Japan’s cash-rich automakers are looking to expand, but they are unlikely to pursue a bid for Ford’s Aston Martin, according to MarketWatch. Toyota is moving to grow its luxury Lexus brand, but “the categories (of the Lexus and Aston Martin) are totally different. It would be hard to expect synergy,” said Tatsuya Mizuno at FitchRatings. “It would only add one more brand. That would be meaningless,” he said. Meanwhile, Honda has been reluctant to expand via acquisitions since its 1990 purchase of a 25 percent stake in Rover produced disappointing results.
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09/08, 4:20 PM
posted by:
bacalao
japanesse brands COULD actually be the answer to aston
09/08, 4:26 PM
posted by:
Toy Yoda
I wonder if I can get a home mortgage and buy Aston Martin myself.
09/08, 4:27 PM
posted by:
1c3d0g
No, it would be better if it fell back into English hands, or at least some German company. Japs will only ruin the brand further.
09/08, 4:31 PM
posted by:
Stuart
BMW is the only right awnser
09/08, 4:43 PM
posted by:
BAMF
1c3d0g: How will they “ruin the brand further”?
09/08, 4:46 PM
posted by:
1c3d0g
By mass-producing the vehicle, for one.
09/08, 5:30 PM
posted by:
1952 MG TD
soul-less Astons as appliances? pass.
Japanese brands would ruin Aston, hands down.
I agree that it needs to fall either to English or to Germans… although the malaysan based Proton could be good as well…
09/08, 8:43 PM
posted by:
Renton
Actually as much as I love BMW, I think VAG would do a better job.
BMW does not need another brand.
Let the German conquest of British marques continue.
Keep the Japs out.
09/08, 10:31 PM
posted by:
Veda
Weird as it may seem, I actually think MB would be a good partner for AM. It may just work.
09/09, 1:28 AM
posted by:
Stuart
MB has Mclaren which is more of a sports car company to Aston’s GT’s like Mercedes. BMW only have the 6series which isn’t really selling as well as it can. Aston therefore can be the right piece to the jigsaw
09/09, 4:49 AM
posted by:
Madcapp
The only way to make an English automobile brand viable is to put it under German control. Everybody knows that.
09/09, 10:49 AM
posted by:
Dav is Dead
keep it out of reach of the japanese and the rich american oil tycoons, and im happy.
09/09, 11:52 AM
posted by:
Veda
I wouldn’t say German control but rather German support for advanced technologies to make it a real supercar manufacturer. That’s the simple truth. The japs are too concerned with making profits, they won’t care about a small company that sells emotion.
09/09, 2:16 PM
posted by:
Dav is Dead
Veda, you have hit it right on the nose.
09/10, 8:34 PM
posted by:
SurferdudeCA
I agree the Japanese would ruin Aston, give to BMW
09/10, 10:59 PM
posted by:
Dav is Dead
i’ll take it off Ford’s hands…if they wanted me to, that is.