The first decade of ownership of GM involved having a 50% stake which has only minimal management control .
Saab as a brand has already been compromised with components and chassis sharing even before GM got involved.
GM also issued their reservations and concerns when the Chinese showed interest because of inevitable technology transfer.
Selling the brand to Spyker showed that GM did not want to kill the Saab brand but what could have been the right step during that stage.
If due diligence was done on the end of GM, Saab should have not been sold to Spyker and should have just been closed.
The Spyker purchase of Saab was an impulsive purchase. Spyker acquired Saab as a trophy brand to pull up their credibility. Spyker and its management did not have the skills and experience to manage a big brand like Saab.
Spyker did not handle the negotiations with the Chinese well. They were not in control. It was naïve of them to think that GM will waive its objection to the involvement of the Chinese.
The initial 54% stake of the Chinese was given a go signal by GM and was only blocked when the Chinese wanted a total ownership.

Looking back, GM took Saab from the noses of Fiat after Ford out maneuvered them for Jaguar. Just the what if’s of life, what might have been if Saab remained with the Italian company.

Swedish Automobile that holds control of Sweden’s Saab confirmed that they are accepting a $10 million investment and a loan of $60 million from the North Street Capital owned by Mascioli to help with its reorganization.

The overall picture though is still not good enough for Guy Lofalk, the administrator of Saab, who plans to file a petition in the Swedish courts so it will stop the voluntary reorganization of the automotive firm. Saab however said that it will block this petition and request the courts for the replacement of the current administrator.

Last June, Swedish Automobile had a non-binding understanding with Zheijiang Youngman Lotus Automobile of China to acquire a 29.9% share and Pangda Automobile to get 24% stake for a combined funding of around $338 million.

In the early part of 2011, Noth Spyker acquired luxury car brand Spyker from Swedish Automobile for around thirty two million euros.

Swedish Automobile has been trying hard to avoid bankruptcy for the past months while looking for new investors and releasing a number of assets in order to pay off employees, settle bills with suppliers, and resume production in their factory in Sweden.

North Street will be acquiring 2.38 million shares of Swedish Automobile which were recently issued. Documentation for this transaction is expected to be completed by next week.

Last week, the story of Koenigsegg’s plan to buy Saab got more and more interesting when it has been reported that Koenigsegg and General Motors have already signed a memorandum of agreement regarding Saab’s sale. Moreover, Baard Eker, the co-owner of Koenigsegg said in an official statement that the Swedish car company has a number of solutions planned and they have what it takes to save Saab from bankruptcy.

The Swedish news company Realtid, reported that taking over Saab would enable Koenigsegg to bring their electric concept car Quant to reality. Saab’s facilities would allow Koenigsegg to produce electric cars, such as the Quant electric car concept and many more.

Electric car Quant’s production is assumed to start with a limited number of units for a few years, with the help, of course, of the government who are pushing for alternative vehicles. The Quant concept car is the concept of Swedish firm NLV Solar AG, a leader in photovoltaics and electric technology. The Quant project started with NLV hired Koenigsegg to design and create a “car of the future” using NLV’s solar technology.

GM disclosed that it will no longer call the shots for Saab and the Swedish car manufacturer will be an independent entity by January 2010.

The announcement of the sale may come before the end of the month, considering the plans of the car maker to write off some debt and be on the positive side of the scale by 2011. Final negotiations might be taking place but final details are still being ironed out according to insiders.

According to the Saab spokesperson, there were three firms that are still showing interest for the company and the sale will push through despite of the filing of Chapter 11. Those remaining on the negotiating table are Swedish car maker Koenigsegg, Wyoming investor group Merbanco, and the Renco Group of Ira Rennert. The bidders’ number was trimmed down from a list of 20.

The details about the offers of the three firms have never been disclosed. Saab has been struggling to make ends meet and needs funding to keep its operations going both for the short and long term.

Saab is able to survive for now through the $3.23 billion funding from the Swedish government and some aid from private firms. The car manufacturer lost about $340 million in 2008 and is expected to file another $300 million worth of losses for this financial year.

The funding Saab will get will be used to launch new models in the next 18 months and help the auto maker come back on track as a pioneer in automotive technology.

They should know that there are quite a number of models that they can go in for and here are a few of the most popular ones. Saab 9-3 2.0t Linear, Saab 9-3 2.0t BioPower Linear, Saab 9-3 2.0t Linear Sport, Saab 9-3 1.9TiD Linear, Saab 9-3 2.0t Linear Sentronic, Saab 9-3 2.0t BioPower Linear Sport, Saab 9-3 2.0t BioPower Linear Sentronic, Saab 9-3 2.0t Vector, Saab 9-3 1.9TiD Linear Sport, Saab 9-3 2.0t Linear Sport Sentronic, Saab 9-3 1.9TiD Linear Sentronic, Saab 9-3 2.0T BioPower Vector, Saab 9-3 2.0t BioPower Linear Sport Sentronic, Saab 9-3 2.0t Vector Sentronic, Saab 9-3 1.9TiD Vector, Saab 9-3 1.9TiD Linear Sport Sentronic, Saab 9-3 2.0T BioPower Vector Sentronic, Saab 9-3 2.0T Vector, Saab 9-3 1.9TiD Vector Sentronic and Saab 9-3 2.0T Vector Sentronic

According to Jan-Ake Jonsson, Managing director of the car company said that they have five potential bidders that they want to negotiate with. They already have some serious talks regarding the offer but Saab didn’t specify which bidder is in much interest on buying Saab.

Geely Automobile and Dongfeng Motor Group of China renounce their interest in SAAB, after some sources reported to Reuters that the mentioned Chinese companies are included in the list of the potential bidders. An executive of Geely said that the company did not hold any talks regarding buying the Saab car brand and Geely is not interested in taking or buying foreign brands. Meanwhile, reports are circulating that Geely is in preliminary negotiations with Ford Motor Co. about the sale of Ford’s Volvo vehicle unit, though reports again stated that Geely has no plans of buying the Volvo.

A spokesman for Dongfeng said that they too did not have any talks about buying the Saab brand and likewise, the spokesman is not aware of any bidding interest in the Swedish car brand.

Jonsson declared that Saab is trying to work out with private equity firms and retired Swedish workers who are interested with their car brand. They had negotiations with advisors of the Deutsch Bank to hopefully identify a potential buyer. They are aiming to make at least some agreement within this month or the next with a company.

The designers of the car manufacturer tweaked the 9-3 Sportcombi and raised the ride by 1.4 inches. The wagon was further pimped by giving it an XWD system that enables it to maximize the power of its four wheels in addition to the facelift of the chassis.

The 9-3 crossover will be a perfect option for individuals and families who are trying to avoid the large crossover and SUV niches. The company blends function and performance to make it an ideal vehicle for the consumers on the go.

In the United States, the power of the car will be delivered by the four-cylinder 2.0L turbo-charged engine that can output 210 horsepower. The public has an option to choose between manual or automatic transmission that will be offered with the 9-3X.

During test runs, the Saab 9-3X decently conquers the 0-60 mph barrier in a matter of 8.2 seconds.

The European release will be using a 1.9L diesel engine equipped with turbo that can harness the power up to 180 horsepower and get a torque of 295 lb-ft.

The 9-3X also sports unique designs for its bumper covers, skid plates, side sills, and wheel arches to set it apart from the other units of the 9-3 brand. Other notable facelift includes roof rails, lower door strips in aluminum color, dual tip exhaust, and fog lights.

The Saab 9-3X will be in the US this coming fall. The tag price is set to begin at the $34000 mark.

GM has not really disclosed that they are selling the Saab brand but has quietly looked for potential buyers. The term strategic review pertains to the act of the corporation to scan the market for potential interested parties.

The market’s lack of interest on Saab makes it the second brand that GM fails to shed as it goes through mergers and acquisitions. GM also failed to sell Hummer which was under review since the first half of 2007.

The administration of President George W. Bush promised a $13.4 billion package for the car manufacturer. As part of its plan to save majority of its business, GM is looking at trimming the Pontiac brand and explore what the future holds for Saturn.

No official release has been made with regard to the decision about the Saab brand.

GM acquired half of the Swedish brand in 1989 and bought the whole company by 1999. The sales of Saab proved to be dismal through the years. The highlight was in 1986 when they sold around 48181 units. In 2008, Saab only sold 21368 vehicles or about 34.7 drop in sales compared to 2007.

The exchange rate of the dollar and euro has been hurting the Saab line. According to experts, a Saab sold in the US has been sold to at a loss to GM.

The Swedish government may also step in with a $3.19 billion credit guarantee for Saab and Ford’s Swedish line, Volvo. There are no words yet whether Saab will apply for the funding.

The Special Edition 9-3 will have a 2.0L engine which has a 210 horse power output. The sporting car will be available with a 5 speed automatic or 6 speed manual transmission variants. It can race from 0-100 km/hr in a matter of 6.4 seconds. The top speed of the 9-3 is at 260 km/hr.

The architecture of this convertible takes some lines from the Turbo X as evident from its front bumper and steering wheel. It also features a dual exhaust and anthracite bumper. The car will catch eyes with the 17-inch, 5-spoke alloy installed.

Saab surprised the automotive world when it released the first 9-3 in Frankfurt in 1983. It changed the concept of a convertible since the 9-3 was designed to be an all year round, four-season car unlike other soft top convertibles. The 9-3 production evolves around the concept of excellent style and functionality.

The car manufacturer have sold more than 250,000 convertibles world wide with the new 9-3 proving its timelessness and reliable performance.

The Saab 9-3 2.0T is expected to be hit the dealer show rooms in January of 2009 with a sticker around $46725. The release of this special edition convertible is a big blow to rival GM which lack new offerings for the LA Auto Show.

These cars, manufactured by a Swedish Aeroplane manufacturing company attract some of the lowest premium charges when it comes to car insurance. The insurance companies charge premiums not just considering the cost of the car. They also keep into account the build of the car and its safety features. They know that in the event of a misfortune, the SAAB cares are most likely to come out the winners.

If you do not own a SAAB car, just ask any proud owner of the same and he or she will tell you about the innovative safety features that come as standard with this car. Whereas one has to pay extra money to add a host of safety features on their cars, this is not the case with the SAAB cars. The manufacturers of these cars love their clients and they go out of the way discovering newer methods to ensure that each and every SAAB car has features that makes it the safest car in the world.