SAAB 99 is a large car, where a car

really needs to be large - where you

ride in it. And where you place
your baggage.
In front, for instance, the hood is
short and low, because the power
train unit underneath is a marvel of
compactness. But look inside . The
long, airy passenger compartment
allows five people to ride in full
comfort and safety. Jn the rear, too,
where you need the room - you
get it. And with only a few simple
changes the already deep baggage
compartment can be made even
larger. Add to this a width - 60 in
and a track you'd only expect in
much larger cars , and you get some
idea of the remarkable resolution of
style and function that may be seen
throughout the SAAB 99.
As you may know, wide track helps
a car's road holding ability. But
it's worth examining the relationship between track and wheelbase
a little more closely. It isn't by
chance that on a SAAB 99 this relationship is just about the same as
that of a Formula I race car. The
front wheel drive and the placement
of the engine over the front wheels,
the low center of gravity, the advanced and well balanced suspension , the radial tires on wide wheels,

the exact rack-and-pinion steering

- these are factors that in precise
coordination also determine the
exceptionally good, almost sports
car-type driving characteristics. The
fact is, you'd have to pay the price
of the most expensive sports car to
find road holding, stability and
ease of maneuvering comparable to
that of the SAAB 99 .
SAAB 99 is a technically advanced
car - in its entirety as well as in its
detailing. The basic construction,
which to a large measure, is responsible for the car's fine driving
characteristics, is advanced. So is
the construction of the safety body.
Also the engine, with clutch and
transmission joined into one unit.
The cooling fan , electrically operated, runs only when needed. And
Saab's well-known dual diagonal
braking system is the only one in
the world of its type. The heating
and ventilation system offers enough
different combinations to keep anybody in the car comfortable. There's
the further convenience of a new
automatic transmission. And the
standard transmission version with
front wheel drive offers a host of
advantages for both safety and
economy. These are just some examples of what we mean by advanced automotive technique.

From the moment you enter

through the wide doors, you become aware of an interior that is
as functional as it is elegant. Cool
weave upholstery and floor mats
give a sense of a well furnished ,
spacious passenger compartment.
Seats are fully adjustable to each
individual. And the driver has
never had it so good . He sits in
complete comfort. A vast window
expanse eliminates dangerous blind
spots. Instruments and controls are
all within easy reach. Safety considerations predominate inside, as
they do throughout the SAAB 99.
Some of these safety features may be
seen , but most of them are built in .
Many automobiles can be easily
classified, placed in a special category. Not so the SAAB 99. It's a
passenger car, also something of a
semi station wagon, and it even
manifests some of the characteristics of a sports car. In truth , it
has as many capabilities and uses
as you want to put it to.

Why not drive a SAAB 99 yourself? Find out how truly unconventional and exciting this newest
SAAB really is.

Anyone driving a SAAB 99 will

appreciate the very "driverdesigned" construction and
placing of the instruments and
controls. The steering wheel
with its recessed, padded hub
(which is also your horn control), is sportingly small with a
comfortable angle. The short,
noor-mounted gearshift in the
center console is moved with
direct, uncomplicated movements. The instruments are
grouped together in the driver's
line of vision, so that they are as

easily seen as they are to reach

and operate, even by a driver
wearing his safety belts.
Gauges and warning lights are
concentrated in three round,
easy-to-read instruments. Markings show operations of blinkers,
battery charging, high beam,
low brake pressure or applied
handbrake, choke and low oil
pressure.
Blinkers, light signaling device
and switch for high beam are

all maneuvered with the lever to

the left of the wheel. The right
hand lever controls windshield
wiper and washer. (And since
the washer can be independently
started without using the wipers,
there's little chance of scratched
windows.)
The free-wheel drive, available
in the standard transmission
SAAB 99, makes shifting easier
and faster, driving on slippery
roads safer, and reduces gas
consumption at the same time.

The SAAB 99 Automatic is even

easier to drive. No clutch, no
shifting. Smooth transitions
throughout the whole speed
range, and always the correct
engine speed.

The interior of the 1970 SAAB 99

looks large and spacious. And
is it ever ! Almost 5 feet in width
at elbow height, and plenty of
legroom. Space to move around
where you're generally not used
to it, in the back seat. Soft, wide
seats. Back rests that offer practically unlimited positions for
your comfort. Even adjustable
front seating pad on the driver's
side. These are details that make
you feel as comfortable as if
you were sitting in a luxury limousine. Cool, sturdy weave

upholstery on seats and back

rests. Strong vinyl on reinforcements and sides. Full covering
floor mats. All beautifully
color-coordinated.
The padding on the top of the
dashboard, around the windows
and at the top of the seat backs
has been standard on every
SAAB 99 since the very first.
And so have all those important
inner safety details that are part
of the SAAB 99's basic construction. But they're not visible and
in your way.

Heating and ventilation controls

for the front part of the passenger compartment are placed
on the dash board. For the rear
section they're located in the
center console, so that the passengers themselves can reach
and use them . On each side of
the dash there are individually
maneuverable fresh air outlets.
The trunk normally holds
12.3 cu. ft. figured according to
SAE standards. The total volume is much greater. And to

carry larger items the car is

easily converted into a semistation wagon, by moving the
backseat and backrest forward.

SAAB 99 has a straight, four

cylinder 1 709 cc ( 104.3 cu. in.)
engine producing 87 horsepower
SAE. The overhead camshaft, as
well as the crankshaft, has five
bearings. This guarantees smooth,
vibrationfree running.
The Zenith-Stromberg carburetor has a built-in coldstart
device that you'll appreciate
when the weather gets really
cold. The engine is also equipped
with a pre-heater arrangement
that assures even running
directly after starting.

The crossflow type radiator

is equipped with an expansion tank for temporary
overflow. The clutch is located
at the front of the engine where
it can be kept the coolest. The
transmission is located somewhat offset under the engine.
And everything is housed in
one superbly compact drive unit.
When you drive the SAAB 99
the first thing you notice is the
fast, smooth acceleration. The
high torque within a wide range

of revolutions is responsible
for this.

version , located in front of the

engine.

The engine with automatic

transmission has an
electronically controlled fuel
injection system. This results in
higher efficiency from the engine
and better fuel economy. The
"electronic brain" for the fuel
injection system is located atop
the left hand wheel housing.

The braking system includes a

direct acting vacuum power
assist.

The hydraulic torque converter,

is, as the clutch is in the standard

The cooling fan, mounted directly on the radiator, is electrically driven and thermostatically controlled. It runs only
when needed.

Need extra baggage space? Just

fold the back seat forward and
space practically doubles. Total
load length becomes over five
and a half feet, width 51 inches
(between the wheel housings,
43 inches). A total loading space
of about 20 sq. feet. With the
driver alone in the car, the
loading capacity is about
800 lbs.
The SAAB 99 can make anybody
comfortable. The front seat
backrests are infinitely adjust-

able
in two different ranges,
for driving and for resting.
Even the seating pad on the
driver's side is adjustable, both
in height and lean. And, naturally, the seats can also be moved
forward and back.
Like all SAABs, the SAAB 99
reacts quickly and perfectly to
all wheel movements. That's
because the SAAB 99 has the
same well-proven type of steering system (rack and pinion)
found in all SAAB models.

Strong beams run the length

and width of the car, around
the roofline just inside the roof
edge, and inside the windshield
pillars and the side-window
supports. Together, they form
a protective cage around the
passenger compartment.
The handbrake, a third independently acting braking system ,
works on separate drum brakes
at the front wheels.

The heating and ventilation

system , the product of a long
testing program in severe climates, takes in fresh air from in
front of the windshield. This cool
air may be directed right into
the car through two individually
adjustable outlets at the side of
the dash. The rest of the intake
air goes into the thermostatically
controlled heater package and
can be directed to openings in
the noor in front and under the
front-seats, and to outlets at the
windshield, the side-windows

and the lower edge of the rear

window. Spent air is discharged
through slits at the side of the
rear window and exhaust valves
at the sides. The defroster effect
is excellent.
The controls at the back of the
center console allow passengers
in the rear seat to themselves
adjust the volume of air directed
at them. The two-speed fan can
also be adjusted for summer
use, which will increase the air
capacity by about 30 percent.

All wheels are equipped with

disc brakes. The dimensions of
the wheel cylinders are balanced so that the front wheels are
braked with about four times as
much as the rear wheels. This
gives the best possible braking
effect, retained direction stability
and minimal risk of locking the
rear wheels too early . The brake
system has a direct acting power
vacuum assist.
The hydraulic system is split
into two independent circuits,

working diagonally. Should one

circuit fail, half of the original
brake effect is still available. The
handbrake can also function as
an effective emergency brake,
with about 50 % of the effect of
the entire foot brake system.

Specifications Saab 99 and

Suspension

Saab 99 E Automatic, 1970

Safety Features

Independent front wheel suspension . Transverse V-shaped wishbones.

Tubular rigid rear axle with two pairs of longitudinal links and one transverse beam.
Coil springs and double-acting telescopic hydraulic shock absorbers, front and rear.

Front-wheel drive. Weight distribution that

gives good course stability. Self supporting steel
body with great torsional strength. Windshield
and door pillars reinforced with steel profiles.
Sill beams of heavy-gauge steel, rustproofed
and sealed. Front and rear ends designed to
absorb impact energy. Fuel tank between rear
wheels. Dual circuit diagonal braking system.
Disc brakes on all four wheels. Vacuum servo.
Handbrake acts on front wheels. Handbrake
lever between front seats. Warning lamp for
handbrake on and brake trouble. Short gearshift lever and free wheel. Recessed steering
wheel hub and collapsible steering column.
Crash proof lock on glove compartment. Fourcorner warning flashers. Safety belts front and
rear. Headrests on front seats . Impact-absorbing padding on top of dash board, along
window sills, on steering wheel hub, armrests
and sun visors, windshield and door pillars and
rear of front seats. Rubber guard on ignition
key. Sun visors can be swung to the side. Collapsible internal rear view mirror with two
positions. Large windows. Safety-type door
locks. Reflector on door on driver's side. Easily
accessible controls. Ample instrumentation.
Driver's seat adjustable for legroom, height
and angle. Safety catch prevents seat backs
from falling forwards. Laminated safety glass
in windshield. Wide-sweep two-speed windshield wipers . Electric windshield washers with
large water container. Efficient heating and
ventilating system . Defrosters for windshield,
front side windows and rear window.

Engine
Four cylinders in line.
Crankshaft carried in 5 bearings.
Piston displacement: 104.3 cu . in. (1 709 c. c.).
Bore: 3.29 in. (83 .5 mm).
Stroke: 3.07 in. (78 mm).
Compression ratio: 9.0: I.
Chain-driven overhead cam shaft with five
bearings.
Pressure lubrication . Full-flow oil filter.
Water cooling with pump and thermostat.
Electric thermostat-controlled cooling fan.
Transverse flow radiator with expansion tank.
99
Max. output: 87 b.h.p. SAE at 5 500 r.p.m. ,
80 b.h.p. DIN at 5 200 r.p.m.
Max.torque : 98 lb. ft. SAE (13.5 kgm) at 3 000
r.p.m., 94 lb. ft. DIN (13.0 kgm) at 3 000 r.p.m.
Zenith Stromberg horizontal flow carburetor
with special cold start device.
99 E Automatic
Max. output: 95 b.h.p. SAE at 5 500 r.p.m. ,
87 b.h.p. DIN at 5 200 r.p.m.
Max. torque: 98 lb. ft. SAE ( 13.5 kgm) at 3 000
r.p.m., 94 lb. ft. DIN (13.0 kgm) at 3 000 r.p.m.
Electronically controlled fuel injection. Bosch
make .

Wheels and Tires

Rims: 4.5 J SL x 15 in.
Tires: 155 SR x 15 in.

Brakes
Diagonally divided, dual-circuit hydraulic
footbrake system with vacuum servo.
Self-adjusting disc brakes front and rear.
Diameter of discs: I 0.6 in. (269 .5 mm).
Total friction area: 351.0 sq. in. (2 265 cm 2 ) .
Handbrake acts mechanically on front wheels
through separate drums.

Steering
Rack and pinion type steering gear.
Ratio: steering wheel to road wheel: 19.1:1.
Number of steering wheel turns from lock to
lock: 3 YJ .
Turning radius : 16.5 ft. (5.1 m).

Electrical System
12 volt battery, 60 Ah.
Alternator type generator, max . load: 35 A.
Starting motor: 1.0 hp.

Transmission

Dimensions and Weights

Engine and transmission in one compact unit.

Primary gear between clutch and gearbox.
Front-wheel drive.

Overall length : 171.4 in. (4 354 mm).

Overall width: 66 in. (I 676 mm).
Height, unladen: approx. 56.7 in. (1 440 mm).
Ground clearance, unladen: approx. 6.7 in.
(170 mm).
Wheelbase: 97.4 in. (2 473 mm).
Track, front: 54.7 in . (I 390 mm).
Track, rear : 55.1 in . (I 400 mm).
Curb weight, incl. fuel : 99, 2 350 lb. (1 065 kg) ;
99 E Automatic, 2 425 lb (I 100 kg) .
Max. weight, fully loaded: 3 373 lb. (I 530 kg).
Shoulder room , front : 53.5 in. (1 358 mm).
Shoulder room , rear: 55.2 in. (I 403 mm).
Elbow room , rear: 60.6 in . (I 540 mm).
Effective headroom, front: 38.5 in. (975 mm).
Effective headroom, rear: 38 in . (958 mm).
Practical luggage boot capacity: 12.3 cu. ft.
(347 1).
Max. length of loading deck (with folded rear
seat), approx .: 67 in. (I 710 mm) .
Fuel tank capacity 12.6 US gallons (48 1).

99
Free wheel.
Single dry plate clutch , hydraulically operated.
Four forward gears, all synchromesh.
Overall ratios, engine to driving wheels: 1st
13.6:1 , 2nd 8.6:1, 3rd 5.8:1 , top 4.0:1, reverse
13.6: I.
Primary gear: 0.95: I.
Final drive ratio: 4.22: I.
Theoretical top gear speed at I 000 engine
r.p.m.: 17.7 m.p.h. (28 .5 km /h).
99 E Automatic
Hydraulic torque converter and 3-speed automatic transmission, Borg Warner.
Chain drive between torque converter and
gearbox, 1.09: I ratio.
Final drive ratio: 3.82: 1.

The manufacturer reserves the right to change

specifications and equipment without notice .

Distributed in U.S.A . by SAAB Motors Inc.,

New York , New Haven , Jacksonville, Portland , Oregon ; Torrance Calif. and SAAB
Southwest, Inc. , Denver, Colorado.

Co lo rg uide . ext e ri o r/ uphol ste ry: Whit e/ Red ; Sil versa nd / Black ; Red / Bl a ck ;Sa va nna-beige /G o lden - brown ; Green / G o lden-brown ; Bl ack / Gold e n- br o wn; Middle-blu e/
Da rk - blu e.

Sodertiilje and Trollhiittan , Sweden