Hot Off The Presses: Youngman Might Also Sue GM Over Saab

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

Bringing suit against GM for not letting Saab live another day could be turning into a popular sport. Lars Holmqvist, former head of Europe’s automotive supplier body CLEPA, and as such an insider when it comes to the latest Saab dirt, says that spurned Youngman of China is also thinking of suing GM.

Yesterday, Victor Muller made headlines and invigorated the dwindling and already slightly despondent fan-base by filing a $3 billion lawsuit against GM for tortuous interference. Muller might be joined by Rachel Pang of Youngman, Holmqvist told just-auto.:

“Youngman is also thinking about suing GM. I know that. They have not made up their minds and, of course, they would be encouraged by Victor Muller’s lawsuit. I have information. I know from people…they are looking into the possibility. It is obvious because they spent SEK550m…securing the rights to the new platform.”

550 million Swedish Crowns is $82 million, and knowing the Chinese they absolutely HATE to see money spent for nothing.

Muller is using someone else’s money for the lawsuit, the identity is kept a secret. Holmqvist seems to know the financier, but he is not talking. What Holmqvist says is that the moneyman is not embattled Russian banker Antonov:

“It is not Antonov. Muller would not be stupid enough to trace anything back to Antonov. The whole Antonov story is finished.”

Holmqvist suggest not to take the legal maneuvering lightly, and he reminds us the Muller is smart and a lawyer. Granted, Muller definitely is a better lawyer than carmaker, but in the words on one of my former Manhattan lawyers who’s name is kept undisclosed to prevent him from being disbarred:

“Bertel, half of the lawyers lose.”


Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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  • Robert Schwartz Robert Schwartz on Aug 07, 2012

    “Bertel, half of the lawyers lose.” That is what he told you. What I used to tell my clients is that there are four parties in every law suit, The plaintiff, the plaintiff's lawyer, the defendant, and the defendant's lawyer. Two parties always win and two parties always lose. The losers are the plaintiff and the defendant.

  • Tstag Tstag on Aug 08, 2012

    I can kind of see how GM may get in trouble here. By forcing Saab to adopt GM tech they effectively limited the competiveness of a company which the later sold as SAAB was blocked from competing with GM. Surely that in itself opens up Anti trust questions? EU courts tend to get excited about things like that.

    • See 1 previous
    • MeaCulpa MeaCulpa on Aug 08, 2012

      @rmwill Close but no cigar, without GM money they would have died, Saab always tried its hardest to avoid GM parts commonality. First it was the defense operations that provided the cash, then it was Scania trucks and finally GM, not a solid ground to build a car manufacturing company upon.

  • Jeff_vader Jeff_vader on Aug 09, 2012

    “It is not Antonov. Muller would not be stupid enough to trace anything back to Antonov. The whole Antonov story is finished.” I very much doubt that. As I type this I would imagine that GMs lawyers are trying to find every possible link between Muller and his "very close friend" Mr Antonov. If they need any help with that I can send them the link to a youtube video. "I'm really proud to call Vladimir Antonov my friend" "I think British Top Gear did an amazing eulogy on Saab and that should have put everything to rest." +1 to this :)

  • Jeff_vader Jeff_vader on Aug 09, 2012

    Oh and don't forget that on the 28/11/11 Muller said to a UK journalist on the way out of Heathrow that he was surprised that the Chinese kept pumping money into Saab/SWAN & that he suspected GM would reject the deal. So if he knew this, why aren't Youngman suing him? There you go, GM. Have that one on me.

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