TIMELINE-Spyker's buyout of Saab from GM

Feb 12 (Reuters) - Dutch sportscar maker Spyker (SPYKR.AS) shareholders approved the $400 million purchase of struggling Swedish carmaker Saab on Friday, taking it one step closer to completing its audacious buyout of the struggling automaker. [ID:nLDE61B1FR]

Following are key recent events at Saab:

2009

Jan. 11 - GM says it has been in talks to sell Saab.

Jan. 12 - Sweden says it will not take a stake in Saab or give more aid.

Feb. 23 - Sweden says it can guarantee a European Investment Bank loan to Saab if a new owner emerges that can cover half the necessary financing.

Aug. 18 - Swedish sports carmaker Koenigsegg agrees terms with GM on a deal to buy Saab.

Sept. 9 - Chinese state-run company Beijing Automotive Industry Holdings (BAIC) inks deal to take a minority stake in Koenigsegg as part of deal to buy Saab.

Nov. 24 - Koenigsegg says it has pulled out of talks.

Nov. 25 - BAIC says it is reviewing its options.

Dec. 1 - GM's board says it will consider offers for the brand until the end of December and will then decide whether to close it.

Dec. 2 - Spyker says it is talking to GM about buing Saab.

Dec. 14 - BAIC says it has acquired some Saab assets, including intellectual property for the 9-5 and 9-3 model platforms and some production equipment.

Dec. 18 - GM says it will start an orderly wind-down of Saab, saying the Spyker deal could not be completed in reasonable time.

Dec. 20 - Spyker submits a new, fast-track bid for Saab and GM says it will evaluate several new expressions of interest.

Dec. 30 - GM extends a Dec. 31 deadline for bids for Saab, which will restart production lines in January after a shutdown, Saab says. Spyker CEO Victor Muller says GM has extended the deadline for a final offer from the Dutch carmaker until Jan. 7.

2010

Jan. 4 - Spyker says it will submit a final bid for Saab assets before a 2200 GMT deadline.

Jan. 7 - A Swedish newspaper reports two Swedish groups are likely to make last-minute bids for the GM unit.

Jan. 8 - Spyker submits an improved bid. GM names a restructuring firm to manage Saab's wind-down.

Jan. 12 - GM CEO Ed Whitacre tells journalists at the Detroit Auto Show: "We're closing down Saab".

Jan. 26 - Spyker clinches a last-minute deal to buy Saab for $400 million, $74 million in cash, the rest in deferred shares.

Feb. 8 - Saab wins EU regulatory approval for a state guarantee of a 400 million euro ($546 million) European Investment Bank loan.

Feb. 12 - Spyker shareholders approve deal.

(Sources: Reuters/ www.saabusa.com)

(Writing by David Cutler, London Editorial reference Unit, and Helen Massy-Beresford; Editing by David Holmes)