RSS Feed "Shocked" Brightwell drops Saab bid, blames GM intransigence

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Filed under: China, Europe, GM, Saab, Middle East, Luxury



Nearly three months on the Saab story is the same: company makes a bid, General Motors knocks it back. But this time, the latest round of corporate "He said/She said" puts Turkey's Brightwell Holdings on the other side of the table instead of a Chinese company. Brightwell was the other publicly identified bidder for Saab that pledged to make a bid, along with Chinese concern Youngman.

Brightwell blames GM "intransigence," a familiar epithet by now, has scuppered the possibility of a deal. GM says that's not the case, rather that a deal for Saab can't include any of the technology licensed from GM. Brightwell believed that that condition only applied to Chinese buyers, since GM's position that it didn't want to compete with another company using its intellectual property was always taken in reference to interest from companies like Youngman and Hawtei.

If GM's position is that it won't license its technology to anyone anywhere, that could alter the landscape for the six to 14 bidders rreported to be hovering over Saab's remains. Based on Youngman's last statements, it should still be in the mix, though: it pledged to make a bid for Saab that avoids GM-developed vehicles like the 9-5 and 9-4X and restarts the brand with the new 9-3 on Saab's Phoenix architecture.

Brightman hasn't ruled itself out completely yet. Having spent "millions of euros" on its bid, a firm partner said that if GM is open to discussions then he "will jump on a plane and visit them in Detroit.""Shocked" Brightwell drops Saab bid, blames GM intransigence originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Feb 2012 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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[bluefever]

even prior to this gm would never get another sale off me,now even if hell froze over

[bluefever]

anyone surprised at this,please don't raise your hands all at once,lmfao

[lexington01]

Do you think if WV were to sell of Audi, they'd want the new buyer building vehicles on VW platforms? Think Nissan might have a problem competing with someone selling their own Infinity G or M sedans? Toyota certainly isn't allowing GM to continue building the Vibe now that their partnership has ended. While I agree this is REALLY annoying, I don't blame GM one bit. They put all the money into the R&D. It'd be foolish to allow someone else to scoop up the intellectual property at pennies on the dollar and then produce a vehicle that would compete against GM with their own IP.

Edit: I realize we'll all have to agree to disagree on this point.

[jjonju]

Although it shames me to agree with you as I loathe GM you are right. GM has cars, trucks and SUVs that are getting very good reviews at them moment, the Sonic, Cruze, Equinox, Camaro etc. To share their technology with someone else would be crazy.................

[TunnanXWD]

I have been bounced, kicked, lied to and ripped off by everyone from Mercedes to Ford and back again. Saab too on a few occasions and really, after that many ... loyalty is a two way street.

But GM is not at the top of my ripped and shat on list ...

Audi and BMW .. I have nothing against them. Of course I have never owned one but after all the other whoopings, who can afford one.

When it comes to cars ... the movie Rocky comes to mind. I should just lie the heck back down on the mat and take a nice nap. I kind of know how Ali felt with all his being "punch drunk" and brain damaged.

somehow Simon and Garfunkle playing "The Boxer" fits ... softly in the background.

[bluefever]

My point is,gm blamed their attitude strictly on other chinese manufacturers getting their technology.When they should have have just said what everyone heard on the night the bankruptcy was filed.That they wouldn't support any change in ownership.

[lexington01]

I certainly agree with you there. It seems like they're stringing every possible bidder along...and for what?? Just to try to get them to buy, as VM put it, "an empty factory"?

[TunnanXWD]

But then why did they sell it to VM/Spyker in the first place?

So does that logic play out? They did support a change in ownership selling to the Dutch folks.

My question is, what changed now? Something transpired to get them to go into lockdown. VM said he was full aware of the IP restrictions and if the technology is that hot and desirable he could have pulled off what the Norwegians and Toshiba did with that submarine technology when they sold it illegally to Russia. If VM had it and he handed it over or sold it out the back door so what? Nothing ever happens in these cases, not even with Toshiba and that was a true "national security" issue.

What kind of IP are we talking about here anyway? Innovative auto tech got bartered and swapped all the time, Chrysler with the 3 speed auto transmissions or variable speed wipers?

Nonetheless, GM cut loose of Saab two years ago ... so why the bunker mentality now?

[bluefever]

probably gm needing all the propping up they can get seeing china embracing buick for now,so they can't cheapen the platform for now,plus i'm sure they knew spyker wouldn't have a chance in heck of staying afloat for long.

[saabhutter]

Originally Posted by bluefever

probably gm needing all the propping up they can get seeing china embracing buick for now,so they can't cheapen the platform for now,plus i'm sure they knew spyker wouldn't have a chance in heck of staying afloat for long.

True, I knew the Spyker takeover was a joke when it happened. I'm sure the folks at GM despite all of their mistakes could smell failure. Now that companies who have the resources to takeover Saab are coming to the table, GM seems to be shutting them down.

[TunnanXWD]

It wasn't Victor Muller's money so I suppose ... is there a psychology of this business game that is akin to being a gambler? As long as it wasn't his personal funds and with a track record of things just happening with his marine enterprises, is possible that he thought it would "just happen" for the best? Either the brand take off or attract a new owner, but the idea that he's stated he was aware of the IP restrictions kind of shoots that down?