Valmet Automotive Saab Assembly (1969–2003) History

The Saab-Valmet joint venture was established on August 15, 1968, bringing together Finnish industrial giant Valmet and Swedish automaker Saab-Scania to build Saabs in Uusikaupunki, on Finland's southwest coast. The first car off the line — a Saab 96 — was completed on November 13, 1969, inaugurating what would become a 34-year Saab relationship.

For its first eleven years the plant assembled only Saabs: the rear-engined 95 and 96, then the modern front-wheel-drive 99. Valmet also developed its own coachbuilt variant for the Finnish market — the Saab 99 'Finlandia' limousine (1977), a stretched long-wheelbase edition unique to the Uusikaupunki plant.

As Saab's model range evolved, so did the Finnish production contract: the 900 (including the 900 Convertible and the 900 CD coachbuilt variant), the 9000, and ultimately the 9-3 Convertible all passed through Uusikaupunki. Saab assembly in Finland ended in 2003 when Saab consolidated production. By then Valmet had assembled Saab 95, 96, 99, 90, 900, 9000, and 9-3 Convertible models — the bulk of its first-generation business.