Saabs look the way they do because aerospace engineers founded the company. Today this fact is what a Saab driver might use to explain the look of his car.

Not too long ago, the typical owner of a Saab didn’t explain anything to anyone. That’s because there’s always been a slightly edgy character to both Saabs and their drivers. (Well, at least in the sense that L.L. Bean fans from New England can be edgy.)

Poke around Edgartown in the summer and Stowe in the winter. You’ll find that Saab drivers are the ones who have managed to break free from of their buttoned down worlds and be a little different.

It’s the exotic coupe that won’t offend anyone because, at the end of the day, it’s a sensible hatchback. Equally important is that it allows getting behind the wheel of an exhilarating European sports car without having to look like one of those BMW conformists.

Times change, however, and auto makers have become adamant about reaching new customers. Porsche offers an off-road vehicle, for goodness sake.

That’s why prospective Saab owners are now told that when the particular shape of a wing serves a jet fighter well, chances are a similar piece of aluminum will be more than adequate for their car’s aerodynamics.

Saab’s sales pitch has become more Wall Street and less St. Mark’s Place. But that’s fine, because the latest models—and especially those in the 9-3 series—retain everything that’s cool and edgy about Saabs.

The chairman of General Motors who was responsible for buying Saab (the company) used to brag about the demographics of its drivers. The socio-economic status of these people must have seemed especially elite compared to some of the folks who were going for other GM brands at the time.

Seems that when a large American corporation swallows up a campy shop from Sweden, good things can happen. Detroit maintained the distinctive designs, as well as the European penchant for lively six-cylinder engines. Not to mention the culture of the turbo. Every version (sedan, coupe, sport wagon, convertible) looks and feels the way drivers have come to know the brand. To its credit, the 9-7 SUV manages to pull off being a legitimate member of this family. (The success of the Porsche Cayenne has undoubtedly influenced many of its competitors in the import crossover niche.)

GM’s Saab-as-a-jet fighter advertising campaign, which plays up precision technology and raw speed, is aimed at bringing more customers into showrooms without compromising those sterling demographics.

The idea here is that the expanded customer base includes the no-nonsense type who didn’t think about driving a Saab back when the most popular colors were tomato red and some kind of teal green. But he probably has a college roommate who did.