Rolf Mellde

Rolf Mellde
Born	1922
Died	March 2009
Occupation	Engineer
Known for	Engine development at Saab and Volvo, motorsport participation

Rolf Mellde (1922 – March 2009) was an engineer with expertise in performance engines and a passionate participant in car racing.

Early life

Mellde's grandfather, August Johansson, was among the pioneers who constructed one of Stockholm's earliest automobiles and sold it to Lars Magnus Ericsson. His father, Evald Johansson, instructed automotive mechanics at a Stockholm-based school. Following his father's path, Mellde began designing turbo compressors and diesel engines when he was just ten years old.

After completing his foundational education, Mellde pursued studies in thermodynamics for two years at Stockholms Tekniska Institut (STI), learning under the guidance of Folke Mannerstedt—a race driver and engine designer—and Nils Gustafsson. His initial employment was with Bergbolagen in Lindesberg, where he worked on engine-driven inspection trollies. Subsequently, he spent two years at Skandiaverken in Lysekil, focusing on two stroke marine engines.

Work at Saab

Mellde joined SAAB in September 1946, taking responsibility for engine development.

In 1948, he embarked on his motorsport career driving a DKW in Skarpnäck. Upon becoming head of testing, he proposed that SAAB enter automotive competitions to demonstrate the capabilities of SAAB's engines. This led to SAAB's participation in the Rikspokalen in 1950, where they secured victory. The company went on to win this event eight times until its final occurrence in 1961.

During the 1960s, as demand for two stroke vehicles declined, Mellde advanced his concept of experimenting with a four stroke engine. Among several four-stroke engines evaluated, the Ford V4 emerged as the most promising. The company's board was invited to test drive a prototype fitted with this engine; however, none accepted. Tryggve Holm regarded the notion of equipping a SAAB with a Ford powerplant as preposterous. Meanwhile, Lars Brising refrained from expressing his views. Saab’s leadership preferred Mellde to concentrate on developing the Saab 99.

Facing resistance, Mellde consulted with Marc Wallenberg, who had previously driven a Saab 92. After discussions with his father, Marc secured approval for integrating the V4 engine. Prior to official authorization, Mellde had covertly visited Ford's Detroit facility and met with Don Fray, then head of Ford US operations. Fray subsequently contacted Ford's CEO Robert McNamara, who raised no objections to supplying the engine to Saab at prices equivalent to those charged to Ford’s subsidiary companies.

The transition to the V4 engine was executed discreetly. Just before the factory closed for summer break in 1966, workers were asked if they would volunteer to repair some 96 models reportedly suffering from "faulty brakes." Forty employees agreed and were then informed by Svante Holm that their actual task was to retrofit unsold vehicles with V4 engines. Approximately 600 cars underwent this conversion. The V4-powered Saabs achieved significant commercial success, outselling their two-stroke predecessors by a factor of three.

Career at Volvo

Shortly thereafter, Curt Mileikowsky joined from ASEA. With no prior experience in automobiles, Mileikowsky arrived just as Rolf transitioned to Volvo after dedicating 25 years to SAAB. At Volvo, Rolf encountered the project intended to succeed the Volvo 140, a sizable vehicle originally equipped with a cast V8 engine. He swiftly assembled a team focused on developing the new 200-series, where Jan Willsgård contributed by designing a revised front end and the powertrain was switched from the V8 to an inline 4-cylinder. During his tenure at Volvo, Rolf concentrated on advancing safety features and also participated in developing an innovative front wheel drive taxi cab. In 1979, he took charge of the light component project (LCP), leading to the creation of the LCP2000 concept cars, which were showcased at international motor exhibitions in 1983. These vehicles incorporated an exceptionally lightweight diesel engine with direct fuel injection, achieving remarkable fuel efficiency—up to 33.3 kilometres per litre (94 mpg_‑imp; 78 mpg_‑US).

Final years

Rolf Mellde passed away in March 2009 at the age of 86.

References

• The Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile
• Saab Sonett
• The Complete Book of The World Rally Championship