Year/place: 1937-1969, Trollhättan. (In 1969 Saab and Scania-Vabis merged to Saab-Scania.)
The story of Saab begins in 1937, when the company was founded. Svenska Aeroplan AB started as one more aircraft producer in Sweden, in both competition and cooperation with existing producers. (The initial name SAAB was later changed to Saab.)
The factory started production in 1938. In 1939 Saab took over another aircraft company. The factories grew, and later the same year World War II started.
Initially Saab produced aircrafts under license from Germany and the U.S.A., the medium bomber Junkers Ju 86K (Saab B3) and the light bomber/attack aircraft Northrop 8 A-1 (Saab B5). Their first aircraft, a B3, was finished in september 1939.
In the spring of 1940 the new B17 was tested. In 1945 the first own fighter J21 was delivered, with the engine and its pushing propeller behind the pilot. The aircraft had two bars from the wings to the two fins. J21 was one of the first aircrafts with catapult chair, to get the pilot clear from the propeller in case he had to bale out. (J21 was later in the 40s built with a jet engine, and used until 1957.)
At the end of the war
Saab had started close to the start of World War II, and the whole production was for the military. What should replace this production in peacetime?
Civil aircrafts was one solution, but it wouldn't be enough. Among the many propositions were spinning rods (for sport fishing), hydrofoil boats and prefabricated houses in sheetmetal.
In 1945 Saab took a closer look at the success german DKW had with their small cars before the war, and it was decided to test this idea. In 1946 it became even more important to find replacing production, since the swedish air force could buy cheap aircrafts from other countries - decreasing their planned orders to Saab.
The first Saab cars
In 1946 the first prototype was ready, built in less than 6 months. The preliminary drawings were finished in january 1946, and they resulted in a fullscale model in wood. Before it was finished, after some adjustments, a sheet-metal worker had started his job. To get the right sag for the work, he used a oak block placed on a heap of horse dung ...
Its design was streamlined, a result after tests in a wind tunnel, with the Cx as low as 0,32. The serie produced cars had the body open at the wheels, and the coefficient rose to 0,35. The engine, gearbox and some other mechanical parts were fetched from scrapyards. Enough for test drivning, which was held day and night in three shifts.
The second prototype had more finish, and its design was so elegant that it was used for the Saab cars for 30 years. This prototype was shown for the press in the summer of 1947.
A third prototype was also built, and the three prototypes were together tested for some 280.000 kilometres.
A rather good start
Sales in Sweden should be handled by Philipsons Automobil AB, who ordered 8.000 Saabs and paid one third of the price in advance. (With this order Philipsons own car production plans were scrapped. Read more about that under 'Philipin'.)
So, with good conditions mass production was prepared.
Well, the car was not perfect. Among the negative things were the fact that it had no bonnet, so the luggade had to be put in over the back seat.
And the problems starting mass productions were larger than predicted. (Which is not unusual in the car business.)
In the summer a pre-series of some 20 cars was built, and the mass production started in december the same year. The car was named Saab 92.
(Why nr 92? I don't know why Saab started on the 90-serie, but Saab 90 was 'Scandia', the first civil passenger aircraft made in Sweden, and Saab 91 was the 'Safir', a small aircraft for 3-4 persons - during the years 323 were built, and sold to 21 countries including 6 air forces.)
Some successes
From initially a handful of Saab 92 cars each day, the production took up speed. At the end of 1950 1.246 cars were produced. 48 of them were exported, primarily to Denmark. In 1951 export to the U.S.A. began. (In 1951 Saab also delivered the first serie-produced J29 'Tunnan' fighters to the swedish air force.)
The 2-cylinder 2-stroke engine was very compact, which left good space for passengers and luggage. The top speed was 105 km/h.
Saabs frontwheel drive, and its flat bottom of the car, gave it good handling on winding and rough roads. Already in december 1949 Saabs had participated in rally competitons in Sweden. The cars with chassis numbers 7 and 8 participated in the Monte Carlo rally, just one month after production start, finishing as number 55 and 69.
In 1953 5.300 Saab 92 had been built, with minor improvements. All were delivered with the color dark green.
More Saabs
1953 saw the first Saab that had improvements in a larger scale, named 92B. It had among others a bonnet, larger rear window and removeable back seat. The engine now gave 28hp.
On March 6, 1954, Saab number 10.000 was finished. By now one car was finished every 27th minute.
(Saab became faster in the air, too. The first prototype of aircraft 32 'Lansen' flew in early november 1952, and in october 1953 it became the first swedish aircraft breaking the sound barrier. May 6th 1954 a standard equipped J29 'Tunnan' set a new world record, with an average speed of 977 km/h, beating the 950 km/h set by a U.S. F86 Sabre. This was in a 500 kilometre course. And in 1955 'Tunnan' made another record with 900,6 km/h on a 1.000 km course. The first full-scale 35 'Draken' prototype took off in late october 1955, following a 'baby-Draken' prototype taking off in early 1952 for the first time. I think 'Draken' is a beautiful aircraft.)
With a second factory in Göteborg, the production was 6.000 cars annually at the end of 1956.
Made for export
December 1st 1955 Saab 93 was shown. It was a new car with several improvements, and it was constructed with the aim of export to the U.S.A. A new 3-cylinder 33hp engine gave it a top speed of 120 km/h. The design followed the lines from the earlier models. It was finished for production, and 457 cars left the factory the same month.
A subsidiary was formed to take care of the sales in the U.S.A. Participation with three Saab 93 in the Great American Mountain Rally in 1956 resulted in Saab as total winner, class winner and team winner. In 1957 1.410 Saabs were sold in the states, 14% of the years production. In a few years 12.000 cars had been exported to the states.
The Sonett and the Monster
Saab presented a surprise car on the car show in Stockholm in 1956, a well kept secret until the show. It was the Saab Sonett Super Sport, a small open race car with not much comfort for the driver. Built with a supercharged 93 engine and a plastic body, it was made for tests of the engine and the plastic as construction material. 6 Sonetts were built, and then changed competition rules made the Sonett 'out of date'.
In 1958 came 93B, with better safety and performance. As a result of the tests with the Sonett, another Saab 93 was produced, directly made for the market in U.S.A. It was named GT750, had sportier equipment and a more powerful engine. Of 600 produced GTs 546 were sold in the states.
A Saab 93B participated in the 24-hour race on Le Mans in 1959. Of the 55 cars starting, only 13 made the full 24 hours race, with the Saab finishing as number 12 after 232 rounds.
'The Monster' is a special Saab produced to set a world speed record for cars with 1,5 litre cylinder volume. It was stripped of all unnecessary items, and fitted with two 748 cubic centimeter engines. It made 198 km/h, in a way breaking the record, but the arrangers had forgotten to invite controllers (and 'the Monster' was only driven in one direction).
Saab employees have been inventive during all times, I think. During the 50's a number of construction experiments with aircrafts were made. Among them an instable plane with a double deltawing, something that wasn't realized until the Saab JAS 39 Gripen aircraft was developed some 20 years later. And a U-plane with a 'turborocketengine' working with both air and as a rocket. The aim was to produce a plane that could sail as a submarine, and then shoot out of the water to do an air attack on the enemy.
Lots of problems
The mid 50's presented a series of problems for Saab, as well as for other car and aircraft companies.
The Suez crisis, with the blockade preventing delivery of petrol to Sweden, resulted in a prohibition of car driving sundays in Sweden. The government was also worried about the rapid expansion of the cars and traffic, and began discussing use of raised taxes and others in order to slow down the growth.
An english report foresaw that aircrafts in the near future would be operated by robots, since the handling of the fast and advanced aircrafts would be too complicated for pilots. And the swedish government got into financial problems, leading to among others orders for new military aircrafts decreased and delayed.
What to do?
The management declared that it was important not to get into panic, but to boldly and skilfully use the access of competent constructors, workers and others.
So, aircraft workers were educated in car production and the capacity of car production was increased.
In 1958 Saab number 50.000 was built. With a large demand for the cars, 324 of them left the factory every week.
Some of them were the new Saab Granturismo 750, a normal 96 that had 50 hp (instead of 38), extra lights and some more chrome. Most of the 600 produced were exported to the U.S.A. These Saabs, as some other later models, were a kind of result of Saabs lack of a competition department that could have taken care of the positive rally successes Saab cars had. The GT750 had front seats that could be adjusted into 14 different positions, but they still were basically normal 96's.
The first Saab estate wagon was introduced in 1959, the Saab 95. With a large rear door, and 5 seats forward and two backwards, foldable to make it a 2-, 5- or 7-seated car, it was a very practical car.
Production and sales methods
Saab 95 is an example of how Saab put cars together, in a flexible way.
Partly parts that were produced for elder models, but not used in production, was used in the first Saab 95's. Like the dashboard made for Saab 93 and the rear-hinged doors.
Also brand new parts was used, like the 841 cubic centimetre engine and the gear box made for the not yet presented Saab 96. The last model from 1978 had the seats from Saab 99.
110.527 Saab 95's were produced.
Already after a few years Saabs management had realized that export was necessary, and the neighbouring countries were among the first to take care of. But with import restrictions it wasn't so easy. A couple of odd ways have been used. A number of cars were sold in Finland via Rumania, and to Denmark a number of Saab 95s were delivered with the rear side windows switched to steel - then they were handled as delivery vans, with a lower import charge.
Saab 96
When Saab 96 came in the autumn of 1960, it became a sales success. It looked like the earlier Saab sedans, but was greatly improved. Among others the new engine made it popular.
Several rally competitions ended with Saab drivers taking prizes. Legendary driver Erik Carlsson, nicknamed "på taket" ("on the roof"), won amongs others the british RAC-rally in 1961, 1962 and 1963 as well as the Monte Carlo rally in 1962 and 1963. To meniton a few.
In 1961 the car got two separate breaking systems, each of them working on wheels in opposite corners (ex left front and rear right), giving the driver steering maneuverability when breaking even if one system was out of function.
A number of improvements were made during the years. Saab introduced safety belts in 1961 - years before it was requested by law. In 1971 head light vipers was introduced, another example of Saab safety ahead of legislation.
The 2-stroke engine was changed to a 4-stroke V4, made by Ford in Germany, in 1967. Production of the 96 continued to early 1980, resulting in 547.000 Saab 96.
The diversified 60s
Around the early 60s Saab was involved in a variety of developments and production. A new car factory opened in Trollhättan in 1959, and a new sales organisation, selling only Saab cars, was used from 1960.
An experimental race car in the Formula Junior class (an international class for single-seaters with engines of maximum 1.100cc from standard road cars) was used for two years to test the potenitial of the engine. Or was it other reasons that made people at Saab deciding to build race cars? In difference from the usual Formula Junior race cars, Saab constructed an advanced monocoque car. The car had front wheel drive. A Saab 3-cylinder 2-stroke 86hp engine was mounted horizontally in the front end of the car, which put 70% of the weight over the front wheels. It was fast on straights and it was able to brake later when approaching curves than other Junior race cars, but it understeered. After a few seasons the racing activity ended.
Saab also produced french helicopter Alouette II under license, and an experimental vehicle for use on land, sea and ice. And Saab built small caravans for small cars like Saab. And air missiles. And space equipment. And medical X-ray equipment. And probably some more things.
Also the division Datasaab started, with one start in the electronic construction methods for the aircraft 32 'Lansen'. Saab D2 was sold from 1960, the fastest 'computer' made in Europe. Using transistors it could add two six-figure numbers 100.000 times each second. The weight was 150 kg.
In 1962 Saab celebrated its first 25 years. 11.500 employees in eight factories produced 37.500 cars per year, sold in 40 countries. Aircrafts were sold in 8 countries. A company in great expansion in several areas.
Some rumours said that Volvo would buy Saab, and other rumours said that Saab would buy Volvo ...
Cars
Well, I'll try to concentrate on telling you about the Saab cars here ...
In the early 60s MFI, Malmö Flygindustri (an aircraft company), presented a sports car built on standard Saab parts. Saab put the car into production, with the name Saab Sonett II. It was presented on the car show in Stockholm in 1966.
The 1966 model had the 2-stroke engine with 60 hp, giving it a top speed of 150 km/h. The front of the body was hinged in the front, and opened with fenders and side panels forwards (like on Jaguar E-Type). From 1967 Sonett II was equipped with the 4-stroke V4 engine.
In 1964 Saab opened a factory in Uruguay. Demand was so high, that buyers tried to buy cars even before they were completely finished and tested ...
In 1965 the company officially changed its name to Saab AB.
One Toad became 99
The introduction of the V4 engine in the Saab 96 was no large problem, since it had plenty of space under the bonnet. For the Sonett II it demanded a bump on the hood.
As part of the new Saab model under development it was mounted on a larger chassis. To prevent press interest during tests on public roads a special Saab 96 was built in 1966, nicknamed 'Paddan' ('the Toad'). The 20cm widened body was put on the chassis of the coming Saab 99.
Saab 99 was presented in late 1967. The first finished car was sold a year later, in 1968. (In 1967 the first Saab 37 'Viggen' flew, by the way.)
The Saab 99 had a completely new body design compared to the previous cars (a ground design used from 1946-1980). The new ground design is still used in Saabs of the late 90s, after 30 years ...
Other big changes
In early 1968 Saab bought all stocks in MFI, the aircraft producer that had presented the idea to Saab Sonett II. Also in 1968 Saab and Finnish Valmet founded a new company, Oy Saab-Valmet AB, for Saab production in Finland.
The end of 1968 had another big Saab change. It was announced that Saab AB and AB Scania-Vabis would merge, and become Saab-Scania. The merging was handled in 1969-1970.
Other konditori100 texts:
To Scania-Vabis who with Saab AB became Saab-Scania.
To Saab-Scania.
2004-01-18. www.konditori100.se. Text/pictures: Arne Granfoss ©. Prod: AG Informice