Saab 9-3 production starts again – cars to be sold online to Swedish buyers

The new owners of what was left of Saab – National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS) – today re-started limited production of the Saab 9-3.

Many thought, after the fiasco that was the demise of Saab after GM’s ownership – that there would never be a new Saab built at Trollhatten again. And, in many ways, they were right.

They were right because the new owners of Saab, National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS), intend making electric cars in the future, and even though they will get a Saab badge, they won’t be allowed to use the Griffin logo.

But as a prelude to starting production of an electric version of the Saab 9-3, NEVS has managed to get the 9-3 production line back up and running, reached agreement with 400 parts suppliers, and the first new 9-3s rolled down the production line today.

But this isn’t proper full-scale production, more a way of proving everything works ahead of production of electric cars in 2014, but there will be real Saab 9-3s for sale, although most of the small number being produced – as few as 10 a week to start with – are heading for China, but a small number will be available to Swedish buyers online at Saab’s website.

Saab even say that the ‘New’ 9-3 Aero will also be available to customers in other markets in time, so perhaps if sales are promising the 9-3 may roll for a while yet with a a petrol engine.

It’s not quite ‘Saab’s Back’. But it’s better than it could have been.