Ford is getting rid of Aston Martin

IVIaster said:
How would the British react if the French buy it? :D

i think it would actually pretty cool if renault bought it
 
The most Car maker that is mots likly to buy Aston is Toyota..
even thou they have never bought any other carmaker outside of japan
(they bought Hino and Controling shares in daihatsu)
But still i put my money on toyota .. but then again.. with the upcomming Lexus Supercar, whold they buy the competision?

But my real money is on JCB .. AM is more of a british symbol then jag .. and the chairman of JCB wants jag..
chould JCB be starting a british Automotive gigant again? ..
if they do, then here is my little tip..
DONT COMPETE WITH YOURSELF! ..
 
Kebab gud said:
But my real money is on JCB .. AM is more of a british symbol then jag .. and the chairman of JCB wants jag..
chould JCB be starting a british Automotive gigant again? ..
if they do, then here is my little tip..
DONT COMPETE WITH YOURSELF! ..
If someone created another BL I would shoot myself.
 
Sports car or bling? Aston Martin debate starts


Fri Sep 1, 2006 1:47 PM BST136

By Michael Shields, European Auto Correspondent

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Does the fact that James Bond drove one with tyre-shredding hubcap blades, machine guns and an ejector seat make the Aston Martin car the ultimate luxury accessory?

Or is it the British brand's racing heritage and high performance credentials that make it an iconic sports car?

That is the question potential buyers will have to address as struggling U.S. carmaker Ford Motor Co puts Aston Martin on the auction block.

"Anything is possible," said Stephen Cheetham, car sector analyst at Sanford Bernstein.

"If anybody decides they want it, the prices start to get extremely silly. Rationally, it is worth less than $1 billion (530 million pounds) and quite a lot less than $1 billion. Irrationally, it may be worth as much as $2 billion," he added.

"It is one of those assets where you might be surprised where the interest comes from," said one investment banker who follows the auto sector closely.

He called Aston Martin an unusual and rare asset that combines elements of luxury and engineering. He thought a buyer intent on expanding the brand could pay around $1 billion for it.

French luxury goods firm LVMH denied suggestions that it or Swiss rival Richemont could be interested in buying Aston Martin, which Ford said on Thursday it may sell to raise funds for other businesses.

While fashionable LVMH head Bernard Arnault may cut a dashing, James Bond-like figure, his spokesman said a report in industry publication CAR online he was eyeing Aston martin was "wrong". Richemont had no comment.

WHO'S NEXT?

Ford's portfolio of European-based luxury car brands has fallen well short of its optimistic projections. Its PAG unit, which includes Jaguar, Land Rover, Volvo and Aston Martin, lost $162 million in the second quarter before one-off items.

As it loses U.S. market share and high fuel prices undercut sales of its high-margin sport utility vehicles and trucks, Ford is still weighing what to do with the other European brands.

Cheetham said he thought German sports car maker Porsche would be an ideal buyer for Aston Martin, a brand positioned above the classic Porsche 911 model line.

"Porsche have a bit of a conundrum. With all the growth they are planning they are still moving down market really and they will be doing well over 100,000 units," he reasoned.

"Aston Martin, with its 4,500 units (in 2005 sales), is much more exclusive, it's much more premium than Porsche. The two brands stand for quite different things, but Porsche -- unlike LVMH or Richemont -- actually understands engineering."

A Porsche spokesman said buying Aston Martin "is not an option" for the carmaker with the automotive world's fattest profit margins.

DaimlerChrysler, whose premium division includes the elegant Mercedes-Benz and ultra-luxury Maybach limousine brands, also said it was not interested in Aston Martin.

British machinery group JCB, which said last week it was interested in Jaguar, ruled out buying Aston Martin.

JPMorgan Chase private equity arm One Equity Partners -- where former Ford CEO Jacques Nasser is a partner -- is also interested in some of Ford's European brands.

In any event, selling Aston Martin is seen as a small but interesting deal for a sector struggling with slack demand and chronic overcapacity that stokes margin-eroding price wars.

"This little transaction doesn't really define an industry, while Renault could," the investment banker said.

He was referring to talks that could add General Motors to the carmaking alliance between France's Renault and Japan's Nissan Motor Co.

Ford is waiting in the wings to meet Renault/Nissan Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn if the GM talks break down.

Should Ghosn link up with a big U.S. carmaker, "it will make everyone think about what it means for them", the banker said.

Source: Reuters
 
Nasser is going to buy them and start his own Auto Group just to spit on Ford's grave
 
bone said:
IVIaster said:
How would the British react if the French buy it? :D

i think it would actually pretty cool if renault bought it
Trust me, there would be riots, Brits would stop buying them aswell as Renaults.
 
youngwarrior said:
the average brit wouldnt give a toss
I was exaggerating a bit but I reckon there would still be some noticeable reaction even if from a relatively small percentage of the public.
 
youngwarrior said:
the average brit wouldnt give a toss
the average brit also can't afford an aston martin
 
youngwarrior said:
lol you think the rich bastard in his aston martin will care lol :lol:

I would say so, yes. People with that kind of money buy exactly what they want, and if they want something that isn't French owned, then they won't buy one.
 
BMW, they are fat with cash? Maybe Toyota, they are even fatter with cash?
I hope the mainland Chinese do not purchase Aston. :yucky:
 
If BMW buys them they won't pay much. And I can't see Volkswagen do it, they are in their own internal restructuring process and already have a british GT and a sports car manufacturer.
It was pretty clear that Porsche wouldn't buy them, its too risky and doesn't really fit the company profile. They don't wanna build up a worldwide empire, just focus on what they can do good.
 
Any idea how much it would go for? Maybe I should put a bid in! :p
 
BerserkerCatSplat said:
youngwarrior said:
lol you think the rich bastard in his aston martin will care lol :lol:

I would say so, yes. People with that kind of money buy exactly what they want, and if they want something that isn't French owned, then they won't buy one.

The only reason why people buy astons is for the badge, image and looks. Trust me they wont give a toss, lotus' are still selling. Rich people see what they want, buy it, but on the whole are rather ignorant about their choice.
 
Janus said:
Any idea how much it would go for? Maybe I should put a bid in! :p
Bids around $1 billion. Lets all chip in.
Theres 13545 registered members. Thats a very reasonable. $73,827.98 each. Baragin of the century if you ask me.
 
Today's news brief in the NY Post-Standard: "Ford sells nameplate of cars in 007 movies"

What, they couldn't be bothered to just say "ASTON MARTIN"? :roll:
 
peter3hg2 said:
Janus said:
Any idea how much it would go for? Maybe I should put a bid in! :p
Bids around $1 billion. Lets all chip in.
Theres 13545 registered members. Thats a very reasonable. $73,827.98 each. Baragin of the century if you ask me.

Good point. So we could all either own an Aston Martin, or we could own Aston Martin! :lol:
 
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