Russian billionaire Vladimir Antonov, forced out of Dutch carmaker Spyker before it bought Saab from General Motors, said in comments published Saturday that he wants to help finance the new company. "There is unfortunately widespread economic crime in Russia but we don't take part in that, and are rather victims of it," Antonov told Swedish business daily Dagens Industri.
When Spyker announced its 400-million-dollar purchase of Saab from GM on January 26, it said its CEO Victor Muller would be taking up the whole of Antonov's 30 percent stake in Spyker, without giving a reason. But on Friday, Antonov said he was taking part in financing the Saab deal despite no longer holding a stake in Spyker, through a loan from his Convers Group company to Muller's Tenaci holding. On Saturday, the same newspaper quoted Antonov as saying he was open to offering more financing to Saab Spyker, which he said could enter the Russian market with his help. He also said he wanted a Saab plant in Russia.