This is the one-of-a-kind STIHL 027 prototype chainsaw.
Chris Goldman took this photo of the rare saw when visiting Wayne Sutton’s Chainsaw Museum in July 2026, and said, “This is the only 027 in existence. It was a prototype.”
The museum description is hard to read in the photo because of the reflection, but it says:
STIHL
027 – 2002
PROTOTYPE
A. STIHL – Waibligen, Germany
49.6 ccm – 5.3 kgs – 3.5 hp
This saw is equipped with a Turbo Air Filter
These specs (49.6 cc, 3.5 hp, 5.3 kg) match most closely with the STIHL MS 270, and the model resembles the MS 270 and MS 280.
| Model | Years | Displacement | Power | Weight (dry) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 026 | 1988–2001 | 48.7 cc | 3.5 hp | 4.9 kg |
| 027 | 2002 | 49.6 cc | 3.5 hp | 5.3 kg |
| MS 260 | 2002–2011 | 50.2 cc | 3.5 hp | 4.8 kg |
| MS 270 | 2001–2010 | 49.6 cc | 3.5 hp | 5.3 kg |
| MS 280 | 2001–2010 | 54.2 cc | 3.8 hp | 5.3 kg |
I’m not sure what the saw was a prototype of or for, because the 270/280 were released before 2002, the date given for the 027.
Wayne has added, “This saw is equipped with a Turbo Air Filter,” so perhaps it was testing out this feature that never reached production, or which was released with another name, because I’m not familiar with that term being used elsewhere.
Other rare STIHL Chainsaws that can be found in Wayne’s Chainsaw Museum include the 044 C, the Model 1128, and, of course, the Jet Saw, among many others.
