The BMW Group is eyeing the now defunct De Tomaso sportscar brand, after the latter went bankrupt earlier this year and passed into the hands of the Italian government, which is trying to sell the company.
A report from Reuters said that Italy’s Industry Ministry confirmed that among the interested parties is the BMW Group adding that talks with the Germans and other companies continue.
The Italian government plans to open a sale process for the automaker’s structural assets by mid-October.
“We had confirmation that talks with possible Italian partners and with BMW continue,” said Giuseppe Anfuso, Turin secretary of the UILM trade union.
The news comes somewhat as a surprise as a BMW Group spokesperson had previously told reporters that the automaker had no interest in the De Tomaso brand or its sites.
A group of investors led by former Fiat executive Gian Mario Rossignolo had attempted to revive the Italian carmaker even going as far as presenting Deauville pre-production concept at the 2011 Geneva Salon while also purchasing an ex-Pininfarina manufacturing plant on the outskirts of Turin.
After running out of funding earlier this year, the company filed for bankruptcy.
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