Ford may be selling its Range Rover and Jaguar divisions

UCrewX5 · #1 08-06-2006, 05:21 PM

http://news.yahoo.com/s//nm/20060806.../autos_ford_dc

Quote:

LONDON (Reuters) - Automaker Ford Motor (NYSE:F - news) may sell Land Rover, a maker of four-wheel-drive vehicles, along with Jaguar, as part of a shake-up of its British brands, The Sunday Times newspaper reported.

The newspaper said it was understood that Ford's senior management, led by Chairman and chief Executive Bill Ford Jr., was considering packaging the two marques together and selling a majority stake to a financial investor.

The paper said banking sources had also said, however, that it was still not certain that Ford would part company with Jaguar and that there was a chance it would be retained, but with reduced production and a concentration on exclusive luxury sports cars.

Ford officials in London and Detroit could not be immediately reached for comment on Sunday.

The Sunday Times said Bill Ford had told staff in a memo last week that adviser Kenneth Leet would explore strategic options. It added, however, that its sources in Detroit pointed out that Leet's expertise was in mergers and acquisitions, making it more likely Ford would look to sell assets, including Jaguar.

Ford said last week that no decisions on disposals had been taken.
Bill Ford told Reuters in an interview on July 20 that money-losing Jaguar, which it bought in 1989, would take time to turn around, but he was considering all options for the brand.

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blondboinsd · #2 08-06-2006, 05:25 PM

Well I like Jaguars (not my best friend's POS 2004 X Type) but I LOVE the new XJ and the XJK and the Land Rover devision is finally looking good (the 2003 RR started it) but in my opinion the RR Sport is not a nice vehicle but it does look good, then again so did the Aviator

Thunder22 · #3 08-06-2006, 05:26 PM

"Bill Ford told Reuters in an interview on July 20 that money-losing Jaguar, which it bought in 1989, would take time to turn around, but he was considering all options for the brand."

That sums up Ford right there. Jaguar has been losing money since '89 and in 2006 they decide, eh, we couldn't figure out how to make money with the brand (because we did so little to turn it around) so we'll dump it.

it's sad....

Curious Joel · #4 08-06-2006, 05:28 PM

It's sad because the Jaguar brand has so much potential. I love the way Jaguars look.. they're very distinctive, you can tell it's a Jaguar the moment you see it. But they never really did anything to help Jaguar. They had a chance to save Jaguar with the X-type and they blew it big-time.

blondboinsd · #5 08-06-2006, 05:32 PM

Yes my best friend's JAG is horrible, horrid resale value, very poorly built and uncomftorable seats, my best memory was when I was driving to LA with me driving, her shotgun and Chuck in the back seat and I pulled on my seat belt and the whole b piller fell off (the plastic cover) lol, doesn't get ANY worse then that, unless you count my x-RR leaking oil the day we bought it

Wagner · #6 08-06-2006, 05:46 PM

Hmm, interesting. Sounds like Ford is attempting to not become General Motors.

xx3 · #7 08-06-2006, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Curious Joel

It's sad because the Jaguar brand has so much potential. I love the way Jaguars look.. they're very distinctive, you can tell it's a Jaguar the moment you see it. But they never really did anything to help Jaguar. They had a chance to save Jaguar with the X-type and they blew it big-time.

I totally agree. The jag name and logo amazingly still command quite a bit of respect in today's modern world despite all of the faux-pas that Jaguar has done under Ford ownership.

My heart also goes out to Volvo & Saab, who were both bought by American car companies and then strangled to death by the restriction of resources. (Although Volvo of late has been a lot more fortunate then Saab).

Land Rover was on a good track under BMW ownership. The 2003 Range Rover was great start, but unfortunately BMW ended up washing its hands clean of Land Rover as it couldn't afford it during the Rover debacle, mainly because of the huge money strain that Land Rover put on the BMW groups finances. Major $$ had to be poured out for defective part and vehicle replacements for the Discovery and Freelander - the lower end of the Land Rover line-up.

Although ford has re-done the discovery and freelander and added the Range Rover Sport, I feel all of these vehicles lack a special something the BMW designed Range Rover had. The latter 3 having cluttered plasticky interiors that really aren't special. Nor has the new design direction been that great either (having never lived in europe, most americans don't realize how much the LR3's rear end looks like a french delivery van...). The Range Rover Sport looks cobbled together and isn't really that much to care about. The new LR2/Freelander brings a little promise, but not so much.

Ontop of all this, even the new Land Rover's have horrible reliability (on completely new platforms !). The LR3 is one of the most unreliable cars on the road today.

So, as much as I would like BMW to re-buy Land Rover, and get it back on track. The feasibility of this happening is slim. SUV sales are down, and Ford hasn't even gotten the reliability right with new platforms which would cost BMW $$ in parts/labor and vehicles.

Plus, I'm sure BMW does not want anything to do with Jaguar as it would probably end up being the same problem that Rover was (selling two brands that compete with each other).

Thunder22 · #8 08-06-2006, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Curious Joel

It's sad because the Jaguar brand has so much potential. I love the way Jaguars look.. they're very distinctive, you can tell it's a Jaguar the moment you see it. But they never really did anything to help Jaguar. They had a chance to save Jaguar with the X-type and they blew it big-time.

They don't look distinctive anymore, the head designer of Aston Martin became the head designer of Jaguar, and now both marques look a lot alike. more sadness.

Thunder22 · #9 08-06-2006, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xx3

I totally agree. The jag name and logo amazingly still command quite a bit of respect in today's modern world despite all of the faux-pas that Jaguar has done under Ford ownership.

My heart also goes out to Volvo & Saab, who were both bought by American car companies and then strangled to death by the restriction of resources. (Although Volvo of late has been a lot more fortunate then Saab).

Land Rover was on a good track under BMW ownership. The 2003 Range Rover was great start, but unfortunately BMW ended up washing its hands clean of Land Rover as it couldn't afford it during the Rover debacle, mainly because of the huge money strain that Land Rover put on the BMW groups finances. Major $$ had to be poured out for defective part and vehicle replacements for the Discovery and Freelander - the lower end of the Land Rover line-up.

Although ford has re-done the discovery and freelander and added the Range Rover Sport, I feel all of these vehicles lack a special something the BMW designed Range Rover had. The latter 3 having cluttered plasticky interiors that really aren't special. Nor has the new design direction been that great either (having never lived in europe, most americans don't realize how much the LR3's rear end looks like a french delivery van...). The Range Rover Sport looks cobbled together and isn't really that much to care about. The new LR2/Freelander brings a little promise, but not so much.

Ontop of all this, even the new Land Rover's have horrible reliability (on completely new platforms !). The LR3 is one of the most unreliable cars on the road today.

So, as much as I would like BMW to re-buy Land Rover, and get it back on track. The feasibility of this happening is slim. SUV sales are down, and Ford hasn't even gotten the reliability right with new platforms which would cost BMW $$ in parts/labor and vehicles.

Plus, I'm sure BMW does not want anything to do with Jaguar as it would probably end up being the same problem that Rover was (selling two brands that compete with each other).

If Ford and GM hadn't bought the brands that you mentioned, they probably would have been dead long ago.

UCrewX5 · #10 08-06-2006, 07:48 PM

And to top it all, J.D. Powers and Associates just rated the 2006 Range Rover as one of the most unreliable luxury vehicles for 2006 - http://biz.yahoo.com/special/luxury080306_article1.html

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