"When they come to model heaven ..."

I do like taking classical quotes totally out of context! I'm sure John Milton (1608-1674) never considered his tomes of 'Paradise Lost,' would be used to head up an article on miniature Saabs!

I'm sad enough to have a collection of approximately 1,200 miniature Saabs, made from all sorts of materials, in lots of sizes and scales and varying degrees of accuracy from the sublime to the truly awful. I (somewhat naively) thought, 'I can find those,' on spying the first published list of Saab models in the late 1980s. This list comprised of about five diecast toys, 3 white metal kits and a couple of recent hand built models. Little did I then know as I set out in pursuit of the Holy Grail of Saab collecting ... and now, about 1200 purchases later, am I any the wiser? (A. No, but a hell of a lot poorer!!!!)

And so to Sweden and designation KP 92 (or Project 92 as it has become anglicised,) the first tangible evidence that the Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget intended to branch out from their original raison d'etre and seriously entertain the idea of becoming a manufacturer of cars, following the in the footsteps of Vabis, Scania, Thulin and Volvo before them. (Believe it or not, a model of the prototype Scania car does exist ... but that may become the subject of further ramblings in the future!!)

Project 92, in common with most new car concepts, started life as a drawing and then as a series of clay models. You can see a plate of Gunnar Ljungstrom's original May 1945 drawing of what was to become the new SAAB 92 (looking as tho' he'd cribbed it from the Czech Tatraplan) in 'The First 40 Years of Saab' by Bjorn-Eric Lindh (A book long out of print, yet still available in the Saab Museum ... in Swedish!!) The same book contains plates of several clay models and Sixten Sason's revised October 1945 sketches. There is a also a plate of a wind-tunnel model in 1:10 scale that must have been in evidence early in 1946. I'm not sure whether this is the earliest recognisable model Saab known to exist. I believe it is sometimes on display in the museum in Trollhattan but still 'belongs' to the design studio. The continual story of the development of Saab cars is well documented. Not so well documented is the use of scale models by the design studio (and its precursors) for a range of uses including new concepts, design adaptations and colour trials etc., all these before the 'real thing' arrived - and then the first commercially available miniatures.

It is only in recent years that a commercially available model of the prototype Saab car has become available. 92.001, the remaining prototype vehicle of three, or, as it is now registered and colloquially known, UR SAAB, has been modelled four times. The finest is by far and away a resin model to 1:43 scale mastered and produced in very limited quantities by Marpytoys of Holland. This was commissioned by Dutch collectors and most of the production of 80 hand made pieces was snapped-up by visitors to Rhenen (Saab Club Nederland's bi-annual spare parts weekend) in 2001. I'm lucky enough to have an example in my collection.

The second and third models are produced in Sweden, and both are still available for purchase. The older of the two, and one of the more unusual models of a Saab is a marvellous large wooden representation of the prototype made by Playsam of Kalmar. This is not strictly to scale, and is made of three pieces of wood bonded together, machine carved and painted in a rich black colour. It is available direct from Playsam, (or they were still on sale in the Saab Museum shop in June when last I visited.) Several years ago a limited edition run of 200 of this model were produced with individual numbers on their bases and the photograph here is one of these. A very small run was later produced in a dark green colour and reputedly some in light grey as well; but these were not generally available for sale.

A further product from Playsam is very new. This is again a model of the 92.001, beautifully moulded in black plastic, around 1:64 scale, and described by the company as a key-chain car. I can't decide whether to label it as a model or a toy; its most notable feature is that the headlights and taillights illuminate at night, ostensibly to help one find the keyhole. I doubt, however, that many will be used for this functional purpose. It's far too nice and needs to be played with!

The last 92.001 is a British model produced by Keith Dungworth of Autosculpt. As the range name almost describes, Autosculpt models are solid resin representations of many different marques and models in 1:90, 1:43 and sometimes 1:32 scales. To date, 22 different models of Saab are made in 1:90 scale and some 12 in 1:43. The 92.001 is only available in 1:90 scale and is usually quite reasonably priced (I sell them for £4.00!!) Autosculpts are quirky and not intended to be highly accurate scale models, more an individual interpretation of the spirit of the car. Keith has always managed to capture the spirit of a Saab very well. Now I don't know of any other 92.001 models... ... does anyone else?

Iain

Note: This article appeared in the September 2003 issue of the club magazine