Citing ""several people close to the negotiations," The Financial Times reported Sunday that GM will shelve plans to close Saab and instead sell it to the Dutch firm in a deal that could be announced as soon as Monday.
The newspaper said such a move would come as a great relief to Saab's 3,400 workers and to Swedish officials, who had mounted a spirited campaign to save the quirky and innovative car brand. A sale would also put Spyker, which manufactures luxury sports cars, firmly into the mainstream car industry.
A loser in the deal would be Formula One racing giant Bernie Ecclestone, who had partnered with Luxembourg private equity firm Genii Capital to mount a bid for Saab, The Financial Times said.
Copyright 2010 by United Press International.