The introduction of the 4-stroke engine in the Saab 95/96/Sonett

THE INTRODUCTION OF THE FOUR STROKE ENGINE IN THE SAAB 95/96/SONETT.

INTRODUCTION

During the early 1960s, the Saab factory was running at full speed and sales of the Saab 95/96/Sonett increased, on average, by about 10% per year.

Competition between car manufacturers also increased with new cars, similar in size to the Saab 96 being introduced by Volkswagen, Volvo (444), Opel, Fiat and from the English car manufacturers Triumph and Morris etc.

In 1966, Saab introduced a modified two-stroke engine with higher performance. The engine had 3 carburettors and to reduce smoke, a common complaint from many owners of earlier cars with 2-stroke engines, the fuel/oil mixture ratio was lowered from 3% to 1.5%.

foto

An important factor, affecting sales, was the engines increased fuel consumption. Many customers considered this totally unacceptable and sales of new cars fell by approx. 30% in Saabs important home market. Annual sales dropped from a total of 48,500 cars in1965, to 37,000 cars, in 1966.

Saabs Management were naturally very concerned. Technical development manager Rolf Mellde was fully aware that something very radical had to be done to get Saab quickly out of what was becoming a very serious problem for the company.

[Category: Historiska artiklar om specifika bilmodeller]