Leaked Images Show the Jason Castriota-Designed 2013 Saab 9-3 Series that Never Was

Saab's sad story has been told so many times over the past couple of years that you would think there was nothing more to tell, but a new set of allegedly official images depicting what could have been the vehicle to save the Swedish brand, give it a fresh twist.

These low quality screenshots of a computer rendering of the next 9-3 series were obtained by Sweden's Auto Motor und Sport magazine, purportedly via a former Saab employee.

The car's styling is said to have been completed under the direction of American-born automotive designer Jason Castriota, who at the time, led Saab's design team. The renderings show the five-door hatchback in profile and from the rear as well as the convertible variant.

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Saab’s New Owner NEVS Announces US$300 Million Chinese Investment Deal

Things have been conspicuously quiet for some time now as far as Saab is concerned; especially considering the shenanigans that the Swedish carmaker has been involved in the past two years.

Now, Saab is making headlines again as its new owner, National Electric Vehicle Sweden AB (NEVS) that acquired many of its assets when it went bankrupt last year, announced that it has signed a deal with the Chinese city of Qingdao.

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New Saab Owner Gets Rights to Name and Phoenix Platform, But Not Griffin Logo; Any Suggestions?

What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. At least that’s what Juliet tells Romeo in the renowned play. However, even if the executives of NEVS (National Electric Vehicle Sweden), Saab Automobile’s new owners, are avid Shakespeare readers, they still wanted the Saab name along with the rest of the brand.

Last we heard, they were negotiating with Saab AB, the aerospace company and Scania AB, which own the rights to both the name and the logo of the automotive company.

On Monday, however, NEVS announced that is has completed the acquisition of Saab Automobile AB, Saab Automobile Powertrain AB and Saab Automobile Tools AB, IP rights for the Phoenix platform and the Saab 9-3, the Trollhättan manufacturing plant and test and laboratory facilities, effective August 31, for an undisclosed amount of money.

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Saab Automobile Parts AB Sued For €2.6 Million by BMW Over Unpaid Deliveries

In September 2010, BMW Group signed an agreement with Saab for the supply of their 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engines to be used in the next generation of 9-3.

On paper, it was a win-win situation. It gave Saab’s new owner at the time, Spyker, a way to start relying less on GM’s powertrains, and of course BMW welcomed the extra income.

Two years later, this deal is the latest in a very long series of problems for the, now bankrupt, Saab. That’s because last week BMW filed a lawsuit with the Swedish district court in Nykoping.

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Spyker Files $3 Billion Lawsuit Against GM Over Saab Bankruptcy Case

Dutch automaker Spyker N.V has filed a lawsuit against General Motors for over $3 billion (€2.4 billion) in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. Spyker is accusing GM for tampering with the Saab bankruptcy case.

This rather unprecedented news coming after Spyker says GM was "tortiously interfering with a transaction" that would have allowed Chinese investors Youngman Lotus Automobile Group to take hold of the Saab brand.

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Saab Auto's New Owner Still Negotiating the Rights to the Brand Name

As it turns out, Saab Automobile's new owner, Chinese-Japanese consortium National Electric Vehicle Sweden AB (NEVS), has not yet secured the rights to use the Saab brand name and logo on the new electric models it is planning to build.

The brand name and the griffin logo collectively belong to carmaker Saab Auto, aerospace and defense company Saab AB and truck manufacturer Scania AB. The three companies used to be a single entity before they broke up.

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Saab Aero-x

Saab Aero-X Saab Concept is presented at the International Motor Show 2006. It is powered by a 2.8 L V6 bi-turbo running on pure ethanol that produces 300 kW (400 hp). 0 to 100 km / h (62 mph) in 4.9 s is expected to speed  and the top is limited to 250 kmh (155 mph). It has a 7-speed manual transmission is controlled by paddle shifters.

Like the Saab Turbo X, the Aero X is a four-wheeled vehicle. The doors and windscreen are connected, so instead of conventional doors or even gullwing doors, it uses a cockpit canopy where the entire top of the car open. This offer driver Aero X is a complete 180 degree vision, and also facilitates entry and exit from its low cabin. The frame is carbon fiber. The suspension is electronically controlled. Although it is a small two-seater sports car, it is reasonable space behind the two storage facilities, a traditional hatchback and sliding drawer underneath.

Scandinavian interior offers a clean interior. The machine is not a normal call and buttons, but the information is displayed with acrylic 'clear zones' in 3D graphics and images. All interior and lights to use LED. Although only a concept car, was well received, and many fans we demand their production. SaabsUnited Victor Muller replied. com website saying it is not a priority at this time for the company. The study shows the strength of the Saab brand in the election can inspire bold, innovative design, said Bryan Nesbitt, Vice President of GM Design Europe. In the near future, the new Saab products, we will remain focused on carefully cultivating this brand equity within the context of Scandinavian design values.

This concept shows the exciting possibilities available to us as we develop a design language of the most progressive of the Saab brand, says Jan Åke Jonsson, CEO of Saab. Our designers, engineers and marketers in Sweden are ideally placed to nurture and communicate the unique DNA Saab brand. Their work will ensure that future product proposals express core qualities, progressive design, sporty performance and emotional functionality, in a manner that is specific to Saab. Elements of the design of car front has emerged in recent Saab models, including the updated design of the Saab 9-3 Sport Sedan, the second generation Saab 9-5 and the upcoming Saab 9-4X.

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Rover 400 / 45

Rover 400 (later the Rover 45) is a series of tourism, truck, and (later) five-door models, produced by the British manufacturer Rover from 1990 to 2005. The car has been jointly developed in collaboration with Honda, Rover, the two generations of the car were calculated from the redesigned Honda chassis, the first Honda Concerto and later, the Honda Civic.

The original 400 series, released as a four-door sedan in early 1990, it was only a sedan version of the sedan in the second generation Rover 200 series, both share the code name during development of the R8. Like the 200, the model was designed in collaboration with Honda (who produced the corresponding model designed for the Concert of Europe) and the two models that share production lines at Rover plant at Longbridge. He used the same basic structure and mechanics as the Honda, but the new design of the rear caliper and body are unique to Rover. Architecture Interior trim and electrical systems were shared with all the 'R8' Rover 200.

A succession - or break - version was later developed by Rover Special Products. Badged as the Rover 400 Tourer, it remains in production since the second generation of 400 to 1998, because no station wagon version of the car were built later. R8 Rover 200 and 400 are the first applications of the family Rover K-series engines (listed in 1.4 L (1396 cc) twin cam 16-valve form). The 1.6 liter (1590 cc) version used, a Honda D16A8 D16A6 SOHC or DOHC power supply, while the 2.0 L M-Series 800-unit series soon followed (1991) in versions sports. engine models Rover drove the front wheels through jointly developed gearbox Peugeot / Rover R65 (1.4 liters) and an integrated license PG1s Honda designed at 1.6 and 2.0 liter versions.

Also available are two diesel engines of PSA, with the choice of aspirated 1.9-liter turbo or 1.8 XUD7T XUD9 engines. They settled in the place of Perkins Prima used in the Austin Maestro and Montego because the combustion engine with its heavy was too thick for new models. A facelift midlife (also applies to the Rover 200) saw the reintroduction of the Rover grille has also reappeared in the remodeling of the Rover R17 800. This change was accomplished without significant alteration of the remaining structure, but always a 'family' more distinctive Rover and establish some distance from the Honda Concerto.

Rolls-Royce Ghost

Rolls-Royce is a luxury sedan Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. The (ghost) label, the name in honor of the Silver Ghost, the first car produced in 1906, was announced in April 2009 at the Shanghai Motor Show. During development, the ghost was known as the (RR04). Designed as a little (more measured, realistic cars) that the ghost with a view to a category of lower prices for Rolls-Royce models, the selling price is 170,000 pounds ($ 255,000 USA). The production model was officially unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show 2009.

The original concept car, the 200EX name was officially unveiled in Geneva in March 2009, which indicates the direction of Ghost-style production model. Unlike the aluminum-bodied Phantom, the 200EX is steel, which has a higher tensile strength and therefore can be thinner. The chassis uses a smart suspension system on all fronts of air and aluminum and multilink rear axle. Systems such as Active Roll Stabilization, four corner air springs and variable damping function as a single control, so imperceptible to the driver and passengers to provide the best possible comfort for the occupants. Connected to the mainframe, the suspension is capable of detecting the movement of one side of a back seat to another, and compensates accordingly.

The Ghost was designed by Ian Cameron and directed by Helmut Riedl, who led the development of more than Rolls-Royce Phantom. Ghost, codenamed RR04 during its design phase, was designed to compete with vehicles far less expensive than the Phantom, as the Bentley Continental Flying Spur.

The Holy See borrows 20% of their parts for the BMW E01 platform, which underpins the current BMW 7 Series. The Phantom has a 129.7-inch (3290 mm) wheelbase, roof height, bonnet height and track gauge of their own, and the Holy uses air springs ghost style. The car also shares the FlexRay system electronics. BMW supplied parts are used in places without being seen by the driver functional. The car weighs 5,445 pounds (2,470 kilograms) on the sidewalk.

The engine is a 6.6 liter V12 twin-turbo engine with variable valve timing, rated 563 horsepower (420 kW) produce 780 newton-meters (580 ft • lbf) of torque, automatic transmission ZF 8-speed.The engine allows the Ghost to accelerate from 0-60 mph (97 km / h) in 4.7 seconds and reaches an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph (249 kmh).

Renault Laguna

Renault Laguna is a family car produces large French manufacturer Renault. The first Laguna was launched in 1993, the second generation was launched in 2000, and the third generation was sold in October 2007. Renault cars for normal production, are not related to the concept car has the same name, Laguna, is a two-seater roadster model cars at the 1990 Auto Show circuit. formerly known as the 1973-1976 Chevrolet and top-of-the-line Chevelle, Chevrolet Chevelle Laguna.

The first generation Renault Laguna was launched in December 1993 as the successor of Renault 21, which originally comes as a sedan only. Towards the end of 1995 brought a wagon version, called in some markets as the Laguna Sport and replaced the 21-based Renault Savanna / Nevada.

Laguna's equipment levels gradually increased. All later models came with power steering, electric front windows, driver airbag and central locking as standard. Most of the range has dual airbags, antilock brakes, air conditioning, CD player and is a standard or optional equipment.

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