2005 Saab 9-3 Linear Sedan 4-door 2.0l on 2040-cars

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Vampire Weekend singer responds to burning Saab controversy [w/video]

Last week, we tipped you off about Vampire Weekend and their new music video for the song Diane Young, a short film that consists entirely of setting fire to two perfectly nice-looking Saab 900 automobiles. The indie rock band's video - viewable by scrolling down - predictably triggered the internet ire of classic car enthusiasts - Saabophiles in particular - and word of the unrest eventually got back to the band itself.
According to music site Spinner (nb: owned by Autoblog parent AOL), the group was "stunned" at the backlash - enough that lead singer Ezra Koenig felt compelled to respond himself. According to Koenig, the band was under the impression that their record company was "looking to purchase the cheapest, oldest cars possible; they weren't trying to buy a beautiful perfect condition car." By way of apology, Koenig even goes so far as to note that bandmate Rostam Batmanglij is a keen fan of Saab.
Other reports have claimed that the cars may have been purchased under false pretenses, sold by owners who "wanted to see them go to a nice new home," but Koenig takes issue with that characterization, countering that he understood that the cars had substantial electrical problems.

Spyker's $3B lawsuit against GM for blocking Saab sale thrown out

US District Judge Gershwin Drain has dismissed a $3-billion lawsuit Spyker filed against General Motors. In the suit, Spyker accused GM of attempting to bankrupt Saab after the US automaker had already sold the company to Spyker. GM in effect blocked the sale of Saab to China's Zhejiang Youngman Lotus Automobile Company by prohibiting the transfer of some of its intellectual property. But the court found that GM had a "contractual right" to approve or disapprove any change of ownership. Furthermore, Reuters reports Judge Drain said the contract between GM and Spyker "is clear, unambiguous and absolute" on the matter.
GM, meanwhile, says it is pleased with the ruling. Spyker CEO Victor Muller has not said whether or not his company will appeal the ruling. The Dutch automaker is expected to make a final decision once the court issues its written order on the case.
You can read the official Spyker press release about the court ruling below for more information.

NEVS Emily GT electric sedan developed by ex-Saab engineers finds a buyer

Even in death, Saab could not rest in peace. In life, the Swedish automaker never managed to get out from between the sales rock and the financial hard place. After GM bought half the company in 1989 and took full control in 2000, the inevitable brand engineering led to cars like a Saab 900 on an Opel platform, a Subaru Impreza rebadged as a Saab 9-2X and a Chevrolet Trailblazer turned into a Saab 9-7x. This went as well as anyone who knew Saab would expect. Come January 2010, Saab was dead. Or rather, Saab had entered a zombie state rebranded as New Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS), two Chinese companies in succession buying the automaker's intellectual property, both having to walk away due financial issues at the parent companies. Earlier this year, NEVS showed one of the projects it continued to work on throughout the turmoil, a four-seat battery-electric car called the Emily GT. NEVS said it was looking for a buyer for the project or the entire company. According to Sweden's Auto, Motor und Sport (translated) that broke the story, and further reporting from Saab Planet, the search has succeeded and the Emily will come to life. Saab Planet writes that in March of this year, a Swedish company called Stenhaga Invest bought 80% the the Stallbacka factory and office complex in Trollhattan where Saab used to build its cars, NEVS holding onto the remaining 20%. AMS reported that an as-yet-unknown European investor has signed a letter of intent to purchase two of the 13 projects NEVS said it has been working on, the Emily GT and the PONS, an autonomous shuttle. Svante Andersson, who runs Stenhaga, is reported to have said the unnamed investor is interested in taking control of "a substantial area" of the Trollhattan facilities, "indicating that a significant number of people will be employed in Trollhattan." Back in March, an NEVS engineer said properly funded development could get the Emily GT into production in less than two years. Based on the sports sedan we've been told about, that seems reasonable. Ineos chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe announced the Ineos Automotive Grenadier in 2017, showed a concept in 2020, and had a model running the hill at Goodwood in 2021 — four years for a ground-up design. Saab Planet writes that "a timeline for relaunch is expected to be announced after a meeting between the parties involved during week 32," which would be the week of August 7.