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Saab plant reopens, production to resume by year's end?

Saab is gearing up to start production of the 9-3 again in September, two years after the last exampled rolled off the assembly line at the company's Trollhättan factory, Aftonbladet reports. Saab's new owner, National Electric Vehicle Sweden AB (NEVS), a Chinese-Japanese consortium created solely to buy Saab, says that the model's parts supply is the bottleneck in the production process, understandable since many of Saab's suppliers closed after it stopped production two years ago. The automaker also needs to establish a new dealership network. It is not entirely clear where Saab will market their new models, but North America is not expected to figure into their plans, at least initially.
Almost 400 factory employees are reportedly back working at Trollhättan, and Saab is looking to recruit 180 workers to help with production, presuming the factory can overcome its supply issues and go back online in the fall.
The new 9-3 is understood to be something short of an all-new car, a revision of the old 9-3 that started production in 2002. It will reportedly be offered initially as a four-door sedan and two-door convertible, and it will have a turbocharged engine, according to NEVS, which we expect will be a four cylinder. An electric 9-3 could come as early as next year. Turbocharged engines are part of Saab's DNA, NEVS Vice President Mattias Bergman has stated, and future Saab models will have them - despite the automaker's planned progression toward electric vehicles. The 9-3 will get small facelifts over time, says Mikael Östlund, a press officer at NEVS.

Turkey buys rights to Saab 9-3 for domestic car

Just in time for Halloween, a Saab is rising from the dead. National Electric Vehicle Sweden, which controls the Swedish automaker, is selling the intellectual property rights for the second-generation 9-3 to the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK). This government-supported agency intends to turn the sedan into the "Turkish National Car," according to NEVS. Using the aging 9-3 as a backbone, Turkey intends to strengthen the nation's auto industry by producing an extended-range electric vehicle by 2020, Daily Sabah reports. The goal is for 85-90 percent of the components to come from the country. "From design to production, Turkey will be the center for all parts and processes regarding the first domestically produced car," Interim Science, Industry and Technology Minister Fikri Isik said to Daily Sabah. TUBITAK considered developing its own vehicle from scratch but calculated at least $1 billion in costs. Without going into specific detail, Isik said that buying the rights to the existing Saab turned out to be a better option. Despite having sold the 9-3 IP, NEVS is signing on to help with a business plan and to create the necessary supply and distribution chains for the EV. NEVS previously tried to revive the 9-3 itself by briefly continuing production and attempting to launch an electric version. Earlier this year, it partnered with Dongfeng to develop green vehicles. The company has been beset with financial problems, embroiled in a seemingly interminable post-bankruptcy reorganization progress. NEVS has been chosen by TUBITAK as its partner for developing a Turkish National Car TUBITAK, (the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey) which has been assigned to develop "Turkish National Car" and realize this important mission, has chosen National Electric Vehicle Sweden AB, Nevs, as the industrial partner for the project. The cooperation has started in June 2015 between Nevs and TUBITAK and future industrial synergies in terms of development and manufacturing shall be generated with this cooperation. In the short term perspective this cooperation shall put Nevs' assets to work and shall give Turkey quick access to extensive automotive knowledge and experience. Nevs shall also provide its know-how in the developing of the business plan and establishing of the supply and distribution chains to TUBITAK.

Saab to hire 200 engineers, might build gas cars with Mahindra

The brand formerly known as Saab is still intent on teaching The Little Engine That Could a few ticks about persistence. We say "formerly known" because it turns out that National Electric Vehicle Swedent (NEVS), the Sino-Japanese investment consortium that just bought the majority of Saab's assets, minus Saab Automobile Parts AB, may not actually own the rights to the Saab brand name. According to a report in Di.se via Saabs United, NEVS will need to negotiate with Scania and the Swedish aerospace and defense group, Saab AB, for the right to name its forthcoming electric car the Saab 9-3.
NEVS is hiring 200 engineers now to work on its electric car program, and reports are that it will hire more as it gets closer to the 2014 launch. It will be based on the current (read: ancient) 9-3, and we hope NEVS is succeeds in getting the naming rights, because the NEVS 9-3 just doesn't have the same ring. NEVS will likely target China as the model's main market.
However, it's rumors of their second negotiating ploy that we're really rooting for: to work with Mahinda & Mahindra, the Indian company once in the running for Saab's assets, develop a petrol-powered 9-3 on the next-generation Phoenix platform, based on Jason Castriota's design.