The STIHL AV-70 is a rare, Swedish-market chainsaw variation based on the STIHL 041 series.
It carries an “AV 70 Electronic” label on its bright red engine cover and otherwise resembles a standard 041 professional saw. In fact, collector notes confirm it uses the same basic 041‑series two‑stroke single-cylinder engine. In stock form, this ranged 61–72 cc (bore 44 mm or 48 mm), but the AV-70 had a larger cylinder and electronic ignition added.
The saw even bears an “Electronic” decal on the cover, indicating a solid‑state ignition module instead of a points breaker. Its external appearance (bar, chain, anti-vibration mounts, controls) matches late‑1960s 041 AV models, but its unique red cover and serial coding distinguish it.
STIHL AV-70 specs
No factory specification sheet for the AV‑70 has been published (at least, we can’t find anything online). However, because it is based on the 041 series, we have a good idea of its specs.
Standard 041AV engines were around 61 cc (bore 44 mm, stroke 40 mm) in early versions and later 72 cc (bore 48 mm) in revised models. The AV‑70 reportedly had a slightly larger bore/stroke than the stock 041, giving it marginally more power (forum users noted it had a “größeren Zylinder, mehr Leistung” – larger cylinder, more power).
Exact displacement is unknown but likely on the order of 65–70 cc. Weight, fuel/oil tank capacities, etc., were probably similar to a standard 041AV (around 11–12 kg without bar; fuel ~0.8–1.0 L, oil ~0.3 L). No official power or torque figures are documented; based on its engine, peak power was likely in the 4–5 kW (5.5–7 hp) range.
AV-70 production
The AV‑70 was not a mainstream STIHL model but a small-batch special for Sweden. One experienced collector explains that “the Swedish Stihl importer” commissioned its production, so it was made (or at least assembled) in Sweden under importer direction.
It appears only the Swedish (and possibly broader Scandinavian) market ever saw this saw; it was never sold elsewhere and is not found in standard STIHL catalogs or manuals. In the importer’s records or STIHL factory archives, it seems to be unlisted, as STIHL headquarters was unaware of it.
After the saw surfaced among collectors, users noted that it was “produced for a time in Sweden (or another Scandinavian country) at the importer’s direction”, and that the model was “only sold in Scandinavia” and “not recorded in Stihl’s official history”.
It is described as “recht selten” (quite rare) – especially with the “Electronic” sticker intact. Because it was never advertised globally, even STIHL’s support line had no data: one collector wrote he “could get no information from Stihl directly” about the saw.
Another noted the model was only offered briefly in the late 1960s/early 1970s while the 041 series was current, then replaced by standard 041AV with larger cylinder. It is distinct from the standard Stihl 070 AV, which was an unrelated larger saw; AV‑70 should not be confused with the 070AV model.
Relation to AV-69 and other models
Collector forums consistently link the AV‑70 with another rare “Electronic” variant called the AV‑69.
They seem to be sequential or related SKUs of the same special run. According to one discussion, both the AV‑69 and AV‑70 were 041-based saws sold only in Sweden (the AV‑69 being the initial designation, later changed to AV‑70).
The AV‑70 in particular “looks just like an 041AV” but “possibly with more displacement”. It appears both models were engineered side by side and distributed together; a Swedish importer forum explicitly says “both models were only sold in Sweden (perhaps even built there together)”.
In summary, the AV‑69/AV‑70 were Scandinavia‑exclusive, electronic‑ignition versions of the 041 saw. They predate modern M‑Tronic models. (For context, the Stihl 041 series itself was produced roughly 1967–1975.) Unlike the mainline 041AV, these had no official STIHL model number or manual in Germany; collectors sometimes call them “041 Electronic AV” or simply AV‑69/70.
STIHL AV-70 electronic
Because the AV‑70 is so rare, information mainly comes from enthusiast forums and a few sales listings. For example, a Dutch classified ad in June 2025 offered a “Stihl AV 70” in “like new” condition, stating it “starts and runs fine.”
This recent listing confirms that AV‑70 units do surface occasionally among collectors. (Another auction had advertised one as an “Oldtimer” Stihl 041 AV with an “electronic” badge for several hundred euros, indicating its collector value.) Forum accounts show owners are excited by it: one user lamented he missed the chance to buy the saw, saying, “I didn’t buy it – that was probably a mistake!” (“ich habe sie nicht gekauft – war wohl ein Fehler!”).
In conversations, collectors emphasize how unfamiliar it is even to STIHL today – one asked “Why does Stihl know nothing about this saw!?”
Technical histories also note the AV-69/70 variants. An Italian chainsaw blog explains that the STIHL 041 AV “electronic” series (AVe) was introduced in 1968, preceded by “un modello di pre-serie destinato solo al mercato svedese o scandinavo e denominata AV69” (“a pre-series model for the Swedish/Scandinavian market, called AV-69”).
In other words, STIHL created special editions (AV-69/AV-70) for Sweden. This source implies the AV-70 was part of those importer-specific versions. No official STIHL brochure for the AV-70 has surfaced, but collector literature and ads attest to its existence.
