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

Photo Credit: Saab Automobile USA

Tim Winker, former editor for Nines Magazine, who participated in the Saab 900 Talladega event as a journalist in 1996 who has recently rallied in Tom Donney’s SAAB 92 at the Elkhart Lake Rally in Wisconsin, is calling all SAAB 92 owners.

He is kindly requesting any and all information pertaining to their whereabouts, current conditions, history, present-day photography and of course, contacts for all current owners and even non owners of these vehicles.

Here is the list he is working on as we speak. If you could help him by contacting Saab History, directly, that would be much appreciated. I will forward your note to him directly.

I am working (finally!) on a story on the SAAB 92 that we ran on the Elkhart Lake Rally, Tom Donney’s #218.

Would like to update the list of all known 92s in the US. Know of any others? have any of these changed hands?

1950 92 00218 Tom Donney, Fort Dodge, IA
1951 92 01837 Saab Cars USA, Inc.
1951 92 02222 Clyde Billing, Augusta, ME
1953 92B ????? Ken Ebling, Overland Park, KS
1954 92B 10446 Garry Small, Portland, OR
1955 92B 12960 Bill Jacobson, Wilmington, DE
1955 92B 13392 Sean Tennis, Seattle, WA

Photo Credit: Saab History

During my recent visit to Garry Small Saab of Portland, Oregon, site sponsor of Saab History, I got to see their super rare 1954 SAAB 92 which was originally located in California.

The SAAB 92, was the first production vehicle for Svenska Aeroplan AktieBolaget or SAAB and was initially only available in the color “Watermelon Green“. This changed a few years later of course due to demand.

This rust-free vehicle is very unique to North America, given that the SAAB 93 was actually the first production vehicle to be delivered in the United States back in 1956 which were first delivered on the port of Hingham, Massachusetts.

Sixten Sason, was the first SAAB designer responsible for this vehicle as were a handful of other engineers including Gunnar Ljungström, as well as the Grand Father Sigmund Johansson of Peter Johansson who is the current lead engineer on the new XWD system system as well as 14 others including two of whom, did not even have driver’s licenses.

Here is a summary written by Saab Automobile USA about their own 1952 92 which is part of the Saab USA Heritage Collection.

Here is the summary:

Often described as an airplane without wings, the 92 (earlier model designations belonged to Saab aircraft) was created in the aftermath of WWII as a rugged, low-cost and practical car to safely conquer the rough Scandinavian roads of the time.

Lead by Gunnar Ljungström, the original 92 was developed by a team of 16 Saab aircraft engineers – only two of whom, according to the legend, had a driver’s license. Responsible for the exterior design was Sixten Sason, a freelance industrial designer who also gathered fame with his contributions to Hasselblad cameras.

Reflecting its aircraft heritage, the Saab 92 used a monocoque one-piece body/frame structure, yielding light weight as well as great strength. Its front-wheel drive not only delivered good traction on snow, but also a flat floor and an amazingly roomy interior – given the compact exterior dimensions.

For the first couple of years, Saab offered the 92 only in green paint, said to be left over from army supplies. The four-passenger car was powered by a two-cylinder, two-stroke engine with an output of 25 horsepower. It had a three-speed manual transmission with the shifter mounted on the steering column, saving interior space.

Produced from 1949 to 1956, the 92 exemplifies Saab’s zest for innovation and design that have become known around the world as the key characteristics of the Swedish brand.

Because Saab did not officially start its automotive business in the United States until 1956, it is fortunate to have this 1952 model 92 (serial number 1837) as the “arch father” of its Sterling Heights, Mich.-based Heritage Collection.

Photo Credit: Tim Winker

Tim Winker the former editor of Nines Magazine has just provided Saab History some recent photographs on turn 5 of the SAAB 92 racing at Road America in Elkhart, Wisconsin.

This SAAB 92, the oldest SAAB in the United States appears to have endured the historic race and the statistics will be forthcoming. Fellow Saab Enthusiast, Marty Adams had volunteered to pilot the SAAB 92 just in time for this truly historic race.

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After a scramble to locate a last-minute replacement for the ailing Jon Davis, Marty Adams filled in as driver. Marty is a Saab dealer in Iowa (Meyer Garage and Iowa City Saab) and is quite familiar with Tom Donney’s SAAB 92.

I drove the car for a few laps at Road America. While the Corvettes and Porsches were loafing around the track, it was all I could do to push the 25 HP SAAB 92 up the famous hills at RA. The speedometer read just over 100 on the downhill slope between turns 2 and 5. (Speedometer was in KPH, of course.)

We had some trouble keeping up the speeds during the Historic Rally on the uphills and the twisties in the Kettle Morain area, but managed a good enough score to win the Vintage Trophy.

Will write more and post some photos later.

Thanks to Trio Motors in Flint, Michigan; Marty Adams for filling in on short notice; and especially to Tom Donney for allowing us to flog the oldest SAAB in America!

And thanks to the spirit of Larry Williams for riding with us all weekend and urging us on.

Photo Credit: Tim Winker

Tim Winker has just notified Saab History that his driver is unable to make it in the competition this weekend and is looking for someone to get behind the wheel of this truly vintage SAAB 92 for the Elkhart rally this weekend. If you are interested and available, please contact Saab History directly and I will forward your message to Tim.

Photo Credit: Saab History

This just in from the former editor of NINES Magazine, Tim Winker, the magazine of the Saab Club of North America.

The photo above showcases Saab Enthusiast, Tom Donney’s 1950 92 taken while attending the 2005 Saab Owners Convention in Stratton, Vermont during the “vintage rides” component of the convention.

It’s nice to see some vintage rallying, very nostalgic in memory of Saab notable, Larry “Stroker” Williams.

Historic SAAB to compete at Elkhart Lake Vintage Rally

A rare 1950 SAAB 92 is set to compete in a renactment rally in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, home of Road America Raceway. The driver/navigator team is nearly as historic as the car. Jon Davis of Houghton, Michigan, will be behind the wheel, while Tim Winker of Twig, Minnesota, will try to keep the team on time. The 2007 Elkhart Lake Historic Rallye celebrates the 55th anniversary of the SCCA sponsored Monte Carlo style rallies held in conjunction with open road sports car races during 1951 and 1952. The rally will be held on October 5 and 6, 2007, and includes a tour of the original Elkhart Lake race course that used public roads.

1950 was the first year that SAAB produced cars, and this is the earliest

92 known in the U.S, the 218th of only 1246 Saabs to roll off the production line in Trollhattan that year. SAAB did not begin importing cars to the U.S. until the introduction of the model 93 in 1956. This 92 was imported to the U.S. by a private owner. When it was purchased by Saab enthusiast Larry Williams of Waterloo, Iowa, it bore a small dash plaque from the 1952 Elkhart Lake Rallye.

Williams found the rusty 92 at Trio Motors in Flint, Michigan, where it had been sitting for over 25 years. He acquired it in 1991 and dragged it home. He was able to get the car’s 750cc, two-cylinder engine unstuck and even running, then went on to hand fabricate many floor and body pieces that had rusted out. The car had been repainted grey at some time in its life, and much of that was flaking off. Williams was able to get down to the original green paint on much of the car, but bare metal was sprayed with black primer. That is how the body still appears today.

Once it was safe to drive on the street, he drove it to a Saab Owner Convention in Wisconsin, a 500 mile round trip. In a true test of faith in the 92, Williams ran it around the autocross course at the convention.

After Williams passed away in 1998, the SAAB 92 went to Tom Donney, another Iowa Saab collector. He, too, has driven the 92 to Saab events, including Saab Owners Conventions in Hilton Head, SC (1998) and Troy, Michigan (2007). On a recent trip to Sweden, Donney acquired many parts to do a restoration of the 92, and intends to bring the car closer to original condition over the next few years.

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JON DAVIS - Former SCCA ProRally Champion Jon Davis ran his first rally in 1959 in a Triumph TR3. He later switched to the more robust SAABs and took many trophies in both two-stroke and V4 SAAB 96s. When SCCA instituted the ProRally Championship in the 1970s, Davis was one of the first to get involved. He ran a very competitive Saab 99 for many years, but the car suffered regular engine problems due to aftermarket parts. Davis was one of the first to compete in the Production Class, driving a Saab 99, and captured the National Championship in 1980 and 1981, with Harry Ward as his co-driver.

TIM WINKER - Tim Winker’s rally career began when he was a student at the University of Minnesota in 1969. He competed locally for many years, and occasionally ventured across the country for a National Rally. Over the years he has also raced cars on the ice and road race courses, driven and co-driven on stage rallies, and navigated on several prestigious endurance rallies such as One Lap of America, Alcan 5000 and Targa Newfoundland.

Winker was also part of a Saab factory organized team of journalists that drove a Saab 900 to a world speed record at Talladega International Speedway in 1996, and set the fastest lap during his stint at the wheel.

Tim Winker
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Vintage Ice And Gravel Rally Racing Association
[ V. I. A. G. R. R. A. ]

At the Saab Enthusiast Swap Meet on Sunday, June 10th on the last day of the Saab Festival in Sweden, I managed to find the SAAB 92 1:43 scale model that I have been looking for that was manufactured by Somerville in none other than refreshing watermelon green I have added this model to the Saab Scale model archive list.

Photo Credit: Saab History

The Saab Factory in Trollhättan, Sweden began production in December of December of 1949 of the SAAB 92. At that time, the factory still exhibited it’s aircraft heritage with an air traffic control tower and wind sock elements that were built back in 1937 when they were manufacturing airplanes. From 1947 until 1949, SAAB built automobiles such as the 92001 prototype (URSAAB) and the SAAB 92 in Linköping, Sweden.

At the time of completion of the SAAB factory in 1949, the space available for automobile production covered approximately 190,000 square feet (17,700 sq. meters). This space consisted of the press, body and assembly, engine & transmission construction, upholstery and paint shops and lastly final assembly and adjustment areas. The SAABs built per day at the time were three to four which resulted in 1,246 SAAB 92 cars built in the first year, model year 1950.

In the 10 years of airplane production and 57 years of automobile production that have taken place at the SAAB factory in Trollhättan, the classic Saab 900 that began production in 1979 and ended in 1993 and 1994 with the convertible still remains the leader in units producted with nearly 1 million (908, 810)

Today, the Saab Automobile factory has increased dramatically over the years to include a number of enhancements, additions and expansions to the press, body assembly and most recently the paint shop in 2000. The inventory system the factory uses today is referred to as “Just In Time” or JIT where all materials and supplies are made available only for what is being produced at the present time, therefore there will be no overstock or wasted materials.

It is also worth mentioning that all vehicles produced in the Saab Automobile factory in Trollhättan, Sweden are all built on specific demand from Saab Automobile dealerships worldwide.

The Saab Automobile cars that are produced at the factory today include the Saab 9-3 Sport Sedan, Saab 9-3 SportCombi, Saab 9-5 Sedan and the Saab 9-5 SportCombi.

At the recent Saab Festival celebrating 60 years of an automobile manufacturer (3 years in Linköping, and 57 in Trollhättan), I had along with many, the opportunity to tour the factory. Factory tours are available year-round with advanced notice. While there are no opportunities for photos nor videos to be taken during the tours, I have been able to provide you some of the most recent footage of the Saab 9-3 Sport Sedan being manufactured in the factory from the first model year, 2003.

Sources:

* Saab Automobile AB
* Sjogren, Gunnar A. The SAAB Way, the first 35 years of Saab cars, 1949-1984 Nyköping, Sweden Österbergs Tryckeri AB, 1984.

Photo Credit: Saab Automobile

2007-06-01

CONTACTS

Saab 60th Anniversary

Carlsson’s Choice: Erik Selects Six Favorites from Saab’s Hall of Fame

The career of Eric (Mr Saab) Carlsson, international rallying’s first superstar, spans six decades. It has taken him from test driving in Trollhättan, to the top of the podium in Monte Carlo and on to a globe-trotting role as Saab’s international ambassador. Here Erik chooses his six favorite Saabs, one from each decade. His recollections, and the cars themselves, tell the story of how the automotive aspirations of an aircraft manufacturer took wing.

As a young boy, Erik Carlsson used to stand on the perimeter of his local airfield in Trollhättan and admire the aerobatics of Saab aircraft flying overhead. Little did he know that Saab would one day start making cars and that he would play a key role in its growth as an auto maker.

Erik’s legendary exploits at wheel of the ‘little red cars from Sweden’ include two back-to-back victories in the Monte Carlo Rally and a hat-trick of wins in the British RAC Rally. His success in the early Sixties launched Saab as a global car brand and today, at 78 years young, Erik still plays an active part in Saab activities.

Preparing to lead the celebrations for Saab’s 60th Anniversary next week, he is happy to take up the theme by identifying his six favorite Saab cars, one from each decade.

Photo Credit: Saab Automobile

1950s
“I think we all have a special place in our heart for our first car, “ he says. “In my case it was a Saab 92, in green like they all were then, which I bought second-hand from a farmer in Trollhättan. It was 1952, I was 23 and I had started a job at a local garage.

“Saab was the big local company and they had just started making cars. It was an exciting time and the 92 really was something different from other cars, with its streamlined shape and aircraft engineering. Most cars then had a separate body and chassis bolted together, but the 92 had one single body structure, as most cars do these days. It was light but extremely strong, as I found in my rallying.

“It also handled really well with the front wheel drive. It had a small engine but I could go quicker than larger cars that had quite a bit more power.”

Photo Credit: Saab Automobile

1960s
Erik’s success in local rallying events at the wheel of his 92 quickly led to full-time employment with Saab as a test and development and works rally driver. His ‘Saab of the 60s’ is the famous Saab 96 that brought international rally success for him and for the company. More than 500,000 examples were to be sold in a production run spanning almost 20 years.

“The 96 had more power, good suspension, disc brakes and great handling. We didn’t have a roll-over cage, but with the 96 you didn’t need one, as I appreciated a few times. Although I got the nickname ‘Carlsson on the Roof’, I don’t think I rolled all that many times. But I remember one occasion when I rolled over in a ditch and water was coming in. It was like sitting in an aquarium but the roof pillars were extremely strong so we weren’t drowned or hurt much at all.”

The aircraft engineering tradition of combining strength with light weight helped establish the popularity of the Saab 96 and in snowy and icy conditions Erik was able to fully exploit its sure-footed handling. But he also has a soft spot for the sister car of the 96, the Saab 95 wagon.

“Quite a few eyebrows were raised when I did the ’61 Monte Carlo with one. It was unheard of to use a wagon or estate car but the 95 handled and drove every bit as well as the 96. I was fourth that year. We used the wagon, together with its aerofoil on the roof, because it had just come out with a four-speed gearbox, which really helped on the steep alpine passes.”

Photo Credit: Saab Automobile

1970s
Carlsson’s choice as ‘Saab of the 70s’ is the now iconic, black Saab 99 Turbo. “A lot of people at the time said we wouldn’t get turbocharging to work for passenger cars,” says Erik. “ I would say history has proved them wrong.”

These days, the words ‘turbocharging and Saab’ are as closely associated as ‘peaches and cream’ or ‘bacon and eggs’ , but back in 1977, exactly 30 years ago, when the 99 Turbo was unveiled, Saab surprised the automotive world by declaring that it had succeeded in ‘taming the turbo’ .

“The 99 was a great chassis and with the turbo we had real power to exploit its potential,” says Erik, who remembers secret forest test driving and his first experiences of the explosive performance on full boost. “We had to do a lot of work to control the boost, to stop the engine blowing up and to get the power on the ground. But, of course, we showed it could be done and just about everyone now uses turbocharging.”

The logic behind getting ‘big engine power from a small engine’, or ‘right-sizing’ as Saab calls it, is even more attractive these days, with the need to save weight, reduce bulk and improve fuel consumption. “Our top engineer, Pelle Gillbrand, who led the project, used to put it very simply,” says Erik. “He would explain that all engines have a fuel pump, a water pump and an oil pump – so why not an air pump? That’s all a turbo really is and he thought it was strange that all engines didn’t have one.”

With its wraparound, cockpit-inspired windshield, ‘clampshell’ hood and ‘self-repairing’ bumpers, the bold and distinctive looks of the larger Saab 99 took Saab upmarket, a process continued by its evolution into the ‘classic’ Saab 900, of which more than 900,000 were sold.

“The first production c