Does Liking This Stunning Saab Revival Rendering Make You a Zombie Lover?

The thing is, they're not exactly wrong in thinking that. Saab was indeed a special entity among all the other companies - if anything, a little too special for its own good, hence its current fate. However, it didn't suffer from a sudden death, with several names in the industry attempting to keep it alive, and then revive it, before finally giving up.

But what is Saab? The name seems a bit strange even for a piece of IKEA furniture, and that's because we should really write it in capitals since it's an acronym. Initially, it stood for "Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget", which is how a Swede would say "Swedish Airplane Corporation" in their native tongue. What do airplanes have to do with automobiles, you ask? Well, apart from both starting with an "A" (enabling Saab to somewhat confusingly keep the same name for its car venture), not enough, apparently, since Saab has been making planes before cars, and continues to make them after the car business went the way of the dodo. That means all the aeronautical know-how proved to be useless when it came to expanding into building automobiles.

It was actually the company's elitism that ultimately brought its demise, not so much the quality of its products. Then, GM swept in and acquired the company, and even though the two new models developed during that time brought the highest sales, they also diluted the brand's personality, making it just another badge applied to a GM product.

The company changed a few more hands after the American giant sold it in early 2010 but, taking into account the global financial situation at the time, it felt like Saab's fate was already sealed. The following few years are a bit murky and eerily resemble the final years of a dying patient, which is what they proved to be in the end.

Well, even though it's been more than a decade since the last new - and somewhat forgettable - Saab model came out, it looks like not everyone has forgotten about the Swedish company. One designer even went as far as creating a new concept that should, in theory, revive the brand that gave us classics such as the 900 model.

Surprising absolutely no one, the car chosen for the reboot is an EV. However, it isn't just your ordinary hatchback or crossover, but rather a sleek-looking two-door four-seater that is equal parts coupe, sports car, and hatchback. Jahangir, the author, doesn’t specify what type of powertrain it uses, but all the signs pointing toward an EV are there: mostly closed grille, no exhaust, and more room inside than a car its size would suggest (though the rear seats do appear to have limited head space).

We don't know about you, but we think the unnamed Saab looks pretty good, and not just for what is essentially a zombie. Would it be enough to bring the name back from the dead and, hopefully, to the forefront of the automotive industry? Well, the exterior design does its part, but there are a ton of other aspects to consider: interior design, build quality, practicality, and, perhaps most importantly, good performance and at least competitive maximum range.

Those seem to be the minimum requirements nowadays. Unlike other startups, though, Saab would also bring the advantage of a manufacturer with plenty of baggage, and most of it good. With so many new names showing up, getting to witness the resurrection of an old one would make for a welcome change.