| Year
(of specifications) |
1966 - 1974 |
| Engine |
1.7
litre V4 (Sonett III) |
| Transmission |
4
speed manual FWD |
| Max
speed |
- |
| 0-60
mph |
- |
| Horsepower |
75
hp (Sonett III) |
| weight |
820
kgs / 1,785 lbs |
The Saab Sonett first went on sale in 1966 as the Sonett II
(the Sonett I never made it to the showrooms). The Sonett II
used the front-wheel-drive platform of the Saab 96 saloon. But
instead of a dull saloon body the Sonett featured a distinctive
coupe profile. But to be fair the Sonett II wasn't the prettiest
car on the road.
One thing the Sonett II wasn't was fast. The first generation
car was fitted with an 841 cc engine which only put out 60 horsepower,
and the performance it offered was a little underwhelming. Later
versions of the Sonett II faired slightly better thanks to a
new V4 engine which made 65 horsepower and considerably more
torque.
In 1970 the Sonett III was introduced. This iteration of the
model was significantly superior to the early Sonett's. It had
a 1.7 litre V4 engine which produced 75 horsepower @ 5,000 rpm
and 94 lb-ft of torque @ 2,500 rpm. The bodywork was also revised
and improved thanks to a change in supplier. The Sonett II got
its fiberglass body from a Swedish company which normally made
railway carriages. But the new suppliers, Coggiola of Italy,
were more adept at their trade and the appearance improved as
a result.
In 1974 production of the Sonett III ceased with 10,236 cars
having rolled off the production line.
The primary reason for the model's discontinuation were tighter
safety and emissions regulations in the US - the intended primary
market for the car. Redesigning the car to comply with the new
rules would have been too costly and uneconomical so Saab killed
it instead.
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