Of trolls and takeovers

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‘Made in Trollhättan by Trolls’ you used to read on the bumper of a Saab driver with humour every now and then. But the people of Trollhättan are not so much into jokes anymore now that their once-proud car company is plagued by a seemingly endless number of creditors, near-bankruptcies and takeovers. All so different from the early days when a small group of enthusiasts - just two of them had a driving licence - started building that first, somewhat odd, car. That was 1947. Seven years and plenty of motor sports victories ahead, four of Saab’s younger engineers decided to build a proper Saab sports car. At their own expense, as the directors weren’t too keen on the idea.

They took on the project in their spare time working from a wooden shed in Asaka, some 8 miles outside Trollhättan. The windows were painted white from the inside to keep prying eyes out. The directors loved their finished prototype, proudly showing it at the Stockholm Motor Show. Another five prototypes came to life and Saab announced plans to build 200 Sonetts a month, back in ‘57. But then Sweden’s homologation rules were changed overnight, making a specific sports car totally unnecessary. The first Sonett never reached production, but the prototypes survive, and every now and then one is driven over those twisty roads near Trollhättan. By Trolls or by Elfs.

(Words Jeroen Booij, picture courtesy Saab)

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