Everyone’s Favorite Dead Swedish Car Brand Just Unexpectedly Resurfaced

Don’t get too excited. No, Saab’s automotive division is not about to make some grand return.

However, the enthusiast-favorite Swedish carmaker is now making headlines, more than a decade after its collapse.

That’s because the last cars ever built at Saab’s Trollhättan factory have recently surfaced, and now they’re about to go up for sale as part of an upcoming auction.

Klaravik

The last of a beloved brand

Not only that, but they’re some truly unique vehicles. Following Saab’s bankruptcy in 2011, National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS) took control of the remaining assets, attempting to salvage the brand by leaning on legacy and adding battery power along with next-gen tech.

As such, the Klaravik auction lineup includes a total of eight vehicles. Some are more traditionally Saab-like, while others offer a glimpse of what could have been, assuming things had panned out for the China-backed NEVS.

Klaravik

On the gas-powered front, this means that, along with a pair of 2014 Saab 9-3 Aero pre-production vehicles, there’s a 2014 9-3 prototype. Though they’re hardly pristine, they’re not high-mileage, either, showing around 11,000 to 36,000 miles on the clock.

Beyond those cars, the auction’s other advertised drivable vehicle takes the form of a battery-powered 2018 NEVS 9-3. It managed to accumulate over 23,000 miles during its time in testing.

The three other NEVS 9-3 Electric models don’t bring the same kind of functionality, but they’re nevertheless forward-thinking concepts that remain relevant today. Along with prototypes touting autonomous tech and gas-fed range extenders, there’s also a pre-production model fitted with an electric motor at each wheel.

Klaravik

Assuming those aren’t up to your liking, Klaravik’s sale includes a Hengchi 5. It’s notable in that it’s the only one that made it to Sweden, and it comes with just 28 miles on the odometer.

Another end to the Saab saga

Much as it may seem like a lot of fuss over some old (and, in some cases, questionably Swedish) Saabs, these are significant vehicles. Their sale represents yet another development in the closing chapters of the brand’s story.

Remember, General Motors’ initial acquisition back in 1989 was really the beginning of the end of Saab. When it took full control at the turn of the millennium, it did so at the expense of the automaker’s unique Swedish identity.

Klaravik

That kind of dilution only compounded in 2010 with a sale to the Dutch firm Spyker Cars. Moreover, it was ultimately a move that merely prolonged Saab’s demise, as the 2012 bankruptcy resulted in NEVS ownership.

Initially, the Swedish startup attempted to preserve the Saab name. Even when it eventually lost the rights to badge its cars under the company’s likeness, it nevertheless preserved its legacy through familiar model naming conventions.

Of course, as the products of Chinese parent company Evergrande, they’re even more removed from their Swedish ancestors. If in likeness and location alone, however, they’re the closest things you can get to a Saab, directly from the source. After all, more than 75 years after the roll-out of the company’s first mass-produced vehicles, these are what remain at the Trollhättan factory.

Klaravik

Availability and pricing

If you’re interested in getting in on the action, Klaravik’s auctions will begin on May 21st and run through May 30th. All no reserve, they’ll conclude with a special event at the Trollhättan plant.

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