Saab
(1949 - 2011)
Brand:
Country:
Sweden
Saab was actually an aeroplane manufacturer, but in 1947 the company also began producing passenger cars. These were characterised by advanced construction and aerodynamic styling. It began with the Saab 92, which developed into the Saab 93 and 96. Originally two-stroke engines were used, but the company soon switched to four-stroke engines, which were also fitted with turbochargers in the 1970s (including the Saab 99 and Saab 900), making it one of the pioneers in this field. Sports cars were also built with the Saab Sonett, but saloons remained the main focus of car production. In 1989, General Motors became a shareholder in Saab, and Saab models were subsequently also built on GM platforms. By 2008, GM had lost interest in Saab and the receivers moved in. A takeover by Koenigsegg and later Spyker and the continuation of car production were not successful. Although a relaunch with electric vehicles has been rumoured several times, it has not yet materialised.
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What exactly makes the Saab 93 a "girl" remains an open question. Perhaps its well-rounded shape. But the heart beating in the two-stroke is definitely a German one: it comes from the drawing board of former DKW engineer Hans Müller. This historical test report explains what an admirer can expect when dancing with the Swedish girl.
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Saab 95 - The anti-brick
When people talk about Swedish estate cars, it is mainly angular vehicles from Gothenburg that come to mind. Saab is associated more with drifting rally cars and winter-proof convertibles. But Trollhättan was also the birthplace of a spacious character head that has remained true to its shape over the decades. This article is dedicated to the Saab 95, the quirky and practical estate version of the 96.
Anyone who charges the price of a six-cylinder engine twice as powerful for a 52 hp three-cylinder engine has either lost their mind or built a really good car. In the early sixties, the unconventional of the two Swedish car brands launched the Saab 96 Sport, which was on a par with large saloons in terms of both price and quality and could handle nothing so well as full throttle. This historical article explains why the fast two-stroke was worth the money and more than just a consideration.
The Saab company was founded in 1937 as an aircraft factory. The Saab airplanes became famous, but as early as 1945 Saab engineers designed the first passenger car. The first sports car, called the Sonett, was then presented in 1956 and developed over several generations into a popular, albeit relatively expensive, special model. This vehicle report tells the story of the Saab Sonett and shows it in many historical illustrations, some of which have never been shown before, and in four brochures. There are even press documents and price lists.
Saab was founded in 1937 with the aim of building military aircraft. Saab began producing cars in 1947, with the Saab 92 going into series production in 1949. This was followed by the Saab 93, 96, 99, 900 and 9000, along with other models, including the Sonett sports coupés. Saab gradually lost its independence in 1989 and was completely absorbed by General Motors in 2000. This report summarizes interesting articles published between 1947 and 1991.
Between 1960 and 1980, Saab built the Type 96, which inherited the basic shape and technical concept from its predecessors. Outstanding features were highly developed aerodynamics, performance and robustness. The Zwischengas report looks back at its history and shows a vehicle from 1969 in detail. The report is supplemented by many contemporary photos, sound examples and many original brochures including a color chart.
The magazine 'hobby' also took the opportunity to test the Saab 99 relatively late. The reason for the hesitation was the high prices that Saab had to charge for the Saab in Germany. But despite the price disadvantage, the test author was convinced that one could also be happy with a Saab in Germany, thanks to the advanced safety efforts and great comfort. This report reproduces the original text of the test, which is now over 40 years old, and shows the Saab 99 in historical pictures and sales literature.
They were already exotic in our latitudes in 1974: the Saab 99 L, the Triumph Dolomite Sprint and the Chrysler 2 Liter. With completely different approaches and characteristics, they were looking for buyers and wanted to be an alternative to market-dominating Opel or Ford models. The magazine 'hobby' compared the three on a road trip in England and came to some Solomonic conclusions. This article reproduces the original wording of the comparison test at the time and shows all three cars in historical pictures and sales brochures.
High-legged, spherical and suitable for winter - it doesn't have to be a VW Beetle. With its front engine, front-wheel drive and water cooling, the Saab 96 does pretty much everything differently from the VW, but is just as suitable for a skiing vacation as it is for the Monte Carlo Rally. For this article, we ventured into the snowy mountains with a Saab 96 from 1975 and show the red splash of color in the white winter wonderland in many photos.
On the German market, the Swedish loner was one of those cars that rarely appeared on the roads. Although the Saab 99 GL was regarded as a solid car, a glance at the price list gave many people a fright. Only a thorough study of the standard equipment gave an indication of the high prices. The 1976 test explains this in more detail.
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All 58 Saab models
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