"KnowsAboutCars" (knowsaboutcars)
09/20/2014 at 13:58 • Filed to: saab, test mule, history
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"KnowsAboutCars" (knowsaboutcars)
09/20/2014 at 13:58 • Filed to: saab, test mule, history | 3
| 2 |
I happened to find this while searching for some information on 96 rally cars and I thought to share it with you. That's a Saab Paddan (The Toad in English) on the left. There were four Paddans built and only one left today. What makes it interesting is that 20 cm widened Saab 96 body and a Triumph 4-cylinder engine.
The idea behind the widened 96 body was, not unlike with many other test mules, to hide in plain sight. They were intended to be driven around Trollhättan without being noticed and the Saab 96 body was perfect camouflage since 96's were so common in Sweden at the time. Well, when I say perfect I mean nearly perfect as after some time Paddan was noticed and Swedish newspaper Expressen wrote about it.
What Daihatsu has to do with this story, or Saab at all? Well, I thought I'd show you this other test mule too. The Japanese car manufacturer has very little to do with Saab so why not badge the test mule as Daihatsu in order to keep it a secret? At least that's what the Saab engineers thought.
Cé hé sin
> KnowsAboutCars
09/20/2014 at 14:49 |
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In linguistic news of a spectacularly pedantic nature, you probably shouldn't really call this a Paddan. It's a Padda, Paddan is the definite version of the noun and means The Toad.
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KnowsAboutCars
> Cé hé sin
09/20/2014 at 15:05 |
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I should change the English name then. This was actually called Paddan.
