Nearly 15 years after the last cars rolled off the production lines in Trollhättan, Saab still commands a keen following among car enthusiasts around the world. Beginning with the first 92 in 1949, Saab became renowned for the aerodynamic design, technical innovation, and sturdy construction of its cars; they famously appealed to individualists and creative thinkers, who were fiercely loyal to the brand. Like its Swedish counterpart Volvo, Saab always set great store by safety - both active and passive - and respect for the environment. From the very beginning, however, its cars also became an enthusiast''s choice, with dynamic handling and a level of performance that belied their modest engines. The company''s many successes in rallying, thanks to drivers like the great Erik Carlsson, and its pioneering use of turbocharging cemented its sporting reputation. For more than 60 years as a car maker, Saab traded strongly on its origins in aviation, a story that began shortly before the Second World War. In 1936, the Swedish government decided to increase its spending on defence and to create a Swedish Air Force. In April the following year, a new consortium, the Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget (the Swedish Aeroplane Corporation, soon known simply by the acronym SAAB) was formally established.

It began building planes under licence from Junkers and Northrop in 1938, followed in March 1940 by the first Saab-branded plane, the Saab 17 dive-bomber. As the war came to an end in 1945 and demand for military aircraft slowed, Saab''s management realised that the company needed to diversify. It therefore set up a team of 15 staff led by the aeronautical engineer Gunnar Ljungström to develop an all-new car. None of them had any prior experience in the car industry, but their knowledge of engineering and aerodynamics was soon put to good use. On 10 June 1947, the very first Saab car - the so-called ''Ursaab'' - was revealed to the world''s press in the homely surroundings of the company''s staff canteen at Linköping. Over the next two years, the initial prototype was further developed and prepared for production as the Saab 92. It was an aerodynamically styled two-door saloon, powered by a two-cylinder, two-stroke engine. Like nearly all the Saabs that followed, it had front-wheel drive.

At the end of 1955, the 92 made way for the 93. Like the original model, it was available only as a two-door saloon, but with more flowing lines and an Italian-inspired frontal treatment. Above all, it had a completely new three-cylinder engine. The 93''s mechanicals were the basis for the first Sonett, a two-seat roadster also known officially as the Saab 94. This was presented in 1956 but never went into full-scale production. Saab''s production grew steadily through the 1950s, with sales to export markets, and to the US in particular, becoming increasingly important. In 1959, Saab introduced its first-ever estate car, the three-door 95, with seating for up to seven passengers. Initially powered by the same three-cylinder engine as the 93, it later received a 1.

5-litre four-stroke V4 supplied by Ford. The 96 saloon was launched soon after the 95, at the start of 1960, with a similar specification to the estate. It was the first Saab officially sold in the UK. Like the 93, the 96 also served as the basis for a sports car, the Sonett II (or type 97) coupé, unveiled at Geneva in 1966. This quickly made way for the Sonett V4 and then, in 1970, the restyled Sonett III. The 95 and 96 enjoyed exceptionally long careers, with production of the 96 only coming to an end in 1980. In the meantime, however, Saab had set its sights higher, and its next new model was the 99. Launched in 1968 as a medium-sized two-door saloon, it was initially powered by a 1.

7-litre four-cylinder engine, developed jointly with Ricardo and Triumph in the UK. The range soon expanded to include a four-door saloon and then, in 1973, the iconic Combi Coupé, whose distinctive three-door design would continue with the 900 NG and first-generation 9-3 models until 2002. From 1977, the 99 was also the first Saab to be fitted with a turbocharged engine, which transformed the company''s image.