Russian banker Vladimir Antonov has said that Saab will likely miss its 2011 sales target of 80,000 units this year. Antonov helped fund Spyker’s purchase of the GM Saab brand, and will purchase the niche sports car production unit from Spyker this year through its British holding company, CPP Global Holdings. Antonov predicts that instead of the 80,000 target, Saab will sell between 60 and 65,000 units this year.

That’s still up from last year’s 31,696 units sold, but it might not make Saab profitable enough for parent company Spyker. On selling its luxury car business, Spyker has said it will concentrate on Saab operations instead. Antonov has ruffled a few feathers at Saab, as the company looks to stay positive and follow its new business plan.

Obviously new beginnings are not always rosy, but Saab has been maintaining an optimistic outlook for its future operations. Commenting on Antonov’s statements, Saab head of communication Eric Geers says: “I know that at Saab we are moving ahead, we are following the business plan. The sales target is not our prime target. Our prime target is to follow our business plan and deliver, within the financial parameters.”

In the meantime, Spyker CEO Victor Muller has dismissed the claims as nonense, but has declined comment on whether Saab will need added capital in the future. Other analysts have suggested that Saab needs new investors that will provide technical expertise and not just finance. More to come from this story in the future.

Source | Reuters and AutomotiveNews

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