Saab hires Ferrari designer Castriota to speed turnaround

Jason Castriota, the U.S. designer known for creating the Ferrari P4/5 and Maserati GranTurismo, will head Saab Automobile’s design team to help the Swedish carmaker take on Bayerische Motoren Werke AG and Audi AG.

Jason Castriota

The first assignment for Castriota’s design firm is to create an upscale version of Saab’s current 9-3 model, scheduled for release in 2012, the 36-year-old said in an interview. Aerodynamics will be a focus of the new design, he said.

“It’s absolutely vital we get this car right,” Castriota said from New York late yesterday. “This is Saab returning to its roots, not having to worry about being part of a much larger machine that they were before in the GM organization.”

Saab, sold by General Motors Co. to Dutch supercar maker Spyker Cars NV in February, aims to become profitable by 2012. The turnaround strategy includes releasing premium models more distinct and sporty in their design than when Saab was under GM, according to Spyker Chief Executive officer Victor Muller.