Sweden said it was too early to say if loss-making Saab would survive after U.S. parent GM announced on Tuesday it would consider offers for the car firm until the end of the year.

Enterprise Minister Maud Olofsson said she was glad the government had got GM to look over other possible buyers for Saab after tiny sportscar maker Koenigsegg pulled out of a deal late last month.

We have won a little time, she said.

Olofsson said the situation was still tough for Saab and that it was too early to say if one of Sweden's best known brands could be saved.

But as long as there are interested parties, we want GM to assess them, she told Reuters.

It is a complicated issue to buy Saab. The buyer needs to have enough financial muscle to buy the company and to develop Saab.

She said the government would do all it could to help the process.

GM said it would move to close Saab if it appears by the end of the year that the car maker cannot be sold.