BLAST FROM THE PAST
Ultra-rare motor from long-forgotten brand that went extinct in the UK can be yours for less than £8,000
It was designed to rival luxury offerings from brands like Mercedes at nearly half the price
A STYLISH motor from a long-forgotten brand which no longer sells cars in the UK can be yours for less than £8,000.
Models from the firm were once a common sight on British roads but have almost died out in the decade since it went extinct.
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After a glorious 71-year history, Saab was declared defunct in 2016 amid financial struggles.
Its UK operations collapsed when it first declared bankruptcy back in 2011.
As such, this 2009 Saab 9-3 saloon was among the last cars ever produced by the Swedish brand.
The model was first introduced in 1998 as a successor to the popular Saab 900.
It boasted a purring turbocharged inline-four engine and a comfortable interior trimmed with leather.
The car drew comparisons with elements of the Mercedes lineup and acted as a budget rival to the German giant, starting as it did at £35,294.
That works out to about £50,000 today which is still very reasonable compared to Merc's lineup of £70,000 and up luxury motors.
However, as with most of its models, by the end of Saab's run the 9-3 suffered from flagging sales.
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Like many executive saloons, it was hampered by the trend towards cheap hot hatches for speed and massive SUVs for space, leaving it in an increasingly squeezed middle ground.
As such, this one can be picked up for a fraction of it's original value despite only having covered 80,700 miles while being used as a "daily driver".
Inside eerie abandoned Saab dealership with three motors destroyed by vandals-
In the listing on , the seller admits: "It is with regret I sell this car as it has never let me down.
"It has never been my daily driver and I bought it because of its rarity.
"It needs to go to someone with the time to drive it and tinker with it."
The 9-3 is currently listed for just £7,500, making it a real steal for an enthusiast.
Plus the current owner added that they are open to "reasonable offers" given the lack of demand for Saab models.
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