Sion test drives in Trollhättan

Something is happening on the historic test track at the old Saab factory! Sono Motors invites you to test the Sion. Is there a new chapter in the automotive history of Trollhättan? Welcome to our short messages.

The Sion can be tested in Trollhättan
The Sion can be tested in Trollhättan. Photo: Sono Motors

Last week, a new name appeared: Sono Motors. A startup from Munich, which wants to build the innovative Sion in the old Saab factory starting this fall. In an almost sinister way, Sono Motors seems to fit the Saab history. Or who, if not a cross-thinking, young team, already sets Moss for air filtration in the interior?

While I'm considering whether to give the Sion and Sono Motors some attention on the blog, you can test drive the electric car in Sweden. On the 27. and 28. April on the old Saab test track, then in Trosta Park and on the Malmö Raceway. An intelligent move, because with the production in Trollhättan, the Sion will become half-Sweden and part of the production could stay in the country. In the metropolitan areas of Gothenburg and Stockholm, electromobility is much more advanced than in Germany. The chances are good.

The best adverts from Saab

Because we are in Sweden right now ... Saab's lateral thinkers didn't just build fascinating cars. The sometimes very humorous advertising from Trollhättan was also legendary. From the old 93 times, through the strong 9000s, to the end, the advertisers always came up with something extraordinary.

Saab is not forgotten in Sweden, even if the brand disappears visibly from everyday life. The Auto-Motor-Sport has put together the best ads. And it's still fun to look at.

Saab and Volvo 2018 on the classic days
Saab and Volvo 2018 on the classic days

Classic Days Schleswig Holstein

Not a few consider Schleswig Holstein to be a southern part of Sweden. There could be something to it - at least as far as automotive inclinations are concerned. In the northernmost state, and also in Hamburg, Saab was always well represented.

On the 18. and 19. May find in the Holstenhallen Neumünster the Classic days instead of. The two Swedish brands will be present at a joint stand in hall 5. In addition to two Volvos to the current planning a Saab 9000 CD, a 900 first series and a Saab 90 to be seen.

An appointment that should be noted.

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thiloev
thiloev
4 years earlier

Too bad that the test drives take place with a car that doesn't have much in common with the finished product (the 2 test cars still have rear-wheel drive, while the finished car will have front-wheel drive, interior design is not yet final ...). Don't get it wrong, I'm happy about every job that will be created there after the end of Saab and about every electric car that comes onto the streets, but there is still a long way to go before the Sion is manufactured ...

Jan_HH
4 years earlier

I look at the future around Sono Motors critically. Not only that, I see here a similarity to NEVS (repeatedly announced production, time delay, etc.) is until the second half of 2020 still plenty of time. Not only is Sono Motors just over 1 year in arrears, I think that by then other manufacturers will have prevailed. That I think the battery-powered vehicle is completely inappropriate is a personal opinion.
For Trollhättan, I would have liked a startup around topics such as hydrogen, synthetic fuels, etc. Batteries, however, make many - a shame.

I think that a start for the brand SAAB would be quite realistic. Already at that time I always thought, why production and development were put on the level of a sports car manufacturer like Lotus / Spyker etc. A smart Start Up like company that carries the thoughts of SAAB would certainly have a chance.

thiloev
thiloev
4 years earlier
Reply to  Jan_HH

Hydrogen and synthetic fuels are inefficient and practically dead in the car sector. And that's good

Herbert Hürsch
Herbert Hürsch
4 years earlier
Reply to  thiloev

Which hydrogen is inefficient?

The in the tank of a combustor? The one in the fuel cell of an EV? The stationary energy storage and buffer for regenerative energy? Or are they two of the three (if any?) Or even all three? And why each?

I like learning. Many SAAB drivers like to learn. And if you don't ask, you stay stupid ...

Please enlighten us (is meant very seriously) ...

Siegrist, Ulrich
Siegrist, Ulrich
4 years earlier
Reply to  Jan_HH

Thanks Jan_HH for this opinion, which I certainly share in every respect. SAAB has always stood for progress and was always a few steps ahead, at least in the decades before GM. And now that everything is in transition in the car industry, a new edition in the spirit of SAAB with completely new modern concepts that are ahead of the times, would be quite justified. To mourn the past without worrying about how to shape the future with a possible SAAB remake (which would be the right time to do it) is not enough. But if you do not think about it and do not believe in it and do not dream of any possible concepts, then yes, nothing is guaranteed to happen. Of course it is good to know that work is going on again in the former SAAB factories, which I also visited, albeit only with foreign products and foreign brands, but that alone is not enough for me as a vision of the future.

Herbert Hürsch
Herbert Hürsch
4 years earlier

If another Swedish car were built in Trollhättan that I absolutely wanted to have, I would almost (!) Not care what it is called. If old structures were also revived, service, sales and spare parts supply came from a single source, then these new “SAABs” should also be called Orio, if you like.

A new SAAB would be nice. But it would be enough for me if he were a new and worthy SAAB - (almost) no matter what he calls himself ...

Ken-Daniel S.
Ken-Daniel S.
4 years earlier

Of course it would be better for us Saab fans if Saabs are built there again, but unfortunately that is not the case. And it is indeed a certain sustainability to use existing. In the case the Saabwerk.

LarsM
LarsM
4 years earlier

It is of course nice that something is happening again in Trollhättan - but why in the world do electric cars (apart from a few exceptions) always have to look so horrible? The Sion doesn't even go there. You don't like to look at something like that? But I'm probably just an old white man who doesn't want to see the signs of the times ...

Christoph Caspar
Christoph Caspar
4 years earlier
Reply to  LarsM

But I'm probably just an old white man. I throw myself away a bit. The mayor of Tübingen, Palmer, also talks like that. To the appearance of electric cars, I agree with you fully. The Teslas are design-technical recycled Mazdas, The Renault Zoe is ok. Somehow one has the impression with many electric vehicles: at the very end, a body is packed around the battery pack. Whereby there were in the 60-ger, 70-ger years and in the Asian area even with the cars quite loveless designed vehicles.

LarsM
LarsM
4 years earlier

Maybe the Sion is just the first serve - and then something “in beautiful”… 😉

Herbert Hüsch
Herbert Hüsch
4 years earlier

MOSS - what a charming detail ...

At some point the Trollhättan FLIEWATÜÜT becomes reality - powered by blue or raspberry juice. Or with sea buckthorn. Fuel in blue, red and gold - just the well-known SAAB logo.

Just kidding, but a moss filter is cool.

Aero 9-3
Aero 9-3
4 years earlier

Solidarity with Trollhättan and the Swedes who work there, that is one reason why I am delighted by the statement that “movement” is coming into the venerable old SAAB factory.
The new lateral thinker revive a work of the old lateral thinker is a good start. I keep my fingers crossed.
Therefore: like more reports about the new start up! 🙂

Freising86
Freising86
4 years earlier

The world keeps turning, right? As much as I like Saab, the times are changing rapidly. Write about Sono? Why not? If he comes from Troll Town, so much the better!

Franc troll
Franc troll
4 years earlier

So there really seems to be something to do? Those in Munich are serious. I'm curious what happened in the fall 2020 really. At the moment I think everything is possible, the change in mobility could be a real opportunity for the Sion.

Of course, SAAB does not bring it all back. That's history. At least for the moment, you should never give up hope completely.

Siegrist, Ulrich
Siegrist, Ulrich
4 years earlier

You seem to experience your highlights when something is produced again in the old Saab production halls, even if the product does not have a direct link to the Saab brand. That leaves me relatively cold. On my last trip to Northern Norway, I didn't even drive past Trollhättan. But I would be interested in what the current or tomorrow's possibilities would be to reactivate the Saab brand and to unleash / buy it from GM in order to release it and use it again for future productions of the latest automotive technology. In my opinion that would be a real challenge. Can someone tell me if anyone cares or what the obstacles that still exist today are. How does this situation look today? After all, a few years have gone into the bushes since the last attempt….

Herbert Hürsch
Herbert Hürsch
4 years earlier

"You seem to (...)"

This is called solidarity - with the trolls, the people, the location, the region.

And personally, I'm no longer so sure whether I want to see the name SAAB on another car than on the ones that SAAB has built so far. It would of course depend on the car ...

But a branding alone would not make me happy, rather sad. The name already wants to be earned.