Saab 92: Spyker's MINI Cooper/VW Beetle/Fiat500 retro revival dream gets real
Rumors of a Saab 92 revival grow hotter by the month. The iconic 92 was Saab's first car, an advanced aero design with a coefficient of drag rating of just .30--good for a car today. Its front-wheel drive enabled it to become a fierce competitor in rallying. Built from 1948-56, the 92's sleek shape is fondly remembered by Saab faithful and beloved of most all who are lucky to see one today. Just 20,128 were built.
Saab would need to share platform components with another manufacturer in order to develop the new entry-level model. And, just last week, CEO Victor Muller announced to Automotive News Europe that, “Discussions are already ongoing. That will be on my plate for the next 100 days.”
The company's recent purchase by Dutch super car maker Spyker has excited Saab fans worldwide. Finally freed of the suffocating yoke of GM's bean counters that all but destroyed the brand, Saab is now able to plan an exciting future.
General Motors' version of a Saab 92 was this 2005-06 "92-X," a re-badged Subaru Impreza.
Going by the sales success of BMW's MINI Cooper, Fiat's revived 500, and VW's New Beetle, the new 92 could be a smash hit that re-launches the Saab brand, just as the original 92 did back in 1948.
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