Saab Convertible Celebrates 25th Anniversary

Iconic drop-top hits its quarter-century

The driest spring for a century (at least in the south east of England) might be bad news for farmers, but it is an appropriate way, we suppose, to mark the quarter-century of the Saab convertible.

Saab, recently independent of GM, has been struggling a little of late, but the three generations of Saab Convertible have netted almost 300,000 sales around the world, establishing the vehicle as a global icon for the brand and has accounted for as much as fifty per cent of total Saab sales in Europe in its time.

And while the latest model might be a little long in the tooth, it still has a certain amount of charm, as we found when editor Chris-R sampled one during our 'Open Season' early this year.

So happy 25th, Saab Convertible.

If you want to find out more, you can have a little read of the potted history of the Saab Convertible (as told by Saab's press release, at least) below.

"The journey of the iconic car began in 1986 when a production run of just four hundred Saab 900 Convertibles came off the line for the US market.

The Saab 900 Convertible impressed the world with its good looks and bespoke design without compromising on style. Above all, it fulfilled Saab's uncompromising requirements of good quality build and materials and the orders reflected this. By the time the 900 Convertible went on sale in Europe that year, demand exceeded production capacity.Seven years later and a second generation came to the market. Autumn 1993 saw the all-new Saab 900 Convertible arrive under the banner: "We didn't invent the Convertible, but we made a Saab of it."

This second generation model and its Saab 9-3 evolution in 1998 became an icon, with more stylish design, a move to a hydraulically -powered soft top and increased storage capacity.

2003 brought a whole host of innovations to the Saab Convertible with the launch of thethird and current generation, which features the fastest soft-top in operation in its segment, automatic climate control adjustment for a 'top down' heating mode and superior interior styling.

Always the innovator, the current Saab Convertible was the first soft-top car to achieve a maximum, five star EuroNCAP rating for its 'DynaCage' rollover protection, pop-up rear roll bars and integrated front seatbelts.

The Saab Convertible injected real-world credibility by changing perceptions and turning the car into a true four season, four-seater open top vehicle that works all year round."

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cheesyblob

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