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Saab 900
The Saab 900 is a mid-sized automobile produced by Swedish manufacturer Saab from 1978 until 1998 in two generations: the first from 1978 to 1994, and the second from 1994 to 1998.
The first-generation car was based on the Saab 99 chassis, though with a longer front end to meet U.S. frontal crash regulations and to make room for the turbo-charged engines, air conditioning and other equipment that was not available in the early days of the 99 model. The 900 was produced in 2- and 4-door sedan, and 3- and 5-door hatchback configurations and, from 1986, as a cabriolet (convertible) model. There were single- and twin-Zenith carburettor; fuel injected, and turbocharged engines, including Full Pressure Turbo (FPT) and, in European models during the early 1990s, Low Pressure Turbos (LPT).
The 900 was originally introduced on 12 May 1978, for the 1979 model year. Sales commenced in the fall of 1978. It has a longitudinally mounted, 45-degree canted, inline four-cylinder engine, double wishbone front suspension and beam-axle rear suspension.
Like its predecessor, the 900 contained a number of unusual design features that distinguish it from most other cars. First, the B-engine, that was installed "backwards", with power delivered from the crank at the front of the car. Second, the transmission, technically a transaxle, bolted directly to the bottom of the engine to form the oil pan (albeit with separate oil lubrication). Thus, power from the crank would be delivered out of the engine at the front, then transferred down and back to the transmission below, via a set of chain-driven primary gears.
The body was developed from the older 99 model, keeping the basic layout but with a new longer front-end. This allowed for more space in the engine bay and better crash protection for passengers. The middle and rear parts of the body were identical to those of the 99 Combi Coupé (which was withdrawn from the lineup at the same time). Later a new rear end was designed for the 2-door and 4-door sedans. In the early 1980s, most 900s were produced in Trollhättan. However, coinciding with the introduction of the 9000, most of the 900's production took place elsewhere. The Valmet plant in Finland also produced the base models of the 900, a total of 238,898 examples. The plant in Arlöv (now closed), near Malmö, also produced the car.
Refined over several decades of two-digit Saab models, the 900's double wishbone suspension design provided excellent handling and road feel.[citation needed] The rear suspension comprised a typical beam axle design, stabilized with a Panhard rod. However, the attachment points between the axle and chassis made up an unusual configuration that, in essence, consists of two Watt's linkages at either end of the axle: A lower control arm attaches the axle to the bottom of the vehicle, while an upper link attaches at the top but faces towards the rear, unlike a typical four-link design with both lower and upper links facing forward. The design-principle being similar with the rear suspension presented in Alfa Romeo Alfasud already in 1971, except in the Alfasud, the beam axle itself functioned as a sway-bar, hence separate sway-bars in the rear suspension were not needed.
Early models did not have sway bars; they began appearing on certain models in 1985, and, in U.S. and possibly other markets, became standard on all trim levels by the late 1980s[vague]. The sway bars decreased body roll, but at the expense of some ride comfort and when driven aggressively, increased inside wheel spin. The front and rear bars' diameters were unchanged throughout the production run.[citation needed]
The 900 has a deeply curved windshield, improving driver visibility. The dashboard is also curved to enable easy reach of all controls, and featured gauges lit up from the front. Saab engineers placed all controls and gauges in the dashboard according to their frequency of use and/or importance so that the driver need only divert their gaze from the road for the shortest possible time and by the smallest angle. This is why, for example, the oft-used radio is placed so high in the dashboard. In keeping with the paradigm of its predecessor, the 99 model, the 900 employed a door design unique in automotive manufacturing, with an undercutting sweep to meet the undercarriage, forming a tight, solid unit when the door was closed. This feature also eliminated the stoop in the cabin at the footing of the door, as seen in automobiles of other manufacturers, thereby preventing water and debris from collecting and possibly entering the cabin or initiating corrosion, as well as enabling passengers to enter and exit the cabin without need to step over several inches of ledge.[citation needed]
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Saab 900
The Saab 900 is a mid-sized automobile produced by Swedish manufacturer Saab from 1978 until 1998 in two generations: the first from 1978 to 1994, and the second from 1994 to 1998.
The first-generation car was based on the Saab 99 chassis, though with a longer front end to meet U.S. frontal crash regulations and to make room for the turbo-charged engines, air conditioning and other equipment that was not available in the early days of the 99 model. The 900 was produced in 2- and 4-door sedan, and 3- and 5-door hatchback configurations and, from 1986, as a cabriolet (convertible) model. There were single- and twin-Zenith carburettor; fuel injected, and turbocharged engines, including Full Pressure Turbo (FPT) and, in European models during the early 1990s, Low Pressure Turbos (LPT).
The 900 was originally introduced on 12 May 1978, for the 1979 model year. Sales commenced in the fall of 1978. It has a longitudinally mounted, 45-degree canted, inline four-cylinder engine, double wishbone front suspension and beam-axle rear suspension.
Like its predecessor, the 900 contained a number of unusual design features that distinguish it from most other cars. First, the B-engine, that was installed "backwards", with power delivered from the crank at the front of the car. Second, the transmission, technically a transaxle, bolted directly to the bottom of the engine to form the oil pan (albeit with separate oil lubrication). Thus, power from the crank would be delivered out of the engine at the front, then transferred down and back to the transmission below, via a set of chain-driven primary gears.
The body was developed from the older 99 model, keeping the basic layout but with a new longer front-end. This allowed for more space in the engine bay and better crash protection for passengers. The middle and rear parts of the body were identical to those of the 99 Combi Coupé (which was withdrawn from the lineup at the same time). Later a new rear end was designed for the 2-door and 4-door sedans. In the early 1980s, most 900s were produced in Trollhättan. However, coinciding with the introduction of the 9000, most of the 900's production took place elsewhere. The Valmet plant in Finland also produced the base models of the 900, a total of 238,898 examples. The plant in Arlöv (now closed), near Malmö, also produced the car.
Refined over several decades of two-digit Saab models, the 900's double wishbone suspension design provided excellent handling and road feel.[citation needed] The rear suspension comprised a typical beam axle design, stabilized with a Panhard rod. However, the attachment points between the axle and chassis made up an unusual configuration that, in essence, consists of two Watt's linkages at either end of the axle: A lower control arm attaches the axle to the bottom of the vehicle, while an upper link attaches at the top but faces towards the rear, unlike a typical four-link design with both lower and upper links facing forward. The design-principle being similar with the rear suspension presented in Alfa Romeo Alfasud already in 1971, except in the Alfasud, the beam axle itself functioned as a sway-bar, hence separate sway-bars in the rear suspension were not needed.
Early models did not have sway bars; they began appearing on certain models in 1985, and, in U.S. and possibly other markets, became standard on all trim levels by the late 1980s[vague]. The sway bars decreased body roll, but at the expense of some ride comfort and when driven aggressively, increased inside wheel spin. The front and rear bars' diameters were unchanged throughout the production run.[citation needed]
The 900 has a deeply curved windshield, improving driver visibility. The dashboard is also curved to enable easy reach of all controls, and featured gauges lit up from the front. Saab engineers placed all controls and gauges in the dashboard according to their frequency of use and/or importance so that the driver need only divert their gaze from the road for the shortest possible time and by the smallest angle. This is why, for example, the oft-used radio is placed so high in the dashboard. In keeping with the paradigm of its predecessor, the 99 model, the 900 employed a door design unique in automotive manufacturing, with an undercutting sweep to meet the undercarriage, forming a tight, solid unit when the door was closed. This feature also eliminated the stoop in the cabin at the footing of the door, as seen in automobiles of other manufacturers, thereby preventing water and debris from collecting and possibly entering the cabin or initiating corrosion, as well as enabling passengers to enter and exit the cabin without need to step over several inches of ledge.[citation needed]