It's a shame that that teardrop, wing cross section shape resulted in lift. Top speed was right around 60 mph. Wind tunnel testing (much later) indicated lift-off at about 75 mph. Old aero engineering design habits die hard, I guess.
The high hoodline was necessitated by the thermo-siphon cooling system, the radiator had to be above the engine for the water flow to work. There was no water pump.
The Saab 92, the first production SAAB automobile, kept the thermo-siphon with it's transverse twin two stroke. The "bullnosed" 93, and early 95 and 96 had the inline triple with a combined generator water pump, but the radiator was still above and behind the engine. In 1966 the nose of the 95 and 96 was lengthened in preparation for the V-4 engine and the rad was finally moved up front.
The 94 (Sonett Super Sport) had the 93 engine, but turned around to be a mid-engine, FWD sports racer. It's rad was in front and had an electric fan. Six Model 94 were built in 1956 before the run ceased. The racing class rules under which they were built were hurriedly changed, at the insistence of competitive manufacturers, within a week of the first one being completed. All six are still running but 4 are in museums now.
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All of the early SAABs (the 92001 through the 96) are great-looking cars,..
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I take strong exception to that omission of the Model 97 Sonett, both the Sonett II and V-4 of 1966 through 1969, and the Sonett III from 1970 to 1974.
I will allow that the single (maybe two) examples of model 98 (basically a 96 trying to be a 99 wagonback, sort of a mid point between the 96 sedan and the 95 wagon) is/are a bit weird looking even for someone who's had SAABs in the family since 1961.
And all of these had flat floors and except for the V-4's from 1967 onward, full engine floors, too. The V-4 needed access to the crankcase for oil changes, not needed with the strokers, so those had a hole cut out of the engine floor pan. The "knobby undercarriage" mentioned above is the exhaust pipe, that's it. Brake cables, brake hoses, fuel lines, wiring, all ran inside so as to not get caught in ice and snow. Even the rear axle was tucked up.
SAAB used to mean Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget.
Since GM took control Saab means "Simply another anonymous Buick".
p.s. My own 1969 Sonett V-4 has just a shade over 100k miles on it now.
And there's a Metro XFi engine the same size, same power as the V-4, but more than 100 lbs lighter, in my shed just waiting to get under that fiberglass hood...
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