One question has been batted around in every car-maker's board meeting and every motor industry forum that's taken place over the past few weeks: if Ford really is selling Jaguar and Land Rover as a pair, who's buying?
Although preliminary bids for the British brands were submitted two weeks ago, Ford has yet to make public the identities of the bidders.
The names of several companies have leaked out over the past week, and Autocar has collected them below. We put them to Ford, but a spokesperson declined to confirm or deny their veracity. This is the most definitive list so far, however – and should make interesting reading for anyone with a stake in Jaguar or Land Rover's future.
THE SUITORS
The Tata Group
A highly diversified group of Indian companies that makes trains, power stations, commercial vehicles and cars, as well as engineering them for other firms.
Tata Motors is perhaps best known in the UK for producing the infamous CityRover, and now for planning to produce the £1500 'Lakh car'. It's well known for big takeovers, having acquired Daewoo Commercial Vehicles and Corus Steel over the past three years.
They say:
"Our bid is at an exploratory stage, and may not lead to anything formal."
We think:
It seems odd that a company known for bringing cheap cars to the masses would want two premium brands, but Tata's a varied and growing outfit, and may well want a foothold in the UK market.
Mahindra & Mahindra
Another large Indian manufacturer already present in five continents and rapidly expanding into the global market. Best known for utility and 4x4 vehicles, Mahindra is introducing an SUV to the US market in 2008. Could either be preparing its own bid, or preparing to team up with Tata.
They say:
"Any reports linking us with the situation are speculative."
We think:
It's highly unlikely that Mahindra would buy Jaguar and Land Rover. Though the funds are probably there, the incentive to run two premium brands is probably not. Its best bet would be in tandem with Tata.
The Fiat Group
A formerly financially beleaguered multinational firm now on the road to happier times. In the process of launching the new Fiat 500, and enjoying a return to profitability, Fiat is safely on the road to recovery.
It already owns Maserati, Alfa Romeo and Ferrari; could now be the time to eliminate one of Maserati's key rivals, and pick up a profitable 4x4 brand in the process?
They say:
"We've never been interested, and that remains the case."
We think:
The only European manufacturer linked with the Jaguar and Land Rover sale has got reasons to acquire the twin brands, but it's claimed that talks with Ford were ended due to fears over how the buyout would affect Fiat's credit rating. Perhaps it's too early for this kind of move.
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