Tag Archives: Saab

Car

Saab 95 (1960)

home Saab 95 (1960) Manufacturer : Saab
calendar Saab 95 (1960) Productions : 1960
settings Saab 95 (1960) Engine : 841 cc three-cylinder two-stroke engine
config Saab 95 (1960) Transmission : Four-speed manual transmission
world Saab 95 (1960) Source : netcarshow.com

The Saab 95 was a 7-seater, 2-door station wagon made by Saab, based on the Saab 96 sedan version. It was introduced in 1959, but because only 40 were made in 1959, production is often said to have started in 1960.

The first engine was an 841 cc three-cylinder two-stroke engine, but from 1967 onward, it became available with the same four-stroke Ford V4 as used in the Saab 96 and the Ford Taunus. It had a four-speed manual transmission. A rear-facing folding seat was dropped with the 1976 model, making the car a regular 5-seater. Production ended in 1978. A total of 110,527 were made.

For certain markets (Norway, Denmark) a special export version delivery van was available without a rear seat and rear side windows. Both commercial companies and private persons made conversions of the Saab 95 to a pickup truck.

In 1961, Erik Carlsson finished 4th in the Monte Carlo Rally in a two-stroke Saab 95.

read more »

Car

Saab Sonett I (1956)

home Saab Sonett I (1956) Manufacturer : Saab
calendar Saab Sonett I (1956) Productions :  1956
settings Saab Sonett I (1956) Engine : three-cylinder 748 cc two-stroke engine giving 57.5 hp (43 kW)
world Saab Sonett I (1956) Source : netcarshow.com

On March 16, 1956 the Saab Sonett Super Sport or Saab 94 (later known as Sonett I) was displayed at Stockholm’s Bilsalong (motor show). Only 6 were made, the original had a hand crafted body and the others were made in Glassfiber Reinforced Polyester (GRP – “fiberglass”) using the original car as a model. It had a three-cylinder 748 cc two-stroke engine giving 57.5 hp (43 kW). The body design was advanced for its time and was based on aluminium boxes. However, racing rules were changed and since Saab was now allowed to race using tuned up standard cars, only six were produced. In September 1996, car number 1 broke the Swedish speed record for cars up to 750 cc with a speed of 159.4 km/h.

read more »

Car

Saab 92 (1950)

home Saab 92 (1950) Manufacturer : Saab
calendar Saab 92 (1950) Productions : 1950
settings Saab 92 (1950) Engine : Two-stroke 764 cc, 25 hp (19 kW)
config Saab 92 (1950) Transmission : three gears, the first unsynchronised
world Saab 92 (1950) Source : netcarshow.com

Saab 92 is an automobile from Saab. The design was very aerodynamic for its time, and the cW value (drag coefficient) was 0.30 (the same as a Porsche 996 and better than the Ferrari F40). Full-scale production started December 12, 1949, based on the prototype Saab 92001. All of them were of the Deluxe version. A standard version was advertised, but nobody was interested in buying it so no standard versions were produced.

The engine was a transversly-mounted, water-cooled two-cylinder, two-stroke 764 cc, 25 hp (19 kW) thermosiphon engine based on a DKW design, giving a top speed of 105 km/h. The transmission had three gears, the first unsynchronised. In order to overcome the problems of overrun for the two-stroke engine, a freewheel device was fitted. The suspension was by torsion bars.

All early Saab 92s were green. According to some sources, Saab had a surplus of green paint from wartime production of airplanes.

Saab’s rally history already started two weeks after the 92 was released, when Saab’s head engineer Rolf Mellde entered the Swedish Rally and came second in his class.

Only 700 1950 models were made. In 1951, the German VDO instruments were replaced by American Stewart-Warner components.

In 1952 Greta Molander won the ‘Coupe des Dames’ of the Monte Carlo Rally in a 92, tuned to 35 hp (26 kW).

In 1953, the 92B arrived with a much larger rear window and larger luggage space (with an opening lid). It was now available in grey, blue-grey, black and green. In 1954 the Saab 92 got the new Solex 32BI carburetor and a new ignition coil giving 28 hp (21 kW). The US headlights were replaced with Hella units. Another novelty was that a textile roof (semi-cab or cabrio coach) was offered as an option. The color maroon was also introduced this year. In 1955, it acquired an electric fuel pump and square tail lights installed in the rear fenders. The colors were grey, maroon and a new color, moss green.

The English aviation test pilot ‘Bob’ Moore, who had helped to develop the Saab Tunnan (J29) jet aircraft, brought a 1955 Saab 92B back to England, when he returned, later to become the first managing director of Saab GB Ltd. This was reputedly the first-ever Saab car imported to the UK.

The Saab 93 was introduced in December 1955, but both the 92B and 93 were produced at the same time, for a while. The last 92 was assembled in late 1956/early 1957. Two new colors, grey-green and beige, were available. A total of 20,128 Saab 92s were made.

The Saab 92 appears on a Swedish postage stamp.

read more »

Car

Saab UrSaab (1947)

home Saab UrSaab (1947) Manufacturer : Saab
calendar Saab UrSaab (1947) Productions : 1947
settings Saab UrSaab (1947) Engine : 8 hp (13 kW) two-cylinder two stroke engine
world Saab UrSaab (1947) Source : netcarshow.com

The first Saab automobile was the Saab 92001, the ‘Ursaab’. As the Second World War was drawing to a close, the SAAB company, a manufacturer of warplanes, realised that it needed to enter a different market. An automobile project was envisaged. The final decision to start the automobile project was made in the fall of 1945. Development was started in Linköping by a 20 person team led by Gunnar Ljungström. The immediately-preceding Saab production code was for an aeroplane – the Saab 91 Safir – for this reason, the first car project started as the Saab 92 (92001).

An important requirement was that the car had to have a very low drag coefficient. Aerodynamic tests were part of the very early evaluations. The specification was also for front-wheel drive, secondary safety and winter capability. The body was of novel design, providing damage-resistance in the event of an accident and wide wheel arches allowed for snow accumulation without obstructing the wheels.

By summer 1946 the first prototype body was ready, hand beaten on a wooden jig. It had a borrowed 18 hp (13 kW) two-cylinder two stroke engine, which was placed transversely in the front of the vehicle.

The original 1946 Saab 92001 was driven thousands of miles. Today it is in the Saab museum in Trollhättan, with a cleaned grille and more roadworthy headlights. It is called Ursaab, meaning ‘original Saab’.

The 92001 design was improved by Sixten Sason in 1947, resulting in another prototype: the 92002 and later the production Saab 92. The aerofoil shape of 92001 was echoed in later Saab models, up to and including the Saab 96.

read more »