Saab Monster

The Saab Monster was an experimental car made by Saab in 1959 as part of the company's motorsport work and its need to draw more power from the two-stroke engine. It was a Toreador Red Saab 93 stripped of all excess weight, including the bonnet, which was replaced by a plastic one, and fitted with two transversely mounted 748 cc two-stroke three cylinder engines in a split in-line layout that drove the front wheels through a modified clutch and gearbox. This gave about 138 bhp (103 kW) and a top speed of 196 km/h, reached at the Satenas airfield. The light, aerofoil-shaped body tended to lift at the rear near top speed, and the torque with front wheel drive produced severe understeer, which gave the car its name. A speed record attempt was not recognised because of discrepancies in scrutineering and recording, and the project ended as impractical. The restored car is on display in the Saab museum in Trollhattan.