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Swedish Government, GM to meet in US over Saab’s future

By Matt Brogan |

A delegation from the Swedish government will meet with GM in the United States next week to discuss the future of Saab.

Representatives from Sweden’s finance and industry ministries will meet in Detroit with Saab parent GM and Ford, currently in the process of selling its Swedish car unit Volvo.

“As we understand it, GM has not closed the door to a sale (of Saab), even if the official line is a wind-down,” state secretary Joran Hagglund said.

“We want to make totally sure they (GM) have all the information they need.”

Dutch sports car maker Spyker Cars, which wants to buy Saab, has said GM has set a deadline of January 7 for bids for the Swedish firm.

Saab, which GM has controlled since 1989, posted a loss of US$340 million in 2008 and is expected to have made a similar loss last year.

A deal with Swedish luxury car maker Koenigsegg to buy Saab fell through in late November and in December, GM said it would start winding down Saab’s operations though it would consider new bids for the firm.

Spyker’s CEO, Victor Muller, has said there are multiple parties still interested in buying Saab, which employs over 3,000 workers in Sweden


 
  • Shak

    I think if the Swedish governmnet is so concerned, thye should pruchase a controlling stake in SAAB allow Spyker to take the rest and then bring SAAB back to its former glory through joint investment. I know its a vague dream but thats all SAAB can hope for now.

  • gee gee

    this is just dragging on and on. the people at GM just seem so arrogant and heartless.

    Why does the sweedish government just put pressure on the us govt??????

  • Flying High

    let it die already…. there is no resurrection to be found here.

    And what could possibly change if there was? The reason nobody* bought SAAB had nothing to do with it being owned by GM. In fact nost of the buyers who did purchase SAAB wouldn’t know GM from Ford. The reason SAAB failed is just because it is a SAAB and nothing will change that. Tonnes of marketing dollars would need to be spent to change the perception of their mediocre vehicles; the amount required on that exercise eclipsing even the amount paid to save the company in the first place. Please let SAAB die its ignoble death! It is time!

    * with a modicum of sense