Svenska Aeroplan A.B. was founded in 1937 as an aircraft company by a group of private investors. In 1945 in Linkoping in Ostergotland country when demand for fighter planes sagged, Saab decided to start making cars. Under the leadership of wing design engineer, Gunnar Ljungstrom, 15 to 20 engineers prepared the first prototype, which was ready to drive by the summer of 1946.

Full scale production of the Saab 92 was begun in December, 1949. 700 of the 1950 models were produced in all. From the very beginning, Saabs featured an "un-crushable" passenger compartment, a collapsible steering column and dashboard, a windshield that popped out on impact, and front-wheel drive. By the late '50s, stories circulated of Saab drivers who had survived spectacular crashes.

Even before Saab cars were in full production, they were being raced in minor rallies in Sweden. Chief test engineer Rolfe Melde won Sweden's National Trophy Rally in November 1950. He later pushed Saab to develop a four-stroke engine. Greta Molander of Norway won the ladies class trophy from Monte Carlo in 1952. Erik "on the roof' Carlsson won the National Trophy Rally in 1955, the British RAC rally in 1960, '61 & '62, and the Monte Carlo in '62 & '63.

 

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