Stories from a long-gone future
25.12.2025If Santa had to travel in a Saab, he would probably choose a vehicle like this one: the Saab 96 Cosmonaut captivates with its futuristic design and retro charm. But the vehicle is not a figment of the imagination, but a real modding project that originated in Finland and has now found its way to Germany.
One-of-a-kind from Finland
The Saab 96 “Cosmonaut” is a Finnish one-off with a bubble top. It is based on a 1975 Saab 96 with a 1.7-liter V4 engine, which has been seen at meetings in Finland and Sweden for many years. Today, it stands in a German showroom with Finnish registration papers and looks more like a spacecraft than a classic sedan.
The starting point was a project by a father and son: they wanted to lower the roof of their Saab 96. As the roof structure was removed, the car's appearance changed more and more. When the roof was finally completely gone, the body suddenly looked so light that a transparent dome instead of a steel structure seemed the obvious choice.
The result was a completely handmade bubble top. The large hood can be raised electrically, close the interior, or be removed completely. This transforms the 96 into either a closed “capsule” or an open vehicle with a very unusual silhouette.
Retro-futuristic design
The choice of color is also part of the concept. The car is painted in a shade reminiscent of the model studies and space mock-ups of the early 1960s. Together with the long fenders and compact cabin, this reinforces the impression of a small show car from an optimistic vision of the future.
The interior features a deliberately retro-futuristic cockpit. The steering wheel looks like a filigree construction, the instruments are reminiscent of aircraft displays, and parts of the mechanics for the dome are visible. The large transparent hood creates the impression of an observation cockpit with light falling in from all sides.
When driving, it's less about speed and more about the experience. The dome refracts light and reflections, bringing the outside world closer, and without the hood, the car looks like a modern interpretation of a Saab 96 convertible that never went into production. The Cosmonaut is a talking point in every parking lot – a Jetsons Saab that has taken on an almost mythical role in the scene over the years as a particularly imaginative conversion of the Saab 96.
