Report Says Spyker CEO Expects Saab Decision This Week

SEE ALSP: Surprise, Spyker Cars Bids on Saab - EXCLUSIVE VIDEO

STOCKHOLM December 28, 2009; Reuters treported that Spyker Cars' chief executive expects a decision in days on whether the company has been successful in a bid to buy Sweden's Saab Automobile from U.S. parent General Motors .

"We expect a decision from GM this week," Spyker CEO Victor Muller was quoted by daily Svenska Dagbladet as saying on Monday.

"Given that the deadline is December 31, I really expect they will be in contact soon."

Saab, one of Sweden's best-known brands, has been hoping an 11th-hour savior would turn up after parent GM said last month it would wind down the carmaker if a buyer did not appear before the end of December.

Russia-backed Spyker -- which made 43 luxury cars last year against Saab's sales of 93,295 -- launched a second offer to buy Saab from GM just before Christmas -- two days after its first offer was rejected.

Spyker's interest in Saab followed the collapse in November of a deal which would have seen the loss-making Swedish automaker bought by tiny luxury sports car maker Koenigsegg.

Muller was coy on whether Spyker's new offer for Saab would be successful.

"I am very hopeful, I have been from the start," he said. "We have done all we possibly can."

Editing for Reuters by Steve Orlofsky