Saab Sport is an automobile from Saab launched in 1962 as a replacement for the Saab GT750. It used the same body shell as the Saab 96 with a different interior configuration. From the outside it could be differentiated from a standard 96 by the twin chrome stripes along the lower part of the sides.
The engine was an 841 cc two-stroke three cylinder engine with one Solex carburetor per cylinder, giving 52 hp. The engine was lubricated via a separate tank for two-stroke oil, allowing the use of ordinary petrol. The car also used disc brakes at the front, something that was unusual at the time.
- From 1963 on the model for the USA market was named Granturismo 850.
- In the 1965 model year power output was raised to 55 hp.
- From model year 1966 all market variants were named Monte Carlo 850.
- During model year 1967 the two stroke models were phased out and replaced with the Monte Carlo V4 (with the 65 hp Ford Taunus V4 engine).
- Production ended in 1968.
Trivia
In the 1962 Safari Rally Pat Moss drove her personal light blue Saab Sport since the competition deparment at SAAB didn’t manage to get a suitable rally car on time. She was promised a new car if she should crash. The car was one of a kind. Since Pat Moss couldn’t get the car in red (her favorite colour) she insisted on at least getting red interior. This resulted in the only light blue Saab Sport with red interior. In the Midnight Sun Rally 1964 Pat Moss drove a red Saab Sport.