Nevs Will Auction Off Final Production Saab
Are you tiring of SAAB stories? If you are a fan of this iconic brand, this one is actually pretty sad. Nevs, the Swedish holding company that acquired the assets of SAAB while it was in bankruptcy in 2012, is auctioning off its last remaining SAAB production car, a silver 9-3 Aero. Though the vehicle is not the last SAAB ever built, or even the last 9-3 Aero—bankruptcy, sale, cash trouble and a bailout by a Chinese energy vehicle leasing company make this a long and complicated story with this silver SAAB the last to come off a Swedish production line in 2014.
What / Who Is SAAB?
SAAB began as a hardware manufacturer for the Swedish Air Force protecting their neutrality during World War II. They moved to the bursting automobile industry after the war, quickly becoming known for motorsports, especially after winning the 1959 24 hours of LeMans. With a reputation for innovation, SAAB was known as much for engineering misses as well as hits and eventually sought cash from a long line of suitors, including General Motors in the 1990s. Some see the acquisition of a plucky innovator by a behemoth to be the beginning of the end for SAAB—though they continued producing vehicles even after the initial Nevs buyout in 2012. Nevs planned to keep producing SAAB vehicles in Sweden and China, but unfortunately, they almost immediately ran into cash trouble and had to be bailed out by a Chinese firm—not before eventually losing the rights to the SAAB name and logo.
The 2014 SAAB 9-3 began production with much fanfare, but the factory quickly stopped production. The final SAAB was actually a 9-3 concept car Nevs built in 2017 to mark the anniversary of the 99 Turbo. Additionally, electric 9-3’s are rolling off a production line in Tianjin, China, but they are sold under the Nevs brand and will supply partner Panda New Energy with a quarter million cars.
What Does It All Mean?
All of this leaves this single, lonely, silver SAAB with 3 miles on the odometer as the final unsold production car in existence—details of the sale will be announced by Nevs at a later date. There are still plenty of SAABs on the road, and the Aero, in particular, has many fans. If you own a SAAB and are looking for reliable, professional European car repair and maintenance in or near Seattle, WA, EuroCar Service is dedicated to making your service appointment as stress-free as possible, offering free shuttle service and free loaner cars to all our Seattle clients. Our up-to-date specialty tools, equipment, technology, and ASE master mechanics will get you back on the road quickly and efficiently. We also service Audi, BMW, Land Rover, Mercedes, MINI, Volkswagen, Volvo, Smart car, and Fiat. For high-quality, customer service oriented repair or maintenance of your European car, schedule an appointment online or call today!
