04 Saab 9-3 Convertible Arc Only 65k No Reserve 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

Saab has ruined all Swedish cars for me

It's easy to dismiss my hatred of all Swedish automotive manufacturers as a simple result of bad experiences. I mean, we're all products of our own experiences, some we learn from, others we don't, and some we need to be hit over the head with time and time again. I've been hit over the head too many times with Saabs (and one lonely Volvo), and as a result, I can't bring myself to buy a Koenigsegg. It started with a 900 Turbo sedan. You know, the ugly duckling sister of the beautiful two-door coupe that spawned the Aero, which managed to look stunning from the front, and like a child with a full nappy (diaper) at the rear. I bought it at an auction (mistake number one) for $6,500 (AUD) because as a bloke in his early twenties, I wanted to be noticed – and a greasy-haired bespectacled musician driving a turbocharged Swedish luxury car was my way of standing out. On the drive home I noticed two things: one, it handled like it was on rails – it just gripped! And two, the turbo wasn't working. I took my new wheels to the mechanic, who promptly told me a custom exhaust system would solve the problem – mistake number two. During the fitting, Mr. Shonky's Repair Shop managed to fry some computer thingy. I won't try to remember or understand what it was, but he did tell me that it should have been replaced and that I would have to pay for it. I agreed. Mistake number three. Twelve months later I had spent more than double the original purchase price on repairs, and the turbo still wouldn't work. I sold it for about $4,000, and moved on to something more sensible. But the beautiful handling and quirky design had left an itch that I just couldn't scratch. Many cars and motorbikes later, I sold my Mazda RX-8 because it was too perfect. You know those cars that have spotless paint, an unmarked interior, low kilometers, and you're just too damn scared to park it anywhere? Yep, it was one of those. I would spend 30 to 40 minutes trying to find a vacant spot with vacant spots on either side, and even after leaving the car I would walk back to check if anyone had parked next to me. If they did, I moved. Not a low-anxiety vehicle. So I bought my second Saab – this time a 9-5 turbo wagon – from an auction. Wasn't that mistake number one? This one had reasonably low kilometers, and was even on LPG (a fairly common conversion is Australia – just not on Saabs) and only set me back $2,200. I drove it home, and low and behold, the turbo worked!

Rare 9-5 SportCombi, 9-4X models being sold off in Saab asset auction

Saab lovers take notice. Swedish auction house KVD has some ultra rare Saab products on the block, and we're not talking about a 1950s Saab 92. Up for auction are a bunch of low-mileage Saab models being sold off as part of the bankrupted automaker's assets. Included in the lot of cars are models like the 2012 9-5 SportCombi (above), the 2012 9-4X (shown below) and even a 9-5 sedan driven by Victor Muller himself.
Discovered by PistonHeads, this Saab auction has numerous 9-5 SportCombi and 9-4X models, which should prove to be very rare cars. Only a small number of 9-4Xs were ever sold, and Saab closed up shop before the 9-5 SportCombi could even go on sale here. In addition to the rarity, many of the cars have fewer than 10 miles on their odometers and seemingly low reserve prices; a 9-4X 3.0 XWD Premium with just six miles has a current bid of 180,000 Swedish Krona (just over $27,000 USD) that has already met the reserve price. Some of the cars still have the protective factory shipping tape covering up the interior and exterior.
Other than the rare SportCombis and 9-4Xs being auctioned off, there's also a sharp 2012 9-3 Cabriolet with 11 miles on the clock and a V8-powered 2006 Saab 9-7X with just 3,003 miles.