Spyker’s purchase of Swedish manufacturer Saab late this afternoon will see the brand name continue, the Dutch sportscar maker confirmed late on Tuesday.
A Spyker spokesman told just-auto Saab Automobile would remain with Spyker Cars under the parent company Spyker Cars NV.
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“It is all signed on the dotted line,” he said, confirming the current management team under CEO Jan Ake Jonsson would continue.
“It is the status quo that Jan is there,” he added. “The business plan is that things would stay the same. Saab Automobiles would continue under Spyker Cars NV.”
Jonsson said earlier this month he envisaged ramping up production at the Trollhattan plant to pre-crisis levels of some 120,000 in two years in a “hiring not firing” operation.
“When we need to ramp up to the volumes in the business plan, we then will need more manufacturing staff, not less,” he said. “As we take over responsibility from GM, we will have to add white collar staff.”
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By GlobalDataJonsson also emphasised a need to move away from GM-led dealerships to a more independent basis. “We have to transition away from that structure and into one where we either run the market ourselves or appoint independent distributors,” he said.
The new company would target private buyers more aggressively through an upgraded marketing strategy. “We have to increase our market share of private consumers and reduce reliance on fleet buyers,” Jonsson said. “Marketing activities and product specifications will shift to the private sector [while] dealers will increase their efforts towards the private buyer.”
A Saab spokesman heading into a press conference in Sweden this afternoon confirmed the drawn-out purchase definitely was complete.
“Money transferred,” he said. “Shares transferred and the deal has finally closed. Jan and his team are back in control.
“Saab is working as a sister company alongside Spyker.”
