"“Interested parties should be aware that this car also comes supplied with a spare high specification race engine and a spare standard road engine”
Svenska Aeroplan Aktie Bolaget: the acronym SAAB leaves no doubt about the vocation of the company that, before IKEA, taught us how to appreciate the pragmatic creativity of the Swedes. The Swedish engineers wisely focused on a simple, light, affordable and reliable product: a small vehicle that used a light weight and aerodynamics to make up for the lack of horsepower, built on a simple chassis frame with a two-door body style in which anything superfluous has been eliminated. ‘Lateral thinking’ was also applied to the engine; given that the best car engine was a six-cylinder with medium-high displacement and considering that the SAAB would not have been able to cope with the bulk, weight and cost, the engineers decided to install a two stroke three-cylinder engine!  The greater simplicity and absence of vibration, with the high specific power, made it a perfect alternative for anyone ready to look beyond the conventional.  These characteristics also made it possible to use the 96 in competitions and, above all, in rallies, a specialty long dominated by Scandinavian drivers - the most famous SAAB driver possibly being Erik Carlsson.
Originally built in 1960, this Saab 96 wasn’t road registered until 1961. Having spent most of its life as a standard road car, the decision was taken in the early 2000’s to convert it into a Group 2 race car. The accompanying substantial history file shows many pictures, race programs and notes, (in Swedish) from its racing career in Sweden. In 2007 the car was purchased and imported to the UK where it was modified to fit in with the FIA CT1 Competition Touring Car Class. Invoices for various preparation work carried out are included in the file and show several thousand pounds spent with renowned single seater specialist Mark Linstone. Forming part of a large collection of race cars, the vendor has decided to reduce his stable and, despite having just rebuilt the engine to a very high specification, (at a reported cost of £10,000), has decided it is one of the cars that has to go. Indeed, it has only raced once since the engine was rebuilt, with all the safety equipment such as seat, seat belts and fire extinguisher all being in date as well.
Supplied with its UK V5C registration document, FIA papers valid through until the end of 2026 and substantial history file. A quirky motorsport legend, this car is eligible to run in most historic touring car series, (having run mainly with Julius Thurgood’s HRDC in the UK) and would potentially be eligible for the Goodwood Revival.
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