Editing Saab Formula Junior (section)

[[File:saabformulajunior2.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Saab Formula Junior]]
[[File:Saab Formula Junior.jpg|thumb|300px|Saab Formula Junior in the Saab Museum]]

{{commons category|Saab Formula Junior}}

The '''Saab Formula Junior''' was a [[automobile|car]] built in 1960 by the [[Sweden|Swedish]] car maker [[Saab Automobile|Saab]].

In 1960, the [[Saab 93]]F was being replaced by the [[Saab 96]] and a new 841 cc [[internal combustion engine|engine]] was developed. The competition and testing departments of Saab did not want to see any series produced sports engines with the new size until they had a chance to try some new ideas. These ideas led to the creation of these [[Formula Junior]] race cars with which Saab surprised the motor racing world in the late autumn of 1960. The cars first showed up at the [[Gelleråsen]] racetrack at [[Karlskoga]] and then at the [[Eläintarhanajot|Eläintarhanajot race]] in [[Helsinki]] ([[Finland]]), in 1961, finishing 4th and 5th.

The body design was unusual. Instead of using a multi-tubular [[spaceframe]] chassis like other ''Formula Junior'' cars, Saab chose to construct an advanced [[aluminium]] [[monocoque]] car, with a [[plastic]] nose-cone.

The [[fibreglass]] nose protected a 'bored-out' horizontal 950 cc three cylinder [[two stroke cycle|two stroke]] engine, with two dual [[Solex Carburetor|Solex]] [[carburettor]]s developing some 95 [[Horsepower#Brake horsepower|bhp]] - (one of the carburettors was cut in half, thus providing three chokes&nbsp;— one for each of the three cylinders). There was a cross-flow [[radiator (engine cooling)|radiator]], for cooling. The [[Suspension (vehicle)|suspension]] was purpose-built, incorporating a unique type of tensile spring. The cars did not do very well in races, due to their cornering ability and their relatively low-powered engine (the later regulations allowed up to 1100 cc engines). Nonetheless, two first places and a track record ([[Stockholm]]) were achieved. The 70%-30% front-rear weight distribution created pronounced [[understeer]]. This was only partially overcome by designing the rear suspension to encourage the inside rear wheel to lift during cornering. Only two cars were built, as later regulations made them even less competitive. They were retired at the end of the 1961 racing season. History records them as having fulfilled an important developmental role for Saab's competition department.

The cars appeared in typical [[Sweden|Swedish]] livery of blue and yellow. The drivers were [[Gösta Karlsson (racing driver)|Gösta Karlsson]], [[Carl-Magnus Skogh]] and [[Erik Carlsson]].