Saab: No Comment On Report Koenigsegg To Be New Owner
11 Juni 2009 - 7:06PM
Dow Jones News
General Motors Corp.'s (GM) Saab Automobile AB Thursday declined
to comment on a report by Swedish television that it has agreed to
be sold to Swedish exclusive sports car maker Koenigsegg Automobile
AB.
Saab spokeswoman Gunilla Gustavs said the report by Swedish
television station SVT is "speculation from other channels, and I
can't comment on speculation."
SVT, citing anonymous sources, reported that Saab and Koenigsegg
have signed a letter of intent, and that the deal would be backed
by Norwegian investors.
Final negotiations are expected to take months, the station
said.
Koenigsegg could not be reached for comment.
Based in southern Sweden, Koenigsegg was founded in 1993 by
Christian von Koenigsegg, who remains chief executive.
Koenigsegg reportedly has sold about 70 cars in total, including
18 vehicles last year.
In March, Forbes.com named the 2008 Koenigsegg CCX as one of
"world's most beautiful cars."
Earlier Thursday the Swedish government said it has asked its
national debt office to start negotiations with Saab about a state
guarantee for a loan from the European Investment Bank.
Saab has said that securing a EUR500 million loan from the EIB
is a cornerstone in its plans for signing a final agreement with a
new owner and returning to profitability.
GM bought a 50% stake in Saab in 1990 and acquired the rest in
2000. GM has said that Saab has been loss-making for almost all of
those years.
Company Web site: www.saab.com, www.koenigsegg.com,
www.gm.com
-By Ola Kinnander, Dow Jones Newswires; +46-8-5451-3097;
ola.kinnander@dowjones.com