Saab models

Saab grew out of a Swedish aircraft maker, which built its first car in the late 1940s as it looked for work beyond aviation. That origin defined the brand: Saabs were quirky, aerodynamic, and engineered by people who thought like aircraft designers rather than conventional carmakers.

The cars built a devoted following on their individuality. Saab was an early champion of turbocharging for everyday cars, favoured wraparound 'cockpit' dashboards and other aviation-flavoured touches, and attracted independent-minded owners who liked that a Saab was nobody else's choice. It was never a big seller, but it was genuinely distinctive.

Owned for years by General Motors and never consistently profitable, Saab could not survive the industry's turmoil and stopped making cars in the early 2010s. For buyers, Saab now exists only on the used market, where its cars retain a loyal cult following. It is remembered as a brand with real character and clever engineering that, in the end, could not make the numbers work.