Spyker May Bring Back the Saab 92
The Saab 92 may be coming back.
Dutch boutique supercar company Spyker says it is talking to undisclosed automakers about sharing technology and a platform — engineering and chassis components for the lay people out there — for a car inspired by the Saab 92. The Swedes built the teardrop-shaped little car from 1949 until 1956.
“Discussions are already ongoing,” company CEO Victor Muller told Automotive News Europe in a phone interview. “That will be on my plate for the next 100 days.”
This is exactly the type of thing we’d hoped to see when Spyker bought Saab from General Motors. Frankly, Saabs became as bland as Toyotas under the General’s stewardship, and the Saab 9-2X was essentially a rebadged Subaru. Tapping Saab’s history is a good way for Spyker to begin rebuilding the brand.
The 92 was a slick piece of work with sleek, futuristic styling. It was highly aerodynamic for its day, with a drag coefficient of 0.30. That’s the same as modern cars like the Acura NSX and Koenigsegg CCX. It wasn’t fast, but then you don’t get much from a 764-cc two-stroke two-cylinder engine. With just 25 ponies under the hood, the 92 topped out at 65 mph. Still, Saab took the little car rallying and placed second in its class in its first race.
Updating the car makes sense. It’s small, it’s retro and it probably would be a lot of fun with a turbocharged direct injection four-cylinder. Similar recipes have yielded good results for the Mini, the Fiat 500 and, of course, the Volkswagen Beetle.
Now if we could get Spyker to update the Saab Sonett, we’d be all set.
Photos: Saab. Lots more after the jump.
Saab introduced the 92 in 1949 and built it through 1956, when it was replaced by the 93. This is a shot of the production line in 1950.
The updated Saab 92 would probably be a little roomier than the original. And there’s no way it would have a two-cylinder, two-stroke engine like the original. We’re betting it will have a small four-banger, perhaps with a turbo. (Hint, hint, hint…)
The 92 at the Geneva auto show in 1953. Auto shows were decidedly more low-key back then.
Suicide doors only make the 92 that much cooler.
We’ve seen mountain bikes with wider tires.
It doesn’t get much simpler than that. An interesting factoid: Saab switched from German VDO gauges to American Stewart-Warner gauges in 1951.
Yeah, this one made us say “WTF?” too.
The 92 was Saab’s introduction to rally racing.
Hey Spyker — when you’re done with the Saab 92, bring back the Sonett.
Fuente: Autopia
