Now here’s a twist in the road that we didn’t expect. But then again, Saab has been full of unexpected twists and turns. The tortuous experience of the past few years is evidence of this. At the moment, Saab is in bankruptcy, and the liquidators are looking for a new buyer. We’ve heard a lot about this – Chinese suitors potentially interested, the Turkish government (yeah…), and worry over the future of the Saab museum.
Today a press conference was held and it was confirmed that there are 6-7 serious bidders in the mix for Saab. The most interesting thing in all of it though? According to sources at Saabs United one of the bidders is a European car manufacturer, with headquarters in Munich. We only know one company that fits that bill, and it’s BMW.
BMW, potentially interested in Saab? It is something that has never crossed our minds before. The thinking is that Saab has a lot of technological expertise and innovative technology under its belt that could be appealing to BMW. What’s more is these assets are likely to be purchased on the cheap. The liquidators said they aren’t necessarily going to opt for the highest bidder. They’d like to have the bid that most benefits creditors, employees and the region the most – as in, a company that restarts production again.
BMW has a lot of resources and the wherewithal to see Saab through. What’s more, Saab could be a perfect venue for BMW’s sales expansion plans. Think about it – it would be a perfect outlet for front-wheel drive platforms. When all the financial issues went down Saab was in the midst of developing the new Phoenix FWD architecture and the next-generation 9-3.
They were both being done quite inexpensively too. The growth potential is clearly there, and a push for sales wouldn’t do harm to the BMW brand. Saab is a damaged brand, but we imagine that announcement of purchase by BMW and an extensive ad campaign would give customers confidence. Jumping to conclusions? Probably. At the very least, it’s an interesting thought. But, in what is probably the millionth time this has been said…..maybe there is some life in Saab yet.
