I was just reading an article in the Swedish paper Dagens Industri about the design director of Saab, Bryan Nesbitt. Or not really the official design director, he holds the title Executive Director GM Europe design and through that he gets the responsibility for both Saab and Opel (and American car brand Saturn for some reason).
The design director talks about Scandinavian design values. We should know that he once designed a not that smart and good looking car, the Chrysler PT Cruiser. According to me it is everything but design based on subtle Scandinavian traditions and design trends. It’s design based on vulgarity. Like something out of a cartoon.
This fact makes me a little nervous. Because I like Saab. I’m actually driving a Saab myself. It is one of the few car brands that still hasn’t ended up in the undistinctive swamp of streamlined standardisation. More or less all cars look the same today. When I was small an Audi was an Audi and a BMW was a BMW. Even Opel had an identity back then… What’s good with Saab today is that they still have a recognisable shape.
Design has always been important for Saab. To me it is a mystery why Saab doesn’t try to grab and own the category of “design” in the car industry. The design category is still vacant and would give Saab a strong identity side by side with those of “safety” for Volvo, “driving” for BMW, “luxury” for Lexus and “reliable” for Toyota. Today Saab as a brand is somewhat suffering inside the GM family and a stronger identity based on Scandinavian aesthetics could verify the position of Saab in the premium segment. To be able to survive in the noise of the market it is all about narrowing the category. Saab has an history of being a challenger and provocateur. They should definitely continue down that lane.
Time will tell if Bryan Nesbitt will be able to develop the unique Saab design DNA and help the brand into a new and prosperous era.
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16 comments
Martin J. Thörnkvist says:
Mar 16, 2007
I agree. Saab is a well designed car. I especially likes it’s interior. It feels as every part fits together and the whole makes loads of sense.
But, hasn’t Saab also lost a bit of it’s design identity? My favorite Saab is the first models of 9-5. It was the fruit of many years of hard work and something of a live or die project, the company needed a hit. Today they have covered it with to much round shapes. Sometimes I think it looks like one of those test cars that we see paparazzi photos of.
I think most cars today look like the Asian ones did a couple years ago. It’s ironic because everybody laughed a bit at them and the what they looked when they started to grow big in other parts of the world in the nineties.
jens says:
Mar 16, 2007
saab’s problem is gm.
and the fact that they have totally lost it for ages now…
for many auto brands it used to be true that their older models look better then the new ones. – for saab it is brutal fact.
i love saab. i drive my second saab cabrio – which now is 10 years old – i have to change soon… but can i switch to the current convertible? of course not! – if i could go back in time – hey than i d go back to my first one.
saab used to be the car of choice for people that hate cars. (intellectuals or guys like me who would rather ride a bicycle)…
but what did these idiots do? they benchmarked against bmw!!! – any questions????!!!!!!!
having the choice now (or: no choice anymore) i will rather go bavarian.
jens says:
Mar 16, 2007
and , david, you are absolutely right: saab was the outsider, the challenger… – had nothing to do with the rest of te automotive market.
hey, but what did they do?
somebody has totally messed up this brand’s future perspective by saying: lets make it a feminine bmw!
my god, what a shit!
you swedes should buy it back.
David Carlson says:
Mar 16, 2007
MARTIN, it’s true – I prefer the original a little more boxy style as well. I don’t know why all cars have to be streamlined nowadays (I don’t think it is only because of lower fuel consumption). To keep them boxy wood have been like penalty shot without a goalie…
JENS, I like the old Saab cabrio a lot, a really nice car. The outsider perspective is cool. You will probably attract enough people by doing something complete different. Sweden should definitely by the brand back and make something smart out of it again.
1985 Gripen says:
Mar 17, 2007
Mr. Nesbitt is also in charge of Saturn because GM is turning it into a sort of “American Opel”.
Nesbitt also designed the Chevrolet HHR for GM, very similar to his very successful prior design of the PT Cruiser for Chrysler. This has caused some controversy, but the only controversy should be why people insist on buying these tacky vehicles. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryan_Nesbitt
All future SAAB models are slated to use the “design language” of the Aero-X concept car penned by Anthony Lo. While not a Scandinavian designer, I do see elements of Scandinavian design. My question is why have someone approximate Scandinavian design?
http://www.saabhistory.com/2007/02/16/the-saab-designs-by-model/
Some people figure that one needn’t actually be Scandinavian to emulate Scandinavian design and a best-selling chair at IKEA designed by a Japanese designer was cited as proof. It doesn’t seem genuine to me. Aren’t there any capable Scandinavian designers? If I wanted to see the Matterhorn I could go to Anaheim to see a Disney approximation, but I’d rather see the real one.
http://www.saabcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=912324&postcount=46
Maybe someone can buy the GM Europe designers this book to help them out in their quest to emulate Scandinavian design: http://www.taschen.com/pages/en/catalogue/books/design/all/facts/02917.htm
electro^plankton says:
Mar 17, 2007
Saabs today still look very distinct to me. I can usually identify one from a very long distance. Unfortunately the company is struggling to find its new identity.
When I was a kid, Saabs meant sporty fun cars that had utilitarian purpose (at least in America). Only the intellectual elite or “wannabes” drove Saabs. Unfortunately that’s a niche market. In the auto industry, if you can’t sell boat loads, then you’re in trouble, thus GM came into the picture. GM has tried to reinvent Saab into another Euro-lux brand but it’s not working. Compared to other Euro-lux autos, Saab is somewhat left behind in terms of build quality, materials and most importantly features.
There is a silver lining. What Saab has been doing with the whole biofuel initiative is a step in the right direction. It’s sort of becoming the eco-luxury car, or at least that’s where they should be going. Its heritage and birthplace all fit with this new identity. If GM and Saab can capitalize on this, then design will begin to follow function and the possibilities will be endless. Imagine it.
David Carlson says:
Mar 17, 2007
1985 GRIPEN, thanks for your comments and a lot of useful links! Let’s hope that someone will buy them the book…
ELECTROPLANKTON, you are right, if Saab can find a way to combine eco and a personal scandinavian design they can probably turn Saab into a successful brand again.
tim power says:
Mar 18, 2007
the ‘saab dilemma’ is an interesting case study to watch – as a saab owner and fan, i will watch what happens to saab with more than just a professional eye, i will watch with invested emotion….i own a ’97 900, which is the last year before the 9.3/5…….it is the last of the ‘old’ saabs…..the 9.5 is a great car, it is the accumulated knowledge of saab, all rolled into one, as martin says. My 10 year old saab is ready to trade in, but as all saab owners who love their cars claim: what do i trade it in for? what do i ‘upgrade’ to? Until i have an exciting alternative, i’ll drive this one to the ground, which may take a while.
David Carlson says:
Mar 18, 2007
Tim, it’s a relevant question – what are we upgrading to? I’m driving a 9-5 from early 2000-something, will probably stick to it for a while…
electro^plankton says:
Mar 18, 2007
I traded my old Saab hatch for a Toyota Prius. Until Saab decides to pick up the pace when green technology, the Japanese autos look might good, especially the Prius.
J.W. Vester - Saab USA says:
Mar 19, 2007
1985 Gripen said it right: the Saab Aero X concept, voted “Best in Show” at its debut in Geneva last year, is the sign of things to come for Saab. Suffice it to say, that the person who initiated, and ultimately signed off on the project as Saab’s future design direction, was Brian Nesbitt. So, if you like Saab and you like the Aero X, there’s much to look forward to. Stay tuned…
David Carlson says:
Mar 19, 2007
J.W Wester, thanks for participating in the discussion! I have to say that I don’t know if Aero X is my cup of tea. It is something quite different from what the Saab brand used to be. The target group of Aero X is far away from the person that jens is describing in his comment above. Aero X is much more masculine and adrenaline-stuffed. Not the first keywords of Scandinavian design that comes to your mind. Aero X is more of a Porsche than a Saab. It makes me a bit confused. It is a completely new position. A nice car – probably. A brilliant future for the Saab brand? – I hope, but I’m not sure.
Steven Radney says:
Mar 21, 2007
Okay…so the Aero-X is a great design exercise with Saab DNA to boot. So maybe it’s not Swedish through and through, but as a sign of things to come…it has the potential to steer Saab of the future in a distinct and contemporary direction.
Saab,s have always stood out in the crowd. They do today (some for the wrong reasons…9-2/9-7). The problem with Saab, is how it’s been mis-managed as a marque by GM.
Killing the 9-3 three and five door hatch models for a 4-door sedan was poorly thought out and singal handedly killed the essence of the brand.
A successfully Saab will be based largely on GM and co. making the right decisions around the platform that will birth the next 9-3 and its off-spring.
Oh…and please…no more Saabarus or SaabGMCs!
Cheers
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