Ten notable Saab models from history--the AutoWeek list

Technical specifications provided by Saab media

On December 15, 1989, General Motors announced that it intended to buy 50 percent of Saab Scania's car business and to form a new company, Saab Automobile AB.

Twenty years later, GM confirmed that it has a tentative agreement to sell Saab to a group led by Swedish supercar maker Koenigsegg Automotive.

Here is a look at 10 notable Saabs:

1986 Saab 900 Convertible

1. 1986 Saab 900 Convertible

History: The first Saab Convertibles were a limited run of 400 16-valve turbos produced in the spring of 1986 exclusively for the U.S. market. The cars sold so quickly that most prospective buyers did not realize the car was available for sale.

1984 Saab 9000

2. 1984 Saab 9000

History: Only the third all-new model in Saab's history. Initially, it was planned as a large, five-door luxury car with a sedan profile and the practicality and flexibility of a hatchback. Vast interior space gains EPA rating as a "large car" in the States, alongside Cadillac and Lincoln. The 1990 Saab 9000 was hailed as Sweden's safest car by the Folksam Insurance Co. The distinction is awarded every other year, and Saab received it again in 1992 and 1994.

3. 1956 Saab Sonett Super Sport

History: An open two-seater with a fiberglass body mounted on a light-metal box, originally developed for track racing. Six units were made, all of them still in existence; two of them are in the Saab Car Museum.

1967 Saab 99

4. 1967 Saab 99

History: It was the first entirely new model since the Saab 92-96. Among the new features were a double-jointed steering column of safety type, a safety body with crumple zones front and rear, and the ignition switch on the floor between the front seats. Power came from a straight 1.7-liter four-cylinder engine. The Saab 99 was named the 1972 Car of the Year in Sweden.

1984 Saab 900 Turbo Aero 16

5. 1984 Saab 900 Turbo 16 Aero

History: Went on sale with the new 16-valve turbo engine. The stated output was 175 hp with 206 lb-ft of torque.

2002 Saab 9-3 Sport Sedan

6. 2002 Saab 9-3 Sport Sedan

History: Focused on delivering a sporty, "fun-to-drive" experience, Saab's first compact, premium sedan features an exceptionally refined, all-new powertrain, including aluminum, 2.0-liter turbocharged engines; a Saab "ReAxs" passive rear-wheel steer characteristic for responsive handling, and powerful electronics with an industry-leading use of fiber optics for advanced "infotainment" systems.

2003 Saab 9-3 Convertible

7. 2003 Saab 9-3 Convertible

History: The convertible was developed in parallel with the 9-3 Sport Sedan, combining its fun-to-drive chassis dynamics with a body structure almost three times stiffer than that of its predecessor. Special features include an advanced automatic soft-top operation, a CargoSET trunk-expansion system, pop-up roll bars and a versatile CargoWing rear spoiler offering ski/snowboard stowage.

8. 2008 Saab Turbo X

History: The all-black 9-3-based model started with all the right hardware, including the first Saab turbocharged 2.8-liter V6, producing 280 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque and a six-speed manual gearbox. But rather than sending all that power to the front wheels as Saab's tradition of relentless torque steer would dictate, engineers struck out on a new path: an all-wheel-drive system.

1959 Saab 95

9. 1959 Saab 95, the estate car

History: A fold-down, rear-facing third bench made it a seven-seater.

Saab 37 Viggen

10. Saab 37 Viggen

History: Saab likes to trumpet its "born from jets" heritage, and it's real. The Saab 37 Viggen (English translation: thunderbolt) was a single-seat, single-engine, short- to medium-range fighter and attack aircraft manufactured between 1970 and 1990. More than 300 of the planes were built for the Swedish Air Force.

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