For a quick and easy point, please tell me the make and model name of this car, and importantly who designed this specific model.
SAAB 98 (Project name X14)
Björn Envall
Ah KVAB, you are correct on the car make and model (and project name), but not the designer, as Saab's design chief of the time (Bjorn Envall) oversaw the X14 project, but did not make the design modifications, as this is the work of someone else. I will look this for you for 48 hours for the full correct answer and the point.
KVAB, so close, and yet so far. Time to move this one on...
Sergio Coggiola is the name you were looking for?
No it's not!
Sixten Sason maybe?
Sorry for slow reply; been away for a few days. Anyway, sorry it's not Sixten Sason.
Pros, know who did this to a poor innocent Saab?
The design, led by Björn Envall, was based on the floorpan of the Saab 95. The prototype was assembled by Italian Sergio Coggiola who had also worked with Saab on the styling of the Saab Sonett III.
The Saab 95 was already a practical family car positioned in the market just below the Saab 99 and as such Saab decided that the Saab 98 was not worth putting into production.
The only ever example of the Saab 98 sported a plastic grille and was finished in a new colour for that model year, Sienna Brown
and
The Saab 98 Combi Combi Coupé Prototype was originally planned to be a coupe version of a sedan, based off of the SAAB 96, but the length of the SAAB 95 wagon.
This vehicle nomenclature of the 98 pronounced "ninety eight", was decided on as it came after the last of the SAAB 97 series that ended the same year this project began, 1974. The internal project name of X14 was used by Saab's chief designer of the project at the time, none other than Björn Envall.
The other Saab Designer who assembled the Saab 98 was the Italian, Sergio Coggiola who previously designed the SAAB 97 Sonett III.
There were a number of vehicles built in 1975 as well as 1976, but the project was eventually abandoned as Saab at that time believed that they was not enough room in the global market for a vehicle between the Saab 95 and Saab 99.
The last remaining Saab 98 Combi Combi Coupé Prototype was in Sienna Brown and resides at the Saab Museum in Trollhättan, Sweden
Bjorn Envall was Saab's design chief in the early 1970s-1980s and he worked on the 1974 mild facelift of the Saab 95/96 (larger bumpers, 99-style side indicators, etc.) but this car is not his work.
The Saab 98 was indeed assembled by Sergio Coggiola, but they were not responsible for the design either. So, it's not Envall, and it's not Coggiola either. Who could it have been designed by?
Interesting.....
hope it's not "Sienna Brown" you are looking for.... ;D
Hah ha! No, if only it was that easy! ;D
Gunnar A. Sjögren ?
No, the designer is rather more famous than Sjogren, and less Scandinavian (now there's a clue!).
Long shot: Robert Opron?
Maybe too long, as it's not him (although I can see why you're thinking him as this Saab does have a hint of Opron's Citroen SM and Renault Fuego about its profile).
...Aldo Sessano...?
No, not him either.
Was it maybe Giorgetto Giugiaro, because he was also involved in styling the Saab 9000 and the Saab 600 (a.k.a Lancia Delta)?
Kind regards,
Spider Murphy
Correct, the Saab 98 design was the work of Giugiario. Not one of his better moments, but could have been worse; could have been the Morris Ital !!! ;)
Congratulations Spider Murphy! ;)
Quote from: Djetset on August 12, 2009, 05:26:37 PM
Correct, the Saab 98 design was the work of Giugiario. Not one of his better moments, but could have been worse; could have been the Morris Ital !!! ;)
But the Ital wasn't penned by Giugiaro! It was Harris Mann's work, ItalDesign was involved only in putting the project into production. Of course, the marketing guys from BL thought it wouldn't do no harm to the car to suggest that it was designed by the famous Italian :D
Quote from: ImpishGrin on August 15, 2009, 07:32:02 AM
Quote from: Djetset on August 12, 2009, 05:26:37 PM
Correct, the Saab 98 design was the work of Giugiario. Not one of his better moments, but could have been worse; could have been the Morris Ital !!! ;)
But the Ital wasn't penned by Giugiaro! It was Harris Mann's work, ItalDesign was involved only in putting the project into production. Of course, the marketing guys from BL thought it wouldn't do no harm to the car to suggest that it was designed by the famous Italian :D
Not quite right. The MARINA was Harris Mann's design. It was only when BL wanted it sexed up a few years later that they approached Giugiaro at Ital Design to do some changes, and he foolishly agreed. The front and rear were changed along with minor details on the side, proof if ever any were needed that you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear...
Well, afaik the Ital is also Mann's design. Ital Design was only responsible for poductionization of the modified car. At least tat's what they also say in many of my sources.
Quote from: ImpishGrin on August 15, 2009, 08:12:14 PM
Well, afaik the Ital is also Mann's design. Ital Design was only responsible for poductionization of the modified car. At least tat's what they also say in many of my sources.
I think that's because Giugiaro disowned it.
Can't say I blame him...
Be fair to the Marina!
It was originally intended as a stop-gap Cortina clone to allow BL to develop a 'proper' fleet car. The market researchers had found that while private motorists would buy a car in the Mini/1100/13300/Maxi/1800/2200 range with a transverse engine and FWD, fleet buyers wanted to purchase a conventional car with front engine and rear wheel drive: Ford Anglia/Escort/Cortina/Granada. Vauxhall Viva/Cavalier etc. So BL produced the Marina as a short design life car to give them time to change their policy. But they lost the plot and kept the Marina/Ital on long past its sell-by date.