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Saab History
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As the company's recent marketing campaign made quite clear, Saab was "Born from Jets" in Sweden in 1937. Within ten years, the company had branched out into automobile design, and by 1949, the front-wheel-drive Saab 92 was in production. Not known for creativity in terms of names, that first model was replaced by the Saab 93 in '55. The following year, six examples of the Saab Sonnet sports car were built, followed several months later by what the company called its first series-built sports car, the Saab 93 750 Gran Turismo. Continuing on with its numerical naming convention, a wagon dubbed the Saab 95 was launched in 1959 with seating for up to seven people.
As Saab entered the 1960s, development of its cars led to the unveiling of the Saab 96, the Saab Sport, and the brand's second attempt at a two-passenger sports car, the Saab Sonnet II (also known as the Saab 97). In 1967, the brand took off in a new direction with the Saab 99, a vehicle that replaced the bubble design of previous Saabs with a larger coupe-like appearance. Styling changes were also delivered via the 1970 Saab Sonnet III, and again in 1973 with the debut of the Saab 99 hatchback.
Big news came in 1976 as the buying public was introduced to the Saab 99 Turbo, a car that impressed with its innovative approach to performance. The 99 laid the ground work for the next new model, the Saab 900, which arrived in 1978, and the brand's second boosted vehicle, the 1980 Saab 900 Turbo. The Saab Aero, featuring a 16-valve turbocharged engine, hit the streets in 1983. A Saab convertible was added to the portfolio later, and the Saab 900 lineup was entirely redesigned in 1993, three years before the model was renamed the Saab 9-3. By 1999, this entry-level model was running strong, a point that was reflected by the launch of the 225-horsepower Saab 9-3 Viggen (named after the JA 37 Viggen fighter plane). The 9-3 has since been redesigned and now includes a wagon version called the Saab 9-3 SportCombi.
In an effort to move upmarket in a larger and more luxurious way, engineers and designers developed the 1984 Saab 9000 Turbo, a model that laid the groundwork for 1997's Saab 9-5 sedan; a wagon variant arrived in 1999. Like the 9-3, the Saab 9-5 continues to be sold in sedan and SportCombi designations, though a convertible version has never been offered.
Along the way, Saab tweaked its lineup with vehicles including the all-wheel-drive Saab 9-2X, which was essentially a veiled Subaru Impreza, and the Saab 9-7X, a restyled Chevrolet Trailblazer that still populates dealers' lots.
As Saab entered the 1960s, development of its cars led to the unveiling of the Saab 96, the Saab Sport, and the brand's second attempt at a two-passenger sports car, the Saab Sonnet II (also known as the Saab 97). In 1967, the brand took off in a new direction with the Saab 99, a vehicle that replaced the bubble design of previous Saabs with a larger coupe-like appearance. Styling changes were also delivered via the 1970 Saab Sonnet III, and again in 1973 with the debut of the Saab 99 hatchback.
Big news came in 1976 as the buying public was introduced to the Saab 99 Turbo, a car that impressed with its innovative approach to performance. The 99 laid the ground work for the next new model, the Saab 900, which arrived in 1978, and the brand's second boosted vehicle, the 1980 Saab 900 Turbo. The Saab Aero, featuring a 16-valve turbocharged engine, hit the streets in 1983. A Saab convertible was added to the portfolio later, and the Saab 900 lineup was entirely redesigned in 1993, three years before the model was renamed the Saab 9-3. By 1999, this entry-level model was running strong, a point that was reflected by the launch of the 225-horsepower Saab 9-3 Viggen (named after the JA 37 Viggen fighter plane). The 9-3 has since been redesigned and now includes a wagon version called the Saab 9-3 SportCombi.
In an effort to move upmarket in a larger and more luxurious way, engineers and designers developed the 1984 Saab 9000 Turbo, a model that laid the groundwork for 1997's Saab 9-5 sedan; a wagon variant arrived in 1999. Like the 9-3, the Saab 9-5 continues to be sold in sedan and SportCombi designations, though a convertible version has never been offered.
Along the way, Saab tweaked its lineup with vehicles including the all-wheel-drive Saab 9-2X, which was essentially a veiled Subaru Impreza, and the Saab 9-7X, a restyled Chevrolet Trailblazer that still populates dealers' lots.
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