Swedish company backs out; Future of Saab uncertain

Swedish car manufacturer Koenigsegg has decided not to buy Saab from GM, which might change car shoppers’ opinions of used Saabs in New Jersey.

On June 16, 2009, MarketWatch reported GM and Koenigsegg had struck a tentative deal for Saab, but it seems the agreement has deteriorated. On November 24, Koenigsegg decided to walk away from the American manufacturer empty-handed.

“We’re obviously very disappointed with the decision to pull out of the Saab purchase,” GM CEO Fritz Henderson told the publication. “Given the sudden change in direction, we will take the next several days to assess the situation and will advise on the next steps next week.”

Koenigsegg is a small company that employs only 45 full-time workers, reports the news source. Some industry experts believe the company only tried to buy Saab in order to save Swedish jobs, as both the 9-3 and 9-5 are produced in Trollhattan.

Many Saab enthusiasts were excited when they heard Koenigsegg might buy the company. Now that the deal has fallen apart, it’s unclear how sales of new and used Saabs in New Jersey will be affected.