This is the story of how a group of engineers working at Saab Automobile in 2011 was forced to leave their employments due to the unfortunate bankruptcy. The love for Saab never ceased and 14 years later, we are now picking up the legacy of what we were part of developing during those trembling days before the bankruptcy. 

In a unique collaboration between Griffin Cars, NEVS and Factory Thn, we can now offer a limited edition of Saabs, reborn on the Fenix platform. 

The group behind Griffin Cars is a small group of engineers who were all working at Saab Automobile before the bankruptcy. Since the fall of Saab, they have been working in other parts of the Swedish Industry. In the early 2022, an opportunity arose to buy sets of the Fenix platform which was used during the development in 2011. The Fenix platform shall not be confused with the Phoenix concept vehicle which was presented in the Geneva Auto Show in 2011. The platform was supposed to form the base of all upcoming Saab models starting with the next generation Saab 9-3 as designed by Jason Castriota and followed by cars such as next generation 9-4x and possibly also a new Sonett. The group behind Griffin Cars were highly involved in the development of the Fenix platform and possess a substantial amount of knowledge. The platform would have brought the cars from Saab way ahead of their competitors. Even today it is competitive against many platforms in the segments and also upcoming competition. 

During the development of the Fenix platform, there was a strive to keep the connection points to the vechicle body intact. The result was a high degree of commonality between the fastening points of the current generation of Saab 9-3 and the Fenix platform. The practical result is that the Fenix platform can be relatively easily fitted in the current generation Saab 9-3NG. Despite the commonality with the current 9-3ng, the Fenix Platform is a great leap forward, turning the already good driving dynamics of the 9-3 into an extraordinary experience. 

During a period of about 2 years, Griffin cars completed the integration work of the Fenix Platform. We gathered information and collected data from many different sources in order to create a product that would be as close as possible to  the technical standard of the Fenix Platform as of late 2011. Due to this, we can now offer rebuilt Saab 9-3s of model year 2008 and onwards. We have the possibility to convert 8 vehicles in full (Front and Rear Suspension and Powertrain) and a smaller number with only the front suspension and powertrain. 

The purpose of this work is two folded, first we would like to see the product we were part of developing in 2011 on the roads. Secondly, we would like feedback from users on how they experience the product in case we chose to move forward to a second step.

The Powertrain

The powertrain of the Fenix platform consisted of engines from BMW. An inline 4 cylinder, 1.6 liter engine that could be found in smaller vehicles from BMW Group such as the BMW 1 and 3-series as well as the Mini Cooper. The hardware of these engines are the same but Saab chosed to develop their own engine calibration for a more Saabish-feeling. Part of this calibration work, included a boost function where the engine developed an extra 20 Nm during kickdown. These extra 20Nm was developed so the driver should get a feeling of a "ketchup" effect. The effect is noticeable but still smooth. This boost function was an homage to the iconic Saab 99T which was the first Saab equipped with a turbo engine. 

The engines are Euro6 compliant and should have been offered in three variants, a low power version of 160Hp and 240Nm. A medium power version of 190Hp and 255+20Nm Boost and a high power version of 220Hp and 280+20 Nm Boost. All engines were running on gasoline. Ethanol was planned but not released in the first model year.

An electric rear axle was also planned for later model years.

The Rear Chassi

The rear chassi consists of a completely new 5-link suspension. Saab known for its' driving dynamics and always setting the bar high made a choice to invest a large effort into the rear chassi. With a 5-link suspension, an almost perfect control over the wheels movement can be maintained and the freedom of motion is higher meaning that it's possible to create the exact desired movement of the wheel. The most obvious difference with the 5-link is that the wheel is moving also backwards during an upward motion, in contrast to cheaper chassis where the wheel often strives forward instead of backward. This brings the vehicle to a next level of road handling and comfort since the wheel is not striving to counteract the movement of the vehicle body during upwards movement. The Swedish word is "Skarvkomfort" but unfortunately it doesn't translate well to English. It has to be experienced to be understood in full.

The suspension is also built in such a way that the whole suspension is mounted to a highly rigid subframe, meaning that all uneveness from the road is transferred to the vehicle body, only through 4 bushings . These bushings can then be optimized to reduce road NVH and to improve vehicle dynamics.

The Front Chassi

The front chassi is based on a McPherson but with changed geometry. The geometry was developed to maximize the road handling and to reduce unwanted effects such as torque steer. A lot of effort was invested in increasing the stiffness of the chassi components in order to minimize unwanted movement and to keep the movement only where it is supposed to be. For this reason, a completely new subframe was developed which itself is extremly stiff but also all brackets for bushings are extremely rigid. 

The Result

We have built two vehicles that has been used for evaluation purpose. When we first drove the vehicles, our first reaction was astonishment over how well built and mature the whole setup is. Our second impression was how much Saab feeling the Fenix platform offer. The car is extremely agile, makes you long for the next corner. It dives into the corners and the car is constantly asking for more speed while driving through the corner. At the same time, there are no tendencies of torque steer. The engine is extremely well suited for this car. The low weight over the front chassi has drastically reduced the tendencies to understeer which was almost a signum for many Saabs in the past. Even though the engine is small, it is definitely not underpowered for this car. The engine develops power over the full register and runs without hesitation to the limit. Our own judgement is that this platform is definitely the best Saab has ever made and brings Saab back to the roots with a lightweight, fun-to-drive and agile vehicle, perfectly suited for country roads but also an extreme highway cruiser. These cars are Saabs as they were supposed to be before large company groups made their impact.

Our orderbook is open so reach out to us to secure a unique piece of Swedish engineering with the most modern Saab-feeling available today.

The Process

Sourcing

Together with the customer, we will source a good object to use for the re-build. The object should match the customers preferences and be in a condition good enough for the rebuild.

Disassembly

Together with our partner Factory Thn/NEVS, we will disassemble the car and repair possible defects on the vehicle.

Modification

The car body will undergo modifications of the front wheel houses and suspension towers as well as some minor brackets that will be re-positioned. In the rear, new front and rear attachment points will be installed as well as a lateral reinforcement bar and new attachments for the springs and shock absorbers. 

When this job is done, the car is being painted in the color of choice of the customer.

Assembly

In this step, the car marries to the Fenix Platform. That means that the front and rear suspension as well as the powertrain is being mounted in the car. In this step, a hybrid electrical system is also mounted in order for the new engine management system to be fully integrated in the existing electrical system of the 9-3. In this step, also an interior with new upholstery is mounted. An upgraded infotainment supporting Android Auto and Google Car Play is also mounted in the new MY12 dash. If the customer wishes, also an upholstered steering wheel and door handles are mounted. 

Registration

The cars will be registered in the Swedish vehicle registry under an individual approval. They will keep their license number but will undergo an inspection to verify that they fulfill the european norms and regulations. A car with a Swedish Individual Approval can be exported to any EU country and registered with an individual approval for that specific EU country.

Delivery

The car is delivered to the customer. The car can be delivered to the customer all over Europe but can also be delivered to the customer on-site in Trollhättan. If the latter option is prefered, then we can offer a stailor made package with hotel and a visit to Saabs former facilities in Trollhättan.