A History of the Saab Car Manufacturer

Saab has long been known as a Swedish carproduced around this time which proved to be a best
manufacturer with stylish car designs with a highselling model with nearly one million produced.
priority on safety. Saab is an acronym for SvenskaIn 1989 Saab was restructured into an independent
Aeroplan Aktiebolaget. Saab is the exclusivecompany with General Motors and Investor AB each
automobile royal warrant holder as appointed by theowning half. Saab earned a profit in 1995 for the first
King of Sweden. It was originally a division, establishedtime in seven years with the new 900 launched in 1994
in 1944, of the Swedish Aeroplan company.thanks to GM's investment. In 2000 General Motors
Originally called Project 92, the goal was to create apurchase the remaining shares of Saab making it a
passenger car which resulted in the Saab 92001. Thewholly owned subsidiary of GM. Under GM's direction
car showcased the company's roots in aviation with athe 9-3 and 9-2x were produced though neither
drag coefficient of.30, the lowest of any car at theproved a success in the American market.
time. The 92 was completely redesigned andGM put the Saab brand under review in December
engineered in 1955 and was renamed the 93. The first2008 due to economic problems with it's entire
Saab performance car was produced in that samebusiness and pulled support away leaving Saab in
decade. The Saab 96 was the first car to bebankruptcy. After many talks and negotiations with a
exported out of the country and proved to be veryvariety of buyers, Saab was purchased by Spyker in
popular. The 1968 Saab 99 was the first new car in 192010 is now called Saab Spyker Automobiles.
years and had many innovations that came to defineSaab introduced many innovations over the years
Saabs for decades such as the wraparoundincluding first car fitted with seatbelts as standard,
windshield, self repairing bumpers, side impact doorheadlight wipers and swashers, heated front seats,
beams and headlight washers.self repairing bumper, turbo engine with wastegate,
In 1969 Saab merged with Scania-Vabis AB topassenger compartment air filter, split field side mirror,
become Saab-Scania AB. The millionth Saab car wasasbestos free brake pads, 16 valve turbocharged
produced in 1976. In 1978 Saab came to an agreementengine, direct ignition, CFC free air conditioning,
to jointly develop a new platform which led to thesafeseat rear passenger protection system, active
Saab 9000 sister to the Alfa Romeo 164 and becamehead restraints and variable compression engine.
Saab's first luxury car. The Saab 900 was also