Saab is the biggest European car maker to have gone under in recent history.
Just 20 years ago, the Swedish manufacturer was at its peak, selling 133,167 passenger vehicles globally in 2006 under the stewardship of General Motors.
But Saab Automobile officially filed for bankruptcy five years later when the fortunes of the US giant nosedived.
Production at the company’s Trollhättan factory stopped in April 2011 as a result.
But a year later, a lifeline emerged: NEVS (National Electric Vehicle Sweden). Backed by Chinese property titan Evergrande, former Saab engineers returned to the shuttered factory under orders to deliver vehicles for a new green era.
This saw the development of the Emily GT – an electric saloon fitted with revolutionary in-wheel motors that evoked the classic Saab spirit.
However, lightning struck twice when in 2021 Evergrande collapsed. And by September 2025, the Trollhättan site began selling off its assets.
In a fortnight’s time, seven of the last ever Saabs – which still remain in situ in the vehicle plant – will be sold off to the highest bidder in a swan song for the Swedish car firm.
Remember Saab? The last cars from the Swedish brand that filed for bankruptcy in 2011 – and was then taken over by a Chinese-backed projected – are being sold off at auction this month
The ‘no reserve’ sale will see eight motors in total (one being a Chinese sister car) enter an online auction on 21 May.
The hammer will eventually drop on 30 May, with the sale concluding during a special event at the factory, which is located around 50 miles north of Gothenburg.
The public is invited to see the last ever Saabs at the location where they were created and – in some cases – stored for years.
Klaravik, the Nordic auction house hosting the sale, said it will be a ‘moment that will feel like Christmas’ for Saab enthusiasts.
At its peak, approximately 10,000 people worked at the Saab Automobile AB facility in Trollhättan, Sweden
The ‘no reserve’ sale will see eight motors enter an online auction on 21 May. The hammer will eventually drop on 30 May, with the sale concluding during a special event at the factory
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Among the cars being offered to bidders is the final three Saab 9-3 Aero models believed to have been built in 2014.
Each example has an incredibly low chassis number and are said to be the last mass-produced Saabs in existence.
But all three have seen some use, clocking mileage of between 11,452 and 36,437 as staff used the motors around the site.
Also up for grabs will be three ‘secret’ NEVS electric prototypes.
These are all based on the 9-3, with one also equipped with autonomous driving hardware as part of the company’s bid to develop its own driverless system.
Another car in the auction collection is a unique ‘Range Extender’ – a prototype hybrid that uses a combustion engine as an on-board generator for the battery so electric power could be delivered to all four wheels. It’s believed to be one of a kind.
An eighth car being auctioned is a Chinese Hengchi 5 – a mid-size SUV from the ill-fated Evergrande era.
Up for grabs will be three ‘secret’ NEVS electric prototypes. These are all based on the 9-3, with one (pictured) also equipped with autonomous driving hardware
Another car in the auction collection is a unique ‘Range Extender’ – a prototype hybrid that was put into development
While the auction signals the end for Saab cars, the iconic Swedish name lives on today as a world-leading defense and security firm making fighter jets and submarines
‘For us, this is a way to honor the Saab era,’ said Nina Selander, chief executive of NEVS.
‘Saab continues to leave its mark on so many people and means so much to so many. Even today, the brand undeniably holds a special place in many automotive hearts.
‘By allowing the final remaining examples to move on with dignity, we want to pay tribute to Sweden’s proud history.’
Ms Selander described the auction as a ‘unique final opportunity’ to see the Saab cars in their original environment and bid on a piece of Swedish history.
Because when the seven cars eventually roll out of the factory gates at the end of the month, it will ultimately be the last hurrah for one of the coolest car brands of a generation.
The Saab name, however, lives on today as a world-leading defense and security firm making fighter jets and submarines.
