A SAAB for America - the Sonett II

Saab’s automotive manufacturing activity began with the 92 in 1949. The model incorporated the basic vehicle format and many of the signature features that would characterise Saab’s road vehicle products over the succeeding two decades: compact, aerodynamic body, two stroke engine, (later replaced by a V4 four stroke), and front wheel drive. It was superseded in ’55 by the 93 which had similar – though ‘modernised’ - looks, but with numerous improvements, both mechanical and body-wise. Significantly, modifications to the 3 cylinder engine endowed it with 30% more power. While the new model had been in development, a small group of engineers/designers operating as a skunkworks team established a concept for a sports car based on the 93. With competition use in mind, it was a roof-less lightweight – likely inspired by the Porsche 550 Spider even though technically very different in terms of the drivetrain. However, whilst a production run was commenced following first presentation as the 'Saab Sonett' in Spring ’56, the model was cancelled after only six examples had been completed. Focus was to be on the replacement for the 93, a much improved model launched in ’60 – the Saab 96.

Whilst the 93 had established Saab in export markets, including the U.S., the more sophisticated 96’s increased sales level gave rise to a dynamic American dealer network. This community, knew from its experience with the products of other European makers that its hunger for incremental volume and profit could best be satisfied by having sports models available for their customers. Representatives of the dealers successfully lobbied Saab’s management for the creation of a Saab coupe/GT. Design, under leadership by Sixten Andersson, was commissioned from Malmo Flygindustri, a company based in the Bulltofta locality of Malmo and specialising in the manufacture of light aircraft. The company produced a prototype, code named MF113, which was presented at the Geneva Motor Show, March ’66 as the Saab Sonett II.

Sonett II, Geneva Show ’66  Courtesy David Phipps/Motorsport Images

The Type 97 Sonett II had a fabricated sheet steel chassis, fibreglass body (with front clamshell) and running gear mostly derived from the 96.  The engine was the Sport version – 841 cc with triple Solex 34W2 carburation and lubricated by oil injection rather than petroil fuel.  It was 42% more powerful than the standard 96’s motor at around 58 bhp.  Kerb weight was 710 Kg, allowing a 0-60 mph time of 11.4 secs and a top speed of around 105 mph.  The chassis number range of Two Strokes is 000001-000258 (’66 and ’67).  The four stroke 1498 cc Ford V4 version was introduced in mid-’67 and was in production until ’69.  Production numbers have been reported as: Two Stroke: 257 (’66/’67); V4: 1610 (’67-’69), total 1867.  All these cars were left hand drive and most were exported to the U.S.

#000190 rolling chassis; #000178 clamshell; #000048 841 cc engine   Courtesy Cute Italian Posteriors (Pinterest); Conceptcarz; Marc Vorgers

The earliest Sonett II of which I have an up to date photograph is #000048, built in ’66.

#000048  Courtesy Marc Vorgers

One of the aspects of the Sonett II Two Stroke is that it carries no model-identifying badge.  However, there is a marque badge front and rear to make sure you know it’s a Saab:  Near the leading edge of the clamshell, the script SAAB/aeroplane symbol is mounted centrally.  A SAAB script badge is affixed to the boot lid, between the number plate and the left hand tail lamps.  Both badges were bright alloy or chrome plated.

With this feature a major aesthetic difference between the Two Stroke and V4 is obvious.  The V4 has a script SAAB badge on the clamshell just about in line horizontally with the centre of the headlamp and aligned vertically with the steering column’s position, (left, below).  Near to the centre of the clamshell is a badge, (centre, below), with the script SONETTV4 on a black ground, in a form analogous to an air intake as present near to the panel’s trailing edge.  Most Sonett V4s have no badge affixed to the rear, though there are many examples of customisation whereby a SAAB script badge has been applied to the boot lid, (right, below), or the SAAB/aeroplane symbol badge has been mounted on the horizontal surface between the rear screen aperture and the top edge of the rear panel.

#001189  Courtesy Saabfactory (BaT); 001358  Courtesy Lug_Nut (BaT); #000503  Courtesy H&H Classics

As evident in the photographs above, the bulge in the V4’s bonnet centre is considerably more pronounced than that seen on the Two Stroke, (below), reflecting the greater height of the four stroke unit. 

#000048  Courtesy Marc Vorgers

Standard road wheels, (left, below), were steel with chrome plated hub caps featuring an embossed SAAB/aeroplane symbol, 15” diameter and carrying 155 width tyres.  Optional alloy rims, more usually seen on the Sonett II V4, include the ‘Soccerball’ (second left below), Roal Minilite-style (second from right, below) and JP Cromodora-style (right, below):

The standard steering wheel is as seen left, below on V4 #001417.  Aftermarket wheels, e.g. Momo (#000052) (second left, below), Nardi (#001757) (second right, below) and Britannia (#000408) (right, below) are common on surviving Sonetts.

Courtesy  BrochureMuseumNL; Bonhams Cars; BiddersHighway; Mrtorgue (BaT)

The specification of the Sonett II was summarised in a brochure published in ’69:

The car’s features were extolled in the same publication as below:

Recently sold/offered Sonetts:

Two Strokes:

V4s:

 

1970 saw a new model – the Sonett III, seen below.  This had significantly revised styling and increased – to 1699 cc – engine capacity.  It was in production through to ’74 with over 8,000 examples manufactured.  The Sonett III was not a good looking car, continuing a trend, for the V4 was less successful aesthetically than the Two Stroke  – just look at that disproportionate bonnet length.  And that was that – Saab never again dabbled with ‘sportscar’ manufacture.

Saab Sonett III  Courtesy Petrolicious

The Series 1 BMW 2002 tii

I’d only been at BMW Concessionaires GB a couple of weeks when I encountered my first 2002 tii.  Production of the model had begun in late Spring, so in August ’71 examples were still a rare sight in and around our HQ at Chiswick.  While I was preparing it, I was very taken with the engine bay.  The ‘look’ of the fuel injected engine with its distinctive bright aluminium intake manifold was so different – ‘space-age’ to my eye – from the carburetted M10s we were used to.

Courtesy Samboss (BaT)

The PDI completed, I drove it up to our Park Lane Showroom for handover to the customer.  Now it wasn’t just my vision that was seduced.  The performance from the new  M15,130 bhp, engine seemed exciting, enabling me to negotiate a relatively clear Marble Arch corner just as rapidly as I’d learnt to do in the 2800/3.0 six cylinder E3s and E9s.  That car was in the very common finish of the time – Polaris silver.  However, as more and more Tiis arrived from Germany, I found that they were even more exciting to be around and drive if in Inka (orange) or Golf (yellow/very light green).  These two colours and this particular model could not have been more zeitgeist-emblematic of the London of the early Seventies.

Courtesy Samboss (BaT); LR90 (BaT)

But now, half a century on, I wonder if my feeling that I was king of the West London road network was more to do with the extra fizz those funky paint colours pumped into my speed sensibilities rather than any increased accelerative capability possessed by the new engine.  Thanks to the car’s mass, (around 1000 Kg kerb weight), gear/final drive ratios, and relative high revs at which peak torque (132 lbs-ft @ 4,500), was derived, the 0-60 mph time was a not exactly lightning 10 seconds (approximately).  Despite this, a BMW press ad copy of the time was able to include, ‘Fastest accelerating production saloon in U.K.’  Maximum speed in the same advertisement was given as 119 mph.

Apart from the engine, the Tii incorporated some other features new to the 02 model family.  The bumpers were elongated to wrap round further at the rear, whilst rubber inserts were applied to both bumper bars and the overriders.  Also featuring a black rubber insert were rubbing strips on the front wings, doors and rear ¼ panels at the same height as the bumpers.  The front grilles were revised with seven of the slats coloured black and the remaining two in bright metal finish.  Also at the front, the lower panel bottom edge was re-formed to function as a spoiler.

Courtesy Samboss (BaT); LR90 (BaT)

It might be noticed that both the examples so far illustrated are not equipped with standard wheels.  The steel 5J rims were fitted with 165 HR 13 tyres and featured a chrome finish hub cap with BMW roundel, (below, left).  A factory alloy option by Ronal was available, (below second from left) and it was not unusual for customers to request the BBS Basketweave (second from right below) or Minilites, (below right):

The preference was for Michelin XAS tyres, but many cars arrived from Munich with other makes fitted, the least welcome being Metzelers or Firestone Phoenix, both of which didn’t work well on British road surfaces, especially when damp or fully wet.

The Tii had a distinctive steering wheel, (left, below) – three (alloy) slotted spokes and black leather rimmed; this was one of the features, (along with the rear light units) that was aesthetically superior to their replacements on the ’73 facelifted cars, (steering wheel, right, below).  Popular options specified by customers were the more overtly ‘sporting’ wheels from Momo and Moto-Lita.  Similar to the latter, there were further factory options such as the especially handsome Petri Sport, (centre, below).

Courtesy Samboss (Bat); Tony Wawryk

In ’73 we thought the facelift successful, in particular seeing the rectangular rear light units as ‘modernising.’  But before long, and very definitely today, the original circular lamps are greatly preferred.  They give rise to the affectionate nickname of ‘Roundie’ for the pre-’73 cars.  But it is the totality of the rear panel and boot lid which so appeals aesthetically.  The lamps, script/roundel badges and bright horizontal strip all work together extremely well on the ‘71.

Courtesy Samboss (BaT); OldenzaalClassics (BaT)

Courtesy LR90 (BaT); Samboss (BaT)

Much as I enjoyed these visual niceties, the best of the Tii was the way it performed.  And, exhilarating as it was to fly through the streets of London, jinking around slower moving traffic, (nearly everything else was!), the most fulfilling experiences were those had at the track days we organised at Silverstone, Brands Hatch and Thruxton, in most instances to promote the cars for fleet purchase by UK police forces.  Like most of the other staff members attending, I revelled in being able to get behind the wheel of the 3 litre E3s and E9s, especially on the high speed Silverstone and Thruxton circuits.  However, the most fun I recall was in Tiis, in which the up-on-the-cam engine pickup and general nimbleness enabled me frequently to lap faster and pass the bigger cars.  Driving flat out brought forth all that was good about the Tii whereas in street driving there were a couple of ‘issues.’  By the time my job role had changed to that of ‘troubleshooter,’ one of the most common customer complaints to which I picked up the phone was of engine hesitation at around 2400 rpm.  Neither the factory nor Kugelfischer seemed able to come up with a solution for this, though one of our field service managers devised a pump cam reprofiling mod that appeared to resolve matters.  We also had a number of long running dispute sagas with customers who would not accept the level of noise (whine) emitted by the car’s rear axle on the overrun.  There was no way we could test a diff prior to installing and the factory maintained that it was unable to build special close tolerance units as replacements in cases of severe customer dissatisfaction.  The factory delegate was however authorised to help (and supervise) us, with multiple substitutions and, on a few occasions, we had to try three or four units before we found one quiet enough for the customer’s acceptance. 

The Tii’s specification and behaviour in the first press road test reports of ’71, indicated a considerable motor sport potential.  This was soon proved realisable in ’72 when races for a new class – Group 1 – saw BMW Concessionaires-backed/Mathwall Engineering-prepared Tiis to be highly competitive.  Motor Sport magazine reported in its June ’72 issue:

. . . the division into purchase-price classes and the near-standard nature of the competing cars (apart from their tyres) has focused attention on them, for the overall benefit of BMW 2002 Tii saloons . . . having completely dominated these Group 1 races so far— writing after eight such races have been contested. 

And the following month:

 

(BMW GB) are also behind the exceptionally successful Group 1 assault mounted by various dealers in the marque. At the time of writing they have enjoyed most success with the MLG 2002 Tii for Roger Bell, backed by a similar Mathwall Engineering prepared Tii for John Bloomfield.  . . . there was plenty of scope for improvement in the 2002 unit as the homologation tolerances were extremely favourable for maximum power. In fact, after balancing and final assembly, the first engine was found to give 143 bhp. at 5,800 rpm., up at least 13 bhp. over the production DIN rating. Because of the space needed for a slant engine’s exhaust system on a test bed, it was found that the engine actually performed even better in open exhaust racing form, which partially explains why, even when the uprated 3-litre Capris came into Group 1 after four or five races had already been run, they did not immediately seem that much faster than the BMW 2002: both cars weigh almost the same at something over 2,300 lb.  . . . new, shorter and stiffer rate coil springs allowing the 2002 to run rings round the opposition, especially on bumpy tracks. The limited-slip ZF differential and live-speed gearbox don’t do the car’s competitiveness any harm either. Theoretically one would suppose that the answer to the 2002 would be the 2000 GTV Alfa Romeo, but the Wallace suspension, plus Mathieson’s engine, has just made the Mathwall 2002 untouchable except by bigger capacity cars—recently the Ford Capri 3-litre and Chevrolet’s monstrous Camaro.

Courtesy Motor Sport; Motorsport Images

Beyond the UK motor sport arena, the Tii was also competing in ’72 in high profile events such as the Spa 24 Hours, where one of the Mathwall cars driven by John Bloomfield, Tony Lanfranchi and Roger Bell ran competitively, but failed to finish because of an engine failure.  Across the various European saloon/touring car series, the Tii was quickly into its stride, with tuners such as Alpina and GS (Gerhard Schneider) coaxing 225 bhp from the 1990 cc power unit. 

The Tii had been perceived very favourably at its launch in ’71.  Some felt that the UK list price was high at £2313, especially in the light of a domestic value of DM 12,765 (£1495).  The car was however thought characterful, fast and ‘fashionable,’ so sales were plentiful and profitable.  At this time BMW was not so well known as a marque in the UK and BMW Concessionaires’ marketing activity was very effective in creating a buzz of prestige and trendiness, led by the desirability of, in particular, the Tii and the E9 Coupes, most notably the 3.0 CSL, (from ’72). 

The Tii was facelifted in ’73, as mentioned above, with relatively minor styling changes and no change to performance.  A hatchback version named Touring also became available with the 130 bhp engine, though this never seemed to attract the cachet that was intrinsic to the 2 door saloon.  Up to ’75 when production ended, something like 38,700 Tiis were built, nearly 10% of which were RHD.  To replace the 2002 models, BMW launched the 3 Series in the early summer, ’75.  A Tii ‘equivalent’ was a while in gestation, it not being until Autumn ’77 that the six cylinder M20 engined E21 323i was unveiled at the Frankfurt Show.  Faster certainly than its predecessor, but, initially at least, not so forgiving to drive and lacking the hard-to-define charm that had been such a strong feature of the Tii. 

Some recently sold/photographed Tiis: