1970 SAAB Sonett III – Saab USA Heritage Collection

Posted on 26. Mar, 2007 by Ryan in 1970-1979, 2000-2009, 97 (Sonett II & III), Italy, Sweden

Photo Credit: Saab Automobile USA

As a follow-up to Italian design, an Italian by the name Sergio Coggiola contributed to the styling of the Sonett III model that ran from 1970 until 1974.

Here is the writeup of this recent addition to the Saab Automobile USA heritage collection.

1970 SAAB SONETT III

Launched at the 1970 New York Auto Show, the third-generation Saab Sonett was a significantly different car from its predecessor. The V-4 engine was tuned to deliver 68 horsepower, compensating for the increases in size and weight of the new car.

In terms of styling, the Sonett III benefited from contributions by the Italian designer Sergio Coggiola, featuring bolder front and rear sections plus a new interior. In the back, the Sonett III gained a hinged rear window, offering easy access to the rear luggage compartment.

In front, the new treatment included manually operated pop-up headlights. In addition, features such as air conditioning and a floor-mounted transmission shifter were added to meet the requests of American dealers and customers.

1974 was the last model year for the Saab Sonett, bringing the production total to 10,236 cars. The final Sonett to leave the factory in Arlöv, Sweden was bright yellow. It resides in the Saab Automobile factory museum in Trollhättan near Gothenburg, on the Swedish West Coast.

The blue 1970 Sonett III in the Saab USA Heritage Collection, featuring less obtrusive front and rear bumpers than later models, was acquired and fully restored in 2006.

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