Ford Jellymoulds Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 Will Aston Martin crash in the recession? Fears for the future of Britain's Aston Martin car brand were heightened after the Kuwaiti sovereign wealth fund that owns half of the luxury carmaker admitted it was struggling to refinance its debt. Aston Martin was sold by Ford in March 2007 at the height of the economic boom. The deal was then valued at $925m (£480m) and the Dar's 51% share was partly financed by several international banks which had agreed to a $393m sharia-compliant loan. At the time the Dar said: "The purchase of Aston Martin is central to our strategy of diversifying our holdings in key markets and international brands." But like other carmakers, Aston Martin has struggled in the recession. The company cut 600 jobs, one-third of its workforce, at its plant at Graydon in Warwickshire in December. The factory has also suffered temporary closures. LINK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-150 Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 just like JLR, what the hell did Ford sell this jewel that made them nothing but boatloads of cash? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 just like JLR, what the hell did Ford sell this jewel that made them nothing but boatloads of cash? "Boatloads" is relative. Aston Martin made a modest profit for its size for a few years. It was still a distraction from the core business which was much more in need of attention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-150 Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 "Boatloads" is relative. Aston Martin made a modest profit for its size for a few years. It was still a distraction from the core business which was much more in need of attention. I get that. it was a smart-ass Tstag baiting comment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 I get that. it was a smart-ass Tstag baiting comment Sorry, went clear over my head. I'll chalk it up to Monday. :shades: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pioneer Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 just like JLR, what the hell did Ford sell this jewel that made them nothing but boatloads of cash? A better question would be, why in the hell did Ford buy all these troubled brands to begin with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 A better question would be, why in the hell did Ford buy all these troubled brands to begin with? Eh, Aston Martin wasn't much of a "troubled" brand. Nor was Volvo when purchased. Jaguar and Land Rover will forever leave me scratching my head though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-150 Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 A better question would be, why in the hell did Ford buy all these troubled brands to begin with? Nasser's original plan was to buy margin heavy premium brands that would account for 1/3 of Ford profits once running properly. And the Greenleaf stuff was to own OE and used parts market. Both in theory made sense to everyone. Ford family, Wall Street. Us. Of course, the reality was they couldn't right those ships. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ford Jellymoulds Posted September 28, 2009 Author Share Posted September 28, 2009 What's 007 gonna use in his next movie - The worlds gone broke? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 (edited) What's 007 gonna use in his next movie - The worlds gone broke? Aston's 007/James Bond contract was finished with Quantum of Solace anyway.......I guess that doesn't answer the question, though. Hey, maybe a C4C car!! It'd be a pretty boring chase scene, though, since neither the villain's nor 007's car would work at all after being clunkered. Edited September 29, 2009 by rmc523 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retropia Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 I think the original plan with PAG is that management finally realized that letting its car lines wither (with a focus instead on high-profit trucks and SUVs) meant that the brands had also withered. They figured it would be cheaper/faster to buy other, existing premium brands, on which they could make higher profits (conceivably), and then they wouldn't have to compete in low- to mid-level cars with the likes of Toyota and Honda. Lincoln was already a damaged brand, and someone probably produced a spread sheet that "proved" it would be cheaper to buy Volvo and Jaguar, than invest in Lincoln to try to restore its image. Jac and Wolfgang would have preferred it if Lincoln just went away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougarpower Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 I wonder if Ford could get AM for 10 million Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-150 Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 What's 007 gonna use in his next movie - The worlds gone broke? back to BMW like GoldenEye Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 back to BMW like GoldenEye What would he drive, though an M6? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 What would he drive, though an M6? Or another Z4. Or an M5, or an M3...heck maybe even a 1-series. :shrug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 (edited) Or another Z4. Or an M5, or an M3...heck maybe even a 1-series. :shrug: Oh yea, forgot he drove a Z4, I was thinking a Z8, which is obviously (and sadly) not around anymore, although I see them every once and a while. M5 wouldn't really fit the "Bond car" style to me, that's why I didn't mention it. If BMW were awarded the Bond contract, I would think they'd likely go with the Z4 first, as it was just redesigned. Edited September 29, 2009 by rmc523 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 If BMW were awarded the Bond contract, I would think they'd likely go with the Z4 first, as it was just redesigned. Or they'd try to force the X6 upon us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanh Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 Or another Z4. Or an M5, or an M3...heck maybe even a 1-series. :shrug: diesel X5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 (edited) diesel X5 As a Bond car?? I guess they did just come out with an X5 M and X6 M as well..... Edited September 29, 2009 by rmc523 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ford Jellymoulds Posted September 29, 2009 Author Share Posted September 29, 2009 (edited) Toyota will provide the dodgy hire car where the gas pedal gets jammed on full throttle in the bond movie, 007 struggles with it and jumps out just as the Camry shoots over the side of a mountain at 100 MPH. Who sabotaged my gas pedal Dr No, Mr Big, Goldfinger maybe? it was Toyota 007. Edited September 29, 2009 by Ford Jellymoulds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrewfanGRB Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 Toyota will provide the dodgy hire car where the gas pedal gets jammed on full throttle in the bond movie, 007 struggles with it and jumps out just as the Camry shoots over the side of a mountain at 100 MPH. Who sabotaged my gas pedal Dr No, Mr Big, Goldfinger maybe? it was Toyota 007. Hey! This post appears to be....topical, timely, relevant and actually, relatively clever. Who are you and what have you done w/ FJM? :poke: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 Hey! This post appears to be....topical, timely, relevant and actually, relatively clever. Who are you and what have you done w/ FJM? :poke: I know! I don't know how to respond to it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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