Ford drops LandRover and Jaguar Brand

[Apollo]

http://www.forbes.com/markets/commodities/...6markets08.html

 

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/ford...D&dist=hplatest

By MarketWatch Last update: 8:55 a.m. EDT March 26, 2008 TEL AVIV (MarketWatch) --Ford Motor Co. agreed to sell its Jaguar Land Rover operations to India's Tata Motors for $2.3 billion and will contribute as much as $600 million to the unit's pension plan. The Dearborn, Mich., auto maker had said in August that it would assess what to do with the brands as part of a focus on Ford as its core global brand. And in January it had named Tata -- a member of India's Tata Group conglomerate -- the preferred bidder for the operations. In a statement on Wednesday, Ford said it will continue to supply Jaguar Land Rover for differing periods with powertrains, stampings and other vehicle parts, in addition to a variety of environmental and platform technologies. Ford also committed to provide engineering support, including research and development, plus information technology, accounting and other services. And Ford Motor Credit will provide financing for Jaguar and Land Rover dealers and customers during a transition of as long as a year, depending on the market. The two sides said that when the deal closes, they don't expect "any significant changes to Jaguar Land Rover employees' terms of employment." Ford's statement said that it has kept Jaguar Land Rover's workers and unions, as well as the U.K. government, apprised of the sale process. They have "indicated their support for the agreement," Ford said. Subject to conditions including regulatory clearances, Ford and Tata http://www.marketwatch.com/tpx/storyquotetip.tpx?random=0.2796206737778025TTM 17.12, -0.24, -1.4%) expect to close the deal in the first half. Ford shares were up 2.3% in premarket trading, while Tata shares slipped 2.7%.

[Yeshe]

we going to get made-in-india jags and land rovers??

[Mustank]

i hope the bee kok chaps don sell away the GMC brand

[Apollo]

nope... but they will have a mp3 preloaded with every HU tat goes

 

Yo yo yo yo 讓開心先過 轉彎想想 搜尋好結果 哦

向前向後 轉身再向左 脫掉煩惱 誰得分最多

 

Ta TaTa do do do lu lu lu Ta Tata

Ta TaTa 換上RoVER快速 Ta TaTa　

 

Hey hey hey hey有钱就买Jaguar　別讓EVO又擦肩溜走　

遇見M-one 不要 Say Hello hiong hiong 相印 踏板在穿梭哦　

 

Ta TaTa do do do lu lu lu Ta Tata

Ta TaTa 換上RoVER快速 Ta TaTa　

 

 

[Cthulhu]

 

[Miketow]

Doesnt TATA make like a billion buses for third world countries and has the dubious honour for making the cheapest car in the world?

 

Makes you wonder with some uneasiness how TATA will manhandle these 2 luxury marques.

 

I think Ford did a fantastic job turing Jag & Land Rover around into reliable and desirable luxury powerhouse that can take on the big boys from Germany.

 

What a waste. Oh well.

 

Whats next? Volvo?

[Ahbengdriver]

 

[Apollo]

Chery Volvo...

 

Baby Merc vs Volve QQ....

[Kangz]

Such an irony, don't you think so? India used to be a colony of UK, but now an Indian firm is owning 2 of UK's most iconic automotive brands. How times have changed.

 

imho Tata is not stupid and Ratan Tata is a shrewd businessman. This means he knows what's gonna happen if he starts having made-in-India Jags and LRs for the international market (discounting the domestic Indian mkt). To put it in a nutshell, I don't think he buys 2 luxury marques so that they can become the next Toyota and Hyundai.

 

Ford has done those 2 brands well in the past, but with their current financial position I wonder whether this surge will last. To me the remarkable turnaround possibly won't be such a success if they have no intention to sell away Jag and LR at the end of the day. All the effort that they made may be because 'the end is near' and they need to raise the sale price as high as possible.

 

And while it's true that Tata has the (dubious) honour of building the cheapest car in the world, we have to admit it takes tons of determination, ambition, business sense and also a bit of engineering ingenuity to make that car a reality. And perhaps these 4 elements are what those 2 brands need now and the future, and they may be something that Ford can't afford in their current position.

Edited March 27, 2008 by Kangz

[Kelpie]

If Tata can acquire Jag and LRover, it spells every possibilities that a China car maker can also acquire a conti brand too. I think the chances of MIC manufacturer acquring Japs will not be happening in the immediate future. Anyway, Jag and L.Rover are not strong sellers in any parts of the world. It looks to me that Tata is trying to make a leap forward by dissecting the engines to improve their R&D and know-how on automobile technology. They must have studied carefully on the possibilites of supporters digging Jag & LRover. For status conscious buyers, they probably go for somethings else.

 

Regards,

[Kangz]

Yup of course those may be the reasons. Over the next few years, it will be interesting to see if any of the high-profile Jag/LR executives leave the company for 'personal reasons'.

If Ian Cullum stays and continues to design fabulous looking cars, those 2 brands can still stay in the game.

[Scaglietti]

I thought the Chinese already acquired MG Rover.

 

Tata is probably trying to milk some of the technology and also to gain access to the global marketplace.

 

BC

[Flipflop]

hopefully we'll soon see some budget Jags and Land Rovers!

 

No worries about the aircon being not cold enough too!!

[Kelpie]

Perhaps, next time you will see Jags & L.Rover producing supermini and compact Sedan, that will be very interesting .

 

Regards,

[Kelpie]

I thought the Chinese already acquired MG Rover.

 

Tata is probably trying to milk some of the technology and also to gain access to the global marketplace.

 

BC

 

Oh Yes, that Rover, it is as good as dead.

 

Regards,

[Sherri91]

Anyone willing to rent their Land rover for 1 month?

 

FEb - MArch 2011

 

Send the photos of your land rover and specification of your landrover

 

to [email protected]