India Tata Motors Buys Jaguar, Land Rover

XeroK00L submitted on 07/26/2007 Official AutoSpies Timestamp: 3:58 PM
from: online.wsj.com

[30] user comments | category: Misc News

Tags: jaguar land rover ford tata india buy aquire

jaguar land rover ford tata india buy aquire

DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
July 26, 2007 5:12 a.m.

NEW DELHI (Dow Jones)--India's Tata Motors Ltd. (500570.BY) has acquired Jaguar and Land Rover, Indian news channel CNBC-TV18 reported Thursday, citing unnamed sources.

A Tata Motors executive however declined comment when contacted by Dow Jones Newswires.

"Tata Motors does not have any comments to make. Tata Motors does not comment on mergers and acquisitions," said Debasis Ray, head of corporate communications.

Ford Motor Co. (F), which owns the two brands, also said the report was inaccurate and that it was still evaluating options.

Tata Motors, which makes buses, trucks and passenger cars, is India's largest commercial vehicle maker by sales.

Last month, Ford hired advisors to help sell Jaguar and Land Rover, both part of its Premier Automotive Group (PAG), in a move expected to reap as much as $8 billion, according to some estimates.

-By New Delhi Bureau, Dow Jones Newswires; 91-11-2307-4020 ; chandrasekhar.jayachandran@dowjones.com Read Article

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TauronB2G - 7/26/2007 5:02:03 PM

+6 Boost

I hope thats not true...

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bigj91 - 7/26/2007 6:24:12 PM

+2 Boost

hmm, I hope tata doesn't buy it, as it would be a big whole in their wallet. Sell it to a private equity, let them turn it around and then sell it. Ford did open its book- http://us.ft.com/ftgateway/superpage.ft?news_id=fto072620071703076538&page=1

amazinBimmer - 7/26/2007 5:13:18 PM

-12 Boost

why moron tauron?

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TauronB2G - 7/26/2007 5:40:34 PM

0 Boost

Why must I be a moron. You're the one who drives a Bimmer. I don't even know you. You dingbat!
But to answer your question. Even though Ford hasn't done the best job with Jaguar I think they are in better hands now than if they were in the hands of India's Tata Motors. Personally I think it would be better if they don't sell to another company (private equity firm) as Mercedes did with Chrysler.
T

cdoke - 7/26/2007 5:28:00 PMView My AgentSpace

+3 Boost

Ahem...

No they have not- not last I heard...

LONDON -(Dow Jones)- Ford Motor Co. (F) hasn't sold its Land Rover and Jaguar units to Tata Motors Ltd. (TTM), a Ford spokesman told Dow Jones Newswires Thursday.

Ford was responding to TV reports in India, on CNBC TV-18 news channel, that the largest Indian auto maker had bought the brands.

http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200707260529DOWJONESDJONLINE000503_FORTUNE5.htm

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cdoke - 7/26/2007 5:32:01 PMView My AgentSpace

+3 Boost

Let's try that again shall we...

http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/
djf500/200707260529DOWJONESDJONLINE000503_FORTUNE5.htm

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jeffy210 - 7/26/2007 5:58:19 PM

+4 Boost

Though it would be a bit ironic, given England and India's history.

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JRobUSC - 7/26/2007 6:03:49 PM

+4 Boost

you beat me to it, I was going to same the same thing.

cdoke - 7/26/2007 5:59:27 PMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

I have kept up with this whole situation and there is one very odd thing about it that really leads me to believe that the primary reason for this is for Ford to assess possible interest- not necessarily to offload the brands at this exact moment.

The odd thing is that, according to at least 2 articles I have read, Ford did not release a full set of financials for the companies to the bidders. Ford still has yet to actually come out and say that they are actually being sold. In fact today Ford once again said that there is no guarantee that will sell them.

Now were a bid high enough I am sure they would sell, but at this moment I am not so sure that they are going to get rid of them quite yet. I most certinaly could be wrong on this matter of course.

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cdoke - 7/26/2007 6:29:57 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

Ah ha...so they do plan to open the financials eventually...

SevorbeupstryIsBack - 7/26/2007 6:22:37 PM

+1 Boost

You gotta be kidding me!

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david989 - 7/26/2007 6:24:15 PM

-4 Boost

Jaguar and Land Rover were unreliable crap before this. Now they are really junk and should be avoided. I guess a lot of Jaguar buyers are going to consider the classy GS or LS and maybe some Land Rover buyers will consider the class leading LX570. Who knows?

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cdoke - 7/26/2007 6:31:25 PMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

"Who knows?"

I do. The answer is no.

speedmaster - 7/26/2007 8:07:47 PMView My AgentSpace

+3 Boost

I highly doubt I would trade my Range Rover Sport for a "lexus" that doesn't even report to have a rear locking differential.

And since I plan to buy a Jaguar C-XF, a GS450 is not even in my radar.

Proton (Malaysian) owner ship of Lotus has done nothing to hurt the Lotus Brand. If Tata does own these two marques, the question remains to be seen.

Right now, everything is pure speculation.

As long as they make the vehicles in the UK with UK engineering, I have bo qualms about it. Now if they make them in Mumbai, I'll bail.

Murcielago_LP640 - 7/27/2007 4:32:43 AM

+1 Boost

You can't buy a C-XF...C stands for concept.

benzdabest - 7/26/2007 6:24:18 PM

+3 Boost

I cant pitcure anything good from this outcome, I feel sorry for Jaguar.

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Lexus - 7/26/2007 6:46:59 PM

0 Boost

I wonder what if Ford sales next? and will Ford still be around with the next 5 or 10 years from now?

It would really interesting to really see if India can built a better car than Ford.

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BMW995 - 7/26/2007 7:09:34 PM

+4 Boost

Definitely a drop in status for Jag and Land Rover it Tata bought them.

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amazinBimmer - 7/26/2007 7:15:45 PM

-6 Boost

moron tauron. tata is anot a private equity firm. they are the first or third largest company in India growing in excess of 20% p.a. Moron.

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TauronB2G - 7/26/2007 10:06:43 PM

+8 Boost

I never said they were a private equity firm dumbass. What I said was that I hope they don't sell to a PE firm like MB did with Chrysler. Learn to read. I guess you Bimmer guys don't do that very well.
T

nybimmer - 7/26/2007 7:46:39 PM

-2 Boost

The world is passing most of you by...

Amazin bimmer has it exactly correct, Tata is like the 'Cerberus' or 'Blackstone' of India. I imagine given India's link to Britain that Jag and LR have a huge amount of brand equity there for India's burgeoning upper middle class.

They will definitely bring a passion of ownership that was sorely lacking during Ford's and British Leyland's tenure.

Welcome to globalization. Wait until the Chinese cars arrive in the US. Remember all those shoes/sneakers that used to be made in Maine and are now made for 80% less in China? Well the same thing will eventually happen to cars.

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farabira1 - 7/27/2007 1:20:18 AM

0 Boost

it would be just idiotic to sell the brand to TATA, who have pretty much no experience in premium automotive market of Europe and North America. Jaguar's condition is already in the straits, and this deal will only be the final push to the water. I think Jaguar would make a strong comeback with the XF, because it is only one of the models that glorifies a company, like for BMW the 3 series and the 5 series brought in the reputaion that helped bmw to sell other models, for MB the glorious S class defined the notion of luxury that is attached to every model of MB even though truth may not be so (c class and M class suvs have horrible interiors). I believe that if XF proves to be very stylish and competent to drive then such tags will be attached to the brand and even the x type will not be considered ugly anymore. So it is only a single or couple of models that changes the face of the brand, and if xf is upto it then the face of jaguar is sure to be changed, and people will no more call it retro but will think of it as modern, capable, and a quality product.

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izfuney - 7/27/2007 4:44:51 AM

0 Boost

Frankly Jag as a brand in the states is barely squaking along what with FORD eating a billion Dollars a year in losses on this brand alone. Land Rover while making money is barely the great shining hope for PAG. The point of pairing them together is to give a small money generator with a money pit.

If Tata buys they will move manufacturing/ to India and address Jag as a brand in asia. While Land Rover will stay in the UK/US

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JUGNU - 7/27/2007 5:51:33 AMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

i don't see TATA can do any better than the Ford.
Just think what will they do with the Jaguar and Land Rover ? other than to improve their own cars and SUVs (which at present are even inferior to chineese).

Asia (except Middle East) is a small market for premium/luxury cars.They don't even 10% whereas Europe and America buys nearly 70%-80%.

Therefore i think Asia (except Japan) is not a good buyer and Jaguar and Land Rover should go to a European company.

JUGNU

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pchera01 - 7/27/2007 8:42:55 AM

+2 Boost

I wouldn't cheer for TATA buying Jag and Land Rover. rather worry about them. They have better opertunity with out them...

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EnnNorak - 7/27/2007 1:14:07 PM

+1 Boost

I can see Tata acquiring Land Rover but why jaguar unless Ford was only willing to sell both as a package or Tata needs the Jaguar brand to succeed as a car player in North-American and European markets.

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amazinBimmer - 7/27/2007 2:18:32 PM

0 Boost

tuaron moron. tata will win because like most indians, they are incredibly smart and very saavy. unlike you, tauron moron. plus they will sell into the indian market. which will actually overtake the chinese market in the next 30 years. by the way.. what do you drive, moron?

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TauronB2G - 7/27/2007 6:50:41 PM

+1 Boost

Well dumbass if you'd bother to look at the little picture next to my name you would have seen that I drive a Silver 2006 CLK 500 Cabrio. You must be stupid you just made a generalization about a whole race and culture. They have no experience building high end cars. You comparing them to the CHinese market is utterly senseless. The Chinese have such a long way to go before they can even contemplate selling a quality worthwhile product outside of their own market.
T

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infiniti - 7/28/2007 12:46:28 AM

0 Boost

good news

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