The future of Saab just became a little more certain today. Or did it? General Motors has released in a statement that it has hired on AlixPartners to oversea the wind-down of its loss-making Saab unit. In other words, GM is planning to close the doors on the Swedish automaker, sending the company into liquidation...
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General Motors has reportedly delayed a board meeting that was to decide the fate of its loss-making Saab unit today, as a new bidder has emerged onto the scene. GM had already postponed Saab’s fate by dropping a self-imposed December 31st deadline in favor of a January 7th one. Now it is giving Spyker, as...
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Later this week General Motors is expected to pronounce on the fate of its loss-making Swedish unit, with a potential purchase by Dutch exotic car maker Spyker still a possibility. In an interview with AOL Autos, Spyker CEO Victor Muller discussed many of his plans to rejuvenate Saab, as well as another plan to sell...
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With General Motors announcing recently that it would drop Saab’s December 31st deadline and continue to search for a capable buyer for the Swedish brand, enthusiasts of the Swedish brand are banding together in an effort to save Saab. In a post on enthusiast site SaabHistory, a blog post urges owners to join in a...
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There are almost too many stories and rumors about Swedish automaker Saab to keep up with, as the latest reports suggest not one but two Dutch billionaires are involved in a new deal that would see Spyker purchase the loss-making division from General Motors. Dutch business daily Het Financieele Dagblad suggests Dutch media tycoon John...
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Those digging the grave for Saab might want to put their shovels down after Spyker Cars has submitted a new proposal to purchase the Swedish automaker from General Motors. On Friday GM announced that a deal could not be reached and said it would begin an orderly wind down for Saab. According to Spyker CEO...
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General Motors has announced it will close down Saab after discussions to sell the brand fell through. “Despite the best efforts of all involved, it has become very clear that the due diligence required to complete this complex transaction could not be executed in a reasonable time,” said Nick Reilly, president of GM Europe. “In...
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Dutch exotic car maker Spyker is likely to become the new owner of Swedish automaker Saab after GM Chairman and CEO Ed Whitacre confirmed there are no other bidders. Earlier this week GM reached a deal with Beijing Auto to sell off old Saab assets so the Chinese company could produce previous generation Saab models...
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General Motors has reached an agreement to sell off part of its struggling Saab division to China’s Beijing Auto (BAIC). The deal would see BAIC take control of Saab’s rights assets and tooling assets of the past 9-5 and 9-3 models in order to build those vehicles in China. Saab’s future has been uncertain for...
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Dutch exotic car maker Spyker is likely the favored candidate in the resumed bidding for GM’s Saab division. Saab went back on the open market just a few weeks ago when a group led by Swedish supercar maker Koenigsegg retracted its offer. In an report published in Swedish daily Svenska Dagbladet a source described GM’s...
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The Swedish government is putting the pressure on General Motors, saying that it must make a decision this week on the sale of Saab if the deal is to go through by the end of the year. “They must at least have chosen one of the interested parties this week, otherwise it will be tough...
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Yesterday’s positive news for the Saab faithful has once again been met with the grim reality of the Swedish automaker’s situation. Just 24 hours ago news emerged that China’s Beijing Auto (which supported the Koengisegg-led purchase of Saab) had secured $2.93 billion in loans from the Chinese government – which would presumably be used to...
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At the LA Auto Show, Swedish automaker Saab had on display for the first time on U.S. soil, its new 9-5 sedan, which was touted by many to be the struggling automaker’s savior. The only problem is, with Saab current instability, this baby might just be stillborn. Recently the leading candidate to buy Saab, Swedish...
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Frederick “Fritz” Henderson has resigned as General Motors chief executive officer. Henderson (left, in the photo above) was appointed CEO on March 29, replacing Rick Waggoner who shown the door by the Obama administration. Over the last eight months, Henderson worked at reorganizing the company. GM announced that Chairman Ed Whitacre Jr. (right, in the...
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Swedish supercar maker Koenigsegg has canceled its plans to buy the struggling Saab brand from General Motors, leaving the future of the brand in jeopardy. “We’re obviously very disappointed with the decision to pull out of the Saab purchase,” said GM President and CEO, Fritz Henderson. “Many have worked tirelessly over the past several months...
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With Saab’s sales for 2009 down 62 percent so far, you wouldn’t expect the Swedish automaker’s biggest problem to be a car shortage. But that’s exactly what dealers are facing, after the General Motors brand cut production earlier this year in an effort to cut costs. Production at the assembly plan in Sweden has been...
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Beijing Auto, the Chinese automaker that has offered to invest in the Koenigsegg-led purchase of Saab from General Motors, has confirmed that in return it will build the current (or previous) generation Saab 9-5 in China. In exchange for its involvement in supporting the deal, Beijing Auto (BAIC) will get all of Saab’s now discontinued...
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According to a report in Swedish business daily Dagens Industri (translated by the folks at SaabsUnited), Koenigsegg, the company’s prospective buyer, wants to take the company more up-market while selling fewer vehicles. This would presumably mean higher profit margins, but the proposed plan doesn’t seem to account for the Swedish automaker to turn a profit...
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A company in turmoil with a less than certain future, Saab is hedging its bets on the all-new 2011 9-5 luxury sedan, which launched today at the Frankfurt Auto Show. In total, the 9-5 will be offered with five different engines, all of which will be turbocharged and relatively small, meaning fuel-economy should be quite...
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According to a recent report in the U.K.’s AutoCar, Saab is planning a hybrid version of the upcoming 9-5. The system will use a small 1.4-liter turbocharged gasoline engine, which will be assisted by an electric motor. Sounding similar to the setup found in the Honda Insight, this will not be a two-mode hybrid and...
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Koenigsegg’s bid to purchase GM’s Swedish Saab brand was contingent on the company securing additional funding, either through external investment or through loans. With the Swedish government not overly excited about bailing out Saab and after rejecting attempts by Volvo to secure assistance, Keonigsegg has looked to the private sector and overseas for an interested...
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Saab has just released a selection of new photos, as well as a new information on its upcoming next-generation 9-5 flagship. The Swedish automaker has also confirmed that the new model will debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show next month. In total, the 9-5 will be offered with five different engines, all of which will...
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General Motors has signed an agreement to sell off its Swedish Saab unit to the Koenigsegg Group. Led by supercar maker Koenigsegg, the group includes several additional investors. The deal will see the Koenigsegg Group take a 100 percent stake in Saab. In a statement Koenigsegg Group CEO Christian von Koenigsegg said that the group...
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After a considerable amount of secrecy surrounding the next generation Saab 9-5, it seems as though the cat is finally out of the bag. Two German publications (Autobild and Autozeitung) have published what appear to be official Saab press photos of the 2011 9-5. Normally a new Saab doesn’t get much attention, but with the...
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