Last seven Saabs from its shuttered Swedish factory are being sold
Saab is the largest European car manufacturer to go bankrupt in recent history.
Just 20 years ago the Swedish manufacturer had reached its peak, selling 133,167 passenger vehicles worldwide in 2006 under the management of General Motors.
However, five years later, when the fortunes of the US giant hit rock bottom, Saab Automobile officially filed for bankruptcy.
As a result, production at the company’s Trollhättan plant was stopped in April 2011.
But a year later a lifeline appeared: NEVS (National Electric Vehicle of Sweden). With the support of Chinese real estate giant Evergrande, former Saab engineers returned to the shuttered factory on orders to deliver vehicles for a new green age.
This saw the development of the Emily GT, an electric sedan equipped with revolutionary in-wheel motors that evoke the spirit of classic Saab.
But lightning struck twice in 2021 when Evergrande collapsed. As of September 2025, the Trollhättan site began selling its assets.
Within two weeks, seven of the last Saabs still sitting at the vehicle factory will be sold to the highest bidder in a swan song for the Swedish car company.
Remember Saab? The last cars of the Swedish brand, which filed for bankruptcy in 2011 and was later taken over by a Chinese-backed project, are being sold at auction this month
A total of eight engines (including a Chinese sister car) in the ‘no reserve’ sale will go up for online auction on 21 May.
The hammer will go on sale on May 30, and the sale will culminate in a special event to be held at the factory, located approximately 80 kilometers north of Gothenburg.
The public is invited to view the final Saabs where they were built and, in some cases, stored for years.
Scandinavian auction house Klaravik, which hosted the sale, said it would be a ‘Christmas-like moment’ for Saab enthusiasts.
At its peak, approximately 10,000 people were working at the Saab Automobile AB plant in Trollhättan, Sweden
In the ‘no reserve’ sale, eight engines will be auctioned online on 21 May. The hammer will go on sale on May 30, and the sale will culminate with a special event at the factory.
The cars on offer to bidders include the last three Saab 9-3 Aero models, believed to have been produced in 2014.
Each example has an incredibly low chassis number and is said to be the last mass-produced Saabs in existence.
However, all three saw some use, covering between 11,452 and 36,437 kilometers as staff used the engines in the field.
Three ‘stealth’ NEVS electric prototypes will also be available.
All of these are based on the 9-3, and one is 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 the unique ‘Range Extender’, a hybrid prototype that uses the internal combustion engine as a generator for the battery so that electrical power can be transmitted to all four wheels. It is believed to be the only one of its kind.
The eighth car up for sale at auction is the Chinese Hengchi 5, a mid-size SUV from the ill-fated Evergrande era.
Three ‘stealth’ NEVS electric prototypes will be up for grabs. These are all based on the 9-3, and one (pictured) is also equipped with autonomous driving hardware
Another car in the auction collection is the unique ‘Range Extender’, a hybrid prototype submitted for development.
While the auction signaled the end for Saab cars, the iconic Swedish name lives on today as a world-leading defense and security firm that produces fighter jets and submarines
‘For us, this is a way of honoring the Saab era,’ said Nina Selander, managing director of NEVS.
‘Saab continues to leave its mark on so many people and means so much to so many people. Even today, the brand undeniably holds a special place in the hearts of many automotive enthusiasts.
‘We want to pay tribute to Sweden’s proud history by allowing the last remaining examples to proceed with dignity.’
Ms Selander described the auction as a ‘unique last opportunity’ to see Saab cars in their original environment and bid on a piece of Swedish history.
Because when seven cars roll out of the factory doors at the end of the month, it will ultimately be the last escapade for one of the coolest car brands of a generation.
THowever, the Saab name continues to exist today as a world-leading defense and security company that produces warplanes and submarines.
