By Darren Davidson, Brand Republic , 26 March 2008, 09:10am

Ford signs £1.3bn deal to sell Land Rover and Jaguar to Tata

LONDON - Ford, the world's third-largest car maker, has agreed to sell Jaguar and Land Rover to Tata Motors, India's top bus and truck maker, for around £1.3bn as demand for the luxury vehicles falls at the fastest pace in at least three years.

The companies have been in negotiations for almost three months after Tata emerged as the leading bidder ahead of rivals One Equity, a private equity concern, and automotive group Mahindra and Mahindra.

Tata Motors is known for its fleet of sturdy trucks and buses and functional passenger cars, including the $2,500 Nano, the world's cheapest car which it plans to launch later this year in India.

Tata has previously said it will keep most of the manufacturing in the UK, with 16,000 people employed in Britain by Land Rover and Jaguar. Unions have supported the Tata takeover.

Ford is ending its 21-year investment in Land Rover as the US housing slump and job losses curb demand for the luxury marquees.

Jaguar sales dropped 33% in the US and Europe in the first two months of the year, while Land Rover sales fell 13% in the US and 7.7% in Europe during the period.

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All Comments

Mark Doherty - 26 March 2008

Well tha's the end of that, sorry to be a gloom munger but Jag and Land Rover will now gradually disappear over the next 5 to 10 years.

Ford ruined Jag ...it can't come back and as for Land Rover, it too has suffered at the hands of Ford, and now TATA ... you're avin a larf!!

Mark Doherty

Prabhat Kiran - 26 March 2008

There you went wrong...

If you know more about Tata, its 4th largest steel manufacturer and has brought a steel plant just 100 km away from the jaguar plant.

Hope you got the point.

If Tata can make Nano and generate profit, they can re-write the way luxury cars brought in upcoming countries like India, China, Russia, Brazil & Elsewere.

Mark Doherty - 26 March 2008

Prabhat

I stand by what I say. I am aware of Tata and it's Businesses, I am also aware of it's Management, and their capabilities. I am also aware of the "Tony Blair" connection.

I repeat we shall see the Jaguar and Land Rover Brands already all but destroyed completly disapear, as we know them within the course of the next 5 to 10 years.