Despite last month’s rumors and the ensuing denials that Aston Martin is looking for a buyer, today’s reports have company chairman and Prodrive chief David Richards flat out denying the rumors.
Richards, speaking in an Autocar interview, said the speculations are a result of Aston’s talking to suppliers in an effort to secure a new engine contract, as the maker’s current one with Ford expires in 2012. “The company is not for sale,” he said. One of the parties Aston was in talks with included Mercedes-Benz, believed to be bidding for the British marque, but it now seems the two were discussing powerplant.
“We are talking to Mercedes, but then we are talking to Ford and we talk to everybody,” Richards said. Ford sold Aston Martin to a consortium lead by Richards and others last year.
The Aston Martin Vantage recently received a power boost courtesy of a new, bigger engine, and the company’s Vantage N24 took the top three positions in their class at last weekend’s 24-hour race at the famed Nurburgring track.
05/28, 10:14 AM
posted by:
Astonman12
Thank God.
05/28, 10:32 AM
posted by:
howsmydriving
Were it not for a movie called “Goldfinger,” this brand would have died the death it deserves decades ago. As it is, AM is simply a vanity brand that is destined to be traded numerous times.
05/28, 11:31 AM
posted by:
JohnnyBlazE
howsmydriving: Vain or not, Astons still invoke lust through drop dead gorgeous looks… No-one can explain why they look so hot; they’re not DB5s for sure, but the character is still there. Incidentelly I see an Aston Martin DB4 GT in race livery every day and it is stunning.
05/28, 12:55 PM
posted by:
xyunya
To the same point, it looks like a gorgeous car, not like BMW submarine about to be launched into production.
05/28, 11:09 PM
posted by:
Astonman12
yea wtf, howsmydriving, you posted that same comment on a few other articles about Aston Martin. We get your point, and I of course disagree with it fully, so pipe down!
05/29, 3:25 PM
posted by:
nowei
I’m not necessarily saying this would be a good idea in practice, but if I were a Japanese (or even Korean) manufacturer, I would be bending over backwards to get a deal to supply Aston with engines. It would be a great way for any manufacturer to get a bit of supercar prestige without actually having to build one of their own. A company like Mercedes, on the other hand, really doesn’t need to supply Aston with engines for any reason other than profit.
05/29, 11:09 PM
posted by:
DialM4Speed
Ford doesn’t own it anymore so who gives a crap!