cerberus might be buying land rover/jaguar

[flint]

I read this on allpar (linked to nicely from here):

Chrysler could be trading a German stablemate for a pair of Brits, if Cerberus has its way.

Cerberus Capital Management LLC, Chrysler’s new owner, is one of the groups vying to buy Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford Motor Company. Ford’s last British brands are on the block and the Dearborn-based automaker doesn’t plan to retain any ownership in either. This is in contrast to the agreement between Cerberus and DaimlerChrysler where Stuttgart retained a minority position in Chrysler.

"We're selling the business because we need the money and we need the focus," said Lewis Booth, head of Ford’s European operations. "So, we're not going out there with the intention of keeping an equity stake."

During an address to European analysts at the Frankfurt International Auto Show, Booth said Ford has asked prospective buyers to submit their final proposals by the end of the month and hopes to complete the sales by the end of the year.

But Erich Merkle, an analyst with IRN Inc. said Ford probably will not be to walk away clean because Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles use a number of Ford parts.

"Nobody in their right mind would want to buy Jaguar or Land Rover if Ford was not able to supply parts for them," Merkle said. "But, from Ford's perspective, there's probably no benefit in keeping an equity stake in them."

Ford is also considering selling Volvo, the last of the foreign brands that once made up Ford’s Premier Auto Group. Booth said the company plans to complete a review by the end of the year.

Last month, Ford CEO Alan Mulally told reporters Ford does not need a luxury brand to compete.

In addition to Cerberus, several other U.S. private equity firms, including Ripplewood Holdings LLC and One Equity Partners LLC, JP Morgan Chase’s private equity operation, are said to be bidding for Jaguar and Land Rover. Two Indian car companies, Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra, and a British private equity group, have also expressed interest in buying the brands.

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Would be interesting to have jeep and land rover under the same company.  Kind of like a luxury off road brand and the utility off road brand.

[speedinstyle]

That would be a cool ying and yang.  Dodge performance vehicles and jaguar luxury vehicles.  Although Chrysler is already kind of a luxury brand.

[markedman]

That would be a cool ying and yang.  Dodge performance vehicles and jaguar luxury vehicles.  Although Chrysler is already kind of a luxury brand.

Chrysler would compete with the low end of jaguar.  But then again, jaguar is kind of a specialty brand.  They only make cars, I haven't ever seen a jaguar suv or truck.  I think they're in a space mostly to their own.  The only chrysler that would compete with jaguar is the 300.