Saab - it lives!

Something stirs in Trollhatten - yes, that's the Saab production line starting up!

By Alex Robbins / Monday, 2 December 2013 / Loading comments

"The Saab Saga: It's Over" - that was how we announced that the quirkier of Sweden's two car companies was closing its doors for the final time

back in 2011

. Its passing was mourned by car enthusiasts the world over. After a long, drawn-out illness, the death knell for the days of big boost, unusual styling, and impossibly comfortable seats had sounded. Saabs always offered something a little different - a refreshingly cerebral counterpoint to the dourness and muscle of the German big three. And for that reason, while never the sharpest cars on the road, they stole the hearts of many a PHer.

'New' 9-3s will be mostly headed for China

It's with some satisfaction, therefore, that we can go back on that headline this morning. For you see, the saga continues. Trollhattan is once again abuzz with the sound of a working car plant. Saab is alive once more.

The company's owners, National Electric Vehicle Sweden (or NEVS) - a joint Swedish-Chinese concern - released a video earlier this year of the first pre-production 9-3 rolling off the production line. Today, even better news: the company has re-started the lines properly. Though before we get too excited, we should point out that this isn't exactly a full-blown explosion back into the upper echelons of mainstream series production. In fact, the company's only planning to put together 10 cars every week at first, and NEVS is cautiously managing expectations, with spokesman Mikael Ostlund describing its expectations to Automotive News Europe as "humble".

What's more, the only cars we'll get for the time being will be new examples of the old 9-3, a model which was already verging on the pensionable when Saab closed down two years ago. Nevertheless, at least it'll be fairly potent, with the 220hp 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine that powered the old Aero model providing motive power. So we should see a 0-62mph time of below seven seconds, and a top speed of around 150mph. Prices should be pretty reasonable, too, starting at 279,000SEK for the manual version (around £26,000) - for comparison, the 184hp BMW 320i sells in Sweden for 303,000SEK, or just over £28,000.

Don't hold your breath for a return to the glory days

NEVS also plans to bring to market an electric model in spring 2014, pitched squarely at the Chinese market, and probably with a few cosmetic tweaks. The city of Qingdao, which has a 22 per cent stake in the company, has already ordered what it calls a "pilot fleet" of 200 of these. China is, in fact, where NEVS is intending to sell most of its output for the foreseeable, though a few cars will be sold to the Swedish market directly through its website.

There's no talk yet of new models or exports to the rest of the world, or indeed, exactly what the 'Electric' part of Saab's parent company will mean for its future range. Mind you, that's probably a good thing. Either way, the road ahead for Saab does not look to be an easy one, especially with a range that's looking peakier than most. But you know what? We'd rather it was alive and kicking than consigned forever to the history books. Dare we hope that we might one day see some future Shed fodder in the shape of another big, fast, plush, and rapidly-depreciating estate? Or perhaps - cross your fingers properly, everyone - a true return to form by way of a modern successor to the classic 900 Turbo? Yeah, OK - we're probably getting a bit ahead of ourselves now. But the one inescapable fact is that Saab's back. And for car nuts at least, that fact alone makes the world a slightly better place.