Ford to keep Jag but offload Aston
Jaguar is not for sale, but Ford will offload Aston Martin by the end of the year.
That's the official word from Alan Mulally, the new president of Ford, speaking at the Detroit motor show this weekend.
Attending the unveiling of the Jaguar C-XF concept, Mulally told reporters: "Jaguar is not for sale at this time."
Whether this is a vote of confidence or merely a stay of execution for the British marque remains to be seen, but either way Ford must have been heartened by the good critical reception to the concept saloon.
The news wasn't so good for Aston Martin, however. Despite improved sales and a reinvigorated line-up, Mulally confirmed that Ford would continue in its drive to auction off the luxury brand.
This was seconded by Ford Premier Auto Group executive Lewis Booth, who said: "Aston Martin has developed into a strong and confident brand under Ford, and will continue to develop under new ownership."
French holding company Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy is rumoured to be among those showing interest in Aston, despite no previous car industry experience.
(NDB: La marque pourrait être rachetée par Annault et Le belge Albert frère, partenaires dans LVMH)
