Celebrating 60 years of independent thinking - 3
2007: Saab's 60th anniversary
This is the third instalment in the series of 60 little 'gems' paying tribute to the Swedish carmaker's diamond jubilee. These snippets reflect something of the passion and tradition for innovative, independent thinking that continues to inspire the Saab brand and the development of its products today.
21. The stunning 2006 Aero X concept car draws on Saab's aviation heritage to provide the driver with a clear, 180° field of vision by adopting an aircraft-style canopy to completely eliminate the need for windshield pillars - and even doors. Inspirational design that won US Autoweek magazine's 'Best in Show' honours on its world debut at Geneva and Autocar's 'Concept Car of the Year' award in the UK.
22. The brand name 'Saab' is an acronym for Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget, Swedish Aircraft Company Limited, founded in 1937. A stylised aircraft wing, a feature of early Saab car badges, can still be seen in the grille design of today's cars as homage to Saab's unique aircraft heritage.
23. According to popular myth, none of the 16-strong project team behind the first Saab car had a driving licence. While that is not strictly true, most of them did not, as they were originally trained as aircraft engineers. We are certain that only project leader Gunnar Ljungström and test driver Rolf Mellde had a car licence.
24. The '92' model designation was chosen for Saab's first car as the number was next in sequence for what had until then been civil aircraft projects. The Saab 91 was a two-seater training aircraft and the Saab 90 a 24-seat passenger plane.
25. Sixten Sason, the designer of the early Saabs from the original 92 to the highly innovative 99, was a leading exponent of the emerging discipline of industrial design. Working as a freelancer, he also designed the first Hasselblad camera, Husqvarna motorcycles and Electrolux domestic appliances.
26. The basement of a house in Trollhättan, Saab's home town, has wall paintings of Nordic scenes, including a large sketch of the Saab 92, signed by Sason. The mural is dated 1955 and believed to been painted by Sason during a party at the house.
27. The 'four-dimensional' Saab 9X concept - unveiled at the 2001 Frankfurt Motor Show - was voted Best Concept Car in the 2002 European Automotive Design Awards by Designers (Europe) members among car manufacturers, design studios and suppliers. The 9X's innovative design offered coupé, roadster, wagon and pick-up body formats within one versatile architecture.
28. The Toppola Camper is an extraordinary accessory, popular in Sweden among hatchback Saab 99 and 'classic' 900 owners. It converts their cars into an instant 'campervan', complete with cooker, heater, rear standing room and a double bed. The entire module, resembling an automotive 'rucksack', is fitted by removing the car's rear door.
29. The steel body panels of the first Saab prototype (92.001), built in 1946, were pummelled into shape by panel beaters working on wooden benches standing in horse droppings. Apparently, this cushioned surface gave them just the right responses and feel for their work. An earlier full-scale wooden mock-up was covered in shiny, black shoe polish instead of paint.
30. The 'unknown' Saab models numbers - 94, 97 and 98 - were each used for car projects, one of which went into commercial production. Project number '94' was a two-seater sports car, Sonnet 1, of which six prototypes were built in 1956. '97' was assigned to what became the Sonnet II and III sport coupés, produced from 1966-74. '98' was a prototype designed in 1974 as a hatchback version of the 95 wagon. Anticipated sales volumes were considered insufficient to justify commercial production.
(To be continued)
21. The stunning 2006 Aero X concept car draws on Saab's aviation heritage to provide the driver with a clear, 180° field of vision by adopting an aircraft-style canopy to completely eliminate the need for windshield pillars - and even doors. Inspirational design that won US Autoweek magazine's 'Best in Show' honours on its world debut at Geneva and Autocar's 'Concept Car of the Year' award in the UK.
22. The brand name 'Saab' is an acronym for Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget, Swedish Aircraft Company Limited, founded in 1937. A stylised aircraft wing, a feature of early Saab car badges, can still be seen in the grille design of today's cars as homage to Saab's unique aircraft heritage.
23. According to popular myth, none of the 16-strong project team behind the first Saab car had a driving licence. While that is not strictly true, most of them did not, as they were originally trained as aircraft engineers. We are certain that only project leader Gunnar Ljungström and test driver Rolf Mellde had a car licence.
24. The '92' model designation was chosen for Saab's first car as the number was next in sequence for what had until then been civil aircraft projects. The Saab 91 was a two-seater training aircraft and the Saab 90 a 24-seat passenger plane.
25. Sixten Sason, the designer of the early Saabs from the original 92 to the highly innovative 99, was a leading exponent of the emerging discipline of industrial design. Working as a freelancer, he also designed the first Hasselblad camera, Husqvarna motorcycles and Electrolux domestic appliances.
26. The basement of a house in Trollhättan, Saab's home town, has wall paintings of Nordic scenes, including a large sketch of the Saab 92, signed by Sason. The mural is dated 1955 and believed to been painted by Sason during a party at the house.
27. The 'four-dimensional' Saab 9X concept - unveiled at the 2001 Frankfurt Motor Show - was voted Best Concept Car in the 2002 European Automotive Design Awards by Designers (Europe) members among car manufacturers, design studios and suppliers. The 9X's innovative design offered coupé, roadster, wagon and pick-up body formats within one versatile architecture.
28. The Toppola Camper is an extraordinary accessory, popular in Sweden among hatchback Saab 99 and 'classic' 900 owners. It converts their cars into an instant 'campervan', complete with cooker, heater, rear standing room and a double bed. The entire module, resembling an automotive 'rucksack', is fitted by removing the car's rear door.
29. The steel body panels of the first Saab prototype (92.001), built in 1946, were pummelled into shape by panel beaters working on wooden benches standing in horse droppings. Apparently, this cushioned surface gave them just the right responses and feel for their work. An earlier full-scale wooden mock-up was covered in shiny, black shoe polish instead of paint.
30. The 'unknown' Saab models numbers - 94, 97 and 98 - were each used for car projects, one of which went into commercial production. Project number '94' was a two-seater sports car, Sonnet 1, of which six prototypes were built in 1956. '97' was assigned to what became the Sonnet II and III sport coupés, produced from 1966-74. '98' was a prototype designed in 1974 as a hatchback version of the 95 wagon. Anticipated sales volumes were considered insufficient to justify commercial production.
(To be continued)