A stretch-blow molding machine having at least one blow molding station, in which a split blow mold, an adjustable blow nozzle with a valve section, a stretching rod with a stretching rod drive system, and an electronic control unit are provided, the electronic control unit arranged in the blow molding station is equipped with hardware and software for selectively operating the blow molding station with a combination of a cam drive and a pneumatic drive, or a combination of an electric servo drive and a pneumatic drive, or only an electric servo drive in the stretching rod drive system. The movement of the stretching rod is initiated in the stretch-blow molding machine in the production process of a container by means of an electric servomotor with the beginning of or during the locking phase of the blow mold and before the blow nozzle is placed, and the stretching rod is already displaced to a position in which the stretching rod is either very closely approached to the preform bottom or contacts the preform bottom, or has even already pre-stretched the preform, until the blow nozzle is placed.