Saab Convertible Archives - Page 2 of 2

Saab Convertible Concept by ASC

As part of the 25th Anniversary of the Saab Convertible, we’re covering the development of one of Saab’s most iconic models. If you missed Bob Sinclair’s story on the birth of the Saab Convertible, then make sure you hit that link and check it out.

As mentioned in that story, there were two convertible concepts produced for evaluation by Saab. One of those was made by the American Sunroof Company in Michigan, USA. If you notice a similarity between this car and the original Saab 900 Convertible from the mid-1980’s, that’s because this is the concept that was chosen for serial production starting as a 1986 model.

The Saab Convertible made it’s world debut at the 1983 Frankfurt Motor Show. This is that car. It now lives in the Saab Museum in Trollhattan, Sweden.

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This is a studio image of the original convertible concept. it’s better than any image I could have got at the Museum yesterday.

I won’t go into too much detail on this car as it’s one that Saab fans would be quite familiar with from the production model, but there are a few differences. Let’s dive in an take a closer look…….

The interior is the familiar ‘Oxblood’ interior that was well known in the mid-1980s, this time with a black dashboard…

The rear seats and an overview of the convertible top cover…..

A close-up of the cover, which is trimmed in oxblood leather….

Moving to the other side, with a portion of the top cover removed, we can see the convertible mechanism in place. The top isn’t operated regularly now and would require some service before being operated again.

Rear seat passengers got a window switch of their own on the convertible concept….

The center console got window and roof switches….

The interior was trimmed in original Bridge of Weir leather from Scotland….

And for the real convertible boffins, a look at the roof connecting points of the concept convertible.

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As mentioned in the original convertible story, the concept built by ASC was a ‘production’ concept, not a car merely for show. Their brief was take a 2-door Saab 900 and figure out how to make a convertible that could be mass-produced. Their concept is therefore very similar to the final vehicle that was released for sale in 1986.

The other concept car was made by a Swedish coachbuilder named Leif Mellberg. This is the car that not so many people have seen before and we’ll take a much closer look at that car very soon.

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Bob Sinclair on the birth of the Saab Convertible

Saab are celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Saab Convertible this year. Today we take a peek into to the development of this model, one that was so unexpected from a Swedish company.

The guy generally credited with the birth of the Saab Convertible is Bob Sinclair. ‘Uncle Bob’ joined Saab in 1958 and later in his career – after a stint at Volvo Cars USA – he was the head of Saab in the US when the convertible was developed. Bob is one of the most revered figures in Saab’s history, presiding over 60 continuous months of sales growth during the 1980s and remembered for his straight talking, have-fun way of getting things done. Bob passed away in May 2009 and his passing left a huge legacy for people who care about Saab and their prosperity.

I was very fortunate to spend some time with Bob at his home in Santa Barbara back in January 2008, on my way to the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. A few months later, we recorded an interview on Skype and during that interview, Bob gave his recollection of the development of the Saab Convertible.

Following is a transcript of that segment of the conversation (from 14:20 in the film, below). The full interview is available via video, below the transcript.

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SW: I guess people like to hear the convertible story….

Bob: Hmm. Where to start on that one?

The US market was rocking and rolling by about 1983 or so. Saab was having some difficulty in what you might call the ‘lower discretionary income markets’. The Scandinavian markets, the Netherlands – countries that had difficult economies. The pressure from the European markets was to come out with a lower priced car, whereas I was pushing Saab upmarket, adding more content etc – they were two diametrically opposed directions when it comes to product development.

I was called over to Sweden with my sales manager and my marketing manager. We met with all of our colleagues from different markets around Europe and we were shown a 2-door sedan that had been stripped – it had no equipment whatsoever. It had stamped steel wheels, it didn’t have tinted glass, it didn’t have anything. It had wind-up windows, no central locking, no sound system…. and each market was asked how many of these they wanted.

The lowest discretionary income markets thought it was wonderful, the middle markets were in the middle and I thought it was an anathema. I said I didn’t want any at all.

Continue reading Bob Sinclair on the birth of the Saab Convertible

Celebrating the Saab Convertible – Part 1

Saab are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the iconic Saab Convertible this year. And to help spread the love, we’re asking YOU to share your Saab convertible pictures and stories.

Our first entry in this series comes from Eelko B, in Holland, who has a stunning 1993 Saab 9-3 Convertible Turbo S which, as you’ll see below, is a true 4-seasons 4-seater.

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I bought the Saab almost 2 years ago now, in exchange for my 1993 900 TSR. I am the third owner. The man I bought it from had bought it from his father.

It is from May 1993 and was originally a light pressure turbo. It was a special in Belgium in the colour Aubergine Mica and had a full wooden interior, including on the center console.

The former owner converted the car into an full pressure turbo with some extra boost and gave it brakes from a Saab 9000. This was all done by the Dutch Saab-guru Peter Haaima. It drives spectacularly smooth with plenty of power. It also has a 3″JT exhaust, which gives the car a beautiful sound.

Why does the Saab Convertible have so much appeal for me?

Firstly, the 900 Classic is an iconic car with a beautiful design and of course it’s Turbo technic. It is remarkably reliable, it is well thought out (key, handbrake, etc) and it is known for its safety features. Add to all this the fact that is a convertible and you have the most sexy, reliable, safe, fast and distinguished car ever!

It is also very practical, since it is a full 4-seater with a huge trunk and its thick, all weather roof, so I drive it the whole year round as my daily drive. Anytime it’s 6 degrees or more (and dry) I put down the roof, turn on the heater and drive like a king!

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If you’d like to share your love for the Saab Convertible, please feel free to contact me and I’ll get in touch shortly.

My thanks to Eelko for kicking this series off in fine style.

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Saab Convertible – by the numbers

2011 sees the 25th anniversary of the iconic Saab Convertible. Following are some numbers that relate to the Saab Converible and might be of some interest to the many Saab Convertible fans out there.

25 years of Saab Convertible production:

First generation (1986 – 1993) – 48,894 units
Second generation (1994 –2002) – 149,145 units
Third generation (2003 onwards*) – 99,535 units

*until April 2011

The latest Saab 9-3 Convertible is the result of 25 years’ experience in designing and engineering soft-top automobiles. To celebrate the Saab Convertible’s its first quarter century, here are a few fast facts:

3 – most popular colors are: Black, Steel Grey and Silver

6 – swiveling cross-braces are used in the soft-top to ensure it is tightly stretched in the raised position with a minimum of sagging

7 – hydraulic cylinders are used to execute four different movements in the operation of the soft-top.

11 – manual heat settings replace the automatic climate control when the soft-top is down. When it is back up, the climate control function is automatically reinstated, complete with any previously saved settings.

20 seconds – the time required to fully deploy the powered soft-top with the engine is running, making it among the fastest-acting in the premium convertible segment.

21 degrees – the ideal back-rest inclination for rear passenger comfort and this was a requirement for the 9-3 Convertible, despite the packaging constraints of soft-top stowage in the trunk.

26 meters – the total length of the hydraulic hoses used in the roof system

30 km/h – the maximum vehicle speed at which the soft-top can be raised. There’s no need to come to a stop to raise the roof if it starts to rain.

140 bar – is the hydraulic pressure required to operate the soft-top – 56 times greater than normal tire pressure.

181 – the number of moving parts in the soft-top mechanism. The main roof structure, including the front header rail, is made from magnesium to save weight.

366 – the number of Saab 9-3 Convertible Independence Editions being built.

1,500 liters – of water is sprayed over the Convertible’s soft-top in a special chamber to check weatherproofing.

3,500 kilos – or more than twice the weight of the car, is the impressive load that the windshield header rail and its supporting A-pillars can carry. Necessary strength for rollover protection and good torsional rigidity.

Saab’s Iconic Convertible: 25 years of Raising the Roof

25th anniversary of launch of Saab Convertible
Driving force behind growth of convertible segment
Established open-top car as practical, all-year-round transportation

It all began in 1986, when the first car in a production run of just 400 Saab 900 Convertibles for the US market was delivered. Now, three generations later, almost 300,000 Saab Convertibles have been sold around the world and the drop-top from Scandinavia is established as a global icon for the brand.

Whilst Saab did not invent the segment, its Convertible has played a leading role in growing what was once a small, market niche in decline. It injected panache and real-world credibility by changing perceptions about the feasibility of four-seater, open top motoring. The fact that a car designed to exploit sunshine and warm weather should be built in a land of snow and ice added to the Convertible’s mystique and its growing cult status.

Key to the Saab Convertible’s abiding appeal has been its ‘four-season’ capability. Here was a car that worked all-year-round, and was as comfortable and enjoyable to use in sunshine or rain and hot or cold conditions.

In European markets that are not known for their clement weather, countries such as the United Kingdom, Sweden and Holland, the Saab Convertible has accounted for as much as 50 per cent of total sales in the segment. Despite spending most of its time with the roof up and the heater on, this was a convertible that was not merely as a ‘second’ car, to be used sparingly when the sun came out.

Over 25 years, the Saab Convertible’s success has helped to mould the shape of the automotive landscape. Today, most manufacturers offer convertible models and it was the success of the soft-top from Saab that provided their inspiration. The launch of the Independence Edition Convertible, celebrating Saab’s rebirth as independent company, is now also a fitting tribute the Saab soft-top’s first 25 years.

Continue reading Saab’s Iconic Convertible: 25 years of Raising the Roof