Saab quietly tested something wild in the Sonett III: prototype versions powered by a Rankine-cycle steam engine, decades before anyone cared about alternative powertrains. One survived and hit a Stockholm auction in 2019.
Lead trim: 1.5 Ford Taunus V4 (1970–71) · up to 65 hp
Saab Sonett III97 (Sonett III) · 1970–1974
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Saab Sonett III yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactSaab quietly tested something wild in the Sonett III: prototype versions powered by a Rankine-cycle steam engine, decades before anyone cared about alternative powertrains. One survived and hit a Stockholm auction in 2019.
A 1970 redesign of the Sonett V4 by Saab's Gunnar A. Sjögren (after an initial Sergio Coggiola brief) that fitted the existing chassis without line changes, with a hinged rear window, a "bulge-less" hood, floor shifter, manually operated hidden headlamps and optional air conditioning. All were left-hand drive. From 1972 it used the 1.7 L Ford V4, but net power stayed at 65 hp to meet federal regulations. Higher differential gearing and a 0.31 drag coefficient gave 103 mph. Disappointing sales, especially after the 1973 oil crisis, ended production in late 1974 after 8,368 cars.
Collectors Spotted in the Saab Sonett Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Saab Sonett yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
2 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 Ford Taunus V4 (1970–71) | 1970–1971 | 1.5 L V4 | 64 hp | — | — | FWD | manual | — |
| 1.7 Ford V4 (65 hp) | 1972–1974 | 1.7 L V4 | 65 hp | — | — | FWD | manual | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
Saab quietly tested something wild in the Sonett III: prototype versions powered by a Rankine-cycle steam engine, decades before anyone cared about alternative powertrains. One survived and hit a Stockholm auction in 2019.
1967 marked the end of an era: the two-stroke Sonett II was the last two-stroke-engined car ever sold new in the United States, done in mid-model-year by emissions rules.
Saab's engineers turned the Sonett's engine and gearbox a full 180 degrees to fit behind the front axle — a swap that only worked because the two-stroke engine could simply run in reverse.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
In 1974 Alfa built a one-off on this Spider: a Porsche-style solid rear window and lift-out roof panels, fewer than 2,000 made, the only Spider ever with a part-solid roof.
Over 100,000 people voted to name this car "Duetto" — but a chocolate-snack maker had already trademarked the word, and a Milan court ruling forced Alfa to sell it as the Spider 1600 instead.
After nearly 25 years of manual-only Spiders, the final Series 4 cars quietly added something Alfa purists never expected: an optional automatic transmission.
The mid-80s Spider's Quadrifoglio Verde trim went all-in on a single look: blood-red carpets and grey leather with red stitching, and it only ever came in three exterior colors.
This Spider was built not by Alfa but by Pininfarina itself, on a platform shared with General Motors.
The 916 Spider's strongest naturally aspirated engine, the 192 PS 3.0 12V Busso V6, was never offered in its GTV coupe twin.
The Frogeye had no boot lid at all — owners reached the spare wheel by tilting the seats forward into the dark cavity behind, a ritual they likened to potholing.
The Fairlady 2000's SR311 update came with a five-speed manual gearbox in 1967 — a genuinely unusual spec for any production car of that era.