Saab Car Museum

Saab built cars in Trollhattan from 1949, using an aircraft company's approach to aerodynamics and structure, and the museum holds the sequence entire - Ursaab, the 1946 prototype with its wind-tunnel shape and no rear window, through the 92, 96, 99, 900 and 9000 to the last 9-5s. Prototypes and concepts that never reached production are here too, along with rally cars from the Erik Carlsson years. The company went bankrupt in 2011 and the collection was nearly sold off; the town, the region and a local businessman bought it and kept it in Trollhattan. It sits in the old innovation building near the falls.

Background

Its home is an old factory hall at Innovatum, a science and technology centre built on what was the NOHAB industrial estate, at Åkerssjövägen 18. The collection of about 120 vehicles was due to be sold at public auction on January 20, 2012, to cover debts after the bankruptcy, but a bid of $4.15 million kept it whole, put up by Saab AB, the city of Trollhättan and the Marcus and Amalia Wallenberg Foundation. Peter Bäckström curates it, and festivals are held regularly. Among the cars are the Saab Monster, an experimental 93, the GT750, the MFI 13, the Sonett models, and the first two Saab 9000 cars of "The Long Run" endurance test at Talladega, Alabama, in October 1986.

Source: Wikipedia, "Saab Car Museum"

What to look for

• Ursaab, the 1946 prototype - the shape everything followed from.
• The full production sequence - 92 through to the last 9-5.
• Prototypes never built - concepts from across the decades.
• Erik Carlsson's rally cars - the competition years.

When to go

Year round; hours are reduced in winter. Two hours.

Before you go

It is a single-marque collection and dry without an interest in the cars. Labelling is stronger in Swedish. Trollhattan is a short trip from Gothenburg with little else. Opening days are limited off season.

Nearby

The Trollhattan falls and locks are close; Vanern is north.

Key facts