In the April edition of Collectible Automobile (2014), Patrick R. Foster noted that Saab was the last European automaker outside Warsaw Pact countries to produce two-stroke engines. The Swedish automaker switched to a modern four-stroke engine in 1967.
That suggests a dysfunctionally insular organizational culture. As discussed further here, by hanging onto the two-stroke so long, Saab missed an opportunity to go head-to-head with the wildly popular Volkswagen with its iconic 92/93/96 series.
RE:SOURCES
- Foster, Patrick R.; 2014. “1956-73 Saab 93, 95, and 96: Unconventional Swedish Autos in the USA.” Collectible Automobile, April: 63-71.
