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The Saab 99 models
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Contents
Correctly conceived and
properly built
Aerodynamics must not be
neglected
The exterior design
A body with built-in safety
Interior — safety
Interior — comfort
Driver's seat
Instruments and controls
Heating and ventilation
To see and be seen
Impact-absorbing bumpers
Engine and transmission
Suspension
Steering
Brakes
Luggage and Storage space
— Sedan models
Luggage and Storage space
— WagonBack
Technical specifications
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Saab 99LE Sedan
2 door model, 2.0 liter fuel injected engine,
4speed manual or 3 speed automatic
transmission, power steering option with
4 door automatic transmission,
Saab 99LE Sedan
4door model, 2.0 liter fuel injected engine,
4 speed manual or 3 speed automatic
lransmission, power steering option with
4 door automatic transmission,
Saab 99LE WagonBack
3 door Sedan/hatchback combination,
2.0 liter fuel injected engine, 4 speed manual
or 3speed automatic transmission, power
steering option with automatic transmission.
Saab 99 EMS
2 door sports Sedan, 2.0 liter fuel injected
engine, 4 speed manual transmission, delux
interior, performance wheels and tires, sun
roof option.
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Correctly conceived
and properly built
When the guidelines were drawn up for the
Saab 99 project, or Gudmund, as its code
name was then, the Saab design team was
faced wih a diffoult task, But it was also an
inspiring task. Their desire was to create a
compact and robust, although roomy and
comfortable car, which was to have good
roadholding characteristics. They wanted it
to be versatile and easy to service, and have
good cold starting characteristics, good heat-
ing, an attractive appearance and good per-
formance. Moreover, the whole car was to
reflect a very serious attitude towards safety.
The decision to mount the engine in the front
and use the front wheels to drive the car was
the first step in achieving these often conflic-
ting goals, This was entirely in line with the
fundamental Saab design philosophy, and
provided the prerequisites for the car being
roomy, without having to be long and heavy,
An additional advantage was that the trac-
tive effort was applied by the pair of wheels
which basically had the best grip, i.e. those
which generally carried the heaviest load,
Directional stability also favored the front
wheels being driven,
The laws of nature and common sense also
dictated the styling of the car, It was.
obviously desirable to make the car aestheti-
cally attractive, although a functional design
was considered more important than stylish-
ness. Low air resistance and insensitivity to
cross-winds were considered to be vital
design factors. The car was to offer good
visibility, and the driver's seat was to be
designed for comfort and safety.
About 400,000 hours of engineering design
time had already been devoted to the '"Gud-
mund"' project when the car was presented
to the public in November 1967, when it was
christened the Saab 99. By this time, the
styling of the car had been all but finalized,
although full-scale production was still
about one year away, It was considered vital
to make certain that the new car was tho-
roughly tested and equal to the original
design concept. The road-testing was given
depth by allowing a number of people in
various parts of Sweden to have a pre-pro-
duction Saab 99 at their disposal for about
six months, on condition that they advised
the factory in Trollhattan of their likes and
dislikes about this newest Saab. Information
was thus received from motorists with diffe-
rent driving habits and requirements. At the
same time the test department gathered
information from arduous road and labo-
ratory tests.
When the Saab 99 made its first appearance
on the market — after ten years of develop-
ment — a great deal was naturally expected
es
of it by the motoring public and the moto-
ring press. Much had already been written
about the new, larger Saab model and jour-
nalists were eager to test it on the road, to see
whether the newcomer really was worth all
the acclaim it had already received,
The articles in the daily papers and the moto-
ring press were very favorable. The Saab 99
really was correctly conceived and properly
built. The roominess of the car, its good
roadholding, the seating comfort and the
well-developed heating system received
special praise. The brakes, suspension, con-
trols, directional stability in strong cross
winds, low wind noise at high speeds and the
modern engine design were also highly
praised. And all agreed that the Saab 99
must surely be one of the world’s most
advanced cars from the safety point of view.
‘The Saab 99 has an aerodynamically tested
body. It is designed and styled to ensure
directional stability under al) road condi-
tions, even in a blustery cross-wind, The
overall road stability is good, due to the
shape of the car and its favorable weight
distribution. The deeply curved windshield
and the absence of corners which create
turbulence are features which contribute to
the low interior noise level.
The Saab 99 has front wheel drive, Since the
engine and gearbox are mounted at the front,
more than half of the total weight of the car
is supported by the front wheels, and these
wheels are therefore more firmly in contact
with the road surface than are the rear
wheels. The car's center of gravity is closer
to the front axle than the rear axle, and this
isan important factor from a safety and
comfort point of view, The larger propor-
tion of the weight on the front wheels assures
directional stability and insensitivity to
cross-winds. And since the amount of extra
weight carried by the front wheels is
moderate, it has been fairly simple to make
the car understeer slightly. A further advan-
tage of front wheel drive is that the front
wheels have a greater capacity for trans-
mitting tractive force at the road surface
without skidding, hence the driving wheels
are assured a firm grip. This is a vital factor
in maintaining control on slippery or poor
road conditions. In spite of its compact out-
side dimensions, the Saab 99 provides space
for five adults and their luggage. The front
wheel drive eliminates the need for a drive
shaft, This saves space and ensures that even
three people will be comfortably seated in
the back seat.
The Saab 99 has been acclaimed as one of the
world’s safest cars. The windshield pillars of
a Saab consist of exceptionally strong steel
sections which, together with sturdy sill-
beams, protective beams in the doors and
other structural members of the body, form
@ protective cage around the passengers.
The Saab 99 is designed to make its occu-
pants comfortable even at extremely low
outdoor temperatures. Even experienced
drivers know that the Suab 99 can withstand
arctic winters, It will start easily and quickly
attain a comfortable interior temperature. In
1972, Saab was the first car to introduce the
automatic electrically heated driver's seat as
standard equipment —a comfort feature
which reflects Saab basic motoring philo-
sophy — a comfortable driver is 2 safe
driver.
‘The many excellent test results by the press
and others, prove that Saab engineers indeed
achieved their goal, with no small measure of
success. The sub-heading to a Saab 99 test
Teport in the April [970 issue of the
American Car and Driver read as follows:
"Saab doesn't build automobiles — Saab
builds Saabs, which are a highly original and
highly logical answer to at least one facet of
the human transportation probiem.""
In 1972, Popular Science Magazine awarded
the Saab 99 and four other cars the title of
“cars of the future'*. In justifying the
choice, the magazine stated that '’each and
every one of the chosen cars boasts features
which can be expected to become standard
equipment on the cars of the future."
Two years in succession (1972 and 1973), the
Saab 99 won the longterm test organized by
the Swedish magazine Vi Biliigare, in
competition with cars such as the Volvo
142, Volkswagen K70, Opel Rekord I, Ford
Consul, Peugoet 504 and Audi 100 LS,
In 1973, the final comments of the magazine
on the Saab 99 read as follows: "’Those who
followed the test could not fail to notice that,
round after round, Saab was best in nearly
every instance, and that there is actually very
little to criticize.”
In 1972, the Don Safety Trophy, the most
coveted British prize for safety was awarded
for the seventh time. For the first time in
the history of the award, a non-British auto-
mobile took the honor, It was, of course,
the Saab 99.
Teknikens Virld, Sweden’s largest popular
technical magazine awarded its 1972 ''Car of
the year’’ prize to the Saab 99. In justifying
its choice, the panel wrote: '’The selection of
the Saab 99 as the 1972 ''Car of the year"
is a tribute to the features which place this
car in a special class on the world market. An
already good Swedish car has become even
better, and illustrates the proof of the saying:
"*where there's a will, there’s a way.’*
‘The German magazine Hobby awarded its
1972 "Oscar" for car safety (in the
1,5 — 2 litre class) to the Saab 99.
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Aerodynamics
must not be neglected
When a car is driven at a steady speed on a
level road, the tractive effort at the driving
wheels is equal to the sum of the rolling
resistance (friction) plus air resistance.
As long as the speed is moderate and the
weather is not windy, the power required to
drive the car is fairly low, At 43 mph, for
instance, the air resistance of a medium-sized
car may be of the order of 30—40 ft/1b of
torque, and the power required to overcome
this resistance will be about $ hp. But at
62 mph the engine must deliver an addi-
tional 10 hp to the driving wheels to over-
come the air resistance, If the speed is
increased to 93 mph, the air resistance will
absorb at Jeast 50 hp (i.e. 27 times as much as
at one-third of the speed, or 8 times the
power required at half the speed).
The laws of physics state that the coefficient
of drag increases as the square of road speed
increases. In other words, if a certain speed
is doubled, the drag will be 2? or 4 times
higher than the original value, if the speed is
tripled, the drag will be 3? or 9 times higher,
etc, The power demand will increase even
more steeply — as the cube of the speed,
i.c. 2) = 8, 3? =27, 4° =64, ete. Thus, if
0,6 hp is required at 10 m/s (36 km or
22 mph), 0.6.4 = 38.4 hp will be required
at 40 m/s (114 km or 71 mph). Side winds
and Co an even greater extent, head winds,
naturally increase the power demand and the
fuel consumption. Experimental results
show that an additional 15 —20 hp and an
extra 1.7 gallons of fucl per 100 miles may be
required in a headwind at a highway speed of
68 mph. A very high proportion of engine
horsepower is needed to overcome air
resistance, especially at high road speeds.
Hence, it is desireable to keep air resistance
jo a minimum. Saab accomplished this with
an exterior design that produces very little
aerodynamic drag, as compared to other cars
of similar size and weight.
=
Automobile designers can alter three
variables to modify the drag of a car: the
shape of the body, its size, and weight. Saab
engineers wanted to build a car with a roomy
interior, but a compact, aerodynamic ¢x-
terior which would produce a low drag ca-
efficent, They were suprisingly successful.
The drag alone, unaffected by crosswinds
and headwinds, is not the only factor which
should be made as low as possible ta achieve
acar with an acrodynamically favorable
shape. Numerous other factors must also be
taken into account to ensure safety, comfort
and economy, The car must not alter its
course when exposed to strong wind gusts
from the side, Neither must the speed of the
car and crosswinds create lifting forces of
such magnitude at one or several wheels that
roadholding and stability are jeopardized.
Unfortunately, many cars perform poorly in
these two important areas because of a lack
of attention to aerodynamics in design.
The yardstick used for specifying the air
resistance of a certain shape is the "drag
coefficient’. This coefficient is reasonably
independent of the size of the car, and is
between 0,32 and 0.50 for most modern cars,
‘The lower the coefficient, the more favorabie
the shape. Values below 0.35 are unusual.
Knowledge of the drag coefficient of a car,
its cross-sectional area and the density of air,
and tangential force, relate to the total drag
of the car, The tangential force, to be
calculated for any speed, provides that there
are no wind forces to be considered.
GS) The first aerodynamic tests on the Saab 99,
a
) in the autumn of 1964, indicated a drag
coefficient of no more than 0.36. The curve
defines the variation in the drag coefficient
(CT) as the speed of the car and headwinds
increase, A 1:5 scale model was used for the
experiments, and its shape was practical-
ly identical to the present-day production
car, Certain modifications were obviously
made before production prototypes were
manufactured, although the changes had no
significant influence on the value of drag.
Before the shape of the body was finalized,
some important factors were analyzed. The
most suitable locations of the ventilation air
outlets were also investigated, The 99 was
then modified year by year, although the
changes to the exterior only affected such
items as bumpers, direction indicators and
rear view mirrors. The basic shape still re-
mains unaltered.
The Saab 99 is designed and styled to ensure
directional stability under all conditions.
Because of its aerodynamic design, yaw
susceptibility is low. The shape of the rear
window and the trunk lid, as well as the
transition between the side surfaces and the
rear section are also important factors in the
unusually good directional stability in windy
weather. The deeply-curved windshield and
absence of sharp corners, which often cause
turbulence, contribute to reduce wind noise
in the Saab 99.
The latest model of the Saab 99 — the
WagonBack — has an even lower drag
coefficient than the sedan types. One of the
goals in designing the rear section was to
ensure that the rear window was seli-clean-
ing. Tests under the worst conceivable road
conditions showed that the results achieved
were better than expected. The air flaws
across the window with no turbulence thus
keeping the window clear of dirt.
oS
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t=4
The exterior design
The ambition of every car designer is
obviously to create aesthetically pleasing
cars, although he must first master the art of
achieving harmony and distinctive styling.
Numerous, often conflicting factors must
then be taken into account. The beauty of
the final product is largely dependent on the
functionality of the shape and the "*feeling”*
of the stylist, And the fact that the car isa
compromise must not be immediately
apparent.
Since the car is such an integral part of our
environment and since its appearance affects
us emotionally, its aesthetic qualities are very
important, but the shape is also important
from a functional point of view, Factors
such as mancuverability in traffic, the avail-
uble space, the ease of entering and exiting
the car, and the convenience of storing
luggage are largely dependent on the styling
cof the car, The same applies to the
accessibility of the engine and the intensity of
the wind noise at a certain speed. The
designer and stylist must use the dimensions
wisely, so that interior space will be as large
as possible in relation to the length, width
and height of the car. An economical and
efficient approach must also be adopted
regarding the use of various types of
materials and components. At Saab, these
considerations are guided by a time-honored
motoring philosophy.
‘The exteriors of the Saab 99 models reflect a
functional design with certain distinctive
characteristics. The 99 models are compact.
‘The body has no sharp, projecting comers,
no “empty inches’ in length to give an
impressive appearance or to provide space or
fashionable styling. The smooth and sparsely
decorated surfaces simplify the care of the
car and ensure a minimum of points at which
dirt can collect or corrosion can start.
Asan example, take a look at the rear
pillars, They are integral with the side
panels, without a distinctive waistline at the
top of the fenders. The design provides
exceptionally generous interior dimensions,
particularly in the width of the back seat.
‘The rear track is 4 ft 7.5 in, — aself-
evident advantage as far as roadholding is
concerned,
The radiator grille and headlight frames are
a one-piece moulding of durable plastic, with
silver-colored trim. The material will not
corrode or rattle and is insensitive to the
elements. All bright exterior party — trim,
wheel covers, etc. are also made of non-
corrosive material, The windshield is made
of tough laminated glass and is deeply
curved to meet safety and aerodynamic
criteria. The windshield pillars are relatively
far back, and the narrowest side faces the
driver, thus ensuring excellent visibility for-
ward and to the sides. The short hood slopes
down at the front to provide good visibility
forward.
The WagonBack has a profile which
distinguishes it from the other 99 models,
The roof line between the windshield and the
rear window is the same as on the sedan
models, The body is of a new design from
the center pillar to the rear of the car. This,
section has been designed and styled to suit
the semi-station wagon features of the car.
The Wagonback is 4 in. longer than other
models, although the wheel base is the same
as other 99 models. The rear door extends
from the roof to the floor, and the rear
window has an area of almost 0.807 m’,
The tail light and directional signal assembly
has also been newly designed,
The engine compartment is completely
accessible for service and inspection because
of the unique hood design. This design in-
corporates the fenders with the hood as one
integral unit. [eliminates the usual scratches
and dents caused by service personnel as they
service the car.
The rear lights are grouped ina large
cluster which incorporates the direction
indicator light, the rear light and reflector,
the brake light, the reversing light, and the
parking light, The arrangement on the
WagonBack differs slightly.
Climbing in and out of a Saab 99 is easy and
convenient. The sill beams are low, and in-
dented from the outer edge of the body,
Since the beams are protected from dirt
thrown up from the road, there is no risk of
getting dirt on your clothes when entering
the car. The door hinges are designed so
that the bottom of the door swings outside
the fender when the door is opened, This
provides a very large door opening to make
entry and exit exceptionally convenient. A
safety feature — the door edges are fitted
with reflectors, so when opened, they will be
visible in the dark by approaching motorists.
An example illustrating the amount of
thought devoted to the design of the car is
the rear mudflaps, They are locuted so that
they will not be torn off by being caught
between the wheel and the curb when the car
is being driven in reverse.
On examining the exterior of the Saab 99,
) the careful observer cannot avoid noticing
the sturdy bumpers. The bumpers are well
clear of the body to allow access for cleaning,