Spyker Cars is selling off the Spyker portion of its business to Russian businessman Vladimir Antonov (through UK-based CPP Global Holdings (a coachbuilding company who've been supplying Spyker for years) for an initial fee of 15 million Euros followed by 17 million Euros more spread out over six years.
Prior to the acquisition, Antonov previously owned a portion of Spyker through a bank he controlled before being bought out by Victor Muller at the, uh, request of GM. (GM wouldn't sell Saab to Spyker after the FBI got all up in this deal because of Antonov's alleged connection to organized crime.)
Categories: Auto Industry,Saab,Spyker
Reports out of Europe indicate that Saab-owning Spyker cars has inked a deal with BMW to use one of the Bavarian company's engines for the next 9-3 due in 2012.
Bloomberg is reporting that this arrangement, so far unconfirmed by BMW and Saab, will be announced Wednesday at the first press preview day of the Paris Auto Show.
It's unclear exactly which engine BMW would offer to Saab for sale. One of the Bloomberg reports suggests that the engine will make around 222 horsepower. We're going to go ahead and assume that this will be a turbocharged four-cylinder and not a normally aspirated inline-six. BMW and Saab have long been rumored to be working on a deal that would result in BMW's Mini division donating architecture to Saab for use in a new, smaller Saab, the 9-2 for 2014.
Hop over to AutoObserver for more informed speculation.
Categories: BMW,Paris Auto Show,Saab,Sedans,Spyker
Bloomberg is reporting today that Spyker, the tiny Dutch carmaker which purchased Saab from General Motors earlier this year, is planning to expand its dealer network by selling its cars through Saab dealerships. We witnessed the first signs of this merger earlier this year when the companies began to share space at the Beijing auto show. The move should nearly double the number of Spyker outlets from 35 to 60 this year and increase to 90 by next year.
We drove Spyker's C8 Aileron last fall and were impressed with its material quality. The car still needed more power and better fit and finish to be on par with its Italian rivals but was impressive considering the company's age and the number of cars it has sold (last year the total was 36).
Categories: Auto Industry,Saab,Spyker
