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Milestones
1937 - 1952 | 1953 - 1963 | 1964 - 1969 | 1970 - 1975 | 1976 - 1984 | 1985 - 1991 | 1992 - 1997 | 1998 - 2000 | 2001 - 2003 | 2004 - 2005
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1953 First major success for Saab in Rallying: Swedish Rally Championship (first of more than a dozen titles) through Mellde. European Rally Championship (Ladies Class through Greta Molander). |
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| 1955 Saab 93 replaces the 92: 748 cc three cylinder engine, developing 33 bhp and new front and grille plus totally new suspension, and newly launched tubeless tires. Erik Carlsson begins to get a name winning the Rikspokalen in his private 92. |
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1956 Saab Sonett Super Sport prototype open twoseater sports car with fiberglass body on light alloy frame developed and produced for motor sports to meet new competition rules. Six units made, of which five still exist including two belonging to the Saab Museum. A Saab Sonett and two 93s exhibited at New York Coliseum in March and Saab Motors Inc. formed for sales in USA. Ralph Millet, head of Saab's purchasing office for aircraft components thus adds Saab car importing to his duties. First Saab 93's sold in 1957 following surprise victory in Great American Mountain Rally in early winter '56. Explosive sales start in 1957 with 1,410 Saab 93s, corresponding to 14% of Trollhättan's production. By end of 1959 some 12,000 Saab 93s had been shipped to USA, already Saab's largest export market. |
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| 1957 Saab Saxomat automatic clutch offered as an option. |
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| 1958 Saab's first "cult car" the Saab 93 Granturismo 750 (predecessor to Saab Sport). |
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| 1959 Saab 95 stationwagon version launched. Featured folddown, rearward facing third seat making it a sevenseater. First units assembled in Linköping. |
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| 1960 Saab 96 revealed (February 17). Major exterior changes and improvements including flowthrough aircirculation, larger and more powerful engine. The 96 was to become the mainstay of Saab sales throughout the 60's. Production capacity now raised to 30,000 units annually and decision to move up to 50,000 already made. |
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| 1960-1963 Period of outstanding success for Saab in international rallying brings world renown to the Saab brand: Erik Carlsson's three straight overall wins in the British RAC rally, 1960, 61 and 62 (first ever triple) and the Monte Carlo 1962 and 1963. | |||
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| 1962 Seatbelts are introduced as standard, several years before becoming mandatory. Saab Sport (special version of Saab 96), featuring 841 cc engine, developing 52 bhp with separate engine lubrication and triple carburetors, as well as front disc brakes, presented at Stockholm Motor Show in Spring of 1962. |
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| 1963 Saab becomes first volume maker to offer diagonally split dual brake circuits (MY 64). |
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