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One-off 1997 Saab 900 EX prototype headed to auction

An obscure and fascinating part of Saab's history is looking for a new home. The one-off 1997 900 EX was built in Norway to celebrate the company's 50th birthday, and while it was not approved for production it shows what a sporty, 900-derived coupe could have looked like. British auction house Bonhams explains that Per Ekstrom, an auto body expert and enthusiast according to The Drive, worked closely with Saab and Norwegian road authorities to create the 900 EX. His goal wasn't merely to create an eye-catching coupe that's pretty to look at but impossible to drive; he wanted the model to be street-legal and drive like a regular-production car. The auction description notes that the 900 EX was built by experienced professionals with Saab's blessing and that the process required between 3,000 and 4,000 hours of work. The end result is stunning. While the headlights and the grille create a strong visual link between the EX and the second-generation 900, which enthusiasts often refer to as the GM900, the roof line has been lowered by nearly three inches and the body has been considerably widened thanks in part to 9000 CS-sourced front and rear wheel arches. We're told that the rear window comes from a 900 Cabriolet's soft top and that the hatch is a modified panel sourced from a standard 900, though pictures of the back end haven't been released as of writing. Bonhams describes the build quality as "exceptional" and says that the panel gaps are better than those seen on many modern cars. It adds that the red and gray paint (which is a tribute to the combination often seen on the 900 SPG) is original and "in close to perfect condition."  The interior is largely standard 900 fare. There's wood trim, leather upholstery, a three-spoke steering wheel, and the big knobs and buttons that characterized Saab models for decades. The brand designed the switchgear so that it could be easily operated by someone wearing gloves. The odometer displays about 141,600 kilometers, which represents approximately 88,000 miles, though Bonhams pegs the engine's mileage at around 154,000 kilometers (roughly 95,600 miles). Most of the miles were reportedly added before engine ended up in the EX. Speaking of the engine, power comes from a 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder sourced from Saab's regular-production parts bin and tuned to send 220 horsepower to the front wheels. It's bolted to a five-speed manual transmission.

GM denies Spyker claims in $3B Saab lawsuit

Reuters reports General Motors has dismissed claims by Spyker outlined in a $3 billion lawsuit. Spyker alleged GM deliberately bankrupted Saab by preventing a deal with Chinese investor Zhejiang Youngman Lotus. GM, meanwhile, filed a response with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan saying that as the former owner of Saab, GM had the legal right to approve the deal with Youngman. But Spyker's lawsuit claimed GM's refusal to approve the deal with Youngman stemmed from the fact that the American automaker didn't want to create a competitor in China.
GM has said the issue stemmed more from the fact that it would stop licensing its technology to Saab or stop building vehicles for the manufacturer in the event it was bought by Youngman. Since Saab built its own platform that didn't use any GM tech, Spyker says that argument is meritless.
The lawsuit has Spyker seeking $3 billion in compensatory damages, though that number could swell with interest, punitive damages and legal fees, as well. Victor Muller, Spyker chief executive, has said the lawsuit is being funded by an anonymous third party. That party will share in any settlement. Youngman has refused to comment on whether or not it's footing the legal bill.

GM wins appeal, dismissal of $3B Saab-related Spyker suit

It's been a long time since we last heard of the legal battles between Spyker CEO Victor Muller and General Motors, the automaker from which Muller's company purchased the embattled Saab brand back in 2010. To refresh your memories, after struggling through 2011 and entering into bankruptcy, Spyker attempted to save the Saab brand by selling it to a Chinese consortium. General Motors, though, blocked the sale because it did not want any of its intellectual property, of which Saab was in possession of from its days under the GM umbrella, in the hands of a potential rival automaker. Spyker then sued GM for intentionally blocking what it said was Saab's only chance of survival. The $3-billion suit was dismissed after a judge ruled in favor of GM, which apparently had granted a license to Saab to continue building cars using its technologies, but reserved the right to cancel that agreement if Saab again changed hands. Spyker appealed, and, according to Reuters, the appeals court upheld the previous ruling, again siding with GM. National Electric Vehicle Sweden, the company that eventually purchased Saab out of bankruptcy, managed to restart production for a short period before itself falling into financial trouble. We have at least another month to wait before hearing how Saab's next chapter may read.