Saab Estate Prototype

[seth]

Today I've finally started to have a look through the Motorsport mags I got from Barrett. I think there might be quite a lot of shite to spot. How about this business opportunity to start with, from the March '86 issue.

 

 

A (very) quick Google of Sverigesson Cars didn't throw anything up. I can only imagine that even in the heady '80s no one was daft enough to invest any time or money in this shit heap. Is that tailgate glass Volvo 240? I like how the saloon roof line naturally blends into the smooth estate rear end.

[Cavcraft]

I wonder if Ssangyong got the idea for that hideous estate they made from that?

Don't know what the rear windows is from but the rear end looks quite Gallic to me.

[Torsten2001]

That tailgate looks familiar

[Station]

Looks like a Saab 99 with a milk float parked behind it to me?

I can't see many architects buying that (because Saab is an architects car, or something).

[Barrett.in.the.USA]

Glad you're getting something out of these Seth! I was so overwhelmed with the other mags I never even had a browse at these ones... sure there is some quality shite in there amongst the Ferraris.

 

So much to love about this ad, but the best bit has to be the "Replies in confidence" bit - We promise not to let anyone know that you enquired about this hopelessly fugly abortion of a car. Promise.

[Father Ted]

That looks so wrong - I wonder why it didnt take off

 

Hells bells, Leeds Polytechnic Mech Eng students after a night out on the lash could probably have done better with some chicken wire, an old greenhouse and a small aubergene.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I think thats the standard tailgate, just chopped about a bit and reinstalled vertically! What an eye-popping horror.

[Cavcraft]

Tailgate looks quite Renault 4-ish to me.

[Richard]

I think the whole tailgate is off something else, but I can't quite place it. The profile of the roof makes me think of something quite old, like an Anglia van or something, and it has external hinges. I wonder if all the bits are off something that was around when the SAAB coupés first appeared in 1974 and they were still trying to flog the idea.

[seth]

Tailgate looks quite Renault 4-ish to me.

 

S'funny, later on last night I was looking at it again and the thought crossed my mind that they'd just cut the top rear half off an R4 van and welded it to the Saab shell. Mr.B might have got the correct answer though.

[Richard]

It's not the standard tailgate, the back window is massive on those and they don't have external hinges. I don't think it's a tailgate that's meant to be vertical because the window is a little too big.

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

 

This one looks marvellous.

[Richard]

I like how they have replicated SAAB's failure to line up the inner tail lights.

[gtd2000]

I'm glad we waited until 2005 to buy a SAAB estate - designed and built by Subaru of course

 

[ChinaTom]

I like it. If it were for sale at a reasonable distance from my house, I would buy it. I would create a sunroof in it for trips to the garden centre and taking leylandii to the tip.