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Saab Historical milestones and achievements


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Saab Milestones and Historical Achievements

1947 On 27 February it is formally resolved that the aeroplane manufacturer Saab is to go in for car making. On 10 March, a contract is signed with Philipson on distribution and sales. 10 June: press show in the staff canteen at Linköping.

1949 Series production commences on 12 December.

1950 By 16 January the Company is able to deliver the first cars to waiting customers.

1954 The 10,000th Saab car completed on 6 March. Engine and gearbox production relocated to Gothenburg.

1955 The Saab 93 is presented on 1 December.

1956 The Saab Sonett is a sensation at the Stockholm Motor Show in February. Saab Motors Inc. is formed in the USA.

1958 The Saab GT 750 is premiered at the Motor Show in New York in April. It has lavish interior fittings with "club fauteuils", a wooden sports steering wheel and a built-in Halda Speed Pilot.

1959 The Saab 95, the seven-seater station wagon, is premiered in May.

1960 4 February: Saab completes its purchase of ANA, AB Nyköpings Automobilfabrik, which with its nationwide sales organization takes over the Saab sales operation in Sweden as from September. The Saab 96 is premiered on 17 February. A subsidiary company is formed in Britain, Saab GB Ltd.

1962 The Saab Sport, with a separately lubricated 841cc, three-carburettor engine of 52 hp, premieres at the Stockholm Motor Show on 17-25 February.

1964 On 2 April Saab resolves to design a new and larger car. The "Gudmund" Project begins.

1965 Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget becomes Saab Aktiebolaget. The new name is registered on 19 May.

1966 The Saab Sonett II goes into production at Arlöv. The Saab V4, with a four-cylinder four-stroke engine, is presented on 2 August.

1967 22 November: the premiere showing of the Saab 99.

1968 Extensive wide-spectrum testing of the Saab 99, which goes on sale in the autumn as the 1969 model.

1969 Saab Aktiebolaget and Aktiebolaget Scania Vabis merge to form Saab Scania Aktiebolaget. All activities concerned with cars, tracks and buses are concentrated to what is called the Automotive Division, headquartered in Södertälje. Saab begins building cars in Finland, at a factory jointly owned with Valmet and located in Nystad/Uusikaupunki. On 1 July, ANA changes its name to Saab-Ana AB.

1970 A milestone is passed in February when Saab turns out Car No. 500,000. 13 April sees the premiere of the four-door Saab 99 and the Sonett III.

1972 In May, Saab-Scania's Automotive Division is divided into the Scania Division and the Saab Car Division, the latter with its head office in Nyköping. The Saab 99 EMS, with a newly designed, Swedish-built two-litre engine, is presented in January.

1973 The Saab 99 Combi Coupe is presented in August, but does not go on sale until January 1974. A new assembly plant is opened at Mechelen in Belgium in the autumn.

1976 The one-millionth Saab car comes off the line at Trollhättan in January. The Saab 99 five-door Combi Coupe is presented in March. In August Saab unveils its turbo concept.

1977 The Saab 99 Turbo is presented at the IAA motor show in Frankfurt and goes on sale as the 1978 model. On 6 May, a merger between Volvo and Saab is proposed, but fails to materialize.

1978 The Saab 95 goes out of production in February. The Saab 900 is presented in May and goes on sale as the 1979 model. Assembly in Belgium ceases. In October, Saab concludes a collaboration agreement with Fiat/Lancia on the development of a new car project.

1980 The Saab 96 goes out of production in January.

1983 Saab turns out its 100,000th turbo car and is the world's largest producer of such vehicles. Every third car that Saab makes is fitted with a turbo. The Saab 900 Convertible is shown as a design study at the IAA in Frankfurt.

1984 The Saab 900 Turbo 16 goes on sale with the new 16-valve turbo-engine. The Saab 9000 is presented in May. 1984 becomes Saab's first 100,000-car year.

1985 With the experimental car Saab EV-1, Saab's engineers and stylists demonstrate what potential there is in Saab's engines. The styling is signed by Björn Envall, Chief Designer at Saab.

1986 The Saab 900 Convertible goes on sale in January.

1987 The two-millionth Saab is manufactured. Saab's best year to date, with sales exceeding 134,000 cars.

1988 Premiere showing in Nice of the new Saab 9000 CD, the four-door version of the Saab 9000.

1989 At a press conference on 15 December GM announces that it is buying 50% of Saab's car operation. A new assembly plant is opened in Malmö.

1990 Saab Automobile AB is formed on 15 March. The Head Office is moved to Trollhättan. The Saab 9000 is selected for the Safe Car distinction by the Folksam Insurance Company. This honour is awarded every other year, and the Saab 9000 gets it again in 1992 and 1994.

1991 The Saab 9000 CS is introduced in August.

1992 In October the 9000 Aero is premiered.

1993 21 July: premiere showing of the new Saab 900 in Trollhättan. Among the breakthroughs are Saab Sensonic, the automatic clutch, and the first Saab car with a six-cylinder engine.

1994 The new Saab 900 Convertible and Coupe are introduced.

1995 The Saab 9000 comes out with a 3.0-Iitre V6, as the 1996 model.

1997 9 June the new Saab 9-5 is presented in Trollhättan. The three-millionth Saab car will be produced some time this summer.