GM has extended the deadline for Spyker to raise the funds needed to buy Saab.
GM had originally demanded that a deal be concluded by 12 o'clock today (Thursday) but has now extended that until 7 January.
"The December deadline has been lifted and the final offer from Victor Muller [chief executive of Spyker] must be made by 7 January now," said a spokesman for GM Europe.
Spyker had originally hoped to receive financial support from the European Investment Bank (EIB) for its attempt to buy Saab.
But with the EIB money not forthcoming, Spyker must raise funding in the Netherlands and in Russia.
Muller has said that if a deal is achieved, Saab and Spyker Cars would operate as sister companies, with Spyker benefitting from Saab's technical resources and its distribution network, and Spyker bringing its entrepreneurial skills to Saab.
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Re: Saab sale deadline extended
At last, the pantomine that is the saab sale nears the end. I do hope that the deal goes ahead the save saab. Saab could surive if the 9-5 goes on sale, then saab could delvop a 9-5 based coupe priced against audis mercs and jags. It would be fast and have good handling but also be hugly comforable and stylish. Saab could also team up with fiat (like it did to produce the 9000)to produce a mini rival, much in the same way alfa did. Fiat provide the platform,then saab provide a turbo engine, maybe a 1.6 then add bespoke saab designed bodywork and interior. Saab could also bring back the 900 badge with a golf rival hatchback with a prestige feel. Make believe those ideas may seem but they may be the only way to make saab surive and delete its repurtation of poshed up vectras and delete all GM-ness in the brand. Please GM, do the decent thing, and sell saab and stop wasting time, you bunch off lazy, igorant Americans!
Re: Saab sale deadline extended
SAAB are a good company full of clever people, no one questions that.
But from an already weak sales base, they will be asking people to part with £20-30k for products from a company with a very uncertain future, either owned by Spyker or not.
Hand on heart, would you honestly sign on the dotted line?.
Remove the emotion from this, very hard I know, and what remains of SAAB is pretty unpalatable.
Re: Saab sale deadline extended
From all the new X5 and X6's I see on the road I don't think the SUV is dead. Not to mention VAG's plethora of 4x4's. The SUV/CUV market is still very much alive and a nicely packaged Twin Turbo Diesel with competitive emissions could steal a few sales from customers sick of the Germans having it all their own way.
No quite sure how this was worded above but the question asked what IP does SAAB actually have. Well the Answer is All of GM's Patents. GM has made SAAB responsible for virtually all passenger car development. SAAB are responsible for
Engine management systems
Direct Injection advancement
Cam Phasing and valve control
Hybrid Propulsion systems
Optic Fibre bus Systems
All Wheel Drive systems
Bio-Ethanol engines
Active and Passive safety modules
Chassis strengthening development
Gearbox and running gear development
oh and Turbocharging management. All these patents are filed under GM Powertrain AB which belongs to SAAB Automobile AB. As you can see SAAB has a lot of IP that other companies might be interested in. Yes you can some of this stuff from Bosch but without the experience and skilled workers you'll be struggling to put them together so all the systems integrate with one another and work. SAAB engineers have worked very hard for GM over the years and their reward is no recognition for their efforts, the media telling everyone it's all OPEL's work and the masses believing the crap they have read.
Why should SAAB be put to bed? If GM don't won't them then give them to someone who does.