Jaguar and Land Rover Has Clock Ticking For Sale

Ford has set a deadline of July 19. Both brands, which are part of the automaker's Premiere Automotive Group, are expected to be sold as a single unit.

Why the hurry? According to the Times Online, some analysts believe that Ford wants to announce such a sale along with its second-quarter numbers announcement.

Figures show that Jaguar has been losing in sales, but that Land Rover has been gaining in recent years. Land Rover recently reported that it sold 109,422 vehicles during the first half of 2007. That is Land Rover's best showing ever.

Note that Ford has been kind of mum as far as its public pronouncements concerning the subject of selling Land Rover and Jaguar. Heck, it hasn't even publically announced it was selling them! But it has hired banking firms HSBC, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley to advise them.

Some reports are saying that Ford has been in touch with some private equity groups including Cerberus (yes, the same Cerberus who is in the process of acquiring Chrysler); Ripple-Wood Holdings; Blackstone (who, too, was looking to purchase Chrysler); Providence, and One Equity. Jac Nasser, who used to be CEO of Ford, is a senior partner at One Equity.

More details can be found at the link above. Our take? Others say that despite the deadline, a possible sale was still "some way off." We agree; while Aston Martin looked like a gem when Ford offered it for sale, Jagura is a kitty no one wants which is unfortunately for the more profitable Land Rover marquee.