Koenigsegg are reported to have signed a MOU with GM to take over Saab
We reported last week that one of the main potential buyers for Saab is reported to be Koenigsegg. Well, if reports coming in from a Swedish TV company are to be believed, Koenigsegg is almost past the post, squeezing out the other two players – the Renco Group and a bunch of guys from Wyoming.
Swedish TV Channel SVT are reporting that “..the buyers have signed a letter of intent to buy Saab. Negotiations about details will go on in the next months”. And Bloomberg are also reporting that the deal could be completed this week.
On the face of it a fit between Saab and Koenigsegg is hard to fathom. What do they have in common, apart from nationality? Perhaps nothing, but the potential is very interesting.
Saab has a history of ploughing its own furrow – at least before GM took over – and has always taken a somewhat different viewpoint on the car design process. And they have been innovators – certainly in the area of turbo charging. Koenigsegg are the same. They are a very indiviudual company lead by an innovative man – Christian von Koenigsegg – who attack the car production and design process from their own perspective. And they innovate. Boy, do they innovate.
Who would have foreseen an upstart serial entrepreneur like Christian von Koenigsegg succeeding, and beating, some of the most established supercar makers on the planet? Who would have foreseen a bio-fuel ‘Eco’ supercar? And who would have foreseen a four-door electric supercar with solar paint? All these are down to Christian, and if he can inject just a small amount of his innovation in to Saab then the fit would be extremely interesting.
It would seem that the Swedish Government are prepared to underwrite financing for the new buyer. GM will hand over £300 million in assets and let Saab keep the £95 million it has in the bank. And if Christian has lined up a bunch of wealthy investors to back this deal – as we believe – then we’ve got to hope it happens.
More news when we get it.
Benrp says
I may be the biggest Saab faqn that ever lived and and so so pleased to here that Konigsegg will take over Saab. Unlike GM Konigsegg are know for there uniquenes and would work well with Saab. I would be more confident buying a car that is in Swedish hands and of a supercar maker who knows what they are doing and should pay more attention to Saab as they would be the companies largest brand.