Saab Sonett is a Two-Stroke Heirloom

Though it sounded like a lawn tractor when it started up, Saab always made wonderfully thought out vehicles. Endearing, quirky & always willing . . . the kind of vehicle you never forget!

my own Saab story later became a 'sob-story'. Id bought a cream puff of a Sonett, V-4,absolutely a gem. Sadly it was lost in a horrible fast burn total. I had parked the yellow beauty on a severe slope one evening after filling the petrol tank. Evidently a slight leak from the tank,perhaps thru a deteriorated fuel line allowed fumes to gather along the door/floor pan resulting in a gigantic explosion . A warm California full moon evening got me loading the car to do a camp out under the stars in Big Sur,and I'd already loaded the rear boot with sleeping bag and wonderful gift quilt a good friend had gifted me on my birthday in Feb. . So I'd have a candle at camp, i made the last walk with gear to the car with a lit candle in my hand.. opened the door and placed the candle(burning!!) upon the floor under the steering wheel.. fully 2/3'rd in the seat.. a bit of me still out (my feet basically). When the interior exploded in a huge fire ball.. literally blowing me out of the car and into the street.. with not enough garden hose to reach the car.. I was forced to do nothing but watch everything melt down in front of my eyes

She is so beautiful and unique looking. I feel as though, I'm falling in love with automobiles all over again. Thank you for uploading

Long live two strokes!

Great story and car.

Back in 70's beside the saab 96, they should have race this car in the rally. should let eric race this car.

My dad has a Saab 96 Sport which has the same engine and it may not be quick but with that brilliant noise, you feel like your doing 140. To me it kind of sounds like an old Ferrari at high speed, I just love it.

I found a yellow one in my area that needs work for $4k, good investment? I'm not too sure but I'll be damned if I didn't fall in love once I saw the yellow exterior.

brap intensifies

I bought a 67 Sontte in 1976 for $400. I drove it from the dealer onto a NYS Thruway. A few minutes later I got off at an exit and thought I would down shift and hug the corner. What a mistake! I almost crashed! I went back to the deal and pulled into the garage and complained about the piece of junk they sold me! I couldn't believe all these mechanics were laughing at me. Then the boss came over and said don't mind them they are just funning you. He walked over to the car and opened the door and reached under the dashboard and pulled out the hand. He said now the car will run like a regular standard shift!! I never hear of the freewheel feature of a Saab. That day began my love affair with my Saab. Oh, by the way I drove my Saab during the Blizzard of 77 in Buffalo New York. I got stuck once and 10 guys lifted the car out of the snow and I was on my way!! I miss my Saab....

First time seeing this. I am so jealous. I had chassis #19 that I had wanted to restore. I was young at the time and did not realize how expensive that would be. The guy that bought it finally did restore it. And I see another Sonnet in the background. Damm!

stunning look it has!

someone would do well to make a replica but put an electric motor in it. A vehicle this light with a modern electric drivetrain would really rip, but in a a way befitting it's unusualness.

I saw a picture of one once as a teen and fell in love. It was the early 80s and all the other guys wanted Camaros or Trans Ams or what have you...I wanted a snappy little foreign job that you didn't see every day. Still wish I could afford one.

Bravo Petrolicious!
A completely fantastic documentation again! Thanks a lot for making, uploading/sharing.

What a shame GM squandered it's opportunity when it acquired Saab

Rarely am I jealous of other's parents but I am now

Looks as cool as it sounds! The Swedish Corvette!

I seriously wonder what the part number for that back glass is. If it is glass then I bet you can cross reference it to the Barracuda back glass.

My Biology teacher in high school had a brand new (I think) white one. This bodystyle. The Sonnett I. It may not have been a 2 stroke. Unless they never built any with V4's.

Luckiest man alive 🥰

That's a 2 stroke V4 🔥🔥🔥❤️❤️❤️

its not about bhp but its about power to weight ratio.

Didn't know about this car. I knew Saab two strokers fro,m many years ago when a friend had one in high school. This little one has a beautiful silhouette.

Good lookin car, goddamn

The wooden dash-board :-D

Two stroke? Yeah, I love my chainsaw, and I'm pretty sure the kiddy dirt bike I had back in the 70s was a two-stroke, too...but I'll take a major pass on having one in a car, no matter how rare and otherwise charming.

Everything's great about this car except for the fact that it's NOT A PORSCHE

Absolutely gorgeous car made even better by that unusual 2 stroke powerplant that did so well for Saab in it's rally cars of the time. It's lovely to have such a great provenance with this car and hopefully the next generation will continue to cherish it (and it's pal in the garage) in due course.

A big no for me Is the 2 stroke, fuel compsuption too high, in Eu Gasoline Is expensive 😫

The Swedish Ferrari

Two stroke are a nightmare in noise

These were popular for ice racing.

What a beautiful car! Very jealous....Good onya mate from Australia.

Not so long ago I found this model Sonett on a local and nearby parking lot, but sadly with a roll-cage and bolts through the roof, to the outside!

Lovely car!

That sound is iconic, nothing else sounds like a 2-stroke SAAB.

I had a sonnet II in baby puke orange……great little car. Had the habit of picking up a wheel in turns because the engine was in front of the axle.
Traded it even for a lotus Europa

I used to live in Melbourne, FL. In 1980 there was a primered Saab Sonett II driving around. Was that you?

My dad owned one of these when I was a kid. He auto-crossed it and won several times. He owned probably 100 cars during his lifetime, and his father owned 40-50 as well. Needless to say, there’s not many cars that I haven’t seen or read about or heard of. This Saab is one of those cars you never forget, even if you never got a chance to drive it. Rip Dad and Grandpa

A good friend when I was attending U of Central Florida (FTU back then) had a yellow Sonett 2 or 3 years newer. His had a 4-stroke V-4. What a blast!

Excellent video, superb car.

In 65/66 I worked at Scandia Motors in Seaside Calif (Monterey Peninsula)
This was a SAAB/VOLVO dealership owned by Ole Andersson of Sweden.
He was a former rally, road race and ice racer with SAABS and VOLVOS.
He also ice raced motorcycles.
In the US he raced two stroke SAABS , I believe in D sedan class at such tracks as Laguna Seca.
He also raced Baja. He built all the cars in the shop where I was privileged to work on them.
He also raced a SAAB factory built open wheel car. The ;last time I saw it and spoke with Ole was at Laguna Seca.
Though he did not race the Sonett, he drove one as a "demo".
Ole introduced me to Aqva Vit. !
RIP Ole.

If I am not mistaken some of the early2 stroke Sonetts were all white and the fiberglass bodies were "hand laid"
and later sprayed glass. Is this correct?

I bought one of Ole's 2 stroke race cars and streeterized it. It was a 93 with a Monte Carlo engine and highly tweaked
Full roll cage, Koni adjustable shocks, Goodyear Blue Streaks and a custom exhaust. It screamed. Porsche killer.

Too hot for the street so I sold it. Wish I had not.

I am still miffed I did not buy a Sonett when they were cheap and misunderstood. The only ones I see now are abandoned trash.
What a shame, a fantastic car.

Cool

Love these, the s 1 2 and 3

IF, you've EVER driven a SAAB Sonett in a Snowstorm of more-than 2"/Hr, with 4"+ on the ROADWAYS b4 Plowing, then, at that Pont, YOU KNOW, How FAR Superior THESE CARS WERE over ANY Subaru ever made, in a fresh-snow-event, while still KILLING an MGB on a dry-run summertime hillclimb on ;whatever' road surfaces. I miss mine greatly (blame my EX-Wife!) and Loved their handling that eclipsed even the Honda Civic Hatch of ''92 with ease.

This quality in 2014 is amazing.

I always liked the Sonett II more than the lll- the nose looked a little too long on the lll. BTW Fireball Roberts' first name was Glenn, and he was from Florida too. Any connection that you know of?

You’re so lucky to have an heirloom like that and the memories are brought you working on it with your dad those are some of the fondest memories I have

I bet it doesn't feel like 70 horsepower. This thing is like a motorcycle with 4 wheels, it weighs less than most Kei cars.

I’m a Mopar/2T moto guy about to pull the trigger on a ‘67 2T wagon.
That said, I’m on here getting familiar with the marque. I grew up seeing more Sonnets than 93-95-96, but this video showed me just how cool this car was.
Thank you, and I don’t imagine there are that many 2T Saabers in the USA, so many be I’ll get to meet you some time.

Wow, what a sad ending