The Saab 93 (pronounced ninety-three) is the second production automobile that was manufactured by Saab. Styled by Sixten Sason, it was first presented on December 1, 1955. The 93 was powered by a longitudinally-mounted three-cylinder 748 cc Saab two-stroke engine giving 33 hp (25 kW). The gearbox had three gears, the first unsynchronised. In order to overcome the problems of oil starvation on overrun (engine braking) for the two-stroke engine, a freewheel device was fitted. In 1957, two-point seatbelts were introduced as an option. The 93 was the first Saab to be exported from Sweden, with most exports going to the United States. A Saxomat clutch and a cabrio coach (large cloth sunroof) were available as options.
On September 2, 1957, the 93B was introduced. The original two-piece windshield was also replaced with a one-piece windshield.
In 1957, Erik Carlsson finished 1st in the Finland Rally in a Saab 93; in 1959, he was 1st in the Swedish Rally, also in a Saab 93. However, Saab was not the first Swedish manufacturer to win the Swedish Rally. Saab's long-standing Swedish rival, Volvo, had beaten them consecutively in 1957 and 1958 with the PV544.
In late 1959, the 93F was introduced, featuring front-hinged doors from the Saab GT750. 1960 was the last year of production for the 93. The 93 was replaced by the Saab 96, although the two models were sold side by side for the earlier part of the year. A total of 52,731 Saab 93s were made.
Saab Sonett I shared many of its components with the 93.
Motor sport history
1956
Wiesbaden Rallye, Germany (June 24, 1956) 1st Bengt Jonsson and Kjell Persson Rally Viking, Norway 1st Carl-Magnus Skogh 2nd Erik Carlsson 4th Ivar Andersson Rikspokalen, Sweden 1st Erik Carlsson Scandiatrofén, Sweden 1st Erik Carlsson and Carl-Magnus Skogh (shared) Tour d'Europe Continental 2nd Rolf Mellde and Sverker Benson Tulpen Rally, The Netherlands 2nd Sture Nottorp and Charlie Lohmander 3rd Gunnar Bengtsson and Sven Zetterberg 7th Bengt Jonsson and Sölve Relve