Saab is the name of a aeronautical Constructeur and a Car manufacturer Swedish. This name is an acronym of Svenska Aeroplan AB ( AB for Aktie Bolaget ), which can result in “ Swedish Aéroplanes SA ”.

Saab AB and Saab Automobile AB are today two distinct companies but with a common history. Saab Automobile AB is a car manufacturer, subsidiary of General Motors Corporation. Saab AB, as for it, has its principal activities in the field of defense, aviation, space and the civil security.

History

The Swedish company Svenska Aeroplan Aktie-Bolaget , more known under the Acronym of Saab, was created in 1937 on the initiative of the Swedish government with the assistance of private capital. Saab is historically installed with Trollhättan (53 000 inhabitants - industrial town of the south of Sweden with 58° of Northern latitude). Saab was founded with an aim of manufacturing military aircrafts in preparation for a war which seemed inescapable. Seven years later, when it appeared that the Second world war was on its end, the search for an additional sphere of activity started. For this new orientation of the company, the direction chooses to develop the production by including the cars there. It prepared to face competition in the automobile boom of the post-war period that it foresaw. The work of development of a prototype was entrusted to engineer Gunnar Ljungström. This one had up to that point drawn only planes. It was assisted of 15 engineers and technicians resulting from many disciplines. None of them had built of car before. The legend even claims that they were only two to have the driving license. In less than two years, these impassioned succeeded in transforming their competences in the field of the aeronautical engineering into a solid knowledge of the cars, even if they had obviously not disavowed their origins.

First Saab was presented to the press and the public the June 10th 1947. Equipped with a profile similar to that of a wing of plane, it did not resemble any other car marketed at that time.

In 1964, Saab acquired manufacturing it of trucks Scania, and from 1969 to 1996 the company bore the name of Saab-Scania. General Motors repurchased half of the capital of Saab Automobile in 1990, and totality acquired some one decade later. The logo of the mark, initially a twin-engine aircraft seen of face, is replaced in 1984, following fusion with Scania, by a mythical animal, a crowned griffon, the logo of Scania and emblem of its area of origin, the Scanie.

The history of Saab is very related on safety and the innovation in the car. Indeed, as of 1962, all Saab were equipped with safety belts. Saab invented also the automatic lighting of the headlights (1969), the bumpers car-repairers (1971), the pollen filter (1978), the brake pads without asbestos (1983), the air conditioning without CFC (1992), the head-rests anti-blow of the rabbit (1996), the ventilated seats (1997)… As many equipment which became standard today, but where Saab was precursory.

Another pride of Saab is the diffusion of the technology of the engine Turbo, as from 1976. Up to that point, these engines were almost reserved for the competition. In 1977, first Saab been driven by a turbo-compressed engine is marketed: the Saab 99 Turbo. The Saab 900 Turbo 16 will follow, as well as the models Aero , which develop today until 250 ch. À to note that all the Saab range is been driven by turbo engines.

Models of cars

Old models

Current models

  • Saab 9-2X (2004), station-wagon reserved at the US market and product in Japan; it is acted in fact of old Subaru Impreza rebadgée. Stopped production.
  • Saab 9-3 Truck of Sport (2002), road.
  • Saab 9-3 Convertible, convertible.
  • Saab 9-3 Sport-Hatch, station-wagon marketed since September 2005.
  • Saab 9-5 Truck (1998), high-performance touring car, restylée since December 2005.
  • Saab 9-5 Estate (1998), large station-wagon, restylé in December 2005.
  • Saab 9-7X (2004), cross-country on the basis of Chevrolet, studied for the US market, available in version gasoline only. Is not imported by the Saab mark in France, but by a Saab distributer: Space Défense Cars (92).

Experimental and prototype vehicles

Models of planes

Attention, Saab AB and Saab Automobile AB are today two distinct companies but with a common history. Saab Automobile AB is a car manufacturer, subsidiary of General Motors Corporation. Saab AB, as for it, has its principal activities in the field of defense, aviation, space and the civil security. The Gripen (Swedish Griffon), developed by Saab AB, was the first general-purpose fighter of new generation to being in service. (See Saabgroup.com). Its European competitors are the Rafale and the Eurofighter.

Short description of the ''' military aircrafts ''' of SAAB

See too

Internal bonds

External bonds

  • Official site Saab

  • Official site Saab Technology
  • " Saab" museum; (automobile spare parts)
  • Saab 9-5.com
  • SPIRIT SAAB Site of the French association of the saabists
  • Saab Sport Club - French Association around Saab
  • www.saabhuy.net
  • History of Saab 900 " Classic" and of Saab 900 Speedster

Simple: Saab

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