This is another custom built car based on Saab mechanicals by a guy named Leif Mellberg. We’ve covered a couple of Mellberg’s custom Saabs in the past, though this one may be the most distinctive yet.
This car is called the Mayo P1 and it was built in the early 1990s using a lot of parts from the Saab 9000. Mellberg built it based on designs by Sune Envall, the brother of legendary Saab designer, Bjorn Envall.
Mellberg envisioned a run of 20 of these vehicles, but only one was ever made, mostly due to economic conditions at the time. The car cost around 1.5million SEK and that’s in 1991 money!
The all-important stats on the car:
- Build/Design: Leif Mellberg, Sune Envall.
- Body: two-seater sports coupe with pop-up mirrors integrated in the doors.
- Engine: Mid-mounted 2.3-liter Saab (located in front of the rear axle), turbocharged, four valves per cylinder, DOHC technology, modified steering system, increased boost pressure.
- Transmission: 5-speed from Saab, modified and with a higher gear.
- Drive: Rear-wheels.
- Front suspension: Individual, modified Saab 9000 front axle.
- Rear suspension: Individual modified Saab 9000 rear end.
- Brakes: Ventilated discs. Custom 4-piston caliper front.
- Wheels: 16 “Aero wheels, Bridgestone tires, 245/40-16.
- Interior: Completely custom design, leather / suede, electrically adjustasble custom designed seats based on Recaro.
- Dimensions: Length: 400 cm. Height: 104 cm. Wheelbase: 260 cm.
- Track width: 160 cm.
- Curb weight: 1,100 kg.
- Performance: Not tested, but the calculations give 0-100 km/h at 6 seconds. The theoretical top speed is 280 km/h.
I hadn’t heard of this car prior to receiving an email from one of the writers from Tekniken’s Varld today. Well, I though I hadn’t heard of it, but when I did a search I found that a reference had been made to it in comments here, in a prior post. That comment contained the link from which I obtained the information you’re seeing now.
I got the impression that the guys at Tekniken’s would like track the car down. Actually, these photos look like magazine scans and I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re originally from Teknikens Varld.
If you’ve got any idea as to where the car might be today, please feel free to drop some knowledge either via comments or email. It really would be great to track these unique ‘Saabs’ down.
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Other Mellberg Saab-based vehicles that we’ve covered in the past:
Saab Speeder
‘Saaberrari’ – my name for it – and better photo here
There is some talk that Mellberg may have had a hand in the Saab EV-1 concept car, too, though I’d not heard that before.
Related posts:
{ 15 comments }
No I don’t think 1.5 SEK was a lot of money in 1991 !! =|8-)
A truely affordable car…
)))
Price now adjusted.
ooops.
I was reminded of the Mayo P1 when I saw a picture of the McLaren MP4-12C just yesterday. And remember… The Mayo P1 was built in 1991….!!!
( http://www.worldcarfans.com/109110222820/mclaren-mp4-12c-us-launch-delayed/lowphotos#9 )
I´ve been fascinated by the Mayo since I first saw back in the day. The design was so much ahead of everything at the time. Even today designcues like the integrated spoilerwing could be adopted into a new vehicle. Beautiful car!
Cheers/Tom
http://galerie.saabsportclub.com/album132/page1.jpg.html
http://galerie.saabsportclub.com/album132/page2.jpg.html
http://galerie.saabsportclub.com/album132/page3.jpg.html
http://galerie.saabsportclub.com/album132/page4.jpg.html
And no I dont speak French.
Regnr: BBT760
Fabrikat: SAAB 900 T16 YS3AT35LAER
Färg: SVART
Owner:
Namn: SAAB AUTOMOBILE AB
Adress: CENTRAL BILFÖRVALTNING
Tom
Hehe that’s my gallery Jacco .
Here’s another link with the same artciel I had presened on Paul’s forum :
http://c900se.informe.com/viewtopic.php?t=145
Tom you had left a comment overthere at the time .
The interior and rear 3/4 view looks a lot like the 1994 Ford Mustang, they even had the same paint colour
I was just going to comment ans say it was a 300zx interior, modified a little. But, it is a Mustang, which was my initial impression. Wow, Ford copied the shit out of Nissan! VERY VERY similar.
“Central Bilförvaring” ..i guess that means that it is in Saab Museum right?
was thinking of the white saab 90 which also has that registration:
http://www.saabforum.nl/viewtopic.php?t=8441&sid=f0b19e7440abbcc9f7b831143bcdb546
Hi,
I know the reg.nr of the car but that plate has probably only been loaned from en existing Saab at that time for some show pics.
The car seems like disapeared from the earth. Maybe it´s true, the rumour, that it was destroyed in a fire. But people report they have seen it after that, still alive.
If anytining, mail me.
Hello, you show my pictures. I published the first and the third in 1991 in Germany, both in AutoBild and Autozeitung. I met Leif Mellberg in Nyköping in the autumn same year and published even pictures of the German Adler car he was restoring at his workshop.
As far as I know the car now is at home at the museum of the swedish publisher Albinson and Sjöberg. This company publishes the magazine Bilsport, the swedish bible for car freaks.
Leif Mellberg sadly comitted suicide. He was sick in cancer, maybe because of his work with all the plastic mmaterials and otherweise nearly only drinking black coffee and eating sweet cakes.
The Mayo P1 is still alive and on the earth. As far as I know, the car is parked in my garage, and not owned by the swedish publisher Albinson and Sjöberg. I am the only owner after Leif Mellberg. It is like owning a Picasso. So now you are among the few knowing were it is…
Happy easter!
Pictures please! All pictures that can be found today seems to be bad ones copied from old magazines.
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