STOCKHOLM (AFP)--Koenigsegg, the Swedish luxury sports carmaker
set to buy Saab Automobile (SAAB) from General Motors Corp. (GM),
is confident it can secure the company's future, Koenigsegg's
co-owner was quoted as saying Saturday.
GM, now in bankruptcy protection in the United States, put Saab
up for sale in February as it bids to slim down its range of brands
and become profitable again.
A Swedish TV report on Thursday said Koenigsegg and a group of
Norwegian investors had signed a letter of intent to buy Saab.
Baard Eker, whose holding company Eker Group holds a 49% stake
in Koenigsegg, confirmed his interest in the Swedish automaker in
an interview with Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet.
"We think it is possible and we have several good solutions to
bring with us into Saab," Eker said.
Commentators in Sweden have questioned whether Koenigsegg, which
produces just 18 high-end sports car a year and employs only 45
people, would have the financial muscle or industrial know-how to
run Saab.
Founded in 1994 by Swedish businessman Christian von Koenigsegg,
the company posted a turnover of 106 million kroner (10 million
euros, 13 million dollars) in 2008.
Eker told Dagbladet that there were "several investors" backing
the bid.
"But I don't want to comment on the amount of money and who is
involved," he said. "I want to make one thing clear. We are not
buying Saab just to chop it up. That's not what we do."
The Eker Group was unavailable for comment and Saab spokesman
Joe Oliver refused to comment.
GM also kept mum. "We're not making any comment at this time. We
continue to work towards a resolution for the sale of Saab," said
GM Europe spokesman Chris Preuss.
Saab sold 93,000 cars worldwide in 2008, according to its Web
site.
It owes 9.7 billion kronor (1.3 billion dollars, 924 million
euros) to GM -- its largest individual creditor - as well as 347
million kronor to the Swedish government. Other creditors are owed
647 million kronor.
The automaker employs about 3,400 people in Sweden. Including
suppliers, some 15,000 jobs in the country are believed to be at
risk if the company were to disappear.