Saab Sonett (1955-1957) and (1966-1974)
Data sheet, itself an extract from Saab Sonics no. 21
The SAAB SONETT SUPER SPORT
“The greatest sensation at the 1956 Stockholm Motorcar Show (with more than 400 different cars on show) was undoubtedly the Saab Sonett Super Sport, built by Saab’s Motorcar Division at Trolhattan. An experimental car, the Saab Sonett Super Sport has been built mainly to enrichen Saab’s experience in the design of advanced cars. As far as the chassis is concerned, the Saab Sonett is to nearly 100 per cent built on the standard Saab-93 chassis. The car is equipped with a Saab-93 engine, which has been boosted to give 57.5 h.p. at 5.000 r.p.m. (as against 38 h.p. in the standard Saab-93 car). Max. torque is approx. 63 lbs.ft. (9 kpm) at 3,500 r.p.m. By building the Saab Sonett, the motorcar division will get an opportunity to test the Saab-93 engine under exceptional conditions. Another design feature tested in connection with the construction of the new car is the glass fibre laminate (plastics) used in the body of the car. The most interesting design feature is perhaps the box type design used for the mounting of the chassis details. This has been built according to aircraft design principles and is of light metal. Thus, a very low weight of the unit (71 kg.) has been obtained.
The work on this car has been directed by Mr. Rolf Mellde, Chief Test Engineer at Saab’s Motorcar Division at Trollhattan. An experimental series of 5 cars is now being built.”
Although some books claim that the car shown at the Stockholm Motor Show remained a one-off, it seems that there are 6 Super Sports still in existance today (thanks to Robert Miller for pointing this out). It was not until the early ’60s that the idea for a sports car was revived. The Sonett II was introduced in 1966. In 1970 it was restyled by Italian Coachbuilder Sergio Coggida and produced as the Sonett III.
