Saab 9-5 Production Back On Schedule, GM Extends Sale Deadline: Report

DESPITE BEING ON THE VERGE of death earlier this month, the Saab saga is still far from resolved. Reports are flowing in that GM has extended its deadline for Saab's sale from 31 December to January 7, 2010, and Saab itself is gearing up to restart production next month.

Production of the all-new 9-5 sedan is slated to begin soon, with existing orders for the 9-3 also needing to be filled.

"We have the orders and we have to deliver them as usual," Saab spokesman Eric Geers said to Reuters.

"The factory has to continue again."

Saab is still preparing for the worst and actively winding down activity at its home base and manufacturing centre of Trollhatten, Sweden. However, the extension of GM's deadline and renewed interest in Saab from potential buyers has raised hope that the brand will survive.

"We are preparing the wind-down process," Geers said.

"At the same time we are open to options, to bids that come in. Therefore the deadline has also been dropped."

Spyker Cars CEO Victor Muller is hopeful that his company's last-ditch bid (made after its first pitch failed) will net the boutique automaker control of Sweden's oldest car company.

Muller says that Spyker is not the only bidder in the running for ownership of Saab, however no other parties have been publicly identified.