Industry News: Is BMW In Talks To Buy De Tomaso?

[William Maley]

William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

September 16, 2012

File this under the 'what are they thinking' file. According to Automotive News Europe, the Italian Industry Ministry is in continuing discussions with different potential buyers in the assets of De Tomaso. Yes, the same company name who brought you the Pantera back in the seventies.

Back in 2011, the revitalized company showed a concept called the SLS, which looked like to be a BMW 5-Series GT with a bit of Italian flair. Production of that model would begin soon at a former Pininfarina plant outside of Turin. Except it didn't. De Tomaso was losing money and was soon announced that investment group in China would purchase the company. That deal would soon collapse and De Tomaso would file for bankruptcy in July. That was soon followed by the arrest of chairman Gian Mario Rossignolo on charges of improper use of funding.

Since that time, the Italian Industry Ministry has been looking for a buyer to pick up the assets. One the buyers interested in reportedly buying the assets is BMW.

"We had confirmation that talks with possible Italian partners [who would buy the structural assets] and with BMW continue," said Giuseppe Anfuso, Turin secretary of the UILM trade union in a statement.

We're not quite sure why BMW is interested in De Tomaso, but stranger things have happened.

Source: Automotive News Europe (Subscription Required)

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

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