Saab’s Sonett III was a Swedish-built sports car that was largely intended for U.S. consumption. It had a fiberglass body and a drivetrain borrowed from other Saab products. Produced over just five years, it only saw about 8,350 units built, so finding one today is probably not easy. This 1974 edition, from the final year of production, looks to have been tucked away in a big garage or barn with several other project cars. While it will need a complete restoration, it looks as though it might all be there. Residing in Connellsville, Pennsylvania, the little car is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $3,500.

The Sonett name has some history within the Saab family, with versions having been built between 1955-57 and again from 1966-74. It began as a prototype, called the Sonett I, a 2-seat, open-top, lightweight roadster which later evolved into Sonett models II, V4, and III. The Sonett III followed the V4 in 1970 (not sure of Saab’s naming hierarchy), using the existing chassis and closed-coupe body with hinged rear-window glass. Desiring a “bulge-less” hood, engineers went with a small, front pop-up panel instead. That design was not user friendly and any extensive engine work required the removal of the entire front section of the car.

The car utilized hidden headlights that were operated manually using a lever. U.S. safety regulations required low-speed impact-proof bumpers starting in 1973, which made the car look bulky in the front and detracted somewhat from its Italian-inspired design. Most of the cars came with a 1700 cc V4 supplied by Ford that was rated at just 65 hp due to all the detuning that was the rage in the 1970s. Whether you consider this zippy or not, the car could do 0–60 mph in 13 seconds and reach a top speed of 103 mph, perhaps because of the aerodynamics of its shape.

This ’74 Sonett III is said to have 73,500 miles on it and will need a full restoration. The purple paint is rather faded, and the body stripes largely peeled off. It would be interesting to see how it might look cleaned up, especially the interior which is littered with debris. There is a tear in one of the bucket seats, but perhaps the rest of it is okay. We’re told this is a one-owner car, but no other history is provided. Perhaps it quit running for one reason or another and took up residence in this garage for several years.

Demand for the car practically disappeared after the energy crisis of 1973 (although this was not a thirsty car), so Saab pulled the plug on this model at the end of 1974. Hagerty says the nicest one of these left on the planet is a $15,000 proposition, so restoring the car might not make economical sense. Since the mechanical components were interchangeable with other cars, perhaps get it running again, clean it up some, and take it out on weekends. You’d rarely see another one like it.