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Motorweek looks back at 1983 Saab 900S

These days, Saab is a zombie marque. Technically, the brand is still shambling around under the ownership of National Electric Vehicle Sweden, and there are continued promises of an electric version of the 9-3. However, we all suspect that the company is never really coming back, at least not as the quirky Swedish brand of the past. That's what makes watching this latest Retro Review of John Davis and the Motorweek crew driving a non-turbo 1983 Saab 900S so special. This is a great chance to see Saab still alive and kicking. While not one of the more famous turbocharged examples, the naturally aspirated 900S is still a quintessential Saab in every other way. The reviewers definitely aren't sold on the looks though, and there are plenty of jokes at its expense. Although, only paying attention to the polarizing exterior styling makes missing the good handling and immense interior utility easy. Sadly, without the aid of forced induction, the 900 offers very lackadaisical acceleration. According to this clip, the sprint to 60 miles per hour is more of jog in a leisurely 12.2 seconds. At the brand's best, Saab provided the motoring world with an alternative. If you didn't want just another boxy sedan, the brand offered something like nothing else on the road. Plus, drivers found a well-tuned turbocharged engine that provided good performance for the day. It's a company worth remembering, despite the current state of things.

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 to build new Saab models in China's Qingdao

National Electric Vehicle Sweden has officially signed a deal with Qingdao Qingbo Investment Company that will see the NEVS build EVs in Qingdao, China. The move is the first step on the road toward eventually selling vehicles in China. Reuters reports that the Chinese company has agreed to invest $307.33 million, after which point Qingdao Qingbo will receive 22 percent of the NEVS shares. Currently, there's no word on exactly when the funds and shares will change hands, but the Swedish automaker has previously said it fully intends to launch its first EV by early 2014.
NEVS has also made waves about potentially building a version of the old Saab 9-3 with a traditional internal combustion driveline. Currently, the manufacturer says it plans to ship the vehicles it builds in Sweden to the Qingdao port and distribute them to the rest of China from there. Later down the line, a manufacturing facility in Qingdao will supply the country with Chinese-built Saab models.