Amazing Photos of the Saab Sonett I

The Saab Sonett is an automobile manufactured between 1955 and 1957 and again between 1966 and 1974 by Saab of Sweden. The first prototype, now known as the Sonett I, is a two-seat, open-top, lightweight roadster racer which, ten years later, evolved into the commercially distributed Sonett models II, V4, and III.

The Saab Sonett, also called the Super Sport or Saab 94, was introduced on 16 March 1956 at Stockholm’s Bilsalong (motor show). Featuring a three-cylinder 748 cc two-stroke engine generating 57.5 horsepower (42.9 kW) and a 70 kilograms (150 lb) aluminium box-style chassis from Swedish designer Sixten Sason, the Sonett I was an advanced low-weight 600 kg (1,323 lb) racer based on aircraft design concepts.

With a projected top speed of 120 mph (190 km/h), the Sonett I had the prospect of success on the European race circuit, and a production run of 2,000 units was planned for 1957. However, race competition rules changed, permitting modified production cars into race classes that Saab had envisioned for its purpose-built Sonett, and the economic and marketing viability of the project faded.

Only six Sonett I vehicles were made between 1955 and early 1957, all RHD. The original prototype, known as “No. 1” and built with a manually-crafted glass-reinforced plastic (GRP, or “fiberglass”) body, served as the reference model for the other five cars. An extremely rare vehicle, only two Sonetts I exist in the United States; one was in the GM Heritage Center collection.

Here below is a set of amazing photos of the Saab Sonett I.