The Classic Saab
Svenska Aeroplan Aktie Bolaget – or SAAB, the Swedish Airplane Company – was established in 1937 to satisfy Sweden’s lust for fighter planes, the winds of war far too close for comfort as Hitler made merry in nearby Germany.
With demand for its machines fading after World War II, the clever gnomes at the factory in chilly Trollhattan turned their attention to the booming peacetime car market, their first model, the Saab 92, rolling off the factory floor in 1947.
Nowadays the Saab brand is used by two distinct companies, the aircraft, military and technology conglomerate Saab AB, and Saab Automobile AB, a division of American giant General Motors.
Despite its ultimate masters residing in Detroit, Saab Automobile retains a distinctly Scandinavian ethos, where safety is paramount, build quality demanding and model changes incremental. Its product range must be the most limited of any large-scale manufacturer: beyond a variety of conservatively styled, solidly crafted, mid-sized sedans, very little.
Talk continues to gather however of an impending Australian release for its mid-sized luxury 4WD, the 9-7x, available in the US since 2005, and an heroic looking sports car, the Aero-X, which has been drawing gasps everywhere as it travels the global motor show circuit, the extraordinarily positive response likely to produce a quick transition from sketchpad to factory floor. The last time Saab had a stab at an out-and-out sports car was in 1970 with the Sonett III, a rarely seen beast styled in Italy and cast in reinforced fibreglass plastic.
"A Claremont classic was born!"
The car that made its name and fortunes, the 900, otherwise known as ‘The Classic’, was first released in 1979, its model life extending through to 1993. A front-wheel-drive compact car, the 900 was popular with drivers, who appreciated its comfort, safety and practicality (especially the hatchbacks), its highway manners beyond reproof.
The 900 had a deeply curved front windshield for optimum driver visibility, its cockpit-like cabin drawing further attention to the marque’s aircraft legacy. The three and five-door hatchbacks (‘Combi Coupes’ in unique Saab-speak) were exceptionally spacious, if not universally applauded for their nose-heavy aesthetics. Also underscoring Saab’s aircraft lineage, the 900’s dashboard was curved to ensure all the controls were within easy reach.
In the mid-1980s the president of Saab America suggested a convertible version to increase sales in the land of conspicuous consumption. Look at moi, daaahling! With the first prototype built by the American Sunroof Company, the initial production run in 1986 was small but the orders kept coming, ultimately accounting for 15 per cent of all sales. A Claremont classic was born!
"For the total Saab experience, turbo-charge it, drop the cloth-top and hit the coastal highway."
For the total Saab experience, turbo-charge it, drop the cloth-top and hit the coastal highway, blonde bob bouncing in the breeze, stereo pumping.
“Where you headed sweetie?”
“To lunch of course.”
For many Saab aficionados (yes, they are out there) the 1990 Saab 900i is considered the last ‘true’ Saab, thanks (or no thanks) to GM purchasing 51 per cent that year and the rest of the company 10 years’ later.
The mid-90s saw the introduction of its possibly least distinctive and least cherished offering, the 900 S. Nice car but it gave every impression that GM had directed the Trollhattan trolls to drop the pretensions and get with the flow, just another mid-size, mid-level European. Ratcheting up the testosterone level, the 9-3 returned the marque to its traditional strengths, a fighter pilot (male or female) in a bespoke suit.
Despite the doomsayers, the Saab remains a car like no other, steadfast in its aeronautic ways and a viable alternative (especially now that its prices have dropped) to what’s on offer from the Teutonic juggernaut.
The current flagship of the Saab range is the 9-3 Aero 2.8 V6 Turbo Convertible, pictured here. This muscular beauty can be yours for a cool $90,800. Contact Henley Saab.
Disclaimer: For his sins, Mr Carter once owned an exceptionally self-destructive Saab 9000CD. In spite of himself, he continues to respect the brand.
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