9000

This cooperation was to lead to the birth of four cars: the Saab 9000 (1984), the Lancia Thema (1984) and FIAT Croma (1985), designed by Giugiaro, and the Alfa Romeo 164 (1987) by Pininfarina. The first car to be designed was the Thema, at the end of 1979. But Saab, which entered the joint venture at a slightly later date, requested that a moderate increase be made to the length and width. Thus Giugiaro had to start from scratch for the Thema and, on the basis of these new dimensions, began to lay out the Saab. Saab's first three-dimensional (polystyrene) model had a three-box layout. Giugiaro "knew" (but couldn't say) that Lancia, too, had chosen the same architecture and therefore proposed in his sketches a different approach. Taking from the previous Swedish sedans the tailgate and "Combi" philosophy, he proposed a full two-box architecture that included a sill at the bottom of the rear window.