Renault CEO Says GM Hasn't Asked Him To Discuss Saturn
06 Mai 2009 - 8:55PM
Dow Jones News
Remarks from the head of French carmaker Renault SA (RNO.FR)
suggested Wednesday that he hasn't been approached by General
Motors Corp. (GM) about buying its troubled U.S. counterpart's
Saturn unit.
But Renault CEO Carlos Goshn was unclear about whether his
company is interested in Saturn, or whether the issue has been
broached with GM in some way.
When asked at a news briefing whether Renault is in talks with
GM, Goshn said, "GM hasn't asked us any question."
Citing two people familiar with the matter, the Wall Street
Journal earlier in the day reported GM was in talks with Renault
about taking over its Saturn car division. The newspaper said
Renault is one of several suitors interested in Saturn.
When asked if Renault had been in contact with Saturn itself,
Goshn said, "We cannot be in negotiations with (Saturn) because
Saturn is part of GM."
He added that "you are speaking as if GM had already been
dismantled...that is not the case. And we can't hold discussions
with brands belonging to big companies."
Goshn made his remarks to reporters after the company's annual
shareholders meeting, where he told his audience that Renault isn't
interested in buying any companies, including GM's strapped German
car unit Adam Opel AG.
He had said his company is concentrating all its energy on
recovering from the global economic crisis that has slammed global
car markets and that it also isn't interested in any alliances. But
once it recovers, Renault could look at its options, he added.
Company Web site: www.renault.com
-By Gabriele Parussini and A.H. Mooradian; Dow Jones Newswires;
+33 1 4017 1740; Gabriele.parussini@dowjones.com and
art.mooradian@dowjones.com.