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NEVS announces 200 layoffs as it says Saab restart will 'take time'

For a fleeting moment a few weeks ago, the news from Saab-owner National Electric Vehicle Sweden appeared almost positive. The company had its reorganization plan approved (a day after it was denied), and the automaker was actually showing a real, running vehicle, albeit one with a top speed of 75 miles per hour. But those tiny crumbs of potential goodness have been swept away because NEVS has announced layoffs of as many as 200 factory employees in September "due to lack of work."
Workers probably shouldn't get too eager to return to the factory either, because company's "decision to re-start production will be further delayed" by an unspecified amount of time, NEVS says in a press release. To begin assembling cars again, the company needs to find long-term funding and a new majority owner. Those seem like two very steep hurdles for the embattled automaker to clear.
Despite not producing cars since May, NEVS still claims it's negotiating with a new owner, possibly Mahindra, but according to Reuters, the Swedish company owes about 400 million kronor ($56 million) to creditors. According to its layoff announcement, getting rid of these workers is one step in the business' reorganization plan to be presented on October 8. Scroll down to read its full release.

Former Saab chairman Muller faces summons in tax inquiry

Former Saab Chairman Victor Muller may be called in for questioning as part of an official inquiry into suspected tax evasion by three of the automaker's former executives. A prosecutor has officially named former CEO Jan-Ake Jonsson and two other executives in the investigation, and official court documents say that Muller will be called in by the Financial Crimes Unit. According to Reuters, prosecutors are currently looking into allegations that the executives worked to dodge taxes between 2010 and 2011, when the automaker finally went into bankruptcy.
The Truth About Cars reports the investigation may center around the $540,000 paid as consulting fees to Latin America Tug Holding NV, a company Muller owns. It's possible that the Swedish authorities believe the Saab executives were using the tug boat company as a tax haven, and that the automaker should have paid taxes and social security contributions on the money. Muller has not been charged.
Meanwhile, Muller is defending his earnings in a new interview with Automotive News. Having come under fire for his $773,000 salary at Saab, the Spyker CEO said his pay was commensurate with an executive running a company with 4,000 employees.

Last Saab 9-3 built nets nearly $48,000 at auction

It was among the last Saabs to roll off the production line in Trollhattan, Sweden, is virtually new, and now it has a new owner. The Saab 9-3 Aero Turbo4 we told you about a month ago has sold in an auction for the equivalent of $47,789. As with anything related to the remnants of the legendary Swedish automotive brand, the backstory on this one is a little complicated, starting with the model year. Saab originally ground production to a halt in 2011. This model came about after National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS) acquired the brand out of bankruptcy, and was part of a run of 420 models built starting in late 2013 before NEVS lost the rights to use the Saab name and griffin logo. It was originally set aside for crash testing, but never actually used for that purpose, and mostly sat idle inside the plant, in case NEVS restarted production of combustion vehicles. The 41 miles on the odometer came from running the car on a test track near the Trollhattan plant for photography and video purposes. It features a 2.0-liter turbo-four engine that makes 217 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. It has a two-tone interior with cream leather seats and a dashboard and center console that looks like what you might expect to result from Saab's parts-sharing arrangement under the ownership of bankruptcy-era General Motors. Nowadays, NEVS has financial backing from Chinese investors and is making electric vehicles based on the 9-3 platform and body, just without any Saab badging. It continues to operate the Trollhattan plant and another in Tianjin, China, and it reportedly plans a new plant in Shanghai. NEVS also has partnered with Swedish supercar maker Koenigsegg in a venture to develop new EVs. The 9-3 buyer’s name is Claus Spaangaard. HeÂ’s a Danish car collector and car-repair shop owner who says he already owns two Saab cars. Proceeds from the auction will fund research into sustainable mobility in Sweden, NEVS says.