Posted on Thursday 7 June 2007
Saab enthusiasts from all over the world are gathering in the Swedish town of Trollhättan this weekend, to celebrate Saab’s 60th anniversary as a carmaker. Saab was originally just an aircraft manufacturer, hence the famous ‘born from jets’ tagline, but in 1947 it launched its first car with the Saab 92.
The 92 featured unique styling and innovative engineering, a trait that would embody the brand for many more decades. Sadly, under the control of General Motors, Saab has gone from a brand of quirky innovativeness to one of bland mediocrity. There is some hope. Saab has become a clear leader in the development of flex-fuel vehicles with the introduction of its BioPower technology, which reduces greatly reduces fossil-based CO2 emissions.
It was Saab who also pioneered numerous advances in car safety, good driver ergonomics, environmental responsibility and, of course, enhanced engine performance through turbocharging. However, the release of the 9-7X and 9-2X, an experiment in badge-engineering, saw the brand truly piss away its heritage and turn into a label that’s struggling to survive.