A Final Opportunity to Own a Piece of Saab History
The remnants of the once-legendary car company Saab are now up for sale, offering enthusiasts and collectors a rare chance to own a piece of automotive history. Seven 9-3 models have been listed for auction by NEVS, the company that took over from Saab.
Among the vehicles are three petrol-powered pre-production cars built in Trollhättan in 2014, with mileage ranging from 18,000 to 58,000 km. Another is a Chinese-built NEVS-branded 9-3 EV with 38,000 km on the odometer. These four cars were primarily used for internal transport.
The remaining three NEVS development prototypes, dating back to 2018, are even more unique. One of them features four in-wheel motors, while another has a range extender EV drivetrain with a petrol engine acting as a generator to recharge the on-board battery pack when it starts running low. The last vehicle looks like a Google Street View car but is actually an autonomous driving development vehicle equipped with LIDAR technology that’s nearly a decade old.
For those interested in learning more about these cars, there are videos and detailed information available on the Klaravik auction website. Potential buyers can also view the cars in person at a special event held at the Trollhättan factory on May 30. NEVS representatives will be present to answer any questions from bidders.
The bidding process begins on May 21 and concludes on May 30 during the in-person event. There is no reserve price set by NEVS, which means the cars could potentially be sold for as little as a single krona. Bidders who are not Swedish residents will need to register as a business.
The Legacy of Saab: From Jets to Cars
All the cars available at the auction are from Saab’s NEVS era and are based on the second-generation 9-3, which first debuted in 2003. This model was based on the third-generation Opel Vectra. As Saab’s advertising often reminded people, the company originally began in 1937 as a plane manufacturer. Its name stands for Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget, or Swedish Airplane Company.
After World War II, Saab started producing cars, with the 92 entering production in 1949. In 1969, Saab merged with truck maker Scania. As vehicle development costs increased, Scania sought outside investment, leading to General Motors (GM) acquiring a 50% stake in Saab in 1989. GM later purchased the remaining shares in 2000.
Due to financial struggles at Opel/Vauxhall since the early 2000s, Saab never received the necessary investment to remain competitive in the luxury segment. Ironically, just as Saab was preparing to launch its first car-based SUV, the 9-4X, and the second-generation 9-5, GM was heading towards bankruptcy due to the sub-prime housing crisis and rising pension costs. This led to Saab being put up for sale in 2007.
After a deal with Koenigsegg backed by Chinese automaker BAIC fell through, GM eventually sold Saab to Dutch supercar maker Spyker in 2010. However, Spyker soon faced financial difficulties and tried to form a partnership with Chinese companies Youngman and Pang Da, but this was blocked by GM, which refused to license its technology if these companies were involved.
By the end of 2011, Saab had gone into receivership and was acquired in 2012 by National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS), led by Kai Johan Jiang, a Swedish-Chinese businessman. While NEVS managed to negotiate rights to the Saab name, it did not get the Griffin logo from Scania. NEVS was limited to working on the 9-3, as GM did not allow access to the new 9-5 or 9-4X models.
NEVS restarted production of the petrol and diesel 9-3, hoping to use sales revenue to fund 9-3 EV development. However, due to the age of the 9-3 and uncertain prospects, the company went into bankruptcy protection by 2014, losing the rights to the Saab name.
After receiving investments from various Chinese firms and government investment entities, NEVS was acquired by Evergrande, a Chinese real estate developer, in 2019. However, Evergrande collapsed in 2021 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the bursting of China’s property bubble, and failed diversification efforts. Despite multiple attempts to sell NEVS, the company has been placed into “hibernation” with minimal staff and no plans to restart car production.
