On November 22, 1967, Gudmund no longer needed her code name. At a press
preview in Stockholm, the new car was officially announced as the Saab
99. It was the end result of 400000 engineer-hours and an extensive
testing programme (see the Toad
and Gudmund).
And yet it was
not until the 1969 model that any Saab 99s in the real sense were sold to ordinary
customers. The interventing period, nearly a whole year, was spent on
broad-based tests. Selected customers and some of Saabs own personnel
were given an opportunity to buy a Saab 99 under Saab control and with
the obligation to report on it. Broad-based tests are small and
specialised motor manufacturers way of making a new model ready for
production in all respects. Accordingly, the 1969 model was the first
real Saab 99 and a number of detail improvements had already been made to
it. It was obtainable in red, white, blue, green, black and light beige,
but only with a twodoor body and no other engine besides the standard one
- 1709 cc, 80 bhp, single overhead camshaft and one carburettor.
Just like the later Saab
9000, the 99 was of moderate overall
dimensions, but unusually spacious inside. And as in the Saab 96 earlier,
the rear seat could be folded down to increase the luggage space. In addition, the
Saab 99 had disc brakes all round right from the start. The 99 had an
extremely modern design which rapidly made it the favourite car of many
Swedish motorists. In 1969, it occupied fifth place in the registration
statistics, with 19411 units manufactured. The museum car 99 is a 1969
model, one of the oldest existing 99s still fitted with a typical Saav
feature that later disappeared - the lockable freewheel.
Comments and Questions: H.W. Kroodsma