New Design Director at Saab Automobile

Saab Automobile today announced the appointment of former Bertone and Pininfarina designer Jason Castriota as its new Design Director.

Castriota, 36, now takes the lead role in design at Saab, reporting directly to Saab Automobile CEO Jan Åke Jonsson. He and his design company will be responsible for exterior and interior design and will lead the design activities at Saab as the brand renews and broadens its product range.

Announcing the appointment, Jan Åke Jonsson said: “We’re delighted to welcome Jason to our leadership team. He has an outstanding track record in automotive design and will help us take the brand forward. He will play a key role in expressing all that’s best in the innovative tradition of Saab design as we carry our brand’s roots into the future.”

“I’m greatly looking forward to joining such an iconic brand,” said Castriota. “Saab has a very strong and distinctive heritage which gives it great potential to develop. This is an exciting opportunity for me to help shape its future products.”

Victor Muller, Saab Automobile’s Chairman, added: “Bringing a young, highly-talented designer to Saab underlines the company's determination to produce cars which stand out because of their unique aircraft inspired, Swedish identity. With Jason heading up Saab design, we will be making landmark cars for the foreseeable future.”

Castriota hails from New York and graduated from Emerson College in Boston before attending the prestigious Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. In 2001, he left the college to join Pininfarina’s design studio in Turin, Italy. He took up the position of Director of Design at Stile Bertone in 2008 and then opened a design consultancy with offices in New York and Turin.

His recruitment is an important strategic step by Saab in its renaissance as a newly-independent carmaker.

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Rett

Best of luck, Jason. Red Sox fan?

# 1

June 18, 2010
f hastings

would absolutely love to see a redesigned 99 model make a comeback!!! Congrats to a fellow yank from Boston and we are excited for the future of Saab!

# 2

June 19, 2010
ic

how about Simon Padian?what will happen to him ?

# 3

June 19, 2010
German SAAB driver

Hmmm ... Will SAAB now change to a SAAB with more scandinavian SAAB DNA or change to someting with more central and southern european design DNA?

Let us now hope that SAAB remains as a SAAB SAAB.

# 4

June 19, 2010
Marian

I am a proud owner of a SAAB 900 NG made in '96.
I love this brand.
I wish to Jason... Lycka till!(good luck!)

# 5

June 20, 2010
Den

Great that Saab is going back to being 'Saab' GM were ruining everything that was so good about the brand/cars. Good luck guys and may the good times roll again pre GM!

# 6

June 21, 2010
Luciano

Un augurio da parte mia a Jason per offrire a Saab uno stile proveniente dalla scuola italiana di design per eccellenza.

# 7

June 21, 2010
jon

I first have to say, I love your commercial! It would make me buy a Saab, that is if I could afford one. Keep up the great work and maybe someday I'll been in a Saab showroom, Too buy!!!! Thank you and good luck Jason Castriota.

# 10

June 22, 2010
romac

Congratulation & welcome aboard Jason!

I too would like to see a reprise of the 99. Also such niceties as the co-pilot having access to the window/door controls - something lost in the current 9-3.

# 11

June 22, 2010
Patricia Baldwin

So I was looking at a Saab today, and was wondering if it is the one to buy? I have never owned one, and I did like the model I was trying out. It was a 2008 9-7X 42i. Why should I buy a Saab Jason?

# 17

June 27, 2010
Arjessen

His first interior design change should be to compare the parking brakes of the pre-2003 9-3 with the post 2003. The function was sacrificed to some weird aesthetic.

# 18

July 1, 2010
Anne Currie

Welcome Jason! I have owned a number of saabs and am pleased to see such a handsome man at Saab!

# 19

July 3, 2010
mary perillo

"Castriota hails from New York" so why the hell would he be a Red Sox fan??
and as a fellow New Yorker who's last name ends in a vowel, all the best JC. (about to buy my fourth used Saab 900)

# 20

July 4, 2010
Turbostud

With a classy guy like Castriota, I'm excited to see the 12' 9-3. Hopefully it won't be too expensive...

# 21

July 5, 2010
Roy

Best of luck Jason with your new opportunity I'm sure you add a new and exciting dimension to Saab.

# 22

July 5, 2010
JH

Patricia: The Saab 9-7X is not a real Saab. It is just a Chevrolet Trailblazer that was rebadged by GM. Check out the new 9-5 or a 9-3/9-3X instead.

# 23

July 6, 2010
SOI

In Oslo, one Saab businesses has an impressive display of cars out to sea!
http://sveinoveisaksen.wordpress.com/2010/07/05/nei-se-her-saab/

# 24

July 7, 2010
Troy Allen_

I was looking online at new cars as my winter car needs to be replaced and what an awesome surprise to see someone at Saab got the new 9-5 styling right for a much needed change. This new 9-5 is a car worthy of the Saab badge. I have always fancied the Saab brand. My first car was the 900 se turbo coupe. That was a brillant car. The last Saab I owned was the 2002 9-5 aero. Something happened to the brand when the coupe was replaced with the 9-3 sedan. Saabs just did not catch my eye after that. I haven't considered the brand in years but after seeing images of the new 9-5, that is no longer the case. I can't wait to see what you guys do with the brand, but thus far, its obvious Saab is back on track.

# 25

August 8, 2010
Ken Zupan

As a formally trained industrial designer and design lecturer, I look forward
to Mr. Castriota's tenure at Saab.

I am certain that he will uphold Saab's unique design vernacular despite the rumblings of his critics.

# 27

August 13, 2010