in Chicago, found significant characteristics of Saab owners which he called Snaabery. These included ownership of an original, pre-GM Saab; camaraderie with other Saab drivers and contempt for other brands such as BMWBMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
. Writer John Crace
John Crace (writer)
John Crace is a British journalist writing for The Guardian.Crace is probably best known for his "The Digested Read" column, in which he reviews new fiction by condensing it into short narratives of about 700 words in the style of the book itself...
characterised the typical "Snaab" as a creative advertising executive
Creative Director
A creative director is a position often found within the graphic design, film, music, fashion, advertising, media or entertainment industries, but may be useful in other creative organizations such as web development and software development firms as well....
with large spectacles and an asymmetric hairstyle
Asymmetric cut
An asymmetric cut is a haircut in which the hair is cut in such a way that the hair does not have left-right symmetry and one side is cut or appears to be longer than the other....
. Rüdiger Hossiep, a psychologist at Ruhr University Bochum, found that Saab drivers have the highest level of psychological involvement with their cars, being over 10 times more passionate than the average Volkswagen
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
driver. Saab's main three markets are Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Slogans
- Built by Trolls in Trollhättan (Decal - 1960s/70s Works 96 Rally Cars - side windows)
- Go Swift - Go Safe - Go Saab (Advertisement Page - 1970s FIA Year Book)
- The most intelligent cars ever built. (1980s)
- Find your own road. (1990s)
- Welcome to the State of Independence (early 2000s; United States)
- Born From Jets. (2007–09; United States, Canada)
- Move Your Mind. (Current Global Slogan)
- People Who Test Drive a SAAB, Usually Buy One
- We don’t make compromises. We make Saabs.
- Saab. It's what a car should be.
- The Command Performance Car.
- The Well-Built Swede
Literature and the arts
The Saab 900 Turbo was James BondJames Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
's vehicle of choice in many of the John Gardner
John Gardner (thriller writer)
John Edmund Gardner was an English spy novelist, most notably for the James Bond series.-Early life:Gardner was born in Seaton Delaval, Northumberland. He graduated from St John's College, Cambridge and did postgraduate study at Oxford...
Bond novels of the 1980s, beginning with Licence Renewed
Licence Renewed
Licence Renewed , first published in 1981, is the first novel by John Gardner featuring Ian Fleming's secret agent, James Bond. It was the first proper James Bond novel since Kingsley Amis's Colonel Sun in 1968...
. In the second novel, For Special Services
For Special Services
For Special Services, first published in 1982, was the second novel by John Gardner featuring Ian Fleming's secret agent, James Bond. Carrying the Glidrose Publications copyright, it was first published in the United Kingdom by Jonathan Cape and in the United States by McCann and Geoghegan.-For...
, the 900 was dubbed the "Silver Beast". The car is Bond's private vehicle that he had outfitted with various gadgets by the real-life company Communication Control Systems, Ltd. (CCS). In conjunction with the release of Licence Renewed, Saab had a real "Silver Beast" created that was virtually identical to the specifications in the book. The car is currently located at the Saab Museum in Trollhättan
Trollhättan Municipality
Trollhättan Municipality is a municipality in Västra Götaland County in western Sweden. Its seat is located in the city of Trollhättan....
, Sweden.
In an essay originally published in In These Times
In These Times
In These Times is a politically progressive monthly magazine of news and opinion published by the Institute for Public Affairs in Chicago...
in November, 2004 entitled Have I Got A Car For You, writer Kurt Vonnegut
Kurt Vonnegut
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. was a 20th century American writer. His works such as Cat's Cradle , Slaughterhouse-Five and Breakfast of Champions blend satire, gallows humor and science fiction. He was known for his humanist beliefs and was honorary president of the American Humanist Association.-Early...
recounts his experiences as the owner/operator of a Saab dealership in West Barnstable, Massachusetts
Barnstable, Massachusetts
Barnstable is a city, referred to as the Town of Barnstable, in the U.S. state of Massachusetts and the county seat of Barnstable County. Barnstable is the largest community, both in land area and population, on Cape Cod. The town contains seven villages within its boundaries...
and humorously claims that his criticism of Swedish engineering is the reason he was never awarded a Nobel Prize in Literature
Nobel Prize in Literature
Since 1901, the Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded annually to an author from any country who has, in the words from the will of Alfred Nobel, produced "in the field of literature the most outstanding work in an ideal direction"...
. The essay also appeared in the 2005 anthology A Man Without A Country.
In Motorsport
Saab competed in the Trans Am Series in 1966, entering a 96Saab 96
For the modern car, see Saab 9-6The Saab 96 is an automobile made by Saab. It was introduced in 1960 and was produced until January 1980, a run of 20 years. Like the 93 it replaced, the 96 was a development from the old Saab 92 chassis and, on account of its improvements and modernisation, it...
and a 850. Saab also entered its 9-3
Saab 9-3
The first generation 9-3, a substantially improved 'new-generation' Saab 900 was launched in 1998 for the 1999 model year. Saab claimed that 1,100 changes were made, including a revised suspension in an attempt to tighten up the handling characteristics of its predecessor, the Saab 900...
in the Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship
Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship
The Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship is a national Canadian touring car racing series sanctioned by ASN Canada FIA. Races are sprint-type with lengths of 20, 30 or 40 minutes and the championship is featured at major racetracks in Canada...
.
See also
- Talbot Horizon - This vehicle replaced the Saab 96Saab 96For the modern car, see Saab 9-6The Saab 96 is an automobile made by Saab. It was introduced in 1960 and was produced until January 1980, a run of 20 years. Like the 93 it replaced, the 96 was a development from the old Saab 92 chassis and, on account of its improvements and modernisation, it...
on the ValmetValmet' was a Finnish state-owned conglomerate. Valmet was formed in 1951, when the state of Finland decided to group their various factories working on war reparations to the Soviet Union under one company...
line and used many of the same parts, especially in the interior - Saab Turbo Mobil ChallengeSaab Turbo Mobil ChallengeThe Saab Turbo Mobil Challenge was a one-make race series, run by the British Automobile Racing Club in the UK in 1987 and 1988. The cars permitted to compete were Saab 900 turbo cars in 10- and 12-lap races...
- Barber Saab Pro Series
- Trionic 8Trionic 8The Trionic 8 is an advanced engine management system created by Saab Automobile. It is used in both SAAB 9-3 and Opel Vectra vehicles, and is available with 150, 175 and engines...
- Saab hockey stickSaab hockey stickThe hockey stick is a automotive design feature seen on all Saab automobiles. It is a C-pillar curve from the base of the rear passenger window that resembles the shape of an ice hockey stick or the Nike swoosh symbol....
- Saab XWDSaab XWDXWD, an acronym for Cross-Wheel Drive, is an advanced all-wheel drive system designed by Haldex in partnership with Saab. Also known as Haldex Generation 4, it is an intelligent permanent all-wheel drive system that can pre-emptively and continuously change torque distribution before wheel slip...
External links
- Inside Saab by Steven Wade (Saab Blog from "inside the company" operated by Saab Automobile AB)
- Saab's heritage and history
- Saab's innovations
- Saabs United (enthusiast blog)
- Saab history (enthusiast blog)
- SaabWorld (Saab forum)