2001 Saab Convertible No Reserve Low Miles on 2040-cars

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Ultra-rare 2011 Saab 9-4X up for grabs on Cars & Bids

Saab's sad saga is full of might-have-beens and missed opportunities. As the 21st century dawned, it became clear that the Saab brand could not survive without an SUV in its lineup. In 2005, the 9-2X, a badge-engineered Subaru Impreza Outback Sport, was rushed into production (GM being a part-owner of Subaru parent company Fuji Heavy Industries at the time). That same year same GM also put a new nose on the distinctly mediocre Chevrolet TrailBlazer and peddle that as the Saab 9-7X. The last of the GM-based Saab SUVs was the 9-4X, which was mechanically twinned with the second-generation Cadillac SRX and built alongside it in Mexico. By the time the model was introduced for 2011, GM had already off-loaded Saab. But the new ownership would be short-lived, and production of the 9-4X ended after only a handful of 2012 models had rolled down the line. It's believed that a total of only 803 9-4Xs were built, of which 622 were sold in the United States, which explains why you haven't seen one lately. Or, perhaps, ever. But now you can buy one, as this 2011 example is available right now on Cars & Bids. This is a top-spec Aero version, which means it gets a turbocharged 2.8-liter V6 and the Saab-developed X-drive all-wheel drive, rather than the naturally aspirated 3.0-liter V6 in the base and Premium trims. That gives you 300 horsepower and 265 lb-ft of torque, although this one sports a VTuner Stage 0 tune, so it could have more. With five days still to go, bidding stands at $8,500. For the Saab fans out there, don't let this be another missed opportunity. Related Video: Saab 9-4X concept introduced at Detroit Auto Show

Junkyard Gem: 2004 Saab 9-5 Arc Wagon

As I work on my project of documenting automotive history via the machinery I find in car graveyards around the country, blank spots in the junkyard record keep showing themselves. I've remedied the lack of discarded BMW 3- and 5-Series cars in recent months, through the E46 and E39 respectively, and now I'm trying to move past the 900 in the Saab timeline. We've got the 9000 covered, and now it's the turn of the 9-3 and 9-5. Here's an '04 9-5 Arc Wagon, found in a Denver yard recently (I shot a 9-3 on the same trip and you'll see it in the near future). General Motors took over Saab in 2000, after more than a decade of 50% ownership, and so the 9-5 (or 95 if you prefer) had plenty of Opel/Holden/Vauxhall DNA in its cells. Its closest American-market relative (other than the 9-3) was the Saturn L-Series. However, you couldn't get a Saturn with a proper Saab engine under the hood, and by "proper" we mean one descended from the original Triumph Slant-4. This 2.3T turbocharged version sent 220 horsepower to the front wheels, making this a nicely quick wagon. It appears that this car endured some lean times as it approached the end of its road, with the kind of leaky-side-glass repair you do only when you know you're a car's final owner. You could get the 9-5 Wagon as the Linear, Arc, or Aero models in 2004. The Aero was the factory-hot-rod version, while the Arc was more about luxury. The leather seats in this Arc still look pretty good. Even though this car's ancestry is more German than Swedish, it has the traditional Saab console-mounted ignition switch. When it came time for The General to sell Subaru Imprezas with Saab badging, however, the ignition switches stayed in the non-Saab locations. At least the Saab-badged Chevy Trailblazer had the switch in the Trollhatten-approved location. It doesn't look as quirky as the early Saabs, which were born from Flying Barrels, but it stood up well against the competing cars offered to America's ever-shrinking pool of station wagon shoppers. Built in Sweden by Swedes! Would this have happened with an Audi wagon?   Featured Gallery Junked 2004 Saab 9-5 Arc Wagon View 26 Photos Auto News Saab Automotive History Wagon Junkyard Gems

Koenigsegg super cars team with Saab successor NEVS to go electric

STOCKHOLM — The Chinese-backed company born from the remnants of bankrupt Swedish automaker Saab is investing 150 million euros ($171 million) in a venture with Swedish super car brand Koenigsegg, in a move that could see them develop new electric models. National Electric Vehicle Sweden AB (NEVS), in which China's Evergrande Health recently became the majority investor, said it would take a 65 percent stake in a new joint venture to "develop a product for new and untapped segments." Koenigsegg will hold the rest, and contribute intellectual property, technology licenses and product design. The deal deepens China's exposure to Swedish automakers, with Geely owning Volvo Cars and the largest investor in truckmaker AB Volvo, and another Chinese investor having created NEVS in 2012 after buying the core assets and IP rights of Saab Automobile following its demise. NEVS, which owns production bases in Trollhattan in Sweden and Tianjin in China and plans another in Shanghai, has been trying to establish itself as a pure electric automaker, but has yet to produce a car. Evergrande Health's $930 million cash infusion into NEVS, announced this month, was seen as a second lifeline, giving it funds to develop costly electric vehicles and access to new auto technologies, where Evergrande is expanding. The Chinese firm is a unit of property developer China Evergrande Group and is a former investor in U.S. electric vehicle developer Faraday Future. Tuesday's deal will give NEVS a 20 percent stake in Koenigsegg and could potentially pave the way for it to begin delivering products to the market, with its loose partnership with Didi Chuxing, China's Uber, yet to yield anything concrete. "Koenigsegg is an enticing company developing advanced cars with unique technology and with a customer base that is one of a kind. ... We have both competencies and facilities to support Koenigsegg on their journey forward," NEVS Chairman Kai Johan Jiang said. Koenigsegg, backed by U.S. and Norwegian investors, sought to buy Saab after its 2011 collapse but the deal never materialized. While the luxury brand has built a plug-in hybrid, it has yet to develop a fully electric vehicle. Tesla's sales success in recent years has shown that a market for luxury electric cars exists, pushing traditional carmakers including Volkswagen's Audi and Porsche, and Tata Motors' Jaguar to develop their own versions.