Car Vrum

Do you remember? Saab went bankrupt in 2011, after a soap opera starring Victor Muller, General Motors, the Swedish government, a Russian bank and potential Chinese investors.

‘Saab engineers knew what was best for the customer’

Saab’s bankruptcy marked the end of a car brand with roots in the aircraft industry. A car manufacturer that also made a name for itself with innovations in the field of safety (headlamp wipers, beams in doors, active headrests) and the democratization of turbo technology. Saab was also known for its idiosyncrasy. According to a former Saab employee, the engineers were in charge for years. “They knew what was best for our customers; the marketing department and consumers themselves were hardly listened to. All with the best intentions, but of course that was not sustainable in the long run.”

Design sketch respecting Saab values

Independent designer Bertil Osberg got to work with some typical Saab values ​​and design features. According to Osberg, these are currently more topical than ever. Think of the attention to safety and the streamlining of the very first Saabs. But also the combi-coupé concept and the barrier-free entry that debuted with the Saab 99. And the generous space offer of the Saab 9000.

Attention to the environment

In addition, Saab paid attention to the environment early on. The Swedes were already installing catalytic converters in the mid-80s and thanks to Saab’s Trionic engine management, the exhaust gases from the 9000 were cleaner than the outside air in the heart of London. Saab was also the first brand to stop using asbestos in brake pads and Freon in the coolant of its air conditioning systems.

Saab of the future is not an SUV!

Osberg incorporated some of these features into a computer design. The ‘Saab of the future’ is – of course – a five-door fastback, a combi-coupé in Saab terminology. According to Osberg, an SUV does not fit into the Saab philosophy. We must quickly forget that the brand committed itself to the Saab 9-4X and 9-7X under GM wings. The barrier-free entry is also part of the party, as are rear wheels that are partly hidden behind the sheet metal. Just like the original Saab and the Saab 92. The wheels have movable spokes, which improve the aerodynamic properties.

Touches of the Saab 900, 9000 and 9-5 NG

As with the Saab 9000, the large wheelbase provides plenty of interior space. We recognize the last Saab 9-5 (NG) and the 9000 CS in the vehicle-wide rear light. In the integrated tailgate spoiler we see styling features of the classic Saab 900. The steeply sloping hood and narrow headlight units resemble – again – the Saab 9000 CS. In turn, the grille shows similarities with some late study models and the Saab 9-5 NG. Of course, the wing symbol is not missing. Born from jetsyou know …

Future Saab: EV or turbo on synthetic fuel

According to Bertil Osberg, an electric motor is an obvious choice if Saab would stick to its attention to the environment in 2022. On the other hand, Saab would be stubborn enough to bet on compact turbo engines and synthetic fuels. They also reduce CO2 emissions, although the EU does not want them.