The company supplied military aircraft to the Swedish Air Force and began diversifying into civil aviation in 1944 and the automotive business in 1947, when its first car, the Saab 92, was unveiled (Saab 91 was a light aircraft used for pilot training). The 92's streamlined, teardrop-shaped bodywork was clearly the work of aircraft engineers and radical for a small production car of the time, as was the use of wind tunnel testing during its development.

The adoption of front-wheel drive for sure-footed handling, excellent road holding and efficient use of space were also unconventional for the time -- more than a decade before the layout was to become popular in the rest of the auto industry.

Another innovative design from Saab's newly-created car division was the Sonett 1, a lightweight sports car for competition use, unveiled exactly 50 years ago this year. Its "monocoque" chassis was made from aviation-specification aluminum panels, instead of the usual arrangement of steel beams and tubes. Although common in aircraft construction, Saab was using this design six years before it was introduced to Grand Prix racing.

Over the years, Saab cars have continued to incorporate aircraft-inspired design features, from wrap-around windshields and cockpit-like ergonomics to green instrument illumination and need-to-know information displays.

And the innovative spirit of those early aircraft engineers, including their pioneering attention to safety, continues to be reflected in Saab's unconventional approach to car design.

Today, more than 4 million cars and 4,000 aircraft later, Saab is one name and two unaffiliated companies. Saab Automobile AB, headquartered in Trollhattan, Sweden manufactures cars and is a subsidiary of General Motors Corporation, the world's largest automaker. Saab Automobile USA is the importer and distributor of Saab 9-2X, 9-3, 9-5 cars and the 9-7X SUV for Saab Automobile AB. For more information, visit www.saabusa.com.

Saab AB has its main operations in defense, aviation, space technology and civil security. Gripen, developed by Saab AB, is the first of the new generation, multi-role combat aircraft to enter service. For more information about Saab AB, please visit www.saabgroup.com"

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