Spyker snubs Saab concept

But Eduard Gray's small car concept, called the 92010 Sixten, has failed to wow Saab's new owner, Dutch sportscar maker Spyker. The Trollhattan-based industrial designer's work has captured the imagination of Saab enthusiasts globally but Spyker has not even acknowledged the car.

"The response to the design has been largely positive, although there has been much discussion as to whether this is a 'retro' concept or the next logical step for the brand," he says. "I can say that it was designed as the latter, looking forward, with mere echoes of past glory."

Gray admits there is some self-interest in doing the 92010, the second Saab he has designed. "I'm a half English and half Dutch industrial designer working in Trollhattan, so I was pleased to see Spyker buying out our dying Saab brand and securing my own future," he says.

Gray says he would welcome any opportunity to work with Saab. "I rang Saab's brand design boss Simon Padian, without luck, asking about design opportunities," he says. "I then started a campaign to design my way into Saab and set to work on the hastily rendered Saab Spyker 9+Tribute, which was also well received by fans. Having sent the renderings to Simon and having received no comment I embarked on the next project, the jewel in the crown of Spyker, the compact 92."

Gray says he was inspired to do a small car after comments by enthusiasts and the media that Saab needed a new small car.

"A lot of enthusiasts called for a return to some of the original Saab lines from the Ursaab, the 92 and 96," Gray says. "So I used the proportions of those for the main body shape and distinctive side line profile and brought the car up to date with design cues from the Aero X concept and the new 95 production car. I tried keeping the round headlights, but was forced to compromise these, adding large lenses into more conventional, yet softened headlight housings to keep in line with the current design language."

A recent poll in Sweden supported the idea of Spyker employing Gray. "Many have commented that Saab, and indeed Victor (Muller) himself, should get in touch and employ me," he says. Gray is still waiting. In the meantime he's designing luxury one-off yachts for a boat company.