Coupe des Alpes Saab Sonett II Appears at Goodwood Festival of Speed
FOR RELEASE: May 30, 2001Coupe des Alpes Saab Sonett II Appears at Goodwood Festival of Speed
DETROIT – The paddock and surrounding countryside at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this year will ring with a different sound – and we do mean ring – through one of General Motors’ most memorable racing machines to ever grace a track. Festival goers will be treated to the sight and sound of the world’s first – and also last – two-stroke production sports car, the tiny 1966 Saab Sonett II coupe.
General Motors will display an eclectic group of vehicles at Goodwood 2001 including the Saab Sonett II coupe
The ninth-annual festival – taking place July 6-8, in West Sussex, England – is host to an eclectic group of interesting and significant General Motors heritage vehicles. As before, this year’s entries will include vehicles selected from GM’s rich heritage of concept, racing, experimental and production cars, some not seen in public in decades, or ever before in the UK.
Carlsson, the world famous Swedish Rally racer also known as "Mr. Saab," also will be reunited at Goodwood 2001 with a factory-prepared replica of his Saab 96 red rally car – the one in which he won back-to-back Monte Carlo Rallies in 1962 and 1963.
"Reuniting the winning trio formed by Erik Carlsson, his Saab Sonett II and his blazing-red Saab 96 replica might send a shudder of fear among rally car competitors everywhere," said Scot Keller, staff director, corporate brand communications. "Trophies aren’t the targets this time around, though. Erik and his memorable Saabs will be at Goodwood as representatives of General Motors heritage.
The Saab Sonett is the same car that won the Coupe des Alpes Rally
The Sonett Carlsson will drive at Goodwood is the very same one he drove in the Coupe des Alpes Rally in 1966. Carlsson and co-driver Torsten Aman were leading the event, ahead of such notable competitors as Porsche, when mysterious fuel contamination problems developed and they were forced to retire.
Carlsson’s no doubt exuberant run up the Earl of March’s famous hill in the diminutive coupe will surely evoke memories of what used to be for those who fondly remember the 1960s. And for those who know their automobiles from that era, the sight of Saab’s Sonett II in full song will also rekindle notions of what might have been.
"So neat" description so fitting for Sonett
The name Sonett was not inspired by the English descriptor for a 14-line poem as is commonly believed, but rather by the Swedish word sonett, meaning "so neat."
Knowing that, the question immediately arises as to why advertising and marketing gurus didn’t try to make something out of the name’s origin. But then, the entire Sonett saga raises a whole series of questions that begin with What if?
Unlike its predecessor, which was a roadster, the Saab Sonett II coupe made its world debut at the 1957 New York Auto Show. It was the first Saab designed specifically for the U.S market, and its fiberglass body exhibited high levels of fit and finish. But it was also the product of a company with nagging doubts about the validity of the sports car concept.
The coupe originally came into being as a result of a design competition between Saab’s own in-house stylist Sixten Sason and independent Bjorn Karlstrom. In the interest of cost and production practicality, Sason’s submission borrowed numerous parts from the Saab 96 sedan. Karlstrom’s did not. But normally pragmatic Saab management decided to go with the independent’s design anyway.
The original Saab’s three-cylinder engine produced 66 horsepower
In true Saab fashion, the original Sonett II carried a two-stroke, three-carburetor, three-cylinder engine rated at 66 hp. It weighed a shade more than 1,500 pounds and was driven by the same four-speed transmission found in Saab’s rally-inspired Monte Carlo rally-winning sedan. On the down side, the gears were operated by a balky steering-column shifter. In view of the skyrocketing popularity of "four-on-the-floor" transmissions in the U.S. at this time, one can only wonder why Saab would overlook making this simple but vital change.
Even so, the Sonett II had many redeeming features. Among these was a built-in roll bar, making it a natural candidate for road racing, gymkhanas and rallying. It also featured reclining shell bucket seats that provided unexpected long-distance comfort in a vehicle the Sonett’s size.
Sonett II didn’t embrace a United States passion for pure horsepower
The problem was power. Being a sports car, the Sonett II was expected to embrace the growing United States passion for horsepower. But an engine that required the mixing of oil and gas in the combustion chamber was clearly counter to tightening U.S. emissions regulations – a fact that would limit its ability to grow in size and output.
In 1967, Saab made the decision to replace the venerable two-stroke with a cute little four-stroke V-4 made by Ford of Germany. With adroit shoehorning, the V-4 just managed to fit beneath the Sonett II’s bonnet, and the problem appeared to be solved. But then another immediately arose: while nearly twice the displacement, the 1,500-cc V-4 really didn’t make any more power than the engine it was replacing. So, despite its sporty GT appearance and purposeful roll bar, the Sonett II just didn’t have the steam to establish its credentials as a production road racer, a crowd-pleasing giant-killer like its Saab rally car cousins.
1970 marked the appearance of the Sergio Coggiola-styled Sonett III
In 1970, the Sonett II was replaced by the very attractive Sergio Coggiola- styled Sonett III, featuring alloy wheels, a hatchback, retractable headlights and finally, a floor-mounted shifter. But by this time it was a case of too late. The Sonett III was produced in limited numbers for four years, then dropped completely out of the Saab product line.
What if the floor shift had arrived sooner? What if the two-stroke engine had been more amenable to low exhaust emissions? What if the V-4 had had more power?
These and a lot of other unanswered questions about what might have been will materialize in a howl of two-stroke exhaust when Erik Carlsson revs the Sonett II’s engine and drops the clutch at Goodwood this July.
The Sonett II is one of an array of intriguing heritage vehicles that have been assembled under the GM Powered banner at this year’s Goodwood event. The collection celebrates GM’s worldwide history of innovation and the creativity and inventiveness of its people.
The annual Goodwood Festival of Speed is expected to attract thousands of guests over the course of two days in July. Considered by event organizers as "the greatest gathering of motor racing machinery on the planet," the festival provides both celebrities and automobile lovers a rare opportunity to observe motorsports heritage first hand.
General Motors heritage reflects a tradition of excellence continuing in production models today
General Motors, the world’s largest vehicle manufacturer, is a leader in automotive branding, technology and design. Its heritage has been and always will be an integral element in shaping future endeavors.
Engine: |
Two-stroke, three-cylinder 57-cubic-inch (940 cubic centimeter) engine |
Horsepower/kilowatts: |
93/69 @ 6000 rpm |
Torque (pound-feet/Newton meters) |
88/120 @ 4000 rpm |
Transmission: |
Four-speed close-ratio manual transmission, column shift |
Chassis: |
Front engine, front-wheel-drive coupe; two-passenger, two-door fiberglass hatchback body |
Front Suspension: |
Independent front |
Rear Suspension: |
Solid-axle |
Brakes: |
Front disc, rear drum brakes |
Tires: |
4.50 x L15 Dunlop racing tires |
Wheels: |
15 inch pressed steel |
Dimension/Capacities
Weight: |
1455 pounds (660 kilograms) |
Wheelbase: |
84 inches (213 centimeters) |