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It began as free-thinking sketches from the hand of an airplane engineer. What it soon became was the first Saab - the 92. Before World War II, Saab was largely known as a builder of military aircraft. But as the war drew to a close, company leaders knew that, in order to survive in peacetime, they had to diversify their interests. After plenty of thought - including the notion of building toasters - they decided to use the company's natural engineering strengths to build a new kind of car.
To make the first Saab, company director Sven Otterbeck tapped Gunnar Ljungstrom, a Saab aircraft engineer, to put together the team that would build the first Saab. First, Ljungstrom sketched his ideas for a vehicle with timeless aerodynamic styling, light but safe construction, and front-wheel drive. Then he enlisted noted industrial designer Sixten Sason and his team of craftsmen to
translate them into the company's first passenger car.
With the blessing of company president Sven Otterbeck, Ljungstrom's team began building prototypes for the new vehicles. Now it needed a name. Since numbers through 89 were already assigned to military aviation projects and 90 and 91 were dedicated to commercial aircraft, the first Saab passenger car became known as the 92.
Under its new name, the car continued its development. Three prototypes were driven more than 174,000 miles, and the aerodynamic shape was refined at the National Swedish Aeronautical Research Institute. Until Saab's own engine was ready for testing, the prototypes used power plants from German-made DKWs. On February 27, 1947, Saab's directors approved the 92 for production. After rave reviews from the Swedish press
that summer, the 92 underwent another year of testing. In December of 1949, the first Saab 92s arrived in Swedish showrooms with a 25-hp, two-cylinder, two-stroke engine, a top speed of about 62 mph, and a price tag of 6,550 kronor.
Success was immediate for the little green Swede - in the first year, Saab built 1,248 92s, each painted aircraft green. And only one month into production, Saab's long history of rally racing began when the company entered the 92 in the Monte Carlo rally.
The 92 had come a long way by 1955, when its popularity demanded that Saab open a new engine-assembly plant in Gothenburg. Indeed, it had become so popular that Saab was already prepared for its successor - the 93.
Saab 92 (1950-1956) Technical Highlights
| • | Two-door sedan |
| • | Front-wheel drive, transverse engine |
| • | Two-stroke, two-cylinder engine: 764cc, 25 hp |
| • | Three-speed transmission |
| • | Independent suspension with torsion bars front and rear |
| • | Hydraulic drum brakes, front and rear |
| • | Top speed: about 62 mph |
Model Highlights
| • | 1951 - new instrumentation added |
| • | 1953 - 92B body style introduced with a larger rear window, trunk with exterior access |
| • | 1954 - engine output raised to 28 hp |
| • | 1955 - electric fuel pump added |
The first model change in Saab history brought us the 93. An evolution of the popular 92, the 93 smoothed the styling cues of the previous car while bringing a new longitudinal 33-hp three-cylinder engine to the successful shape. Although it displaced slightly less than its forebearer did, the new engine produced more power. Another significant change came beneath the body, where a new coil spring suspension replaced the former torsion-bar suspension.
The 93 would prove even more successful than the 92 - largely, because the 93 was the car that brought Saab to the U.S. market. In the early 1950s, Saab had studied the possibility of selling its cars in the U.S., but had decided against it. Then, in 1956, company president Tryggve Holm decided that U.S. sales should begin with the new 93. The company's U.S. representative in New York,
Ralph Turner Millet, was charged with setting up the new company. A few months and one shipment of cars later, Saab had taken its beachhead in America.
The 93 had a swift start in the U.S., from its debut at the 1956 New York International Auto Show. But Millet felt the 93 was capable of more. To prove it, he entered a brace of 93s in that year's Great American Mountain Rally, a 1500-mile trek over wintry New England trails. Of course, the 93 took first place. With the resulting publicity, sales bloomed overnight. Within twelve months, 1,410 93s had been sold, and the company had firmly established the link between performance, durability, and the name Saab.
Later Saab 93 models offered an automatic clutch, called the Saxomat, and other improvements such as larger
brakes and brackets for seat belts - a feature that would soon be standard on Saabs. By the time these features were added, Saab had already prepared the successor for the 93 - a new car that carried some of its newest features into the next decade.
Saab 93 (1956 - 1960) Tech Highlights
| • | Two-door sedan |
| • | Front-wheel drive, longitudinal engine |
| • | Two-stroke, three-cylinder engine: 748cc, 33 hp |
| • | Three-speed transmission |
| • | Independent suspension, coil springs front and rear |
| • | Hydraulic brakes, front and rear |
| • | Top speed: about 75 mph |
Model Highlights
| • | 1957 - electrical system updated |
| • | 1958 - 93B body introduced with one-piece windshield, height-adjustable back seat introduced on 92 |
| • | 1959 - adjustable front-seat backrest, larger brakes |
| • | 1960 - 93F body introduced with front-hinged doors |
Saab's reputation in international rallying continued to grow in the 1950s, and so did the sophistication of the competition. As rally cars became more exotic, and more highly tuned, Saab engineers decided to go after more championships with a special model of their own - the Sonett Super Sport.
Development engineer Rolf Mellde had begun the concept for the striking Sonett Super Sport prototype, and had fitted a 57-hp version of the 93's engine beneath a stunning fiberglass body penned by Saab stylist Sason. Five additional prototypes were built, but the Super Sport's racing career was cut short when competition rules in its rally class were changed to allow modified production cars. Overnight, it was made obsolete. Of the five prototypes still existing, two reside in the Saab museum in Trollhattan, Sweden, and one is owned by
Saab Cars USA, Inc.
The lessons learned with the Super Sport, though, were immediately transferred to a new rally car off the existing 93 body structure. The result was the Granturismo 750, essentially a sportier 93B with 50 hp, sport seats, and a type of rally-race cruise control. Within a year, the 96 had replaced the 93, and so the Granturismo 750 moved to the new 96 chassis, gaining a 45-hp engine and a four-speed transmission.
As competition victories grew, the Granturismo 750 grew up. In 1962, it added triple carburetors and moved to 52 hp, thus earning a new name - the Granturismo 850 (in Europe, the Saab Sport). In that car, with expert rallyist Erik Carlsson at the helm, the company won the British
RAC championship in 1960, 1961, and 1962, and the Monte Carlo Rally in 1963 and1964. To celebrate the wins and an increase to 55 hp, in 1965 the car was renamed the Monte Carlo 850. And with the introduction of the Sonett II in the late 1960s, the Monte Carlo - with the later addition of a V-4 engine - was retired with full honors in 1968.
Saab Granturismo 750/850/Monte Carlo 850 (1958 - 1968) Tech Highlights
| • | Two-door sedan |
| • | Front-wheel drive, longitudinal engine |
| • | Two-stroke, three-cylinder engine: 48-50 hp in base versions, and 57 hp in the super version |
| • | Three-speed transmission |
| • | Independent suspension, coil springs front and rear |
| • | Hydraulic drum brakes, front and rear |
Model Highlights
| • | 1958 - one-piece windshield, height-adjustable back seat |
| • | 1959 - adjustable front-seat backrest, larger brakes |
| • | 1960 - front-hinged doors |
| • | 1962 - Granturismo 850 introduced in February with 52 hp, separate lubrication engine, front disc brakes, four-speed transmission |
| • | 1964 - name change to Monte Carlo 850 in honor of rally wins;dual-diagonal braking and gear shift lock added |
| • | 1967 - V4 engine with 65 hp added |
Saab's first wagon model was easily one of the most unique models available in its time. It was the first Saab with four forward speeds; it was also the first Saab with a flexible seating arrangement. Depending on how one used the middle bench and the forward-facing rear seat in back, the 95 could become a two-seat cargo van, a five-passenger wagon, or a seven-passenger people hauler.
The long-lived wagon proved how flexible Saab was as a manufacturer of automobiles. It was a mixture of pieces, including mechanicals from the 96- which hadn't been introduced yet-and the rear-hinged doors and instrument panel from the 93. It also demonstrated how durable the company's reputation had become. The 95 lasted in the Saab lineup until 1978, with timely updates to its convenient features - additions such as the V-4 engine
that would power all Saabs, and the company's own safety innovations, including headlight wipers.
Saab 95 (1959 - 1978) Technical Highlights
| • | Two-, five-, or seven-seat station wagon |
| • | Front-wheel drive, longitudinal engine |
| • | Two-stroke, three-cylinder engine: 841cc, 38 hp |
| • | Four-speed transmission |
| • | Independent suspension, coil springs front and rear |
| • | Hydraulic drum brakes front and rear |
Model Highlights
| • | 1960 - front-hinged doors and new instrument panel |
| • | 1964 - new instrumentation, dual-diagonal braking |
| • | 1965 - new body design from windshield forward; engine raised to 40 hp |
| • | 1966 - engine output rises to 42 hp; special 55-hp version with separate lubrication also available |
| • | 1967 - new four-cylinder, four-stroke engine offered with 1498cc of displacement and 65 hp; front disc brakes added |
| • | 1969 - all cars now equipped with V4 engine |
| • | 1970 - new instrument panel and interior trim |
| • | 1971 - headlight wipers |
| • | 1975 - transmission upgraded, and radial tires made standard equipment |
| • | 1977 - output increases to 68 hp |
With total worldwide sales rising above 30,000 cars each year, Saab invested its profits and efforts into the 96. When it was introduced in 1960, the 96 sported the 9-3�s front end with completely new rear styling and a more powerful 38-hp three-cylinder engine. The modifications brought additional performance and safety - the rear window was more than 100 percent larger, for example, and in its second year the 96 received dual-diagonal braking - with two braking circuits operating diagonally-opposite brake drums, Saab found a way for drivers to retain steering control under heavy braking.
The innovations continued throughout the 96's long life span. The first right-hand drive Saab was a 96, made in 1962. The 96 introduced the first separate-lubrication engine from Saab - previously, owners had to mix oil and gasoline together to power their two-stroke engines. And the 96 also introduced telescoping steering columns, and front disc brakes to the brand.
As it superseded the 93, the 96 also became the standard-bearer in rallies. The famed Saab rally cars of the 1960s were essentially 96s, with increased horsepower. The 96 also housed the last two-stroke Saab engine. By the late 1960s, new emissions regulations in the U.S. - by now one of Saab's largest markets -demanded a new powerplant. The traditional (if not always beloved) two-stroke would have to go. In 1967, the two-stroke was phased out of the 96 in favor a new four-stroke, four-cylinder engine with 65 horsepower.
By the mid-1970s, the 96 had proven to be the most durable Saab model yet. In 1975, the company celebrated its silver anniversary with a special edition of the 96 - painted silver, of course. In turn the 96 rewarded the company with a surprise gift from Finland - a first-, second-, and third-place sweep of that year's Finnish Arctic Rally. After five more years of service, the venerable 96 was supplanted by various models of the 99 and the new 900.
Saab 96 (1960 - 1980) Technical Highlights
| • | Two-door sedan |
| • | Front-wheel drive, longitudinal enginee |
| • | Two-stroke, three-cylinder engine: 841cc, 38 hp |
| • | Three-speed transmission |
| • | Independent suspension, coil springs front and rear |
| • | Hydraulic drum brakes front and rear |
Model Highlights
| • | 1962 - four-speed transmission available |
| • | 1964 - dual-diagonal brakes and new instruments added |
| • | 1965 - restyled front bumpers, fenders, and hood; engine output raised to 40 hp |
| • | 1966 - output raised to 42 hp; four-speed transmission standard; special edition for US with 55-hp, separate lubrication engine, front disc brakes, and sports tires |
| • | 1967 - V4 engine made available with 1498cc displacement and 65 hp |
| • | 1969 - telescoping steering column added |
| • | 1971 - 1654cc engine introduced |
| • | 1972 - electrically heated driver seat |
| • | 1975 - 25th -Anniversary model with silver-gray paint |
| • | 1976 - increased interior room and comfort, and improved suspension; impact-absorbing bumpers added |
| • | 1977 - engine raised to 68 hp |
In 1966, Saab's design studio took up a new challenge. They penned the first production Saab sports car -what would become the Sonett II. Known within the company as Project 97, the Sonett II was christened in1966 in Stockholm. It was a combined effort from Saab's own studio, still under Sixten Sason, and an outside design firm. But when it was first shown at the Geneva Motor Show in 1966, the Sonett II showed nothing but Saab heritage inside and out. Its two-seat shape shared the two-stroke, three-cylinder engine of the Monte Carlo: triple carburetors increased its output to 60 hp. The mechanicals were derived from Monte Carlo 850.
Soon after its introduction, the Sonett's engine was replaced throughout the Saab lineup. Only 258 two-stroke Sonetts had been built, but nonetheless, the introduction of the V-4 gave it a new name: the Sonett V4. The name
change was not required, but a large hood bulge on the hood was necessary to accommodate the taller engine. That name was destined to change, too, since Saab had enlisted its designers to rework the shape and integrate the hood bulge more cleanly. In1970, Saab designers and Italian Sergio Coggiola had recrafted the shape -and Saab thusly renamed the car the Sonett III. However, popularity of sports cars was diminishing in the face of fuel crises. The Sonett III ended its model run in 1974 - but not before sales of the Sonett II and III series had reached 10,326 units.
Saab Sonett II/V4/III (1966 - 1974) Technical Highlights
| • | Two-door, two-seat coupe with fiberglass-reinforced plastic body |
| • | Front-wheel drive, longitudinal engine |
| • | Two-stroke, three-cylinder engine: 841cc, 60hp (later with V4 engine) |
| • | Four-speed transmission |
| • | Independent suspension, coil springs front and rear |
| • | Hydraulic brakes, front disc and rear drum |
Model Highlights
| • | 1967 - V4 engine introduced, new interior and instrument panel |
| • | 1970 - redesigned body introduced under Sonett III name |
| • | 1971 - displacement increased to 1698cc |
| • | 1973 - impact-absorbing bumpers added |
The next Saab to spring to life started as a toad - and ended up as one of the best-known, best-selling Saabs ever. Work started on the 99 as early as 1962. The go-ahead for the prototype was approved on April 2, 1964 under a code-name that has entered Saab folklore. The second of April was Gundmund's day, and the name stuck. The strategy was to design and build a completely new model that would gain a whole new audience for Saabs. By coincidence, Project Gudmund started twenty years after sketches for the first Saab were begun, and within four years, it became the Saab 99. Insiders gave the 99 prototypes the name "gudmund" because the test mules, with their new running gear cloaked in well-fitting 96 bodies, had a squat appearance.
By 1966, the real 99-shaped prototypes had traversed roads in Sweden, eastern Europe, and Italy as engineers
developed its new four-cylinder engine and front-drive mechanicals. Eventually, the project came to a point where the new body would have to be tested. Clever engineers promptly borrowed badge letters from the company parts bin, and came up with a badge for the still-secret 99 -- "Daihatsu" was the 99's new disguise, a good choice since the brand existed, but was nearly unknown in Sweden.
Project Gudmund finally made its debut as the Saab 99 before the press in Stockholm in November 1967, the next year pre-production cars were used for broad-scale field tests and then went on sale in early 1969. Powered by an 80-horsepower in-line four, the 99 broke new ground in automotive safety with its power-assisted four-wheel disc brakes and safety cage construction. Later in its life, the 99 would also pioneer self-restoring 5-mph bumpers
and side-impact protection. With each year, running changes to the 99's design brought more innovations from Sweden's hardest-working engineers. In 1976, a three-way catalytic converter brought emissions under control.
Meanwhile, the rally victories continue to inspire Saab engineers to new heights. By adapting a test rally-car feature to a normal passenger car, Saab brings out the world's first headlamp washers and wipers. Over its 17-year life span, the 99 received many refinements, but at least one thing remained the same - the ignition switch, mounted on the floor.
The high-water mark for the 99 would come in 1976, when the Saab Turbo concept introduced the world to mass-production turbo charging. In a 99-based vehicle, Saab's engineers showed how a relatively small
displacement engine could make 145 horsepower and exceptional low-end torque. In creating more horsepower from technology rather than greater displacement, the Turbo reaffirmed Saab's commitment to intelligent engineering. Lauded by engineers and customers, alike, the Turbo concept became a reality when the first turbocharged Saabs stormed out of dealership doors in 1977.
Saab 99 (1969 - 1984) Technical Highlights
| • | Two-door sedan (four-door available mid-cycle) |
| • | Front-wheel drive, longitudinal engine |
| • | Four-cylinder, four-stroke engine: 1709cc, 80 hp |
| • | Four-speed manual transmission |
| • | Four-wheel disc brakes |
Model Highlights
| • | 1970 - four-door sedan model added; three-speed automatic transmission available with 87 hp and fuel injection |
| • | 1971 - 1985cc engine added (86 hp in carbureted form, 95 hp in fuel-injected form) |
| • | 1972 - impact-absorbing bumpers and electrically heated driver seat introduced; 110 hp, 1985cc engine added |
| • | 1974 - two-door hatchback model added; 1985cc engine with 110 hp added for the U.S. |
| • | 1975 - five-door hatchback introduced |
| • | 1978 - 145 hp turbo charged engine available |
| • | 1979 - new rear suspension design * 1983 - asbestos-free brakes |
| • | 1985 - restyled and renamed Saab 90 (in Europe) |
The next all-new Saab started life as a renovation of the 99 hatchback. Because of tougher U.S. crash standards, the car evolved so strongly that it was given its own model designation - the 900. The Saab 900 - the brand's most successful model line ever-was unveiled in 1979. In the first full model year, the 900 was available as a two- or four-door hatchbacks, with the company's innovative turbocharged engines available from the outset.
The 900 demonstrated the company's dedication to intelligent technology in more ways than engine performance: standard equipment on the new 900 was the auto industry's first pollen filter in climate control system, as well as self-repairing bumpers. Not content with the 900's warm reception, engineers set out to improve it. One of the most important developments in the
first generation of the 900 was Automatic Performance Control (APC), a system that automatically adjusts turbo boost for differences in fuel grades. By lowering or raising boost pressures to the turbocharger, Saab engineers made the world-beating turbocharged engine a worldwide performer - and reaffirmed it as the sensible alternative to high-displacement, high-consumption engines. This innovation was matched in 1984 when Saab made four-valve cylinder heads (a vital aid to meeting emissions and performance needs) standard on its entire model range.
Trend after Saab trend continued with the 900. A four-door-sedan was added to the lineup in 1981, and the company pioneered asbestos-free brake linings when it added them to the 1983 900 model. Sales of turbo 900s charged ahead throughout the 1980s - in 1984 Saab built
its 100,000th turbocharged car. The splashy revival of the ragtop took the auto industry by storm in 1986 - and took it by surprise, when it happened under the Saab 900 nameplate. Anti-lock brakes made their first appearance on the Saab 900 in 1989.
In its last years of production, the first generation 900 reached new heights of performance and economy. The highlight of its career may have been in 1990, when it was fitted with a new light-pressure turbo - an engine that provided 145 horsepower, excellent fuel economy, and still met stringent fuel economy standards. By the time it was replaced by its namesake range in 1994, the trail-blazing 900 had brought a whole new set of customers to the Saab brand - and it had brought them to the state of the art of automotive engineering.
Saab 900 (1978 - 1993) Technical Highlights
| • | Three- or five-door hatchback (four-door, two-door and convertible models added later) |
| • | Front-wheel drive, longitudinal engine |
| • | Four-cylinder engine available with turbocharging: 1985cc, between 100 and 175 hp |
| • | Three-speed automatic or four-speed manual transmission (five-speed manual added later) |
| • | Hydraulic disc brakes front and rear |
Model Highlights
| • | 1980 - five-speed manual transmission available |
| • | 1982 - four-door sedan added |
| • | 1983 - asbestos-free brake pads |
| • | 1984 - four-valve-per cylinder engine 160 hp, halogen headlamps |
| • | 1989 - anti-lock brakes available |
| • | 1990 - all 900s are equipped with four-valve-per-cylinder engines |
The history of Sweden's best-known convertible doesn't read like traditional auto-industry lore. In fact, the birth of the 900 Convertible might be attributed to luck - and a little clever work with scissors. In the mid-1980s, the American market for Saabs stood in contrast to the rest of the world. The U.S. market demanded high-performance versions with lots of equipment, while more basic Saabs were more popular in Europe. So when engineers presented the U.S. marketing division with a new two-door notchback 900, it seemed the opposite of what American buyers wanted. The new two-door had to meet certain sales targets. So, company officials pressured Robert J. Sinclair(then president of Saab Cars USA) to sell 1000 of the models in the U.S. each year. "They told me I could have them anyway I wanted them," Sinclair recalls, "so I took a picture of the notchback and cut the roof off of it and asked them for that car."
Sinclair and his team eventually won approval for a convertible study based on that two-door 900. After developing a prototype with American Sunroof Corporation, After previewing it before stunned crowds at the 1983 Frankfurt Auto Show, Saab officials gave the 900 Convertible the green light for production in April of 1984, and contracted with Finnish company Valmet to handle to assembly of the model.
With a turbo charged 16-valve four and a power-operated roof, the company's first top-down car was an immediate sensation. Just 350 were built in the first year for the U.S. market; soon worldwide demand increased that figure to more than 1500 cars annually. By 1990, some 10,000 900 Convertibles had been sold throughout the world. A normally-aspirated version was introduced
in 1991, and a special Aero package made its debut in the same year. Production continued until 1994, when a convertible version of the new Saab900 was unveiled.
Saab 900 Convertible (1986 - 1994) Technical Highlights
| • | Two-door convertible |
| • | Front-wheel drive, longitudinal engine |
| • | Four-cylinder engine with sixteen valves and turbocharging (normally aspirated engines added after introduction): 1985cc, 175 hp |
| • | Five-speed manual transmission |
| • | Independent suspension, coil springs front and rear |
| • | Hydraulic disc brakes front and rear, with anti-lock control |
Model Highlights
| • | 1987 - the 900 Convertible nearly doubles its original sales projections in its first full year of production - 2,243 are sold |
| • | 1990 - The 900 Convertible passes the 10,000 mark in sales |
| • | 1991 - A normally-aspirated 900 Convertible makes its debut; some 400copies of the turbocharged Special Edition are sold in the U.S. |
| • | 1992 - The 40,000th 900 Convertible is assembled in Finland |
The concept for the first Saab luxury car began to take root in the late 1970s. In 1984, it became reality with the introduction of the sleek and quick Saab 9000.First shown to the public in May of 1984, the 9000 was an outgrowth of a loose collaboration between Saab and Fiat. Both companies were searching for a way to share ideas on developing a large-car floor plan and body structure. In the end, the cars shared very little componentry, but the exercise gave Saab the 9000, while Fiat would introduce the similar Alfa Romeo 164, Fiat Croma, and Lancia Thema.
The 9000 was uniquely Saab, in spite of these common beginnings. To maximize interior room, it had the first transverse engine in Saab history-the now-renowned turbo charged Saab four-cylinder engine, a two-liter, sixteen-valve four with APC, producing 175 horsepower.
Most surprising was its interior room, which qualified it as a large car by EPA standards - despite the fact that, in overall length, the 9000 was marginally shorter than the contemporary Saab 900.
To confirm the 9000's new standards of luxury-car performance, Saab embarked on an unheard-of attempt on land-speed records in a production car. The company sent a trio of new 9000s to Talladega Super-speedway in November of 1986, and ran the cars for 20 days straight. In the end, the fastest of the three 9000s covered more than 62,000 miles at an average speed of 132.5 mph - including pit stops - and in all, the Talladega 9000s set 21 international speed records and two world records.
Its performance credentials firmly in place, the 9000 family grew with each passing year. In 1986 the turbo charged
five-door hatchback was joined by a naturally-aspirated model, and in 1988 the hatchbacks were joined by a four-door sedan, known in the U.S. as the 9000CD. In 1993, the 9000 received yet another biennial Folksam Award for safety; for the third consecutive time, the 9000 was recognized as the "Safest Car in Sweden." In 1994, a blistering 225 hp Aero addition was added to the lineup, while in 1995, it gained V-6 power with the addition of a 3.0-liter, 210 hp V-6. And in 1996, the 9000 benefited from a new standard engine -the award-winning 170-hp Light-Pressure Turbo, which won back-to-back "Top Ten Engines" awards from Ward's Auto World.
Saab 9000 (1985 - 1997) Technical Highlights
| • | Five-door hatchback (four-door sedan added later) |
| • | Front-wheel drive, transverse engine |
| • | Four-cylinder engine with turbocharging, four-valves per cylinder, and APC: 1985cc, 175 hp |
| • | Five-speed manual transmission (four-speed automatic added in 1987) |
| • | Hydraulic disc brakes front and rear (anti-lock control added later) |
Model Highlights
| • | 1986 - naturally aspirated 145 hp sedan added |
| • | 1987 - anti-lock brakes added to 9000 |
| • | 1988 - four-door sedan added |
| • | 1992 - 2.3-liter, 200 hp Aero version introduced |
| • | 1994 - 225 hp Aero edition is most powerful Saab ever |
It had been fifteen years since the 900 carved its niche out of the sports-sedan realm. And since then, Saab had partnered with global giant General Motors to build a new generation of Saab automobiles. The first results of that Saab-GM partnership came to market in 1994, in the form of an all-new 900. Saab had created its own proposals for replacing the 900, but when the partnership was first discussed, it realized the economy of building the new 900 with the vast resources of the world's largest automaker. But it also realized the importance of keeping the new car within its own tradition - the Saab tradition.
A genuine Saab down to the floor-mounted ignition switch, the 900 arrived on the market in 1994 with plenty of Swedish tradition and innovation, especially under the hood. Saab's own 2.0-liter, 150-hp four-cylinder was the base engine; an optional 170-hp, 2.5-liter V-6 was Saab's
first-ever six-cylinder engine. Either could be paired with a four-speed automatic transmission.
For innovation, drivers looked at the impressive array of standard equipment. The new 900 came with dual airbags and anti-lock brakes standard, as well as an automatic climate control. The Black Panel, which dims cockpit lighting other than essential instruments, arrived with the new 900 as well. And on six-cylinder models, traction control appeared for the first time in a Saab. The characteristic Saab grille and C-pillar graced just one body style at first, a five-door hatchback. That body had received the most intense testing ever on a Saab model - in the end, it proved 55 percent more rigid than the previous 900. The next year, a three-door hatchback rejoined the lineup, as well as two models that needed
little introduction - the road-hammering Turbo (with 16 valves, APC, and 185 horsepower) and the handsome Convertible.
The Convertible drew accolades from the very outset, winning a three-way comparison test between the Audi Cabriolet and the BMW325i Convertible. It was only fitting that the return of Saab to the pro rally circuit would come, as it did, behind a 300-hp version of the same 900 Coupe in 1996. True to Saab's tradition, for blending performance and competitive spirit within a family car, dispatched a showroom stock 900 5-door to Pike's peak, placing 2nd in its class in the country's premier "race to the clouds."
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