A fun car from those ‘crazy Swedes’ at Saab
Even though it looks as if this car recently came off an assembly line, its story dates back to 1955 when it was initially conceived as a race car, but six units were constructed in two years. But Saab wasn’t about to give up because they came back in 1966 with the Sonett II geared for mass production. Still gung ho on the project, four years later they came out with the new and improved Sonett III, the subject of my find at the Lane Motor Museum in Nashville this week.
Let’s hop back to the Sonett II for a moment. Initially equipped with a 3-cylinder, 2-stroke engine, but upgraded to a V-4, 4-stroke engine in 1968, to adhere to developing emission regulations, and became known as the Sonett V4. By 1970, it further evolved into the Sonett III, undergoing a substantial redesign influenced by American sports car preferences.
Italian designer Sergio Coggiola initiated the new design, later refined by Saab’s Gunnar Sjögren, resulting in a sleek profile with a new aerodynamic nose, manually-operated pop-up headlamps, and a distinctive Saab grille. Its original MSRP was just $3,795.
Beneath its stylish exterior, the Sonett III housed a Ford Taunus-derived 1700cc V-4 engine, and despite emission constraints performed well and 0-62mph was still possible in 13 seconds. Gaining a reputation for its agility, contemporary design, and competitive pricing, the Sonett III enjoyed success both on and off the track, particularly in the US market. Its enduring affordability and distinctive charm garnered accolades from publications like Road & Track.
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So what are they worth now? With just 8,308 units manufactured, ones in good condition are getting tougher and tougher to find. An average price I found was just under 10 grand, but expect to pay upwards of close to 40K for one in showroom condition. Still, at 10 grand, that’s lots of fun in a small package.
Thanks for stopping by and checking out the car I discovered this week. Come back next Sunday for another one of my spots, along with some of its history. Have a great rest of your weekend and a great week ahead.
Savage On Wheels 
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