Ahhh…. the good old days. The days when “image” advertising was something that only cigarette manufacturers, perfume purveyors and cruise lines did. When automobile ads actually said something. Something meaningful, anyway.

Take a look at this U.S. magazine advertisment from 1974. As you may recall, Saab got started with the hatchback concept in that model year with the Saab 99 Combi Coupe, or, as it was known here in the United States, the Saab 99 Wagonback.

As this advertisment points out, the 1974 Saab Combi Coupe was built like a Volvo, was as well-appointed as an Audi, and had the cargo capacity of both cars combined.

Take a look.

In the month of hatch lovin’ we can focus on a number of great things about the hatchback design: the pleasing aesthetics, the simplicity of design and, of course, the utility. As you may have gathered from today’s title, we’re focusing on utility, Fergie notwithstanding.

Some of these pictures have been passed around a lot over the course of the past few years, like this one, which is well-known to most Saabisti:

This Saab 900 5-door has obviously seen better days — the rust and faded red paint should tell you why the owner of this Saab had no qualms about chucking a commerical mower in the back of his car. But the simple fact is that with even the Saab 900 4-door sedan he wouldn’t have even been able to cart the components individually, when with the hatch, the whole thing fits!

Lesson: Not all cargo space is equal.
Car manufacturers and reviewers can play with cubic inches and cubic meters all they like, but if the opening to the cargo space will not accomodate the load, what good are they? With the hatch (especially on the flat-floored 99 and C900) you have the greatest flexibility.

On to another popular Saab hatchback use, let’s turn to furniture moving, shall we? As you may recall, Saab ran ads in the 1980′s depicting a 900 3-door with a leather love seat (small sofa) sitting in the hatch. This is a real-life variation of that theme, with a queen-sized sleeper sofa inside a 9000 hatchback. According to the caption, this photo was taken in 2002 on a street in Chicago.

The caption

And in the “I’m glad I didn’t bet money on this” department, on the Fridge Door this week is a picture (unaltered) proving that you really can move a queen size sleeper sofa by wedging it into the back of an ’89 Saab 9000 (my yuppiemobile anti-Christ). My parents couldn’t even get a 19-inch TV (yes, they still make those and even the Sonys sell for as litte as $250 now) into the back of their Acura this summer so they had to leave the box at Best Buy. Why again are Americans so enamored with sedans & trunks over hatchbacks?

Indeed.

Finally, the ‘hatchback camper’ motif is well represented amoung Saab owners, with varying degrees of involvement by the hatch….

In this case, it’s obvious that the camper slept in the back of the 9000, which may easily be done if you have a hatch.

More pics of laden Saab hatchbacks after the break. Submit your own if you have them. Stories are appreciated!!

Continue reading →