Makes › Saab › MFI13 · Prototype · 1964–1965 One-off
Saab
MFI13
One-off Malmö Flygindustri sports car by Björn Karlström and Björn Andreasson that became the basis of the Sonett II (Saab 97)
Still being researched: identification guide, full specifications. Everything shown is checked against the cited sources. Know more? Send us a source.
Photo: Herranderssvensson · CC BY-SA 3.0
Contents
01Overview
At a glance
- Built
- 1 Built
- Years
- 1964–1965
- Engine
- three-cylinder two-stroke, three carburettors
- Power
- Not yet verified
- Top speed
- 150 km/hFactory: 150 km/h
- Body
- Not yet verified
- Designer
- Bjorn Karlstrom and Bjorn Andreasson
- In this archive
- Not yet verified
- Surviving
- Not yet verified
Sources and any conflicting figures are in the sections below.
Why it matters
The MFI13 was the sports car prototype that Saab chose over the Catherina as the basis of the Sonett II, renamed Saab 97.
How rare is it?
Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.
Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.
02Production & history
Production
Every figure says what it counts.
| What is counted | Figure | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total model productionthe only one of its kind | 11,2 | Factory production | Factory reported |
Independent counts (e.g. engine and colour) are never combined into a calculated figure. Surviving examples are never presented as original production.
History
Designer Bjorn Karlstrom and engineer Bjorn Andreasson built the car at Malmo Flygindustri (MFI); project number 13 was picked because no superstitious airman would use it. Work began in 1964 with Saab's knowledge, and the sheet-steel body was made by the Malmo coachbuilder Heinel so that its panels could later serve as moulds for plastic bodies. When an expected development grant never arrived, Saab stepped in.
Saab judged the MFI13 superior to the Catherina and renamed it the Saab 97; the car was ready for production within six months. The Sonett II kept the basic lines of the prototype. The only MFI13 has a three-cylinder two-stroke with three carburettors.
Variants
How each version differs from the standard MFI13.
No variants documented yet. Have a source? Contribute it.
03Specifications
Technical specifications
Engine
| Engine family | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Engine code | Not yet verified |
| Layout | three-cylinder two-stroke, three carburettors1 |
| Displacement | Not yet verified |
| Bore | Not yet verified |
| Stroke | Not yet verified |
| Compression ratio | Not yet verified |
| Fuel system | Not yet verified |
| Power | Not yet verified |
| Power at | Not yet verified |
| Torque | Not yet verified |
Transmission & drivetrain
| Gearbox | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Gears | Not yet verified |
| Driven wheels | Not yet verified |
Chassis, body & dimensions
| Chassis | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Front suspension | Not yet verified |
| Rear suspension | Not yet verified |
| Brakes | Not yet verified |
| Steering | Not yet verified |
| Body construction | sheet steel body by Heinel, Malmo1 |
| Wheelbase | Not yet verified |
| Length | Not yet verified |
| Width | Not yet verified |
| Height | Not yet verified |
| Front track | Not yet verified |
| Rear track | Not yet verified |
| Kerb weight | Not yet verified |
| Dry weight | Not yet verified |
Performance
| Maximum speed | 150 km/hFactory: 150 km/h1 |
|---|---|
| 0–100 km/h | 13.7 s1 |
| Fuel tank | Not yet verified |
“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.
04Colours & options
Factory colours & interiors
Original paint and trim, with the number of cars in each where a source gives it.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Factory options & codes
Codes are shown exactly as written by the manufacturer.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
05Individual cars
Chassis register
Every documented car, with its colours, history and where it is now. Open a row for the full record. Known chassis are not automatically authenticated originals.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Competition history
Every race result of the individual cars, in date order. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Auction & sale history
Documented public sales of the individual cars. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
See one in person
Museums where an example of this car can be seen.
No example is documented on public display yet. Have a source? Contribute it.
06Reference
Identification guide
How to tell an original from a replica or later conversion.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Sources
Each number links to the exact facts it supports.
-
1
MFI13 history Level A The Saab Museum (independent enthusiast archive)
- The MFI13, the only one of its kind
- three-cylinder two-stroke engine with three carburettors
- body was produced from sheet steel by Heinel's, a coachbuilder in Malmo
- achieved a top speed of 150km/h
- 0 to 100km/h taking just 13.7 seconds
- 2
