Saab museum in Sweden saved

Feb 1, 2012, 3:06 GMT

Trollhaettan, Sweden - The Saab Museum housing some of the most famous vehicles built by the Swedish carmaker has been bought by the local council of Trollhaettan and the Wallenberg Committee for about 3.14 million euros (about 4.1 million dollars).

Earlier this month, liquidators of the bankrupt carmaker announced that it was selling off the museum and its entire contents of vintage cars.

The chairperson of Trollhaettan's municipal board, Paul Akerlund, said the town was delighted to have played a part in saving the museum, which was a major tourist attraction. The museum has some 120 cars dating from the first Saab 92001 of 1947 to the Aero-X concept car showcased at motor shows in 2006.

The first Saab prototype 92001 sported a black livery with an aerodynamic wing-shaped profile. Saabs became an icon in the 1960s with a string of rally victories. Fans loved the unique design that set it apart from other vehicles, its sporty handling and comfortable ride.

Several efforts to save the niche car manufacturer failed after it was separated from parent company General Motors and it finally filed for bankruptcy in December last year.