1956 Saab 93

The Saab 93 was produced from 1956 through 1959 and was followed for a short time by the Saab 96F. The 96F brought new updates but also provided an opportunity to reduce the supplies of the old product. The 93 was replaced by the Saab 96.

The Saab 93 was first shown on December 1, 1955, and was styled by Sixten Sason, a designer working at Saab since 1939. Under the hood was a longitudinally-mounted three-cylinder Saab two-stroke engine of 748cc capacity and producing 33 horsepower. Power was sent to the rear wheels through a three-speed gearbox with the top two gears being synchro-meshed.

The Saab 93 was a very important model for the Swedish company because it was the first Saab to be exported, with the majority making their way to the United States. The Saab 93 received much attention in motorsports as it was a formidable contender in rally events. In 1957 Erick Carlsson finished first in the Finland Rally. In 1959 he finished in first in the Swedish Rally.

The Saab 93B was introduced on September 2nd, 1957, bringing mild aesthetic improvements, including a two-piece windshield replacing the one-piece unit.

The Saab 93F was introduced in 1960 and was the final designation for the Saab 93, with a total of about 600 examples being produced. The Saab 93F would be replaced by the Saab 96. The 'F' brought with it new front-hinged doors similar to the ones found on the Saab GT750. Mudguards at the rear wheels and a large capacity cooling system could also be found on the 93F.

In total, there were 52,731 examples of the Saab 93 produced. They were replaced by the Saab 96.

By Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2006