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

Photo Credit: Christen Johansen

With everyone “going green” these days, it does not surprise me when I received the following information from a colleague. Apparently, a Saab Enthusiast by the name of Christen Johansen in New York, has recently outfitted a beautiful 1972 SAAB 96 into a full on Electric Vehicle or “EV”.

This is certainly not the first Saab or vintage SAAB that has had the necessary modifications in order to run with electric power. Back in 1993, Walter Kern, a physicist by trade and also the creator of the SAAB Quantum, designed and re-engineered a 1974 SAAB Sonett III to run on electrical power.

Here are some additional videos covering this project that are of particular historic importance regarding this project: Pierson to Person, Environmental Forum, Newsbeat 53

It seems that Duke University also had an interest in also converting a 1972 SAAB Sonett III, although I am unsure if Walter Kern & Dave Hosmer’s work inspired them to do the same.

All in all, it seems that there has been a lot of interest these days in people converting their vehicles from conventional fuel systems to more economical and environmental ones such as electricity. Just look at the progress Mark Ward in Missouri has made just this week with his new generation Saab 900 nicknamed “Saabrina”.

Leave it up Saab Enthusiasts, who hold the record as some of the most intelligent and progressive automobile enthusiasts and the world and you have projects like these cropping up everywhere now.

I leave you with an informative piece written by Christen Johansen on his beautiful yet highly sophisticated 1972 SAAB 96 as depicted in the photographs:

I have avery simple system designed by Electric Vehicles of America (Bob Batson) with additional tech know how and parts from Electro-Automotive (Mike Brown). It’s basically a 96 volt traction system (16) 6 volt lead/acid deep cycle (golf cart) batteries connected to an Advanced DC motor through a Curtis controller.
The motor is mounted directly to the standard SAAB 4 speed transmission with a spacer and adapter plates with bolt patterns fitting the motor and transmission bell housing.
I do have regenerative braking, which is a wiring modification of the basic system which is transparent to the traction system until you toggle a switch on the turn signal and energize the motor field, changing the motor into a generator. The degree of braking is based on the controller’s demand (how far you depress the “accelerator” and the batteries’ ability to absorb more energy, you would not want to roll out of your hill top garage with a fully charged battery pack and expect the regen to slow you down much.

Springs and struts are upgraded as the car weighs 1,000 pounds more than the original V4 model, tire pressure is about 50 lbs all around, 6 batteries in front (straddling the motor), 2 in the back seat (I cut 13″ out of the middle of the back seat and 8 in the trunk where the gas tank and spare tire were located.
Top speed on the flat is around 65 mph, and the range is about 75 miles. It cost me about $10,000. to do the restoration and conversion. I think I spent about $3000 on the restoration and paint job.

I have been posting a lot of history about Saab Automobile’s history in the making as well as notable events and activities in the past as of late, but as your the humble host of this website, I have recently realized that I have provided very little history about my connection with the Saab Automobile.

I begin by sharing a beautiful color photo that I have recently found that is one of the only photos of our family’s first SAAB. This model was a straight nosed SAAB 96 in our old driveway in Western, Massachusetts in the seventies. I have asked around and I also understand there was a 99 EMS as well, but I have yet to locate a photo of it, hopefully that photo too will come to light.

For more information on my history with Saab, I have updated the about page that provides a good summary of my background.

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 cars in jet black and cardinal red had Inca ally wheels, which were intended to symbolize the turbine of turbo, not a cheese-grater, as some people suggested,” laughs Erik. “It was, and still is, a very distinctive car. We had the ignition key between the seats on the floor and people were always surprised by that. But why not? There were valid reasons for it, to do with ergonomics and good crash impact safety. It’s like the throttle controls of an aircraft, between the seats in the cockpit. We still have it today and that’s another feature where I think we have proved the sceptics wrong!”

Photo Credit: Saab Automobile

1980s
Carlsson’s choice for the ‘Saab of the 80s’ – the Saab 900 Convertible – surprised the automotive world when it was revealed as a design study at the Frankfurt Show in the autumn of 1983. “I don’t think anyone was expecting Saab to come up with a convertible,“ says Erik. “After all, it is not the kind of car that that a Scandinavian manufacturer was expected to produce, but it turned out to be an outstanding success.”

Back in the 80s, convertibles were not as popular as they are now and Saab was to play a pioneering role in establishing the attraction of an open-top car as a practical, all-year-round means of transport. “We always had a strong soft-top which was fully automatic, quick and easy to use,” says Erik. “That was an essential requirement and we were able show people this was a car that was good to own and drive in winter as well as summer.”

Initially produced for the US market, the first 900 Convertible soon went into production for global sale. “It was a great looking car, roof up or down, and looked like a completely new car, rather than a version of the 900 three-door model,” says Erik. “I still run a Saab Convertible at different times of the year. Even in winter, when it’s cold, you can have the soft-top down with the heater going and still be very comfortable.”

Over the years, Saab has organized keynote events for the Convertible, such as driving in the Land of the Midnight Sun, a 1,500 kilometer excursion through Sweden into the Arctic Circle to North Cape, the ‘roof of Europe’. Another favorite, led by Erik, has been ‘Rally Monte Carlsson’, which follows a route from the Mediterranean beach in Monaco up through the maritime Alps to a ski resort 2,000 meter above sea level. “You can be driving in warm sunshine with the top down and a few hours later be up in the snow and ice. It’s a great demonstration of what the Convertible has to offer,” adds Erik.

Over three generations, Saab has sold more than 250,000 Convertibles. In many European markets it has often featured as the top-selling car in its class.

Photo Credit: Saab Automobile

1990s
Fixed roof motoring was recommended in 1986 when Erik had led a team of Saab test drivers at the wheel of three 9000 Turbos on the famous ‘Long Run’ at the Talladega Speedway in the United States. Over almost 20 days, stopping only for fuel, tires and routine servicing, they established a series of.speed and distance records for standard production cars. The lead 9000 covered 100,000 km at average speed of 213.299 km.

In recognition of this achievement, a top sports flagship model, the 9000 Talladega was introduced. In the UK this was known as the Carlsson edition, Erik also lending his name to a 900 series version as well. These performance models were later given their ultimate expression in the Saab 9000CS Aero of 1993, Erik’s choice as the ‘Saab of the 90s’. It set a first template for top-of-the-range Aero models that continue at the pinnacle of Saab’s product range today.

“The 9000 was a great car, very roomy and comfortable. It was a large hatchback that offered all the versatility of a wagon,“ says Erik. “With the rear seats down, you could carry a hell of lot and with the seats up it was just like being in a sedan.”

Saab was also introducing its own engine management system, Saab Trionic. With a processing capacity greater than the computers that put men on the moon, Saab Trionic was an ideal platform for the launch of the more powerful Aero. “The new 2.3 turbo engine gave fantastic torque and the Aero model was the quickest car we had ever produced at that time,” says Erik.

“The engine was extremely smooth with its balancer shafts and gave good power from very low revs. It really showed what we could do with turbocharging. You could be in almost any gear, just put your foot down and go. With the 9000 Aero, we asked everyone to ‘talk torque’ when describing what it was like to drive.

“It was a large car, but it handled very well and everyone appreciated how good the seats were. That is something Saabs has always been known for. Even the seats in my first 92 were very comfortable.”

The Saab 9000 five-door hatchback and sedan range took the Saab brand further into the premium car segment, and more than 500,000 were sold before production ceased in 1998..

Photo Credit: Saab Automobile

2000s
When he’s not at the wheel of a Saab Convertible, Erik usually drives a Saab 9-5 Aero SportCombi, but this is not a contender for his choice of a Saab for the first decade of the new millennium. That honor goes to the Saab Aero X Concept, shown at the Geneva Show last year.
With its aircraft-like canopy and a V6 BioPower turbo engine capable of running on pure bioethanol fuel, offering the prospect of zero fossil CO2 emissions, the Aero X is a concept in tune with the demands of the new century.

“Sweden has a great tradition of concern of the environment,” says Erik “And Saab was first to introduce improvements like asbestos-free brake pads and CFC-free air conditioning systems. This car follows in that tradition, without sacrificing the sort of turbo performance we all enjoy.

“Looking at the Aero X, I see how far our cars have travelled in 60 years,” says Eric, who drove Saab’s first two-seater car, the lightweight Saab Sonett in 1956.

“But I think this is a good time to be looking towards the future, as well as enjoying the cars of the past,” he adds. “The Aero X is a very modern design and it shows that Saab will be making exciting cars in the future. We did not produce a concept car until 1985, now there have been several recently, which shows the Saab spirit is strong.

“That wraparound windscreen gives it a good Saab character. It is, of course, a design concept, but I’m not sure about the opening canopy without any doors, but then my first Saab did not have a boot lid and the doors opened from the front!”

In a more serious vein, Erik agrees that when his career with Saab began, the company’s cars were almost unknown beyond Scandinavia. And he is too modest to point out that his rallying success played a major part in establishing Saab outside its home country. The brand is now a global player, selling premium cars in more than 60 markets around world. Carlsson and Carlsson’s Choice can both take credit for helping to make it happen.

Erik will be reunited with his Carlsson’s Choice - and many other favorites - at Saab’s 60th Anniversary Festival in Trollhättan, from 7-10 June, celebrating the unveiling of the first Saab car exactly six decades ago.

In what could be the biggest-ever gathering of Saab fans and enthusiasts, more than 30,000 visitors are expected to come from all over the globe to enjoy a packed program of events. (Visit www.saabfestival.se for all the details)

Carlsson’s Choice:
Saab 92 (1950)
Monocoque construction, 2-door sedan, front-wheel-drive
Two cylinder, 2-stroke, 764 cc. 3-speed gearbox
Max.