Saab 99 1968 - 1984 - History of the Saab 99

Saab 99

Although Swedish manufacturers never distinguished themselves by an enormously large number of cars sold or dominated by the world market, they always had interesting vehicles that represented a class for themselves in comparison with their competitors.

Due to all their specific features and especially because of their quality, they have easily received the recognition of car connoisseurs and gained loyal customers worldwide. Unlike Volvo which has always, as its strongest asset, the safety and quality of its vehicles, another Swedish manufacturer, Saab, has added to it the astounding inventiveness and advanced concepts of its models. The amount of new and interesting solutions has always been somewhat unexpected from the cold and closed Scandinavians, but the answer lies in the fact that Saab first started manufacturing aircraft and only then cars, which explains a different design and construction approach unique to the automotive industry. This trend can be seen from the very beginning of the Saab car wing in the late 40s.

Model 96, although deminitive in every respect, with a weak engine and specific design, managed to get the attention of the public and customers to this company and even become one of the better rally cars of the time, thanks primarily to the front-wheel drive and expert Swedish drivers. However, in the early 60s, this very important model for the factory was outdated and absolutely outdated. After several years of planning and consulting, the Saab administration officially launched the Gudmund project in early April 1965, named after the Swedish national holiday on which the project began. The instructions to the engineers were clear, to create a modern mid-range car, advanced technology, good handling and lying on the road and yet with all the brand features. Well-known, reliable and outdated two-stroke engines were out of the question, and the Saab management, since it did not have adequate generators of its own production, had to turn to other factories.

Sixten Sason, the factory designer, is the man in charge of the design, a man who will have a great influence on all the latter models of this house. The new model, called the Saab 99, was officially introduced in late 1967, with production one year later. The car was a major improvement in every respect, despite its modern appearance with its low silhouette, large and rounded windshield and stylishly designed front end, featuring reliable technology and a wealth of interesting details. Specifically, the concept of front traction, which was still relatively rare in European roads, was retained in the late 60s, the handbrake acted on the front rather than the rear wheels as usual, and the lock contact was located between the seats, at the gear lever . Although the model presented had 2 doors, the sedan and the 3-door model were soon included.

Author: 426 Hemi
Pictures: Saab
Retrieved from: www.brzabrzina.com

Mladen

Hi there, I am Mladen and I am an auto enthusiast. I started this blog years ago to help like minded people share information about latest cars, car servicing ideas, used car info, exotic cars, and auto technology. You will find helpful articles and videos on a wide variety of cars - Audi, Mercedes, Toyota, Porsche, Volvo, BMW and much more. Ping us if you have anything cool to share on latest cars or on how to make older cars more efficient, or just want to say hi!