Saab Design Center In Trollhattan, Sweden Relaunched

Posted on 01. Sep, 2009 by Ryan in 2000-2009, Trollhättan, Sweden

Photo Credit: Saab History, 2007

The Saab Design Center has been recently relaunched back in Trollhättan, Sweden according to insiders close to the process as Saab History has recently learned.

This Saab Design Center facility is now located near the Saab Technical Center across the street from the factory, which is the original site for the design center as showcased in the 1999 Promo film with former Saab designers, Einar Hareide and Tony Catignani.

You may recall that four years ago, Saab Automobile’s design team prepared for a relocation to Germany, by initially launching what was known as the Saab Brand Center which was located in Mölnlycke/Pixbo region of Sweden near Goteborg. This Saab Brand Center was established to maintain Saab’s design DNA. A year later, it happened, the team from the Saab Design Center in Trollhattan and their equipment, were relocated to the new GM Europe Design Center in Russelheim, Germany, except the folks at the Saab Brand Center.

Over the course of this year, the GM Europe Design facility has been in the process of relocating back to the Saab Design Center in Trollhättan, Sweden. This facility will not only include the staff that chose to move to Sweden from Germany (unsure if anyone has moved), but also the staff that includes Simon Padian and his brand design team that have recently been consolidated from the Saab Brand Center in Mölnlycke/Pixbo as well.

It’s very encouraging to hear that all of Saab Automobile’s design expertise including the Saab Brand Center, will be one cohesive and integrated unit appropriately located together in Trollhattan, Sweden like it was from the very beginning.

Saab Automobile’s design has returned home, although some close to the matter say it has never really left thanks to the Saab Brand Center launch back in 2005, which maintained the Saab design language ever since. Either way, this is a good day.

Tags: Automotive Component Group, Einar Hareide, Germany, Russelheim, Saab Design Center, Saab Design Center facility, Saab Technical Center, Simon Padian, Sweden, Tony Catignani, Trollhättan