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BREAKING: Swedish TV reports Koenigsegg buying Saab

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Old Jun 11, 2009 | 11:58 AM
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BREAKING: Swedish TV reports Koenigsegg buying Saab

We don't have much to go on yet, but Swedish television is reportedly claiming that Koenigsegg, makers of ultra high-performance exotic supercars, and a group of Norwegian investors have signed a letter of intent with Saab to take over the brand from General Motors. Final negotiations will reportedly take place in the coming months.

Along with Saturn and Hummer, Saab was put up for sale by GM before the automaker filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Many companies and investor groups from all over the world, including China, were reportedly interested in the Swedish brand, and despite how crazy it sounds, Koenigsegg was thrown into the list of finalists late last month. What we thought was crazy has reportedly come to pass.

Do you think Koenigsegg and Saab, two automotive brands that share a home country and sell completely different kinds of cars, will work well together? Let us know in the poll below and we'll keep you updated as the story unfolds.
http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/11/b...g-buying-saab/
Old Jun 11, 2009 | 12:05 PM
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Whaaaat!?
Old Jun 11, 2009 | 12:59 PM
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A read something yesterday that said they weren't even the front runner.
Old Jun 15, 2009 | 11:13 AM
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Originally Posted by jg95z28
A read something yesterday that said they weren't even the front runner.
They are now

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f2758b46-5...nclick_check=1
Old Jun 15, 2009 | 05:14 PM
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"Saab, born from jets"

Maybe with Koenigsegg designing them they can finally back that claim
Old Jun 16, 2009 | 11:57 AM
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Official: Koenigsegg to buy Saab

It's officially official
General Motors confirmed this morning that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with a consortium representing Swedish supercar manufacturer Koenigsegg over the purchase of the beleaguered Saab unit. The announcement that Saab will once again be a fully Swedish automaker confirms numerous reports over the last week that Koenigsegg was the favored bidder.

“The proposed agreement will enable us to maximize the brand’s potential through an exciting new product line-up with a distinctly Swedish character. Today’s announcement is great news for Saab’s current and future customers, dealers, suppliers and employees around the globe,” said Jan Ĺke Jonsson, Managing Director of Saab Automobile AB, in a statement released jointly by GM and Koenigsegg.

Under the terms of the memo, GM will continue to provide architecture and powertrain technology for a “defined time period,” meaning that the automaker’s 9-3, next-generation 9-5 and upcoming 9-4x, which were all designed using existing GM technology, will be part of the automaker’s portfolio as planned.

A news release by GM further confirmed that the next-generation 9-5 will be built in Saab’s Trollhättan, Sweden, assembly plant. It is assumed that Koenigsegg will take ownership of that historic auto plant.

“This is yet another significant step in the reinvention of GM and its European operations,” said GM Europe President, Carl-Peter Forster, in a statement. “Saab is a highly respected automotive brand with great potential. Closing this deal represents the best chance for Saab to emerge a stronger company. Koenigsegg Group’s unique combination of innovation, entrepreneurial spirit and financial strength, combined with Koenigsegg’s proven ability to create world-class Swedish performance cars in a highly efficient manner, made it the right choice for Saab as well as for General Motors.”

GM expects the sale to close in the third quarter of this year and it is anticipated that it will include a $600 million commitment of funding from the European Investment Bank. An undisclosed sum will be invested in Saab’s future by GM and the price of the sale has yet to be announced.

Given that the deal includes a factory and two unreleased new models, it is certainly the biggest outright sale GM has made since filing for bankruptcy.

It took just over two weeks from GM’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in New York for it to sell off the fourth, and final, unit it was looking to unload. The automaker has already announced its intentions to sell Saturn to Penske Automotive Group, Hummer to Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery and the majority of Opel to groups aligned with Magna International.

Some analysts have expressed concern over the deal, which Forbes says is between two “unlikely bedfellows.” With around 50 full-time employees, Koenigsegg is hardly a major player in the industry that Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne says needs to be consolidated post haste.

“I’m struggling to see the point of this deal,” said Philippe Houchois, head of European auto industry research at UBS in London told the New York Times. “Is it to ensure the survival of Saab, to save jobs? It looks like a short-term solution that doesn’t resolve the core issues.”

Still, the deal saves about 5,000 jobs worldwide.
http://www.leftlanenews.com/official...-buy-saab.html
Old Jun 16, 2009 | 12:00 PM
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Report: Saab ownership will enable Koenigsegg to bring Quant supercar to reality

When it was first reported that Swedish supercar company Koenigsegg was one of the leading bidders for struggling automaker Saab, many were left scratching their heads. Why would a company specializing in building a handful of million dollar supercars each year want to purchase a controlling stake in a mainstream auto brand?

Things got a whole lot more serious last week when it was revealed Koenigsegg, together with a group of Swedish investors, signed a memorandum of understanding with General Motors over the sale of Saab. Soon after, Koenigsegg co-owner, Baard Eker, said that his company has several good solutions to bring into Saab and has what it takes to save it.

A new report from Swedish news service Realtid has revealed that buying into Saab may allow Koenigsegg to bring its stunning Quant electric vehicle concept car to production reality. According to people familiar with the matter, Koenigsegg wants access to Saab’s production facilities to build electric vehicles.

With the help of government aid for alternative vehicle development, production of the Quant is expected to start in very low volumes in a couple of years. The vehicle is actually the brainchild of fellow Swedish firm NLV Solar AG - a pioneer in photovoltaics and electrical power technology. The project was born when NLV commissioned Koenigsegg to develop and design a “car of the future”, incorporating the company’s proprietary solar technology.
http://www.motorauthority.com/report...o-reality.html
Old Jun 17, 2009 | 11:08 AM
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Interesting! I imagine an electric Koenigsegg would be similar to a Tesla type electric car...
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