Many older car fans remember the popular cartoon “The Jetsons” that used a “flying car” in bubble form (aerocar with a transparent bubble top). This Bubble form must have cemented the idea of a flying car or a car behind space travel for many. If the Jetsons from the American 60s series drove Saabs, then it would look something like this.
To remind you, the cartoon series “Jetsons” was the first color television program on ABC, and the series was set in a “bright and optimistic future“. While the TV series itself was set in the distant future, the inspiration for several elements came from the 1950s and 1960s. For example, George Jetson‘s flying car was inspired by Ford’s concept FX-Atmos from 1954. And it was the Jetson’s car that inspired many automotive enthusiasts to create their own version of the Jetson’s vehicle, which of course cannot fly, but has three or four wheels.
One of them is this Finnish modified Saab. It’s a 1975 Saab 96 that Marco Hämäläinen from Orimattila, Finland, modified in his garage to look like it was meant for the Jetsons. The “WaSaabi” project, on which father and son worked together, at one point, went in a completely new direction.
Their -75 Saab 96 has become a genuine “bubble top” car. The cockpit is basically the only thing that is not produced by sheet metal work. Father and son’s story started with lowering the roof of the car, and when the roof disappeared they saw that the car looks just fine without the roof. The “Space” customization theme came to mind when choosing the color for this themed car.
After building this “Bubble Top” Saab two years ago, Marco and his family regularly exhibit this interesting car at rare car shows throughout Scandinavia. The building was completed about a year ago and thus makes its Swedish premiere at Elmia. Then a long tour with exhibitions is expected, probably “until 2062” when the Saab is in the same era as The Jetsons.
Update: The Jetsons-Style Saab Reappears – and It’s Now for Sale in Germany
After several years of touring Scandinavian shows, the same bubble-top Saab featured in this article has resurfaced in an unexpected place. The car is now listed in Germany under a new name – the Saab 96 “Cosmonaut” – offered by a dealership near Cologne and presented as a fully drivable, space-themed custom with its original Finnish craftsmanship intact.
The story has taken an unexpected turn, and we’ve covered the entire development in a new article about the car’s appearance on the German market: the full update is available here, including fresh photographs, dealer details, and the latest chapter in the life of this unique Jetsons-inspired Saab.
