To the surprise of many, the answer is increasingly looking like the latter.
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For the record, I believe the engines from a "unspecified automaker" are from BMW. They had a deal in place before the bankruptcy to supply Saab with the 1.6L inline four from the Mini Cooper (as well as some Peugeot models). Theoretically it could also be the newer version of that engine ( called the N13) which is found in the 116i, 316i, and 118i.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Left Lane News
Saab parent company National Electric Vehicles Sweden (NEVS) has confirmed it has resumed production of the 9-3 sedan after a two and a half-year long hiatus. For the time being, the company is building pre-production models that will not be sold to the general public.
"Today we have built the first car," said NEVS spokesman Mikael Östlund, "it has a serial number but it will never go up for sale."
The first post-bankruptcy Saab is a silver 9-3 that is nearly identical to the second-gen model found in Saab showrooms up until December of 2011. It features a black emblem proudly adorned by Saab's new logo, but it is not yet wearing the revised front end that will set the NEVS-built 9-3 apart from the examples assembled under General Motors' and Spyker's ownership.
As previously reported, the upcoming 9-3 will be powered by a gasoline-burning turbocharged four-cylinder engine sourced from the parts bin of an unspecified automaker. A four-door sedan will spearhead Saab's long-awaited return, but NEVS has not commented on the fate of the convertible and station wagon models.
Precisely when the 9-3 will return to showrooms is not known but, as enthusiast website SaabsUnited points out, "Today we have built the first car," said NEVS spokesman Mikael Östlund, "it has a serial number but it will never go up for sale."
The first post-bankruptcy Saab is a silver 9-3 that is nearly identical to the second-gen model found in Saab showrooms up until December of 2011. It features a black emblem proudly adorned by Saab's new logo, but it is not yet wearing the revised front end that will set the NEVS-built 9-3 apart from the examples assembled under General Motors' and Spyker's ownership.
As previously reported, the upcoming 9-3 will be powered by a gasoline-burning turbocharged four-cylinder engine sourced from the parts bin of an unspecified automaker. A four-door sedan will spearhead Saab's long-awaited return, but NEVS has not commented on the fate of the convertible and station wagon models.
NEVS has a history of not announcing milestones in advance. Rumors circulating around the Swedish media indicate the updated 9-3 could bow before the end of the year.