Saab History

Image Credit: Saab History

As a follow-up to the posting I made back in November of 2006 on the logo history, it is about time that I compliment this information with the following on the correct capitalization and nomenclature of the models of the Saab Automobile brand. I hope this sheds some more light in our dialog about Saabs, SAABs and all of the great products that have been developed over the years.

I have provided a fairly well written piece already done on Wikipedia that I would like to articulate if I may regarding the correct capitalization and model nomenclature as a guide.

It is my hope that as a result of this posting, others will be able to better articulate their writing and speaking when referring to all of Saab’s products from 1947 until present. I also think that this posting will help to end search criteria that is typically entered in Google as follows: (SAAB 93 XWD, SAAB 92 ABS, Saab 94 Ski Rack, 2001 SAAB 95, 1999 93, etc.) If this search criteria was taken literally, as it should as google can only do just that, we would have had Cross Wheel Drive available in the late 1950’s, ABS in the late forties, and two long production runs for the SAAB Ninety Five and Ninety Three. Let’s hope that this clarifies this naming and model nomenclature once and for all.

1947-1969 (Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget)

The Company: When referring to the company in both written and oral communication where the products were produced between 1947 and 1969, it is proper to use SAAB in all capital letters to refer to these vehicles.

The Models: When referring to vehicles model nomenclature in both written and oral communication that were produced during this time, they are written and pronounced as 92 (Pronounced: Ninety Two), 92 (Pronounced: Ninety Three), 94 (Pronounced: Ninety Four), 95 (Pronounced: Ninety Five), 96 (Pronounced: Ninety Six), 97 (Pronounced: Ninety Seven)

1970-2000 (Saab-Scania)

* Note: Although the merger took place in 1990, the original products continued. (excluding NG900, 9-3 & 9-5)

The Company: When referring to the company in both written and oral communication where the products were produced between 1970 and 1990, it is proper & acceptable to refer to them as Saabs in lower case letters or Saab-Scania vehicles, also in lower case letters.

The Models: When referring to vehicles model nomenclature in both written and oral communication that were produced during this time, they are written and produced as 97 (Pronounced: Ninety Seven), 98 (Pronounced: Ninety Eight), 99 (Pronounced: Ninety Nine), 90 (Pronounced: Ninety), 900 (Pronounced: Nine Hundred), 9000 (Pronounced: Nine Thousand), 9-5 (Pronounced: Nine Five), NG900 (Pronounced: New Generation 900), 9-3 (Pronounced: Nine Three).

2001 - Present (Saab Automobile / General Motors)

The Company: When referring to the company in both written and oral communication where the products were produced between 2001 and the Present, it is proper & acceptable to refer to them as Saab in lower case letters and/or Saab Automobile / GM vehicles.

The Models: When referring to vehicles model nomenclature in both written and oral communication that were produced during this time, they are written and produced as 9-X (Pronounced: Nine X), 9-2x (Pronounced: Nine Two X), 9-3x (Pronounced: Nine Three X), 9-3 (Pronounced: Nine Three), 9-4x (Pronounced: Nine Four X), 9-5 (Pronounced: Nine Five), 9-7x (Pronounced: Nine Seven X)

I leave you with a brief summary from Saab Automobile’s entry from Wikipedia.

Saab / SAAB Correct Capitalization and Model Nomenclature:

While Saab is in fact an acronym, and, as with many other manufacturers, the word “SAAB” appears in all-capitals within the corporate emblem and in on-vehicle badging, the current correct capitalization of Saab when in print is “Saab,” and not “SAAB.”[citation needed] Other manufacturers such as Volvo, Toyota, Lexus, Acura, and Chevrolet employ the use of all-capitalized vehicle badging, but they are still considered proper names and capitalized as such when written. Likewise, Saab is treated as a proper name and not an acronym, despite its origins..”[citation needed]

Furthermore, all current Saab vehicles are badged with a large 9 and a smaller 3, 5, or 7x following the 9, such as “9³”. However, the digits are considered separate, and are spoken as, for example, “nine three,” and written as “9-3.” Nearly every Saab model ever produced has begun with the number 9 (Saab 600 being an exception), and Saab’s two models became 9-3 and 9-5 in the late 1990s, which was likely a marketing attempt at positioning the vehicles as direct competitors to the BMW 3-series and 5-series, respectively.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saab_Automobile

As a follow-up to the previous post on Genuine Saab parts, here is a nice nostalgic re-introduction. The old blue oil filters that Saab Automobile discontinued are now back thanks to the work of site Elkparts and the original company that used to manufactur these long-life oil filters. No more trips to the auto part stores or making phonecalls to Sweden to hunt these down any longer.

Here is the history with the Blue Saab Long-Life Oil Filter:

Saab stopped making the blue filter after many years - replaced by black filter which had better filtration

Saab owners wanted blue filter.

Saab allowed the manufacturer of the black (improved filter) to make them in blue to the Saab specification and paint them blue provided that they DID NOT have SAAB logo, word nor part number on it.

—

Below is the description from Elkparts about the Saab Long-Life Oil Filters.

The blue oil filter that fits all Saab four-cylinder petrol engines between 1967 and the present day (excluding Saab 9-3 Sport models from 2003 on).

Manufactured by the same company to manufacture Saab oil filters and to the same specification as Genuine Saab oil filters, this oil filter is the same in every respect except that the part number and the SAAB logotype were not permitted to be printed on the filter.

This blue oil filter is suitable for the following Saab 4-cyl petrol engines:

* Saab 95V4
* Saab 96V4
* Saab 99
* Saab 90
* Saab classic 900
* Saab 9000
* Saab GM900
* Saab 9-3
* Saab 9-5

Note: Not suitable for 9-3 Sports Saloon

To place an order, please click here Elkparts Oil Filters

In 1969, Björn Envall started with Saab, while working alongside Sixten Sason on his final project, the SAAB 99. Björn Envall played an important role, specifically toward the final stages of design when Sason was not healthy and less energy to devote to the project.

Björn Envall’s most notable achievement under his role as chief designer with Saab, was the transition of the 99 Saab 900 (1979-1993/94) to the 900 model that was introduced in 1979.

Envall was responsible for the 98 Prototype, 99, 90, 900, 9000, EV-1 concept car, and a secret “EV-2″ internally released concept vehicle which was to eventually set the stage for his final project, the new generation 900.

Björn Envall retired from Saab-Scania in 1992, just two years before the two companies broke up into two separate companies, Saab Automobile AB and Scania AB.

As a follow-up to the previous writeup on the past and present Saab designers and their achievements, it was deemed appropriate to include a chronological listing of Saab projects both production and concepts. This listing includes each Saab project, year introduced along with each designer and/or engineer that contributed to the given project.

This list is a work-in-progress, so any additions and/or modifications that you see necessary below, please add your comments to ensure correctness and accuracy.

Photo Credits: Saab Automobile

Design Contributions by Model

SAAB Scandia 90 (1946-1958)

Bror Bjurströmer

SAAB 91 (1947-1966)

A.J. Andersson

SAAB 92001 (Prototype) (1946/1947)

Sixten Sason

Gunnar Ljungström

SAAB 92 (1948-1956)

Sixten Sason

Gunnar Ljungström

SAAB 93 (1956-1959)

Sixten Sason

SAAB 94 (1956)

Sixten Sason

SAAB 95 (1959-1978)

Sixten Sason

SAAB 96 (1960-1980)

Sixten Sason

SAAB-SCANIA 97 (SonettII/V4 1966-1969) (SonettIII 1970-1974)

Björn Karlström

Sergio Coggiola

Gunnar A. Sjögren

SAAB-SCANIA 98 (Prototype, Cancelled) (1974)

Björn Envall

SAAB-SCANIA 99 (1969-1984)

Sixten Sason

Björn Envall

Saab 90 (1984-1987)

Björn Envall

SAAB-SCANIA 900 (1979-1993/94)

Björn Envall

SAAB-SCANIA EV-1 (1985)

Björn Envall

Saab 900 (NG) (1994-1998)

Björn Envall

Einar Hareide

SAAB-SCANIA 9000 (1985-1998)

Björn Envall

Giorgetto Giugiaro

Saab 9-1 (Speculative Design)

Saab 9-3 (1999-2002)

Einar Hareide

Saab 9-3 Sport Sedan (2003- )

Einar Hareide

Saab 9-3 Hybrid BioPower Convertible (2006 - )

Kjell ac Bergström

Saab 9-5 (1999- )

Einar Hareide (1999-2001)

Tony Catignani (1999-2001)

Magnus Jonsson (1999-2001)

Simon Padian (2002- )

Tomas Ostlund (2006 - )

Saab 9-5 BioPower E85 (2005 - )

Kjell ac Bergström

Saab 9-5 BioPower E100 (2007 - )

Kjell ac Bergström

Saab 9-X (2001)

Michael Mauer

Anthony Lo

Ola Granlund

Simon Padian

Saab 9-2X (2005-2006)

Michael Mauer

Anthony Lo

Ola Granlund

Per Jansson

Bengt Persson

Kjell-Ake Eriksson

Saab 9-3X (2002)

Michael Mauer

Anthony Lo

Simon Padian

Saab 9-3 SportHatch (2003)

Michael Mauer

Anthony Lo

Simon Padian

Saab 9-4X (Speculative Design)

Saab 9-6X (Cancelled)

Saab 9-7X (2005- )

Per Janssan

Aero-X(2006)

Anthony Lo

Alex Daniel

Erik Rokke

Simon Padian

The Saab Palette continues to expand into new colors along with the growth of the brand.

When one thinks back to some of the colors that stood out over the rest, do you think of Monte Carlo Yellow with the 1992 900 Convertible or Odoardo Grey with the SPG or is it Watermelon Green being used as the color by default with the SAAB 92?

I have developed with the help of my peers, a series of charts representing the paint names and codes used for every Saab model that has ever existed (minus concept cars) The objective of this project is accuracy, completeness and clarity.

Finally, a comprehensive color palette listing that includes the names, codes as well as real-life examples of what these colors look like on the year and models they were used on.

It seemed appropriate to finally release this project in-lieu of being complete so that the public can get a chance to see it and hopefully contribute to the project with additions, modifications and real-life photos of their Saab for those examples of the colors in application.

Please take a look at the new Color Palette section on the right-hand column and contact us with your contribution to the list, enjoy!

The Saab 90 came out in 1984 and was manufactured at the SAAB-SCANIA factory at Uusikaupunki, Finland until 1987. This model, experts indicate that it was the transition between the Saab 99 and the 900, although the 900 was first introduced in 1979.

Unique Characteristics

* Notchback Trunk, no hatch
* Saab 99 Design from B-Pillar Forward
* Only Available in Europe

According to Wikipedia, there was “A limited edition model called the Saab 90 Lumikko was made. These models were all white and had extra trim.”

If there is anyone out there that has one of these limited edition Lumikko Saab 90 models, It would be terrific if you could provide a photo and some descriptive text about it.

For more information, please visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saab_90

Here is a belated Happy New Years card from Vesa Pohjalainen in Finland.

Thank you Vesa. What a good looking Saab 90 in the photo.

The original of SAAB using the numerical nomenclature 9, is that this number was an indication that the project was a non-military, but a civilian project.

The SAAB Scandia 90 (pictured above) was the first civilian project, followed by the SAAB Safir 91, then finally the automobile being SAAB 92001 in 1946, and the beginning of production models with the SAAB 92. Here is a list of all of the the projects from the beginning until the present.

For more information about these models, please visit our “Saab designs by model number” reference list.

90 SCANDIA
91 Safir (Aircraft)
92001
92
93
94 Sonett I
95
96
97 Sonett II & III
98 Prototype
99
90
900
9000
9-5
9-3
9-X
9-2X
9-3X
9-4X
9-6X (cancelled)
9-7X