Saab's Scariest Car Is The Twin-Engined 93 Dubbed The Monster

Why It Matters

The Monster demonstrated the performance ceiling of Saab’s small‑displacement platform and forced the company to rethink powertrain strategies, shaping its future engineering direction. Its legacy underscores how extreme prototypes can drive mainstream innovation despite never reaching production.

Key Takeaways

• Twin 748 cc engines produced ~138 hp in 1959
• Front‑wheel‑drive chassis struggled with severe understeer
• Gearbox failed under torque, limiting race viability
• Project proved limits of Saab 93 platform
• Inspired later Saab turbo and V4 developments

Pulse Analysis

Saab’s post‑war identity was rooted in aviation, and the 93’s teardrop silhouette reflected that heritage. When rally ambitions outgrew the modest two‑stroke three‑cylinder, engineers turned the 93 into a testbed, bolting two identical engines transversely at the front. The resulting 1.5‑liter six‑cylinder unit generated an unprecedented 138 horsepower for a family car of the era, propelling the prototype to over 120 mph. This raw power, however, came at the cost of handling; the front‑heavy mass created massive understeer and torque‑steer, while the stock gearbox shredded under the sudden torque spikes, exposing the limits of the chassis.

The technical hurdles proved insurmountable for competitive rallying. To keep weight down, Saab swapped steel panels for aluminium and fiberglass and stripped the interior, yet the radiator’s relocation and the makeshift transmission could not cope with the engine’s output. Drivers reported a near‑uncontrollable front end, where steering inputs were overruled by the twin‑engine torque surge. These safety and reliability concerns led Saab to abandon the project, opting instead for a more conventional Ford‑sourced V4 in the subsequent Saab 96, which offered smoother power delivery without the twin‑engine complexity.

Although the Monster never entered production, its influence reverberated through Saab’s engineering philosophy. The experiment highlighted the need for balanced weight distribution and robust drivetrain design, lessons that paved the way for Saab’s pioneering turbocharged models in the 1970s. Today, the prototype resides in the Saab Car Museum, serving as a tangible reminder that bold, even reckless, experimentation can spark lasting technological progress in the automotive world.