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SAAB Sonett III V4 — 1972

Saab's sportiest model built for the American market. A sports car where you can feel the thrill of speed without being ostentatious.

Mathias Casserlund
Besiktningsman
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Rebecca R Bengtsson
Case manager
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"The great thing about this Sonett is that no one has been tinkering with it in preparation for a potential sale. In other words, no one has tried to hide any defects by applying paint or similar methods. Frankly speaking, what you see is what you get. This is usually appreciated by those who intend to restore a vintage car. Therefore, this Sonett is in a genuine used condition. We recommend a service with a review of the ignition and carburetor for continued use. Apart from that, it's up to the buyer to determine the level of improvement measures. It works well as a rolling restoration project or can be driven as is."

COUNTDOWN
CURRENT BID
ENDED
85 000SEK
LOT NUMBER
LOCATION
16226
STORFORS
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Reached
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Mathias Casserlund
Inspector
Send message
Rebecca R Bengtsson
Case manager
Send message

"The great thing about this Sonett is that no one has been tinkering with it in preparation for a potential sale. In other words, no one has tried to hide any defects by applying paint or similar methods. Frankly speaking, what you see is what you get. This is usually appreciated by those who intend to restore a vintage car. Therefore, this Sonett is in a genuine used condition. We recommend a service with a review of the ignition and carburetor for continued use. Apart from that, it's up to the buyer to determine the level of improvement measures. It works well as a rolling restoration project or can be driven as is."

Description

Already in 1956, Saab began developing its contribution to the sports car world, namely the Saab Sonett. At that time, only six prototypes were produced. However, in the 1960s, Saab made a comeback, and in 1966, the Sonett II was introduced to the market. Upgrades were made for the 1970 model year, and the Sonett III was born. The car currently being auctioned is indeed a Sonett III. It is a 1972 model that was originally sold for export. We believe it ended up in the United States. Saab only produced 2,000 units for the 1972 model year. In 1980, it was imported back to Sweden. Beyond that, we don't have much information about the car's early history. The current owner purchased the car in 2011 and has since used it as a summer car.
The car is equipped with a mileometer with a retrofitted kilometer scale. We are not aware of the total mileage, but the meter shows 97,441 American miles. The car has passed inspection and is ready to be driven home. A spare wheel, jack, and service manuals are included.

Technical data

  • Year
    1972/1972 
  • Registration date
    1980-09-12 
  • Mileage
    97441 miles 
  • Kw / hp
    48 / 65 
  • Fuel Type
    Petrol 
  • Transmission
    Manual 
  • Interior finish
    Vinyl 
  • Colour
    Blue 

Condition

  • Mechanical condition:

    he car is front-wheel drive and equipped with a 65 horsepower V4 engine and a four-speed gearbox. It has a 2-port Weber carburetor with a sports air filter. The engine runs a bit unevenly, especially when cold. The exhaust system has been replaced with a larger one. It performs well on the road, but the gear linkage shows some wear. However, the gears engage smoothly with an experienced hand. The main headlights cannot be lowered, as the mechanism requires lubrication.

  • Interior condition:

    The car retains its original interior with some signs of use. The seats are generally in good condition, although there is a repair on the left seat (see picture). It is equipped with removable/movable lumbar supports. The door panels are in good condition, and the instrument panel is free from cracks. The floor mats are in good shape. However, the headliner and side panels in the trunk area are sagging. The trunk space has aged well and shows minimal signs of wear.

  • Exterior condition:

    The car appears to have an older repaint in its original color. The paint shows signs of wear, some cracking, and stone chips. There are a few minor damages on the plastic body, including near the driver's door against the front fender and the right fender edge (see pictures). There is an older damage at the rear on the right side below the bumper (see picture). The doors, hood, and trunk lid fit well. The underbody of the car shows surface rust on the underside of the sills, but it does not appear to be extensively corroded. Please refer to the pictures of the underside of the car for more details.

  • General condition:

    The car is in a used condition, with some minor cosmetic issues. Overall, it is a well-functioning Sonett, making it a perfect project car.

MOT (tech. insp.)

Fordonsstatus: Itrafik 2008-03-17
Ursprungsbesiktning: 1980-09-12 (regbes)
Datum i trafik första gången: 1980-09-12
Senast godkända besiktning: 2020-06-08
Besiktningsbefriad: Ja
Skattebefriad: Ja
Körförbud: Nej
Antal ägare: 6

Facts about the model

In the mid-1950s, Saab began developing ideas for a small, lightweight open-top racing car using suspension and drivetrain components from the newly introduced Saab 93. Saab's first Sonett was showcased at the Stockholm Motor Show in March 1956, with only six units produced. However, the regulations changed later, allowing Saab to compete with modified Saab 93s instead. In the early 1960s, two formula cars were also built but were not competitive enough in the Formula Junior class, leading to the discontinuation of the project.

In 1961, Volvo started selling their new sports car, the P1800, which used standard components but featured a sporty body manufactured in the UK and assembled by Jensen Motors. Saab began receiving inquiries, especially from the US, about whether they would also build a sports car. Saab didn't have the resources to develop one on their own, so a design competition was held between Sixten Sason and AB Svenska Järnvägsverkstäderna (ASJ), and Björn Karlström and Malmö Flygindustri (MFI). Björn Karlström and MFI emerged as the winners, and the body was made of plastic.

The Sonett II, with a three-cylinder two-stroke engine, was produced in 258 units. In 1968, as a 1969 model, the Sonett received a larger V4 engine under the hood, originally sourced from Ford.

The Saab Sonett III was introduced in New York in the spring of 1970. It received much better reviews than its predecessor, which was considered more of a hobby/racing project by Saab. The Sonett III was more refined and user-friendly, with a proper exterior-accessible trunk space. The entire body, except for the doors, had a new design. The front was lower and featured pop-up headlights. The rear was redesigned with, among other things, taillights from the Saab 99. The gear lever was placed on the floor. In 1972, 2,000 units of the Sonett III were produced. In total, slightly over 10,000 units of the Saab Sonett were manufactured.

Location and viewing Information

Location: Storfors

For viewing the vehicle, contact the valuator/depot:

Mathias Casserlund

mathias.casserlund@bilwebauctions.se

Pick up

Collection must take place before: 2023-08-17.

NOTE! Payment (deposit to our account) must be made within 5 days and before collection.

Auction information

General information about the condition of the vehicles .
  • At this auction, many vehicles have been included in car collections and have been stored (mothballed) for a long time. For this reason, they are described from a collector's perspective and may need technical reviews and maintenance service - oil, battery replacement, new tires, brake review, etc. - before they can be used. .
  • During the auction days information about a vehicle may be updated up to the day before the auction ends. When you bid at the end of the auction period - and also if you have made an earlier bid - we therefore ask you to read the descriptions carefully, in case something has been changed due to new information.
Important to know before placing your bids!
  • Once you have called in an item and the reservation price is reached we want you to deposit the entire purchase amount into our client funds account before retrieval can take place.
  • When you need to retrieve a called in object we want you to examine it carefully. If you consider that the item does not match our description you do not need to complete the purchase. In this case the deposited purchase sum and the entry fee are refunded.
  • If you do not examine the item on the spot the call charge will be debited, but you do not have to complete the deal.
  • If you make the entire purchase exclusively at a distance you have 14 days to cancel, but must return the item at your own expense.
  • Your shipping costs and other costs are not reimbursed when the right of withdrawal is exercised. Swedish court applies.
  • For items that have not been collected within 14 days storage costs may be charged.

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