SAAB restarts production

By Mark Rainford

22nd March 2010

Saab has started its new life as an independent car manufacturer by restarting the production lines at its Trollhattan plant in Sweden. The factory had been idled for seven weeks as negotiations took place between GM and its new owners Spyker. Thanks to an eleventh-hour rescue bid by the Dutch supercar-maker, Saab is now once more in a position to build new cars.

Fittingly it was the all-new 9-5 saloon which was first to roll off the production line and open a new chapter in the firm’s history. Saab CEO Jan Ake Jonsson and Spyker CEO Victor Muller marked the occasion by joining the production line alongside the assembly workers.

Jonsson said “Today’s resumption of production is a milestone in the history of our company. We are up and running as an independent manufacturer and I am delighted to share the experience on the line alongside our workforce. They have shown tremendous commitment to the company and we are all now focused on ramping up production to meet customer demand.”

Spyker CEO Victor Muller added “Everyone at Saab has worked extremely hard to reach this important point. Today production restarted with a new 9-5 first down the line – a fitting symbol that a new era has begun.”

Saab has opted to concentrate most of its production at the Trollhattan factory and expects to have five models in production there by 2011 with the new 9-5, 9-3 Convertible and the 9-5 SportWagon, which is scheduled for release next year, amongst them.