Ford sells Aston Martin...?

Ford sells Aston Martin...?

  • VW

    Votes: 8 24.2%
  • AUDI

    Votes: 7 21.2%
  • Merc

    Votes: 3 9.1%
  • Some French car company(renault, peugeot)

    Votes: 3 9.1%
  • Some Japanese car company(Nissan, toyota,Honda, Proton, etc.)

    Votes: 5 15.2%
  • GM (Do Not Choose This!!!)

    Votes: 7 21.2%

  • Total voters
    33

B33R

Active Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2006
Messages
317
Location
Downtown-Heerlen, The Great Dutch Empire
Car(s)
'99 Citro?n Saxo SX
Ford to sell Aston Martin

The world?s two biggest luxury goods firms ? including the conglomerate behind brands like Moet and Louis Vuitton ? are locked in a battle to buy Aston Martin from cash-starved Ford.

AdTech Ad Ford announced today that the British sports car manufacturer would be sold and CAR has learned that Swiss-based Richemont and the French holding company LVMH have emerged as most likely to take on Aston despite having no previous experience in the car industry.

Ford desperately needs to tap into the potential $700m-$1bn the sale of Aston could generate and hopes to finalise a deal by the end of the year. That deal would include the Aston name, the company?s facilities at Gaydon and Newport Pagnell, the full research and development department and the management including boss Ulrich Bez.

Contrary to rumour Ford hasn't spent a great deal on Aston since taking charge in 1993 and would actually make a reasonable return on its investment.

Finding a buyer for Aston will certainly be easier than offloading stricken Jaguar and not just because of the far healthier books. Apart from its engines, which it takes from Ford in Cologne, Aston is able to operate largely independently of Ford thanks to the low number of shared parts and technologies.

Jaguar on the other hand will have to be bundled together with Land Rover and Volvo just to persuade anyone to take it. A good thing you might think, but that would mean any buyer making a long term commitment to dealing with Ford ? an unappealing prospect given the American?s perilous financial state.

Things are so bleak for Ford that even if it does manage to squeeze $1bn out of Aston?s buyer, the cheque will be a drop in the ocean of Ford debt. But the break up and sale of the Premier Automotive Group is a symbolic gesture by a Ford keen to show that it is taking important steps to reverse its fortunes.

Words: Georg Kacher

Is this true? If so Aston will be european again...would be great!
but what if GM buy's it then it will be just another firm that is going to produce shitty cars for american people...would be sad:(

My question is what car firm would also show interest in Aston?
and who would you like to see buying Aston Martin?
 
uh...didn't know that :p

well who bought it then?
 
uh...didn't know that :p

well who bought it then?

They haven't said and I don't have any contacts at Aston so I have no idea.

All of my contacts are on the Jag/Land Rover/Volvo side of PAG. I would suspect they will anounce the winner sometime next month.
 
They haven't said and I don't have any contacts at Aston so I have no idea.

All of my contacts are on the Jag/Land Rover/Volvo side of PAG. I would suspect they will anounce the winner sometime next month.

Would be great if it went to something european...but i am happy that GM didn't show interest...they ruin every descent car company

if u know something please contact me!
 
okay thx for the information!

Consider this threat CLOSED!
 
You forgot to put "Aston Martin" in the poll! ;)

That would be great if they bought themselves out.
 
They'd get the old V8 out again, fiddle with it, some mahogny crankshafts (Thank you mr. Hammond) and then run over the EU
'till they got permission to stick the emissions stuff in the trash bin.

I really don't know who'll buy it, but VW might be a good bet, they're on the buying market, after all they bought (Proton) Lotus.

Just wait 'till next year, Toyota will buy Ford and GM. :tease:
 
I really hope that Ford keeps Aston. If in the end they sell Aston, lets hope they sell it to someone BESIDES the ones reported up in the poll. I can't stand the fact VW or any other German company or GM buying Aston.
 
From the article I posted...

The sale of Aston Martin initially attracted more than 30 bidders, but it is believed that the final contenders are the James Packer led consortium, another led by current Aston boss Ulrich Bez, and a bid led by Syrian-born billionaire Simon Halabi. According to Autocar, others in the running include equity groups from the UK and Magna, the Canadian component manufacturer. The investment bank handling the sale, UBS, had asked that all final bids be submitted by today.
 
Shit, if a Canadian company bought it, that would rule. Go Magna!

I voted for GM, because the poll sucked.
 
BMW, therefore they would a proper designer for their own cars.

BTW if Audi buys it, VW too.
 
BMW, therefore they would a proper designer for their own cars.

BTW if Audi buys it, VW too.

Yes that is true but audi own's lambo not VW
 
and VW owns Audi....

I know...but they have seperate managments, like aston @ ford

not like jag @ ford, where everything is dne by one management
 
I know...but they have seperate managments, like aston @ ford

not like jag @ ford, where everything is dne by one management


Sorry not true.

Jag and Land Rover share managment behind the scenes. That is why Ford can't sell jaguar because it would have to sell Land Rover too and land rover is doing great. Ford of course has influence over both jag and land rover but they do not share managment.
 
Top