Saab History

The Saab Project Designs by Model

Posted on 28. Jun, 2008 by Ryan.

As a follow-up to the previous writeup on the past and present Saab designers and their achievements, it was necessary to include a chronological up-to-date 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

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The Saab Naming and Model Nomenclature

Posted on 25. Feb, 2008 by Ryan.

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

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Jack Ashcraft – Vintage V4 Literature

Posted on 25. Sep, 2007 by Ryan.

Drawing Credit: Jack Ashcraft

Jack Ashcraft, a veteran vintage SAAB enthusiast, has recently launched his own website, www.jackashcraft.com where you can purchase any of his illustrated and documented material.

I must say, the content that he produced both his skills in freehand sketching as well as writing is far superior to much out there these days and should be considered high quality and an extremely smart purchase for the sake of restoring and/or preserving your vintage V4 SAAB for years to come. If only there were others with these kinds of skills these days.

A sincere thank you to Jack Ashcraft for providing this material to the international Saab community for as long as you have and I hope that you see many more years of customers following your well documented publications.

Here is his press release in his own words.

There are THIRTEEN sources for accurate information on V4 powered Saab automobiles. These are the 13 books that I have written and illustrated on these cars. ALL the information in these books is based on work done on these cars in my shop, and my experience with these cars in race and rally competition, over the past 40 years.. NONE of it is conjecture or suppostion. If you want facts and not guesswork about V4 Saab cars, buy the books.

- Jack Ashcraft

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1971 Saab Sonett III Saab USA Heritage Collection

Posted on 01. Aug, 2007 by Ryan.

Photo Credit: GM Heritage Collection

This 1971 Saab Sonett III has been made part of the Saab USA Heritage Collection.

As of now, Saab History does not have any information about the specifications and details.

In time, hopefully this information will be forthcoming.

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Sonett III – Redesign Competition

Posted on 28. Jul, 2007 by Ryan.

Virtual Tuning Magazine’s Virtual Tuning Masters Series, 2007 Round Six featured a virtual re-design of the Sonett III and there were some incredible submissions. With this fun unofficial design exercise, there was a design that took second place, which in my opinion was the best executed design overall.

Photo Credit: HVTM.HU

To see the rest of the entries, click on the link here or watch the video mix that was also put together showcasing the entries.

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Saab Factory – Trollhättan, Sweden

Posted on 15. Jun, 2007 by Ryan.

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.

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Saab Owners Convention – 1983

Posted on 17. May, 2007 by Ryan.

Photo Credits: Joe Jerome

The first Saab Owners Convention took place twenty-five years ago in Galena, Illinois during the month of September. According to Tom Donney of Donney Saab in Iowa, “this location was a relatively small tourist town alongside the Mississippi River where about 75 people attended”.

In addition to the Saab Owners Convention logo you see here, I have been able to provide some wonderful vintage photography for you also thanks to Tom Donney’s friend Joe Jerome who also made it to this event.

I am looking for more information on this event, so if you have any additional material, please e-mail me so that I can add it to this posting.

This convention is also listed on the Saab Convention Archive here on Saab History.

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Saab Owners Convention – 2005

Posted on 02. May, 2007 by Ryan.

Photo Credits: Saab History

In August of 2005, the Saab Owners Convention took place in Stratton, Vermont from August 11th until the 14th. During the event there were vintage SAAB rides available for all participants. The owners of these vintage SAABs were very kind in offering up rides almost non-stop during the one of the days of the convention. I can recall being driven at high speed in a nice silver Sonett II. Quite exciting and nostalgic at the same time.
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