Last of the Saab 9-3 convertibles land in the UK

Saab Parts UK has secured the sale of the last 26 right-hand drive Saab 9-3 convertibles for customers in the UK. The final batch of convertible Swedish metal will be sold through 87 Saab authorised repairers in lieu of a dealer network.

The final Saabs may be of sentimental value to fans of the marque, although the seven Independence Edition cars being offered for sale come in a rather challenging shade of burnt metallic orange. The remaining cars are a mixture of SE and Aero models, all of them well-equipped.

The Independence Edition trim level was one of the last to be developed before Trollhättan finally ceased production for good in August 2011, and was intended as a celebration of Saab's first year of independence.

Saab Parts UK is confident that the hand-finished final cars will find loving homes. 'These cars will carry a sentimental value for Saab fans around the UK, and are the last and best equipped examples of Saab’s Convertible lineage,' it said in a statement. The company estimates there are perhaps 90 new Saabs in total still remaining unsold at dealers around the UK.

The very last 9-3, probably the last Saab of any kind, was saved by a donation drive led by the Saabs United fan website and is due to be delivered to the Saab Museum on 26 May 2012.

Saab officially filed for bankruptcy in December 2011 and remains in administration. According to Swedeish law, a bankrupt company can still be bought out, and so a slim chance for survival remains and the administrators have now closed the bidding process to buy the remnants of the collapsed car maker.

Chinese car maker Youngman has publicly confirmed a bid, and Indian manufacturers Tata and Mahindra & Mahindra are rumoured to have thrown their respective hats into the ring. Administrators are currently reviewing the proposals but even if every penny of Saab's assets were sold, a $1.5 billion debt would remain on the books.

By Pembroke Tenneson