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AB Volvo is a world-leading Swedish manufacturer of commercial vehicles, trucks, buses and construction equipment, drive systems for marine and industrial applications, aerospace components and financial services. But it did start out as a car manufacturer, founded by Assar Gabrielsson and Gustaf Larsson. The main purpose of the company was to produce the safest cars possible, following the death of Assar's wife in a car crash. The automaker was founded April 14, 1927 in the city of Gothenburg, as a spin-off from roller ball bearing maker SKF (Svenska Kullagerfabriken AB).

The name Volvo was originally registered in May 1915 as a separate company within SKF AB and as a registered trademark with the intention to be used for a special series of ball bearing, but this idea was only used for a short period of time and SKF decided to use "SKF" as the trademark for all its bearing products. Volvo AB began to function on the 10th of August 1926 when the SKF Sales Manager Assar Gabrielsson and Engineer Gustav Larson, started production of 10 prototypes and set up the car-manufacturing business Volvo AB within SKF group. Volvo AB was introduced at the Stockholm stock exchange in 1935 and SKF then decided to sell its shares in the company.

1980 - 244 The first series produced Volvo automobile, called 'ÖV4' left the factory on 14 April 1927. Just 996 cars were produced between 1927-1929. 'ÖV4' was replaced by model PV651 in April 1929. Its success on the market helped Volvo buy out their engine manufacturer and thus become a serious car producer. By 1931, it was already returning its first dividend to shareholders.

After it reached a production milestone of 10,000 cars in May 1932, Volvo then targeted a new demographic segment, aiming to make their cars cheaper, a car “for the people”. This was going to be the PV 51 which came out in 1936 which was a smaller version of the PV36.

The PV444 was one of the most significant cars of the war era, the first true small car, a mixture of American flair and European size, it would become a resonant success and the best sold model throughout the 60s. The P1800 was Volvo's first sports car, made in the early 60s and it was so popular that it was featured in the hit TV series “The Saint” starring Roger Moore.

Safety and quality were still paramount for Volvo and that's why the 240 series which replaced the 140 had even more safety innovations in that department, like crumple zones, rear facing child seats and collapsible steering columns. Together with the smaller 340 models, they would make for most of the sales during the 70s and 80s for Volvo.

The 90s brought with them a totally new model, the 850, a front-wheel drive, executive car which won numerous awards for handling and safety features. By now, productions costs were mounting up and Volvo was one of the few independent producers out there, after a proposed deal with Renault fell through in 1993. This forced the company to seek new marketing strategies and that's how the sleeker S40 and V40 models were introduced in the factory's production line.

The new models brought a breath of fresh air, just like the C70 coupe and convertible, which are responsible for revitalizing the Volvo image while keeping in tune with the old tradition of safety and quality.

1990 - 460 The buyout of Volvo Cars was announced on January 28, 1998. Until then, Volvo Cars was owned by AB Volvo (the commercial vehicles group). In the following year acquisition for Volvo Cars by American car maker Ford Motor Co. was completed at a price of $6.45 billion USD. Volvo used the funds from the sale of the automobile division to finance the purchase of Scania, another leading Swedish truck manufacturer, but the deal was stopped for competition reasons by the European Union. Instead Volvo acquired the commercial vehicles division of French Renault and the American truck manufacturer Mack Trucks (which was owned by Renault at the time). As part of the arangement to buy Renault Trucks, the former parent company, Renault, bought in turn 20 percent in shares in AB Volvo. Among the reasons why Volvo took the initiative to sell the automobile manufacturing was the increasing development costs for new car models, coupled with the fact that it was a relatively small producer. The strategy was instead to grow as a truck manufacturer where it had a stronger market position.

Volvo Automotive's motto is "Volvo for life" attributed to the reliability and safety of their cars. Volvo means "I roll" in Latin. Combined with their company symbol, (commonly mistaken for the male symbol) which actually stands for iron ore and according to the company, represents "Rolling Strength".

Reference: www.autoevolution.com 

Volvo History


The history of the “People's Car”, Volkswagen, begins on May 28th 1937 when the “Geselschaft zur Vorbereitung des Deutschen Volkswagen mbH” company is created. A year later it is renamed into “Volkswagenwerk GmbH” has it's headquarters established in Wolfsburg, a city especially created for the workers on the Volkswagen plant that are going to mass produce Hitler's dream car for the average German, designed by Ferdinand Porsche.

But Hitler's plans weren't going to materialize because WWII started and the plant switched production to armaments and the vehicles under the VW logo went to the army of the Third Reich. After the war, the plant at Wolfsburg went under Allied control, British to be specific, and under the supervision of Major Ivan Hirst, Volkswagen began the mass production of the Type 1, or the Beetle as it would come to be known throughout the world.

Initial sales abroad were disastrous, but through clever advertising, the Beetle gained popularity with the young crowd and from 1945 to 1955 numbers reached the 1 million mark. Meanwhile, sometime at the end of the 40s, Volkswagen also introduced the Type 2, a people carrier, known as the “VW Bully”.

Even through the 60s and 70s, the Beetle manages to stay on top of sales, despite the fact that it was becoming obsolete. Reliability, easy maintenance and reduced fuel consumption made the car remain a consumer favorite. On February 17th 1972, Volkswagen celebrated selling over 15 million units of the Beetle sold, thus surpassing the Ford Model T as the most popular car in the world, a title which it still holds to this day.

Despite the success it had with the Beetle, by the beginning of the 70s, Volkswagen AG was in dire need of new models to replace the aging Beetle. The help came from Audi/Auto Union, which WV had bought back in the sixties. They brought with them the knowledge for front-wheel drive vehicles and water-cooled engines.

1974 - Golf I In 1974, the first Golf rolls out of the factory's door and becomes and instant hit. Marketed as the Rabbit in the United States and Canada, it was responsible for putting Volkswagen back on the map. That same year, a more sporty model, the Scirocco makes it's way onto the Volkswagen line up. For the smaller car market, the German car maker came up with the Polo in 1976, which was quite popular throughout Western Europe.

The next decade saw Volkswagen trying to improve their products with new generations of all the older models and expanding their influence by taking over Spanish manufacturer Seat and the Czech-based Skoda Auto.

As the 90s rolled in, VW-owned Audi became a direct competitor for BMW and Mercedes-Benz with products designed for a more pretentious market. This left a void in the general market which Volkswagen now tried to fill. The third generation vehicles now came with better quality and standards. Gradually, new luxury models were introduced, like the Touareg, a premium off-road vehicle.

In the last decade, Volkswagen has been busy trying to set records when it comes to CO2 emissions and fuel-efficient technologies. This applies to their normal engines, running on gas and diesel, but they are also developing hybrids.

Reference: www.autoevolution.com 

Volkswagen History


Despite the fact that it's not one of the most famous brands on the automotive market out there today, British car makers Vauxhall actually enjoy a long history that goes back to 1857, when it was founded by Alex Wilson as a company that built pumps and marine engines.

It wouldn't be until 1903 that Vauxhall would build its first car, equipped with a 5 HP engine with 2 forward gears but no reverse. Gradually, Vauxhall Motors as it became known in 1907 began producing more and more cars that were thought of as sporty back then.

Soon after the end of the first World War, the company was bought by GM in 1925 and from then on Vauxhall took on a more “American” feel to the way in which they made cars. When WWII hit, production in the factories of Vauxhall turned to making Churchill tanks (some 5600 units).

After the war, the entire car-making process saw a mass-market orientation in order to help the company grow. But in their haste to make more cars, Vauxhall actually cut a few corners when it came to quality and thus acquired a bad reputation that their cars were rust-ridden, which was actually unfair since many producers suffered of the same problem at the time. Regardless, this reputation was going to haunt them until the 80s, despite all efforts to make their cars rust-proof.

The biggest step in the company's history was going to be their partnership with Opel that started in the 70s. From then on, most of the cars Vauxhall produced were going to be restyled Opel models, like the Kadett, Ascona and Rekord which translated into the Chevette, Cavalier and Carlton respectively in the UK factory.

The difference between the German cars and the British ones was a sloping front end, but as time passed, not even that made the difference. Soon, Vauxhalls would be practically Opel cars with the griffin emblem on them. At first, Opels and Vauxhalls were sold through the UK together, but then Opel dealerships closed down in England. As a result, even the names of the two brands were standardized.

2004 - Astra Hatchback However, Vauxhall did retain a note of originality because from 1994, all the front grilles on Vauxhalls had a distinctive V under the badge. Also, there is a car that is unique to Vauxhall, the Monaro coupe also known as the Australian Holden, the American Pontiac GTO and the Asian Chevrolet Lumina.

Although faced with a wave of consumer dissatisfaction back in the UK, Vauxhall managed to reduce the gap between them and Ford with the launch of the 2004 Astra and become one of the most important car manufacturers in Britain.

Reference: www.autoevolution.com 

Vauxhall History


Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki-gaisha or Toyota for short is actually the largest car maker in the entire world, bigger than Ford, GM and anyone else. Their history, like many other car producers, starts with some other product, in this case automatic looms. At some point, in 1933, Kiichiro Toyoda, son to Toyota's founder, decided he wanted to build cars and so he took a trip to Europe to get an idea about gas-powered engines.

The government encouraged such a bold decision mostly because making their own cars would be cheaper and they also needed vehicles for the war with China. Just a year after its foundation in 1933, the Toyota Motor Company created its first engine, the Type A, placed in the Model A1 passenger car and the G1 truck.

During WWII, Toyota was committed to making trucks for the army and only the premature ending of the conflict saved the company's factories in Aichi from a scheduled Allied bomb raid. After the war, Toyota resumed car making but found more success in building trucks and buses than with cars. Still, it didn't give up on cars for good and in 1947 it came up with the Model SA, also known as the Toyopet, a name which later was applied to other models as well.

A little more successful was the Model SF which also had a taxi version but the same 27 horsepower engine as its predecessor. A more powerful model, the RH, which had 48 HP came out shortly after. Production went up rather fast and by 1955, Toyota was turning out 8400 cars a year. That year, Toyota diversified their production, adding the Jeep-like Land Cruiser and the luxury sedan, the Crown.

2003 - Corolla With numbers growing and with several models under their belt, Toyota now had its eyes set on the international market. The first dealership outside Japan was in America in 1957 an the first plant in Brazil in 1959. An interesting strategy from Toyota ensured that all models were somehow unique to the region where they were produced (they were adapted to the respective market).

The big break for Toyota on the American market came with the 70s when rising gas prices forced local producers to make smaller cars. These were thought of as entry-level and as a consequence lacked in quality of finishings. In contrast, Toyota already had several fuel-efficient models that were also of better quality. The Corolla is the best example in this sense, soon becoming America's favorite compact car.

2006 - Prius But as far as the luxury market went, Toyota still had trouble with selling the Crown and the Cressida. At the dawn of the 80s, the entire luxury market in America was entering a downwards slope, with all the other manufacturers finding it difficult to keep up sales, and that's when Toyota came up with Lexus, a new company that would make luxury cars.

By the beginning of the 90s, Toyota vehicles became synonymous with reliability and low-cost maintenance which made them very popular all over the world. A bid for winning over the younger audience was made with the launch of models like the MR2 and the Celica.

Presently, Toyota is at the forefront of the environmental battle, with its successful hybrid model, the Toyota Prius and now announcing a plug-in electric car that will be called Toyota Plug-in HV, which will run on standard electricity powered by a lithium-ion battery pack.

Reference: www.autoevolution.com 

Toyota History


Michio Suzuki, the founder of the Suzuki company, started pretty much like Toyota, in the textile industry, producing automated looms in 1909 in a small seacoast village called Hamamatsu. For years, his company was successful, but as time passed, Suzuki realized that he will have to diversify if he wanted to stay in business.

He turned to car making and in 1937 started developing a prototype. Unlike Toyota, who chose to copy an American six-cylinder engine, Suzuki created their own model, a four-cylinder version which put out 13 horsepower. But as WWII began, production of passenger cars became a luxury so Suzuki turned back to loom-making to support Japan's new cotton industry. All that stopped when the market crashed in 1951.

Versatile and ingenious, Suzuki now turned to making engines for bicycles. Unlike other engines that could be mounted to bikes, his motors had a unique feature that allowed the rider to pedal assisted by the engine or completely disconnect the pedals. This captured the attention of the government who granted funds to Suzuki for research.

1998 - Vitara During the 50s Suzuki released several models: in 1955 the Suzulight SS, a-2 door sedan, the Suzulight SD, a 2-door wagon, the SL – a 3 door sedan and the SP, a pick-up. Out of all of them, the SP proved to be the most successful, being mass-produced and improved during the 60s. Good sales for the SP which was regarded asa commercial type of vehicle, meant that in 1960 the Suzulight Van, the TL, was introduced. Other models from the 60s include the small Suzuki Fronte 360 and the Suzuki Fronte 500.

The famous off-road Jimny came in 1970, which had several variations of chassis and engine. The other cars from the 70s are the Cervo, Alto and the Fronte, also with a number of variations and improvements along the years.

As the 80s rolled in, Suzuki began expanding across the ocean, thanks to a business agreement with GM (in 1981) which gave them an important niche in the western market. Also, they began a partnership with the Indian car company Maruti in 1983 to produce cars there. A year later, in 1984, Suzuki Motor GmbH Deutchland opens up its doors in Heppenheim, Germany.

The Swift and the Vitara models were introduced in the late 80s and Suzuki reached a production of 10 million units. During the 90s, the company continued to expand with factories all over the world and several other 4x4 models were introduced. Right now, Suzuki is listed as being the 12th biggest automotive manufacturer in the world with 35 production facilities all over the Globe and being present in 192 countries.

Reference: www.autoevolution.com 

Suzuki History


Subaru actually means “unite” and it refers to the six stars on the logo that stand for the 6 companies that are united under the FHI group. The largest of the stars represents Fuji Heavy Industries. The company started out in 1917 in Japan as a aircraft research laboratory but soon moved to producing airplanes.

After WWII, the company created a scooter, the Fuji Rabbit with the spare parts from airplanes. Pretty soon, the company split up into different business that manufactured scooters, coaches, engines and chassis. Then CEO Kenji Kita decided that it would be a good idea to get involved in car making and pretty soon the first Subaru car was created, the Subaru 1500 (1954).

The 1500 or P1 was followed by the 360 in 1958, the Sambar in 1961, the 1000 in 1965, gthe 1100 and the R2 in 1969. During the 70s, the Leone came out and then later, in the 80s, the Alcyclone (1985) and the Legacy (1989) were added to the Subaru line-up.

Slowly, in the 90s, the company moved away from the manufacture of small vehicles and concentrated on rally cars, such as the Vivio and Impreza. Different versions of the Impreza WRX won the world championship several times under drivers such as Colin McRae.

2005 - Impreza WRX Using the technology from the aeronautical industry, Subaru employed many successful inventions in the automotive industry. One of the first was the us of horizontally opposed “boxer” engines as well as the use of monocoque construction. Also, Subaru is the only car manufacturer to offer all-wheel drive as a standard on most of its models. The Japanese manufacturer was also the first to introduce electronic continuously variable transmission (ECTV) which replaces standard gears and gives smooth acceleration while reducing emissions and fuel consumption.

Subaru also takes a keen interest in environmental protection, having achieved an odd record: 0 landfill status for their plant in Lafayette, Indiana which means that the factory generates no trash. Also, the company has an extensive recycling program for its own cars, not to mention the program for hybrid and fuel efficient cars.

Reference: www.autoevolution.com 

Subaru History


It's safe to say that car makers Spyker have come a long way from the original idea of the two brothers, coachbuilders in Amsterdam, who founded the company back in 1898. But the basic idea stays the same: make quality cars that are also innovative.

But the Spyker company we know today has gone one major transformation from its beginning. Not many people know the comopany founded by Jacobus and Hendrik-Jan Spijker in 1898 went bankrupt in 1922, despite efforts to make it profitable. Despite this, Spyker was known at the time for making reliable cars that were regarded as the “Rolls Royce of the continent”.

The 1903 60/80 HP was a very innovative car for its time, with a 6-cylinder engine , four wheel drive and brakes on all 4 wheels. Another very interesting invention was a patented dust shield which was fitted under the car in order to help it from stirring dust on dirt roads.

Spyker cars made history when they completed the grueling Pekin to Paris marathon, arriving in second place. By this time, the company had already established a name for itself. During WWI, the company began producing airplanes and airplane engines in order to stay in business.

After the war, car production resumed but Spyker went bankrupt in 1922, being bought by a British distributor. Finally, when all the money ran out, the factory closed its doors for good in 1929. But the brand and what it stood for remained deeply embedded on the car industry. That's why at the turn of the century, in 2000, Victor Muller and Maarten de Brujin founded a new company bearing the Spyker name, determined to carry on the legacy of the Dutch automaker.

The new Spyker builds flashy and exclusive sports cars like the C8 Spyder and the C8 Laviolette. Production continued in 2005 with the Spyker C12 LaTurbie and in 2007 with the D12 and C12 Zagato. Their cars were briefly featured on the F1 circuit in the 207 season, equipped with Ferrari engines.

Reference: www.autoevolution.com 

Spyker History


What's smaller than a Mini? Why a Smart, of course. Small enough to weasel in and out traffic downtown during rush hour, very fuel efficient, very easy to park and still stylish enough to be wanted by the posh people. That's what Swiss watch makers Swatch and Daimler AG had in mind when they designed the Smart.

The Smart's story begins somewhere in Switzerland where Swatch CEO Nicolas Hayek decided that he wanted a car to bear the company's name, a “Swatchmobile” (Smart actually stands for Swatch Mercedes Art) so they contacted Volkswagen but the German company was struggling with financial troubles at the time and had to pass on the offer. It was Daimler Benz who finally decided to greenlight the project.

In order to make the car, a new factory was built in a place names Smartville in Hambach, France in 1994. Everything seemed promising at first but soon Swatch and Mercedes entered a conflict over design and overall performances of the future car. So, before the car was even done, Swatch pulled out, leaving Mercedes to complete the project.

Sales started in 1998 and proved promising at first because the Smart had stirred a lot of enthusiasm from people in al 9 countries it was being sold. Confident in the model, Mercedes launched two more Smarts, the Roadster and the Roadster Coupe in 2003. In 2004, the Forfour, a slightly bigger Smart came on the market.

These later models were not received as well as their predecessors and many customers weren't impressed by the design and considered them too expensive. Daimler lost a ton of money of the project (4 billion euros between 2003 and 2006 according to sources) and so decided to pull the plug on most of the models.

The Forfour and the Roadster found their demise during that move and the Fortwo (the old City-Coupe) was redesigned just to be able to stay on the market. They made it slightly bigger and gave it an interior make-over but they didn't solve the problem with the controversial sequential transmission that had a notorious lag.

When you think about it, the whole car is rather controversial. You either hate it or you love it, there's no way you can be indifferent, it's that kind of car.

Reference: www.autoevolution.com 

Smart History


Sociedad Espagnola de Automoviles de Turismo or Seat for short is the biggest car manufacturer to come out of Spain. The company started out in 1950 with the help of the Instituto Nacional de Industria and Fiat. That's why at first, Seat were simply rebadged and slightly modified Fiats. They even kept the names. For instance, the Seat Panda was based on the Fiat Panda and so was the Seat 600, on the Fiat 600.

The first model Seat however, was the the Seat 1400, which began production in 1953. Soon, they turned to making and exporting Seats to Colombia in 1965. By 1968, Seat had reached its first million cars in production and by 1974 its second million.

But however big the Spanish manufacturer became, it needed the expertise and funds of a much bigger and older car producer. Especially since Fiat pulled out of the deal in 1981. This time Seat would turn to Germany for a partner and it would find it in Volkswagen, with who it signed a deal in 1982.

2007 - Leon FR That same year, the first “Fiat free” car appeared, named the Seat Ronda. Basically, it was a restyled Fiat Ritmo, a fact which didn't bode well with the Italians who were quick to take the matter to court. In order to settle the dispute, Seat president at the time, Juan Miguel Antonanzas showed in a press conference a Fiat Ritmo and a Seat Ronda side by side, with the Seat having painted in bright yellow all the parts that were differences from the “donor car”.

In 1984 the first Ibiza model rolled out of the factory at Zona Franca, based on the Volkswagen Polo. The partnership with Volkswagen was soon going to become a lot tighter as in 1986 the German automaker was going to purchase 51% of Seat shares in June and then go up to 75% byt the end of that year.

Just 4 years later Volkswagen is going to go all the way and buy the whole of Seat, owning 99,99% of its shares. The first Seat model after the acquisition was the Toledo, unveiled in 1991. The new Ibiza and the Cordoba are developed in 1993, as Seat celebrates the opening of a new plant at Martorell.

1995 sees the 10th million Seat being produced. The event is celebrated by having the car roll out of the assembly line driven by the Prince of Asturias. A new face for Seat is being concocted, as new models are being introduced: the Alhambra in 1996, the new Toledo in 1998 and the rally-ready Ibiza WRC and Cordoba WRC with which Seat attains several titles.

As the new century rolls in, the company follows a new line in branding and marketing, more aggressive and more innovative. The Leon Cupra and the new Cordoba introduced in 2002. That same year a reorganization within the Volkswagen group sees Seat join the Audi Brand Group.

Reference: www.autoevolution.com 

Seat History


During the 70s, GM, the quintessential American car brand, began having troubles with sales as the oil crisis gained in intensity. Their big gas-guzzling engines were no match for European and Asian imports and as a result the company's image suffered. To fight this, GM launched a new brand of cars, Saturn Motors, on January 7, 1985. The name was taken from the Saturn rocket, the one that carried the astronauts to the moon in the 60s.

An interesting fact is represented by the number who started out this company: 99 people from all backgrounds: design, production, marketing etc. known from that day on as “the 99”. OK, they started out as 100, but one of them dropped early on hence the 99.

Production of Saturn cars began in the early 90s and the purpose from the get-go was to emulate foreign marketing strategies such as the Japanese ones in order to put up a fight on the American market. Such strategies included better quality control which translated into better reliability of the finished product and more control for the workers in the plant.

2008 - Astra Soon after the first cars hit the streets of America, favorable reviews start pouring in. Sales go well as Saturn cars start earning one award after another. In 1993, Saturn reported it's first profitable year and everything seemed to be going well for the small GM-owned brand. By 1995 they had made their first million cars. A unique feature on Saturn cars in the beginning were dent-proof body panels (Z-Body) but after 2000, they were slowly put out of production.

Also after 2000 GM starting taking a more active interest in Saturn as a company and interfered with its line-up and general policies. Today, most models in the Saturn line-up are copied after Opel cars, just like Vauxhalls are in the UK.

Starting with 2003, sales for Saturns began to dwindle which forced GM to retire several models like the L- series and the Ion. Latest reports say that GM is now looking to sell or even shut down Saturn in order to alleviate the financial pressure it's under at the moment.

Reference: www.autoevolution.com 

Saturn History


All cars which bear the Saleen brand tend to stand out for whatever reason. May it's because they can outrun everything you throw at them and they manage to look awesome while doing it. Saleen is in the business of making and modifying cars for one single purpose: speed. In that respect, they have been doing their job well since they first started out in 1983.

Race driver Steve Saleen was the one who built the company. Just a year after the company was born, the first Saleen Mustang came out, with special aerodynamics, improved suspension and handling and an impressive cockpit. And to show off the performance of his cars, Steve Saleen entered the 24 Hours of Mosport in 1986 and won, a feat which will be repeated in 1988, when Saleen Mustangs cross the finish line first, second and third. That year, the Saleen Sporttruck is let loose on the streets.

At the beginning of the 90s, having had so much success on and off the track, Saleen launches its own parts supplier company, called Saleen Performance Parts. They sell everything from wheels, exhaust systems to brakes and suspension.

Officially, they are known as “Original Equipment Manufacturer” which basically means they modify some other producer's cars with the added bonus of having a few models of their own. Does the S7 ring a bell? The preferred car for modifying chose by Saleen is the Ford Mustang, of which they've done about 8000 so far.

The S7 supercar was launched in 2000 and right now acts as the company's flagship, but it's certainly the only car built by Saleen. They also produce the S281, the Sr and the N2O Focus (discontinued production in 2005). All that experience in tinkering with cars to make them suited for the race track earned Saleen a partnership with Ford in producing their much awaited Ford GT in 2003 at their plant in Troy, Michigan.

Future projects for Saleen include the Silver-Anniversary Editions, the Saleen Shakercharger, the Saleen S5S Raptor and the S331 Extreme.

Reference: www.autoevolution.com 

Saleen History


The Swedes at Saab were building planes long before they were building cars so you know their standards ran pretty because in the aeronautical industry there's no room for mistake if you want to get back safely on the ground.

In 1937 the Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget or the Swedish Aeorplane Company starting its business but by the end of WWII the good people down there had trouble placing their products on the market. A new market was needed, but for a new market you need a new product. And since the need to get people fast and safe from one place to another was on the rise, what better market than that of automobiles. So, in 1944, Project 92, or the manufacture of the first Saab car began.

The Saab 92 had a very interesting feature but it was an understandable occurence when you consider the man who drew up the car used to design planes: it had a very low drag coefficient of 0.31, one which many modern cars still struggle to attain.

After the Saab 92 came the Saab in 1955 with an improved engine, upgraded to 3 cylinders and with the trapezoid grille that would become a trademark for the brand in later years. A wagon version of the car, the 95 came in 1959.

2005 - 9-5 In the 60s, the general direction for Saab was bigger, as the 99 model proved. It also brought in more power, as the 99 was turbocharged, a feature common on later cars as well, a tradition for the Swedish automaker from then on. At the end of the decade, Saab reached the 1 million cars mark.

A new platform was needed by the end of the 70s for the aging Saabs, so the company signed a deal with Fiat which later spawned the Alfa Romeo 164, Fiat Croma, Lancia Therma and the Saab 9000. All these cars rode on the Type Four chassis, the result of the joint venture.

Ten years later, in 1987, Saab found itself in financial difficulties and was forced to shut down the plant at Arlov in order to cut costs. The fact that GM bought 50% of the stocks in 1990 helped alleviate the problems a little, but the company was still losing money and so the factory at Malmo in order to further reduce costs.

Recovery was going to come in the shape of the Saab 900, developed with the help of GM in 1993, a car which would give the company its first profitable year since the 80s. GM later acquired the rest of Saab's shares as was the initial agreement and from then on Saab became subsidiary to the American giant.

Current models, the 9-3 and the 9-5, are based on Opel chassis and are manufactured in Sweden and Germany. The SUV model 9-7x is being built in america, in the state of Ohio. Now, the company has announced that it would be releasing a new crossover SUV, the 9-4X, after the demise of the 9-2X, basically a rebadged Subaru Impreza.

Reference: www.autoevolution.com 

Saab History

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Brand History

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