2010 Saab 9-3 2.0t Sedan 4-door Xwd on 2040-cars

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Saab 9-3 production to start in China in 2013 [UPDATE]

We knew that National Electric Vehicle Sweden planned to restart production of the last-gen Saab 9-3 at some point in the future, we just didn't know exactly when, or exactly where. As it turns out, the answers to those questions are soon, and China.
Though NEVS had initially said it will build vehicles in Sweden before shipping them to China, the latest report from Autocar suggests that the cars will instead be built right in Quingdao starting later in 2013. That's right, this calendar year. Also on the docket is a followup electric version of the 9-3, which is slated to come to market in 2014 in an effort to satiate China's wish that there be half a million EVs silently filling its streets within the next two years.
NEVS wants to be part of the EV solution, but it's not going to be easy. Naturally, if these cars are to be built in China, a factory has to be located or built, tooling needs to be in place, workers need to be hired and trained and a lengthy trail of paperwork has to be signed off by the government before even the well-known gasoline-powered 9-3 can be a reality, let along the unknown quantity that is the 9-3 ePower.

NEVS mulling electric Saab 9-3 convertible, looking for engine partners, too

Do you believe in reincarnation? Like how we hope that, maybe, all of our hard work as auto writers will result in an eventual return as a swarm of beautiful butterflies. If you are a Saab fan, the equivalent could be this bit of news: The 9-3 Convertible may rise again, as an electric vehicle.
Word comes from the Dutch version of Autoweek that Chinese entity National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS) has indicated that it will bring an electric version of the 9-3 Convertible to market in the next 18 months. The EV droptop would first debut in the Chinese market, but could expand, as could the lineup to other 9-3 variants, such as the sedan and SportCombi. A NEVS spokesperson has stated, "NEVS basically no doors holds." We're not sure if that's the spokesperson or the translation from the Dutch report, but you get the gist.
NEVS also indicated that conventionally powered versions of the 9-3 could be produced as well. The internal combustion engines could be the originally intended General Motors engines. Regardless of powerplant, we would be very eager to see Saab return, potentially as an EV to boot!

Junkyard Gem: 1986 Saab 900 Turbo

The Saab 900 sold well in Colorado, and owners of these cars tend to hang onto them for decades. For those reasons, I still find 900s while making my rounds of the self-service wrecking yards in the Denver region. The turbocharged models tended to fail more quickly than their naturally-aspirated counterparts, though, so the 900 Turbo can be tough to find today. Here's a 1986 that took its final tow-truck ride into a Denver yard a couple of months back. The 900 received a makeover for the 1987 model year, so today's Junkyard Gem comes from the final year of the 900 with the endearingly 1960s face derived from its 99 predecessor. Most of these cars didn't chug along for quite as many miles as their Volvo 240 countrymen, but that may be attributable more to the differences in driving style between Volvo and Saab owners. The word TURBO had magical connotations during the 1980s, and so most turbocharged cars of the era boasted big, obvious badging. Red car interiors were all the rage during the 1980s and 1990s. Try to imagine the vivid bordellitude of this upholstery before it faded beneath the blazing Colorado sun. Was it a runner when it arrived here? We'll never know. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Born from jets, sure, though the original Saab jet was known as "the Flying Barrel" and wasn't especially graceful-looking. Featured Gallery Junked 1986 Saab 900 Turbo View 14 Photos Auto News Saab Automotive History