Saab Is Dead, And Actually For Real This Time

The most curious thing about the death of car manufacturer Saab is that it never really died. Not entirely, anyway: Chinese-backed NEVS (National Electric Vehicle Sweden) bought the company’s assets a few years ago, with ambitious plans to launch a range of new electric cars under the illustrious brand.

There has been doubt over whether or not NEVS could use the Saab name, and sure enough, that part of the plan has now been dropped. The owner of the brand - aerospace and defence firm Saab AB, owners of Saab Automobile until 1990 - will no longer allow NEVS to use the name.

Although if you listen to NEVS, the company is attempting to put a positive spin on the development, with president Mattias Bergman saying: “With sincere respect to our history and heritage, we want to be recognised as ourselves – a sustainable mobility solutions provider who are committed to the environment with a focused growth plan with its own brand as a corner stone.”

What this means is the Saab name is at last dead in the automotive world, and we’re rather pleased about that. It means the brand can die out with some dignity, rather than being used for a bunch of bastardised electric 9-3s destined for the Chinese market. Instead, we can focus on remembering Saab for all the cool and quirky cars it built over the years.