Ecclestone to buy Saab
 

Did I read this correct, Mr. comb over buying a car company?

Bernie Ecclestone to Buy Saab? - Formula One Blog - NYTimes.com

Hasn’t he done enough to Formula One, first popularizing it then consuming it with ego?
Maybe Bernie and Flavio should come out of the closet and retire to some desolate island.

Well, Saab is otherwise going into liquidation, so being bought by Bernie wouldn't be worse.

I think it all depends on how much the Swedish government will finance Saab's rescue.

Saab was losing >$300MM/yr in 2005-2008 and probably lost more in 2009. The marque has been killed over the past year, everyone knows Saab is on its last legs, people have stopped buying, sales have collapsed (I think they are selling like 2,000 cars a month in all of Europe now).

It says something really bad that not even the Chinese are interested in buying Saab.

At that rate, even Bernie would eventually go broke...:rolleyes:

He'll just mandate that the new Saab F1 team win every year like he's been doing for Ferrari.

I wonder what the details of his falling out with Scuderia are then...

Better than no Saab at all. GM killed their status as a quirky niche automaker, but I think there's still a market for a car that's "different". Not many (any?) Of those anymore.

Not quite the same, but Morgan is still around, and I think even TVR, but I doubt they sell many cars at all these days. (and as enthusiasts, we can't forget Ariel Atom and KTM and Lotus)

TVR is dormant, but those Brit marques rise from the dead on occasion.

Morgan is still alive, at least as far as I know. They make the Aero 8, which is a sweet little car. All are very small makers though, Saab used to be a bigger company that made eclectic cars. They went south when GM tried to make them into a BMW clone and failed miserably.

I thought a Ruskie had bought TVR and was building cars again... Clarkson test drove a new one on top gear not too long ago IIRC

There are 3 groups still looking at SAAB. Ecclestone, Konigsegg and an 'investor' group.

The Swedish government has said that they will not help fund the company.

Konigsegg was the first suitor but heard they backed out and are done at this point.
Forbes lists Bernie's wealth at 2.7 billion...pretty sure he can afford this deal

Bernie's financial arm is Genii Capital, which recently invested in Renault's F1 team.

It's official - Sweden is now less socialist than the United States.

It seems obvious that GM doesn't really want to sell SAAB. They would rather kill it than compete against them.
How can you have so many interested parties only to have all of the deals fall through?

GM did the same thing with Saturn. Penske made the deal, but GM changed the terms and Penske pulled out.

It just doesn't make any sense why these buyers pull out for no apparent reason unless GM is making unrealistic demands.

IMHO, GM would rather kill SAAB (and Saturn) so they do not have to compete against them in the future. Who knows what SAAB could do when released from the GM ball and chain.

Oops, Not Konigsegg. You're right, they're out.

It's Spyker, Ecclestone and an investment group.

I don't know why they'd not be interested. If i bought a Chinese product with even 1/10th the quality of my recently departed Saab 900S i think i'd have a heart attack.