2007 Saab 9-3 2.0t on 2040-cars

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Son surprises mom with her dream car, a 1973 Saab 99

Often, it feels like the news is just a never-ending stream of one depressing headline after another. It can be so liberating to see something positive and uplifting every once in a while. Just look at the ecstatic expression on this mother's face after receiving her dream car from her son. Mom has some seriously quirky taste too: she isn't after a muscle car or a two-seat droptop; instead, it's a 1973 Saab 99 EMS in a very '70s shade of copper at the top of her wish list. According to the video, it took her son about a year to track down this hunk of Swedish steel and save up the money to purchase it. Though, judging from his mom's reaction, it was worth every penny. She puts together what's going on with the Saab pretty quickly and immediately starts swearing at her son – out of love, of course. If you're feeling a little blue, consider this a much-needed pick-me-up. Watching the unbridled joy of someone getting something that they always wanted just feels wonderful.

Saab 9-3 production has restarted

If you're one of the small cadre of Saab drivers, first of all, kudos to you. Because as Top Gear pointed out, Saab drivers are among the most intellectual drivers out there. Secondly, we've got good news for you, because the 9-3 has officially resumed production at the Trollhättan plant in Sweden.
For those of you who may not have followed the story, a quick refresher: Founded in 1947, Saab Automobile AB was an independent automaker until 1989 when General Motors began the decade-long process acquiring it. Unable to make it profitable, GM sold Saab to Spyker in 2010, but that Dutch automaker proved unable to make a go of it, either, and finally shut it down a year later. Much of Saab's assets were acquired by National Electric Vehicle Sweden, which in turn is partially owned by the Chinese city of Qingdao, which pledged to get production back online by the end of the year.
NEVS has apparently made good on its promise, bringing 600 workers back to the factory to resume production of the 9-3 much as it was when a workforce of 3,500 labored on it and its stablemates prior to the bankruptcy. The reborn 9-3 will be sold in Sweden and in China, with an electric version to bring some other updates sometime next year.

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.