Ford Motor Co is set to reap rewards in the region of GBP400m ($US788.6m) this year from the sale of its Aston Martin brand.
The estimate is at the lower scale of what Ford hopes to make from the sale, which has attracted interest from a number of bidders. Reuters reported yesterday that Ford could get upwards of GBP450m for the specialist sportscar maker which is part of its Premier Automotive Group (PAG) and based in Gaydon, Warwickshire, adjacent to the Land Rover headquarters and development complex.
Ford spokesman John Gardiner told just-auto: “The process is still ongoing, but is expected to be completed in 2007. We have had a lot of interest from potential bidders in Aston Martin. It would be inappropriate to speculate on who they might be.”
Potential bidders linked to the sports car unit include UK-based private equity firm Doughty Hanson & Co and Syrian-born property tycoon Simon Halabi, with investment bank UBS managing the sale.
A spokesman for Hanson & Co could not comment.

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