With Ford putting its ultra-lux Aston Martin marque up for sale, there's been plenty of speculation on who will buy it. Interesting, while names of Russian billionaires and the former head of Ford (Nasser) have been batted about, barely anyone has mentioned Toyota, Nissan, and Honda, arguably the richest automakers at this time. Analysts even reported that Hyundai was a possible contender. (It said no.)
So why aren't the "Japanese Three" even in the rumor mill as potential buyers? According to MarketWatch, much of it has to do with consumer skills: the automakers simply lack the experience and infrastructure to cater to Aston Martin buyers. States analyst Koji Endo of Credit Suisse Securities, "The customer base is totally different. ... Those who buy Aston Martin cars are ultra rich." While the automakers would eventually develop the necessary skills, analysts agree it would take years to do so.
Read Article