Saab’s Heart Still Beats: Trollhättan to Celebrate 50 Years of the Saab Car Museum

A pioneer in automotive heritage

In an automotive world dominated by mergers, faceless platforms, and generic electric crossovers, the Saab Car Museum in Trollhättan stands apart. Founded in 1975 by Albert Trommer, it became one of Europe’s first corporate car museums — not as a marketing stunt but as a grassroots act of preservation.

Unlike heritage centers funded by global conglomerates, Saab’s museum began in the basement of a local dealership, with only a handful of cars and documents. No press releases, no fanfare — just dedication and foresight. As curator Peter Bäckström reflects today, that origin story defines the museum’s DNA: built by employees, supported by enthusiasts, and carried forward by volunteers.

This September 6, 2025, the institution turns 50 years old, and Trollhättan is preparing to mark the milestone with a birthday party rather than a festival or expo. There will be parades, roaring engines, exhibitions — and yes, fika and cake. As Bäckström put it bluntly: “This is church. This is holy ground for Saab lovers.”

From basement exhibit to global pilgrimage site

The museum’s roots mirror Saab’s own rise from obscurity. In 1975, a discreet basement collection housed treasures like the Saab 92 prototype, its teardrop silhouette directly influenced by aircraft design. Early 92s borrowed two-stroke DKW engines, since Saab had not yet developed its own powerplant. They were painted only in green, a decision that would become a symbol of Saab’s quirky beginnings.

From that seed, the museum grew through the efforts of Saab employees themselves. Workers preserved documents, experimental parts, and prototypes. That collective effort — what Bäckström calls the Saab spirit — laid the foundation for what has become a 140-car archive today.

And Bäckström has driven every one of them. To him, they are not static objects but personalities: “They’re not just machines. They have character. You feel it when you turn the key.”

For fans across the world — from the U.S. to Japan, Germany to Australia — the museum has become a pilgrimage site, a chance to stand in the presence of Saab history and to hear the cough of a two-stroke brought back to life.

The Sonett and racing heritage

Among the museum’s crown jewels is the 1956 Saab Sonett, a fiberglass-bodied sports car weighing just 500 kg and producing over 50 horsepower from its two-stroke engine. Only six preserved examples exist worldwide — and one resides in Trollhättan. With its space-frame chassis and aerodynamic profile, the Sonett was a daring experiment in motorsport engineering.

Saab’s competition history is represented in countless other displays. The Saab 96, powered by Ford’s V4, carried rally legend Erik Carlsson to improbable Monte Carlo success — proof that a small, front-wheel-drive two-stroke could humble giants. The museum also showcases rarities like the twin-engine prototype, a bold attempt at doubling power that never reached the starting line but perfectly illustrates Saab’s unconventional engineering philosophy.

As Bäckström admits, “Not even the turbo survives in rally forests anymore.” But the echoes of Saab’s racing department — once achieving far more than its resources should have allowed — still resound through these cars.

Why Saab passion keeps growing

Most car brands fade once production ends. Saab has done the opposite. Since the factory gates closed in 2011, global interest has only intensified.

Bäckström sees it daily: more visitors, more inquiries, more clubs. Online forums buzz with restoration projects. Auction houses list Saabs at record prices. New generations discover the quirkiness of ignition keys between the seats, heated seats before anyone else offered them, and dashboard ergonomics rooted in aviation logic.

Why does Saab endure? Because it represented a philosophy, not a trend.

Safety before style. Function over fashion. Engineering over ego.

In a world of copy-paste crossovers, Saab’s individuality shines brighter than ever.

That is why the museum matters. It is not a mausoleum. It is a living workshop, archive, and community hub, where vintage Saabs are restored, driven, and explained. The open workshop tours during the jubilee will showcase this reality: behind the glass, Saab is alive.

The big day: september 6, 2025

The celebration is designed as a family-style birthday party. No velvet ropes, no corporate hype — just access. Entry costs only 50 SEK, a symbolic nod to the museum’s 50 years (down from the usual 140 SEK).

Key highlights of the day:

• 10:00 – Museum opens with workshop tours until noon.
• 11:00 – Rally and racing Saabs fired up, echoing through the Innovatum District. Expect the bark of two-strokes and the whistle of turbos.
• 12:45 – Car parade, a moving timeline of Saab history winding through Trollhättan.
• 14:00–16:00 – Workshop open again, letting visitors watch restorations in progress.
• 15:00 – More racing Saabs roar to life, showcasing machines once driven by legends.
• All day – Roger Lärk’s “Roger & Saab” photo exhibition, featuring decades of Saab images, with the photographer himself present.

And yes, there will be jubilee fika — pastry and coffee for 50 SEK — because no Swedish birthday is complete without it.

Community, not commerce

The Saab Car Museum’s survival has never been about profit. It is powered by community and volunteers, including the Saab Car Museum Support Organization, which will host a quiz trail with Saab-themed prizes.

Neighbors are joining in: the Innovatum Science Center will also cut its entry fee to 50 SEK, turning the day into a family event. Local café Nova Mat & Möten will serve the official birthday pastry. And parking across the Innovatum District will be free of charge.

For those who want to secure everything in advance, a 150 SEK package via Tickster includes entry, fika, and a limited-edition anniversary decal. While it doesn’t save money, it guarantees supplies and helps organizers manage demand.

Saab’s future through heritage

The Saab Car Museum doesn’t pretend the brand is coming back as a manufacturer. But it insists Saab’s ideas still matter. The Sonett’s lightweight efficiency prefigured today’s obsession with weight reduction. The 96’s resilience speaks to durability in an era of disposability. The 900 Turbo’s analog precision reminds us that soul can coexist with speed.

Saab proved that engineering could be human-centered — that a car could serve drivers, not marketing slogans. That legacy will remain relevant, even in an age of EVs, AI, and autonomous transport.

As long as Trollhättan keeps the lights on, Saab remains alive. And as long as enthusiasts continue to gather, the Saab story will inspire new generations.

Plan your visit

• Date: Saturday, September 6, 2025
• Time: 10:00 – 16:00
• Location: Saab Car Museum, Innovatum District, Trollhättan, Sweden
• Entry fee: 50 SEK (special jubilee price)
• Pre-booked package: 150 SEK (entry, fika, decal)
• Parking: Free across Innovatum District
• Highlights: Car parade, rally car start-ups, workshop tours, Roger Lärk’s exhibition, quiz trail

Full program details are available on the Saab Car Museum website.

Saab’s heart still beats

Half a century after its founding, the Saab Car Museum stands as proof that passion outlives production. What began in a basement now draws pilgrims from across the world. The Saab spirit — ingenuity, safety, individuality — is stronger than ever.

So on September 6, 2025, Trollhättan will not just mark 50 years of a museum. It will celebrate 50 years of keeping Saab alive. And for anyone who has ever turned a Saab ignition between the seats or heard a two-stroke cough into life, the invitation is clear: pack your bags — Trollhättan is calling.

Visitors’ Impressions: A Personal Story From the Night at the Museum

Among the many guests who traveled to Trollhättan for this special anniversary was our Saab friend from Montenegro, Milija Šćepanović — film director, museum lover, and long-time Saab enthusiast. His story captures the emotion, atmosphere, and unforgettable details of this unique evening from a visitor’s perspective.

👉 Read Milija’s full report here:
https://www.saabplanet.com/a-story-that-became-a-journey-from-a-9000-cc-memory-to-an-unforgettable-night-at-the-saab-museum/