Aston Martin suitors named

The Business reported yesterday that it expected Ford to retain a stake in Aston Martin following the planned sale of a majority share, to retain an ongoing relationship, including the supply of parts. The potential of Aston Martin, a global premium brand selling cars at up to £170,000 has attracted interest from the new investment venture set up last week by Arnault and Frère, and others: Ford has received far more expressions of interest in the business than it expected, says the paper.

Among those said to have expressed interest are JP Morgan Chase’s private equity arm, One Equity in which former Ford CEO Jacques Nasser is a partner, and the New York-based private equity group Cerberus. In Britain, Magma, an investment entity run by former Ford of Europe chief executive and current LDV chief executive Martin Leach, is reported to be interested. Istithma, a fund based in Dubai, is also understood to have expressed interest.

While Ford does not report Aston Martin results separately from those of PAG as a whole, it is thought to have recorded its first quarterly profit in 40 years last year, and The Business suggests turnover this year should exceed £450m; the company is aiming at sales of over 5,000 cars a year.