In 1961 a couple of Saab's were imported into Australia to test the market. Reviews, such as this one by Modern Motor magazine, were enthusiastic about the car. Much was made of Saab's low maintenance cost, build quality and reliability. This was primarily due to the simplicity of their two-stroke motors, which did not need tuning, oil changes or much in the way of special maintenance. Unfortunately, the high cost of taxes and import duties applied to a fully imported car meant they couldn't really compete on price with domestic cars, such as Fords and Holdens, and plans to distribute them in Australia fell through.
