Sauber was an Austrian car company that operated from 1993 to 1995 by importing American vehicles, lightly modifying them, and reselling them under the Sauber name. A married couple established the brand in Austria and founded a companion company, Sauber Automobiles USA, Inc., in Florida to purchase American vehicles, register them in the U.S., then export them to Austria for regulatory adjustments and rebadging.
The Sauber lineup consisted entirely of rebadged American models. The Sauber Villager was a Mercury Villager. The Sauber Messager was a General Motors Saturn S-class sedan, coupe, and wagon. The Sauber Teenager was a Ford Aspire. The Sauber S1 was a Dodge Stealth. Models went on sale in 1994 with 12 dealers. Prices in 1994 ranged from approximately $14,500 for the Teenager to $76,100 for the S1.
The company's marketing played on Austrian humor. One advertisement read, "In life you have to try everything at least once. A test drive in a Sauber doesn't hurt either."
The venture collapsed quickly. In May 1995, the Commercial Court of Vienna officially dissolved the company after finding it had nothing to pay debtors. An Austrian Value-Added Tax Act introduced in 1994 likely increased the tax burden on imports. The model of buying cars abroad, modifying them for regulations, and reselling at European prices proved unviable. Records suggest Sauber sold approximately 28 cars total. The last registered Sauber in Austria was removed from the road by 2018. None remained in operation by 2019.