SAAB’S PUKKA RALLY STAR

This car will be familiar to anyone who has been on Targa New Zealand rallies or even anyone who has seen any of the promotional shots advertising the Vintage Car Club (VCC) Targa.

It is regularly the poster child for classic rallying, for good reason. Saab’s 96 made the company’s name in rallying, winning the Monte Carlo Rally twice in a row in the 1960s.

Its rallying credentials give the car cache, but so does its enchanting shape. The curves are so redolent of the ’50s but they are also distinctly European. No matter what company it finds itself in at rallies and classic car events, the Saab instantly conveys an impression of great diversity.

What’s all the more remarkable is that the Saab dominated the rallying world in the early ’60s with a three-cylinder two-stroke engine having all of 841cc to call on

What’s all the more remarkable is that the Saab dominated the rallying world in the early ’60s with a three-cylinder two-stroke engine having all of 841cc to call on.

Owner and keen classic rallyist Graeme Sharp suggests an explanation: “They are not quick off the mark but when you do get going it pays to use the momentum.” I see — their drivers would do anything to avoid the effort of getting them back up there again.

A couple of other factors clearly worked in their favour. Two-stroke engines are happiest when they are in the zone, spinning at high revs, which is where you want to be when hurrying. In fact going off the loud pedal and using engine braking is downright dangerous. As there’s no oil in the sump and the crankcase acts as an inlet manifold, no accelerator pedal means no injection of fuel or the all-important two-stroke oil to lubricate the main bearings.

That’s why Saab developed a freewheel mechanism that disconnected the engine, preventing ‘dry’ engine braking — which also preserves the aforementioned momentum. While the car might be hurtling