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When Saab Automobile AB sadly filed for bankruptcy on 19 December 2011, their factories were still filled with quite a few cars. Most of them were sold at one of the KVD auctions from 2012, but some were prohibited from sales. We are happy to now share some exclusive pictures from these “mystery Saabs”…
The auctions
Late November 2012, a press release from the Saab bankruptcy estate was sent to the media, announcing the sale of 68 exclusive Saabs. With all the heated debates around the demise of Saab still fresh in mind, this announcement sparked massive interest in the international Saab community. The fact that there would be brand new Saabs for sale again was appealing, but the fact that truly exclusive models would become available put the hearts of many Saab fans really in overdrive.
The list of cars that were going to be auctioned out on December 15-16, 2012 was a once-in-a-lifetime Saab smörgåsbord… two 9-3 Convertibles Independence Edition, three 9-3 SportCombis in SkyBlue, Victor Muller’s company car and 29 MY12 9-5 Sedans, but also ten 9-4Xs and of course the widely publicised 18 MY12 9-5 SportCombis.
Victor Muller’s company car 
One of the ten SportCombis for sale in December 2012 
Special decal under the hood 
The auction “showroom” 
The auction “showroom” 
One of the Sky Blue 9-3s 
One of the Sky Blue 9-3s 
9-3 Cabriolet Independence Edition
Mystery Saabs
Many fans had hoped to be able to buy (or at least see) one of the much rumoured new generation 9-3s. Some spy pictures had appeared on the Internet earlier, partially originating from the materials Saab had filed to the courts as part of the application for company reorganisation.
Unfortunately, no prototype cars made it to the KVD auction grounds in Wallhamn, a harbor town located north of Gothenburg……with two exceptions:
These two clay models of prototype cars had initially been put forward for sale, but -similar to the fate of their production equivalents- they never made to the big stage. The decision was unfortunately taken to not auction them out, and following an unsuccessful attempt to sell the clay model of the 9-4X and the 9-5NG SportCombi to the Saab Car Museum, the cars were reportedly scrapped.
More Saab auction info
- Details from the December 2012 auction
- April 2013 auction details
- Amazing pictures from the Wallhamn auction grounds 4 December 2012 by Marcus Bergfeldt.
Hi Michel,
i’m the owner of the 9-4x with the number 3GOFNUE68BS800182 .
What a nice picture of 113 lovely cars…
from germany
Andreas
Big congratulations on a wonderful Saab, Andreas! According to our records, that should be a black Aero with US-specs, without a panorama roof. Is that indeed correct?
Yes?