Saab Sonett - The Forgotten Swedish Sports Car

Today I spend some time with a 1973 Saab Sonett and get a generous rundown of the car from its owner Matt! More of this car and his other classic Saabs to come! Leave a like if you enjoyed
Merchandise/Website: autoautopsyyt.com/index.php
Instagram: @Auto.Autopsy
Twitter: @AutoAutopsyYT
Email: [e-mail]
Outro song: • Lucian - Fly By Night ...

[@hueyslick291]

I had a 1974 in Yellow for about 8 years. Was my daily driver. I got it for free from a physician friend who said the transmission went out. For under $25.00 I got a master and slave cylinder rebuild kit and soon was rolling down the highway. On my way to work car enthusiasts would almost break their necks trying to figure out what I was driving. This was my favorite car ever. It was so unique. With the stock engine I got it up to 100 miles an hour. It was like driving a go kart that fast. The fiberglass body was built around a frame of angle iron. Really nothing between you and eternity in a crash. Each year was a limited edition with only 2,500 per year produced and only sold in the USA. In the year 2000 the oil pan gasket failed completely and it became undrivable for me. Just to change the gasket the engine and transmission had to be removed. That was beyond what I could do. The car was towed up to Oakland California, placed in a shipping container and sent back to its birthplace in Sweden. A Saab dealer there completely restored it and put it on display. The car was rare in the US but none were sold in Sweden.

[@AutoAutopsy]

Wow that’s fantastic haha. Sorry to hear you couldn’t fix it, but it’s good that it ended up in great hands in Sweden

[@vernonbennettiii3646]

Just discovered your video, 3/28/2024 -- man, does this take me back!. I bought a '72 Saab Sonett III in 1976, while I was in college and working at a meat packing plant during the summer, when my new-found wealth was burning a hole in my pocket. Paid $1,100 for it plus $600 for a replacement "free-wheeling" 4-speed manual transmission, to get it running and back on the road. It was a "repo" acquired by a small town bank in Paw Paw, Michigan, and it was stored in a winery warehouse. The car stunk of old wine -- took me almost 2 years to get that smell out of it! I restored it to a pretty decent level, but the ignition never worked with a key. The wiring harness later caught fire and Insurance covered the cost to repair, but it took a year -- the replacement wiring harness and gages (VDO's!) from Sweden sat on the dock in New York for 7 months. Anyway, after I got it back on the road I had a blast with it, but I had to sell it in 1979 while I was working as a CPA, to fund my upcoming law school tuition. I have since owned several (and still do own 2) Jaguar sports cars/GTs, a BMW and a '97 Mazda Miata M Edition (which I got into a Head-on collision with against a Chevy Lumina back in 2000 -- after which I swore off driving little cars in the 21st century -- and I have driven various Porsches, several Aston Martins, various Mercedes SLs/AMGs, etc., but I recall really enjoying driving that little fiberglass-bodied TOTALLY UNSAFE 1972 Saab Sonett III back in the '70's. I had read that guys used to "ice race" these things, but I never, EVER drove mine in the winter, despite it having front-wheel drive. There was no crash protection in the doors, or anywhere else for that matter. The only "safety" thing I could see (besides seat belts) was the "roll bar" behind the seats, which wrapped around the gas tank that sat directly behind the front passenger compartment. My guess is if that if that thing ever got rear-ended it would blow up like a Ford Pinto! Hope you're still enjoying your Saab Sonett III. Mine was also the "Saab Safety Orange" and it had the "Soccer Ball" style Wheels.

[@AutoAutopsy]

sounds like yours was pretty similar to this one then! nice!

[@alexbeauval6877]

glad to hear and see other SAABaddicts on other SAAB relics !!!

[@AutoAutopsy]

:) Did a driving review of this one a few months ago as well! Check that out here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/paK5mGuabsl_bKM

[@Clarion-qc7je]

Great tour of the Sonett, thanks!

[@AutoAutopsy]

I recently uploaded a driving review as well! Feel free to check it out

[@focused200]

Great video man i love the night rolling shots also a beautiful saab nice an classic

[@AutoAutopsy]

[@Attack-fb5rj]

Nice to see this sonett guy really knows what he is talking about👌 I would defitenately like to see more of this kind of videos

[@AutoAutopsy]

Got another Saab feature similar to this coming today, as well as a driving review of the Sonett coming!

[@forrestfinch5003]

I bought a brand new one in 1973. Great car!

[@AutoAutopsy]

Wow, awesome :)

[@marktheshark27]

I had 3 of these III’s, and a 68 2-stroke, 3 speed on the column. Great, fun cars. Fabulous in the snow. The biggest problem was the size of the car. They were so low people would miss them being parked on the street and hit them. I had two that were completely destroyed parked in front of my house.

[@AutoAutopsy]

Ugh. Shame :(

[@renatopaoli6889]

Love it. The car, and the video too. Wonder how a modern version would look like, had they made a Sonett today.

[@AutoAutopsy]

Maybe similar to the PhoeniX or other sportier concepts we saw before their demise?

[@audieconrad8995]

Such a 'rad ride... had a high school classmate who had one. This was during the muscle car era - coolest ride in the parking lot. Also had a buddy who had a 96 - equally cool car.

[@AutoAutopsy]

No way! Cool!

[@papi-champoo6033]

The whole time I couldn't stop looking at your socks, lol what's going on? 😂😂🤣🤣

[@AutoAutopsy]

Don't judge man!

[@lukbxxx8186]

Hi, i'm waching from Europe and i have the same, what is going on with Your socks?

[@Novice2Expert]

I'm not into the classics, but the car looks amazing; well kept also!

[@AutoAutopsy]

For sure; gotta appreciate that!

[@uscar17]

Awesome review, thanks ! Love these old bangers

[@AutoAutopsy]

Me too!

[@uscar17]

looking forward to the next review :)

[@issacbentley7396]

I guess I am kinda off topic but do anybody know a good website to watch newly released tv shows online?

[@mosherichard6216]

@Issac Bentley flixportal =)

[@issacbentley7396]

@Moshe Richard Thanks, signed up and it seems like a nice service =) I really appreciate it!

[@DerekChabrow]

reminds me quite a bit of Datsun 240Z

[@jennifermiller74]

Derek Chabrowski I was thinking the same thing. Especially in the back of the car and the outline of the car.

[@DerekChabrow]

but what kills the me most is that GM killed Saab before Saab designers had the opportunity to release probably the best car ever, the modern day Sonett, the SaabPhoenix: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n5POg4qli5dnZ8U

[@AutoAutopsy]

It does! Lol

[@willmill409]

I seen a Datsun parked one day and I had to stop and get a closer look lol I was like no way that’s a sonnet

[@willmill409]

I seen a Datsun parked one day and I had to stop and get a closer look lol I was like no way that’s a sonnet

[@browserrr1]

Best color for a Sonett, though I'm prejudiced with mine having the same color. The wheels are in the style used on the later versions of the 96, somewhere after 1977 by heart. They are usable winter cars, when my 9000 was out for repairs this February I had to use the Sonett to het to work. It was the coldest period with temperatures down to -19 Celsius in the morning. Started like a champ with a Weber DGV carb and uprated Megajolt ignition. With the light weight it felt a bit scary on the iced roads though, even with studded tires. The salt on the roads caused some rust at the jack points.

[@AutoAutopsy]

Wow! Daily driving a 40 year old car in that weather must be quite the experience

[@pierrecolombo4654]

Damn, wasn't expecting a review when I clicked, I thought I would see you sitting in your chair haha, nice ! Would have been great if the guy had explained how much more power the car makes compared to stock Nowadays a 300hp turbo V4 coupe would be a success if you ask me !

[@AutoAutopsy]

Haha! 300hp in this thing might kill you! Lol

[@pierrecolombo4654]

Auto Autopsy I dont know it's even possible with this little V4 😂 Ive seen 150hp turbo ones on KZbin, so 200 should be possible haha But I meant, it would be a sonett IV 🙄

[@PittDaddy]

I had a Yellow 73 with the SAAB racing stripe down the side. That car was such a blast to drive. You forgot to mention the giant handle you had to pull to turn on the headlights. It was all manual and lifted the hidden headlights for use. One of my favorite stories is the day I rolled through a RADAR speed trap. The officer kept pointing the gun at the car even as I passed him. Apparently he wasn't getting a very good signal because there was so little metal on the car.

[@AutoAutopsy]

Lol such a cool car! I’d love to own one some day

[@rainbowboii9512]

great video,glad you did one,on these gems.these are my favorite saabs.i live in close proximity,to what used to be a saab dealer,and i sometimes used to see these being serviced there.

[@AutoAutopsy]

Wow, nice!

[@fredabel9123]

I had a ‘69 Sonnet when I was in college in Syracuse in the 1970s. Fun car and greatest “snowmobile” ever! It was so compact that I once, when we bought our first color TV, we had to put it in the passenger seat while my wife squeezed into the trunk. The weak link in this model was the transmission, and when it went I traded the car for a tranny rebuild for my ‘72 Saab 96. I know, not the smartest move in my car ownership history.

[@AutoAutopsy]

hahaha wow!1

[@deweyfoulk3630]

Sonetts are prone to rust as stated in your video. The steel floor pans have a lot of stick welding in them with puttied joints and nooks and crannies to collect road crud including salt. They are also prone to stress cracks in the steel around the motor mounts and front suspension. This is more common in the Sonett IIs than the newer ones. I have owned a Sonett II two stroke, Sonett II V4, and several Sonett IIIs. They are a blast to drive because they are so light, especially the older ones. When the Sonett III first replaced the Sonett II, there were optional alloy wheels prior to the soccer ball wheels that were possibly a magnesium aluminum alloy. I am not sure exactly what there were made of but they were known to leak. The set I had, had to be sealed on the inside. Here is a link to the book to have about Sonetts. It was originally sold by Saab as part of their 50th anniversary celebration. www.amazon.com/Saabs-Sportbilar-Sonett-Other-Sports/dp/9185496189/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1526841578&sr=8-2&keywords=Saab+Sonett

[@AutoAutopsy]

Very cool! Thanks for sharing

[@TheAutisticOwl]

Original radio? Not bad for a car older than my parents.👍

[@AutoAutopsy]

Lol!

[@msanseverino78]

Great video man. I never seen one in real life . I don’t think I would fit in it lol.

[@AutoAutopsy]

Thanks :) haha!

[@Buffalobulltofta]

Nice!

[@AutoAutopsy]

Thanks :)

[@mikejautosandstuff3349]

Hey there yeah in the 70's those types of sports cars where kinda under power, but kool for it time. There was triumph TR7, MG midget, Alfa spider 124, which all where in that spectrum. Orange was a awesome car for a sport s car even up to today lo. 😀

[@AutoAutopsy]

Exactly!

[@jugfed]

Really nice video. Love this special car. Even here in Sweden we seldom se them. If GM hadn't killed SAAB it would have been cool to se a modern remake.

[@AutoAutopsy]

The PhoeniX concept (there's a video on my channel somewhere of it) was supposed to be it's reincarnation! They are quite special

[@SveaPluton]

Very nice 👌

[@AutoAutopsy]

Thanks!

[@ronniefredrick1763]

Wow that man has one good looking beard, I wish I had one like that

[@britannia2129]

My first childhood toy car

[@AutoAutopsy]

Haha, nice!

[@Feniantimmy]

I had 3 of these in Anchorage, c1975. Mods; exhaust, turbo. V4 was an agricultural engine hay balers mainly.

[@Feniantimmy]

But let's not forget the windshield wiper motor filling up with rain water, and drilling a drain hole in the motor body.

[@Feniantimmy]

AND the understeer. Steer with the hand brake.

[@Feniantimmy]

I drove one, Anch-Sault St Marie-Charleston SC-Corpus Christi TX- San Diego back to Anchorage.

[@Feniantimmy]

And while we're not forgetting things, let's remember the freewheel lever for the transmission. And the wimpy horn, usually replaced with air horns. Oh, and the understeer, did I mention the understeer? I had a blue, a red and an orange. I loved them.

[@AutoAutopsy]

they're quite quirky lol

[@michaelclark7037]

Liked the Free Wheeling, but how can a plastic Sonnet Rust?

[@busybee2033]

Nice, His socks are cute

[@lffit]

reminds me stylewise of the Ford Capri except for the headlights

[@AutoAutopsy]

Huh, possibly

[@misters2837]

One of these in almost same color for sale in Rush City MN

[@AutoAutopsy]

Woah! Cool!

[@willmill409]

I just got a 900 and now I want a sonnet

[@AutoAutopsy]

Nothin' wrong with the 900, those are quite unique too

[@aliassmithandjones9453]

that car is very similar to one I considered buying back in the 80's. I regret not buying it but in retrospect I probably would have trashed it

[@AutoAutopsy]

maybe best you didnt then! lol

[@Youtube_Globetrotter]

I can't remember I have ever seen this model for real, yet I was born i Sweden 39 years ago.

[@AutoAutopsy]

Wow! Just goes to show how rare they are

[@hueyslick291]

It was never sold in Sweden.

[@andreshaas]

There is a saying that the name Sonett was "invented" by Rolf Melde (Saab's chief engineer) when he saw the first version of the car in 1956: "It´s So Neat ....." (In Swedish: "Så nätt den är........" But in fact, the name Sonett was already planned for future use. In total, Saab Sonett II and III were built in 10219 copies in 1966-1974. Ten years earlier (1956) 6 Sonett I was produced - only for competitive use.

[@AutoAutopsy]

Very interesting; the Sonett I is a true unicorn!

[@marktheshark27]

Also went through a lot of clutches

[@AutoAutopsy]

Oof :(

[@marcscordato4385]

Would anyone dare to produce such an unusual car today ? I doubt it

[@AutoAutopsy]

Nah, probably not sadly :(

[@stopthephilosophicalzombie9017]

Came here from watching Sudden Impact in which a Saab Sonett made a brief appearance.

[@AutoAutopsy]

Nice! Lol

[@HOTRODRICH]

No rust?

[@AutoAutopsy]

Nope. not in AZ!

[@gegwen7440]

Shame about those crash barriers at each end, the MGB had to suffer like that also for the US market.

[@AutoAutopsy]

Have you seen the Bugatti Chiron's US spec? They were forced to add little bulges to the rear bumper which really hurts the look!

[@TheAutisticOwl]

Yes, I've only ✌heard✌ that Saab made a sports car called the "Sonnet" for 3 gens. I don't know anything else about it.

[@AutoAutopsy]

Well now you do!

[@JimmyEatDirt]

It's a fucking nightmare to replace the starter on this car. Some rich bitch dropped it off in bad shape at our shop and asked us to fix it and repair it so she could sell it. Not gonna lie though, it is an awesome car to see.

[@AutoAutopsy]

It's quite unique,lol

[@mattyo6874]

Sonett>Miata

[@AutoAutopsy]

Well they're two totally different cars, lol!

[@DerekChabrow]

what kills the me most is that GM killed Saab before Saab designers had the opportunity to release probably the best car ever, the modern day Sonett, the Saab Phoenix: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n5POg4qli5dnZ8U

[@AutoAutopsy]

Thought this was a link to my own video on it :/ haha!

[@DerekChabrow]

did you do a vlog on the Phoenix concept? i don't think i've seen in.

[@DerekChabrow]

yes you did, but what's interesting the Phoenix was supposed to have been the new version of the Sonett with V4 engine and electric AWD assist, which I think is a great idea, why use all wheel drive if you don't need it 90% of the time, rt?

[@AutoAutopsy]

I believe it was a BMW four cylinder (yikes) with the electric assist. It was kinda meant to showcase the future of the brand

[@curtisbrashaw7585]

47th

[@johanpettersen7453]

Who doesent know about the sonnett

[@AutoAutopsy]

Those who can't spell Sonett correctly! Lol, just messing with ya

[@gaymerman1805]

Ive never heard more ummm in my life than in this vid

[@AutoAutopsy]

Ummm...sorry

[@jaysinp.becker4273]

Dude. Look more intrested. Oh no, it's not a turbo X! You only seem excited when talking about your saabs.

[@AutoAutopsy]

lol