Torsten Åman, the legendary PR manager at Saab in Sweden, loved his orange Sonett from 1972. It was meticulously restored in the early 1980s and then driven to Saab events all over Europe—now it is available for bidding on Bilweb Auctions.
Virtually every car manufacturer needed to have an orange color in their model lineup in the early 1970s—and Saab was no exception. They called their variant “Burnt Orange,” which was featured on the Sonett III in 1972.
And when Torsten Åman restored the car he found in Kiruna in 1980, this color was an obvious choice. Just like the personalized license plate “SON 1.”
For many decades, Torsten was the person Swedish journalists contacted for all Saab-related questions. He had a background as a co-driver in the elite racing circuit and navigated for, among others, Erik “On the Roof” Carlsson during the 1960s in Monte Carlo, Safari, and RAC rallies.
“The Sonett was the Saab model he loved the most, and it was not to be sold. Despite his height and age, he folded himself in and out of it with admirable agility,” notes Peter Bäckström at the Saab Car Museum.
Torsten Åman passed away in April at the age of 86, and Bilweb Auctions has now been entrusted with the sale of his Sonett.
The Sonett III was, as the model name indicates, the third generation of Saab’s little sports car and was manufactured during the 1970–1974 model years in Arlöv, Skåne. The engine was the proven V4 with 1.7 liters and 68 horsepower.
The Sonett III was launched at the New York Auto Show in 1970, and it was to the USA that the vast majority of the cars were shipped. Those that stayed in Sweden can be counted in the hundreds.
Torsten Åman’s Sonett is in very fine condition and in original specification, ready to be driven immediately by a new owner. A significant amount of documentation, such as a spare parts catalog, newspaper clippings, and several years' worth of the club magazine “Sonettvärlden,” accompanies the car and adds to its authenticity.
The auction countdown begins on August 29th, and this Sonett III is valued by Bilweb Auctions at between 220,000 and 250,000 SEK.
