Major car brand popular in the 1980s sells final vehicles ever produced in 'emotional' auction
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Saab saw great success in the 1970s, 80s and 90s
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The final remaining cars at a popular brand's factory site have been sold at auction for almost £80,000.
Saab's Trollhättan factory in Sweden has sold the last cars remaining at the site at a ceremonial event that drew large crowds of enthusiasts.
Several hundred people attended the conclusion of the auction of seven models from Saab and Nevs, with some enthusiasts travelling from the United States and across Europe.
The Trollhättan factory sits around 50 miles north of Gothenburg and employed around 10,000 people at its production peak.
It was first opened at the end of 1949 and produced millions of Saab vehicles until 2011, when Saab declared bankruptcy.
Another Swedish company, Nevs, bought Saab Automobile's bankrupt estate in June 2012 and released new vehicles based on the classic Saab 9-3 model.
Some of the vehicles up for auction included an electric 9-3 built in China and developed in Trollhättan, and a 9-3 Aero that was used to collect road data for autonomous driving testing.
During the auction, a 2018 Nevs electric car sold for 252,000 krona (£20,045), with all seven vehicles selling for a combined 1.035 million SEK (£82,329).

The final Saab and Nevs electric cars have been sold at a final auction at the Trollhättan factory
|KLARAVIK

Hundreds of enthusiasts attended the final auction at the Trollhättan factory
|KLARAVIK
Carita Nero, CEO of Klaravik, which hosted the auction, said: "Given the level of interest we had sensed beforehand, it perhaps came as no great surprise - but it was no less gratifying for that.
"For us at Klaravik, however, this sale has always been about something bigger: paying tribute to Saab in a manner befitting the industrial institution it has been for so many years.
"The fact that the cars and the auctions have been covered in 47 countries around the world speaks to the legendary status Saab still holds."
She added that she was "proud" to have been able to display the Saab and Nevs vehicles and reach such a large audience.
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Three Saab and four Nevs electric cars went under the hammer
|KLARAVIK
All but one of the cars sold for more than 100,000 SEK (£7,954), with a Nevs 9-3 electric prototype with a petrol range extender selling for just 62,000 krona (£4,931).
Swedish private individuals and companies were responsible for all of the cars being purchased, with some of them being based in Western Sweden.
Commenting on the auction, Nina Selander, CEO of Nevs, said: "It has been a day filled with so much emotion.
"Above all, it has been wonderful and truly moving to see how much Saab means to so many people.

An autonomous Nevs 9-3 electric car prototype sold for 118,000 krona (£9,387)
|KLARAVIK
"Giving people the chance to come here, enjoy themselves and connect with fellow Saab enthusiasts over a memorable day was always our goal - and on that front, we really feel we succeeded.
"Seeing the final prices reach such heights is, of course, hugely gratifying, and shows that Saab's legacy - through its devoted following - will live on for many, many years to come."
The auction was first launched on May 21 on the Klaravik platform, before coming to a close at the Trollhättan factory on May 30.










