ifW in running?
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Volkswagen is emerging as the most likely "white knight" bidder for truck and bus-maker Scania, which is defending Itself against Volvo's hostile takeover.
VW chairman Ferdinand Pinch has confirmed that VW is Interested in buying Scania if the price is right; he is understood to have contacted Investor, Scania's main shareholder.
Apart from its operations in Brazil, VW produces only lightweight trucks so Scanla could be a good fit.
However, talks between Volvo and Investor continue as they try to hammer out an agreed valuation price. Investor has a 45.5% stake in Scania, but last month Volvo snapped up 12.85% of Scania shares for some 1.400m.
A Volvo/Scania merger would create Europe's largest manufacturer of heavy trucks and buses; the combined group would be second biggest manufacturer in the world, after DaimierChrysler.
Scania's management is understood to be keen for the company to keep its independence, but no-one at Scania GB or Scania's HQ in Sweden is prepared to comment.