Two and a half years after shuttering its factory in Trollhattan, Sweden, Saab has resumed series production of the 9-3 sedan under new owner National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS).
The first post-bankruptcy Saab model is motivated by a 220-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that pairs with the buyer’s choice of manual or automatic transmissions.
Initial output is expected to total about 10 cars per week, with the majority of new 9-3s headed to the Chinese market. A small number of vehicles will also be offered to Swedish customers through NEVS’ website. Pricing will start at 279,000 kronor ($42,500).
Over time, NEVS hopes to expand 9-3 availability to other markets, but no plans have been outlined for sales in the United States.
“It is truly a complex mission to start a car production process which has been still for two and a half years,” said NEVS president Mattias Bergman. “It is very pleasing that we have embarked on a journey where we want to and will make a difference with our partners and customers.”
NEVS, which purchased Saab out of bankruptcy in December 2011, intends to launch an electric variant of the 9-3 in China next spring. The company has said in the past that it is also working to develop new models based on the Phoenix architecture that Saab created prior to its financial difficulties.
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