The 3rd of September the world's oldest registered Saab will be on our online auction. It’s a Saab 92 with chassis number 4 that was used by Saab during the years 1948–1952 as a test car and then sold to a private person.
- This is the holy grail for Saab fans in the world. This particular model is actually the first “production” Saab-92 car built after three prototypes. It was used as a test car by Saab for four years. It was fitted with the new tailgate before it was sold, which was introduced later with the 92B version, says Michael Luft, head of Bilweb Auctions.
- This Saab 92 is the most interesting Swedish car we have put up for auction so far and we have already been contacted by collectors from both Switzerland and the USA. We believe that the final price can reach 500 000 SEK, says Michael Luft.
Background
The prototype of the Saab 92 was shown to the company management of "Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget" (Saab) in Linköping the 4th of June 1946 and the production started on the 12th of December the same year. The first prototype, the so-called "original Saab", is today at the SAAB Museum in Trollhättan.
After the presentation of the prototype it was decided that three test cars should be built according to the version that would be produced. This meant some modifications compared to the first protype “the original Saab”. Test car number two was completed in May 1947 and the third one month later
On the 10th of June 1947 the new car was shown to invited journalists at the Saab office in Linköping. The car that was shown to the press was prototype number two with chassis number 92002. The car we sell on online auction the 3rd of September.
The Saab 92 was Saab's first passenger car and born out of the need keeping engineers engaged in aircraft manufacturing while the demand for small cheap cars was very high. The Saab 92 was given a simple but innovative design that was inspired by ideas of the time combining passenger cars with experiences from the aviation industry. One explanation for the cars meager design was that it should compete with the planned Volvo PV 444, which was rumored to be sold at a low price. It later turned out that these rumors were not true and the Volvo PV 444 became significantly more expensive.
Modern construction solutions
Saab 92 had several modern solutions, such as transverse engine, torsion suspension, rack and pinion and self-supporting body with very good aerodynamics. The first model lacked a boot lid - this for cost reasons and to stiffen up the rear trailer. The luggage was accessed from the inside via the back seat. The cooling system lacked a water pump and was instead self-circulating. The boot lid was added in 1952 in the Saab 92B, as well as a number of other improvements to the car. At first, the car was only available in the color bottle green, as Saab had huge amounts of this color left over from aircraft manufacturing during World War II. The Saab 92 was succeeded by the Saab 93 model in 1956.
Saab 92 Technical Data:
Engine: straight two-cylinder two-stroke engine
Cylinder volume: 764 cm3
Power: 25 hp at 3,800 rpm (1950-53), 28 hp at 4,000 rpm (1954-56)
Transmission:
- Transverse engine front, front wheel drive
- 3-speed manual transmission, with asynchronous 1st, freewheel, steering wheel.
- Length: 395 cm
- Width: 162 cm
- Height: 145 cm
- Wheelbase: 247 cm
- Kerb weight: 880 kg
To the auction:
https://bilwebauctions.se/en/sensommarauktion-2020/saab-92-2-takt-worlds-oldest-2440
