There was a time when we thought the Honda Element Camper was the ultimate post-Westfalia portable camper. Then we saw the appropriately named Toppola camper shell made for a number of Saab hatchbacks. Starting with the Saab 99 combi coupe, the conversion was quick and involved mostly removing the hatch and dropping in the camper shell. Made by SCANDO, the Toppola was also fitted to later Saabs including the Saab 900, 9000 and 9-3, which looks exceptionally fetching in red with the camper top.
Sadly, the business ended in 2006 and the company is looking for someone else to to take over production. There's one major obstacle to producing new Saab campers going forward: Saab sedans no longer feature hatches. We say transfer the thing over to the new Skoda Superb. (h/t to SLRSpeedShop) [Toppola Official Website]














Comments
Wow. If you couldn't already just fold down the back seats and roll out a pad and sleeping bag in the back of a Saab hatchback, I'd say that's pretty cool.
I'm not sure if I can think of a worse vehicle to put a camper on.
Why not just Camino the damn thing and then put a camper in the back?

Swedish Caamp? Like Dolph Lundgren in a dress.
@lascauxcaveman: Exactly. Not sure if it has a shower or toilet (guessing no), so I don't see any advantage here.
The website was a little...er...spartan.
More amazing than the fact that someone thought it was a good idea to build a camper to fit a Saab is the fact that they were able to convince enough other Saab owners that it was a good idea that they were able to make a business out of it.
I wonder if that will fit in my Mazda. You missed the dreamtrip pictures at the website quite .. interesting.
the space between the roof of the car & the bottom of the camper looks like it's prepped for some exciting blow off action.
Suspension travel seems a bit compromised by the looks of things.
And I thought racing a Saab 900 with a Viking warrior on the roof was weird.
"See You in St. Louis"? Will someone help this poor child understand the reference?
Sweet glory Jehovah's witness my urban redneck is revived!
I was curious so I Googled "Swedish pickup" it came back with Saab 900's.
@FreeMan: It's bolted to the hatch hinge attachment so it ain't flying off. It might even be anchored at the hatch latch...but I don't know that for a fact.
These are big in Sweden for the set that likes slightly more comfort than sleeping in their hatches.
Remember, personal trucks, RVs, nor huge campers aren't big, err, popular in Europe.
@やのГ人Ӄ: That pic is from the '04 Crystal Mountain (OR) SAAB Owners Convention. I'm pretty sure that's an acquaintance of the same-sounding name...
Driving that thing down I-40 on a windy March day would give any hoon white knuckles!
This is what happens if you get too close to DIA and forget your foil hat.
Or starting out on a wet uphill grade with FWD...
Not knocking this idea, because it's definitely clever. I just don't see the appeal over something like a teardrop trailer, which are small, cheap, towable, and won't slaughter your fuel economy or driving dynamics like a giant camper top will.
I'm no art critic, but I know what I hate. And I don't hate that.
@ash78: Or anything covered with snow. Still, it is more attractive than that Beetle RV. Just the ticket for when some punk throws a discarded lamp throw my hatch glass. (sorry, having nightmares after seeing the same happen to a car near mine)
I kinda hope there ISN'T a toilet in ther.
there.
Would love to see some pics of the inside of one of these. Although, I rented a Saab 9000 about 10 years ago and the thing was already HUGE inside!
By the way, I never noticed how much the 90's Saab 900 (the white one above with the black bumpers) resembled a Toyota Corolla.
I want to see one of these campers on the 240-horsepower 9-3 Viggen.
"See, there was this gigantic fiberglass dragon, and it was really into anal, and now the car's all sticky and it's got this giant thing..."
lol, this was on break.com yesterday and my girl looks over and says "photoshop" and I say, "no that's real" and she says "you believe everything on the internet is real." check out all the comments that say "PHOTOSHOP" [www.break.com]
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