Im backing the one equity bid. Actually i back anything that hasn’t got a conbination of Tata or fiat

Ugh seeing any of those two brands going to an Indian or Chinese firm is most horrible. I hope that does not come to be.

The Ford fire sale continues… maybe someday they will decide to make reliable, well designed, stylish, and fuel efficient cars for the US market. Oh wait! HAAHAHHHAHA. I just made myself laugh.

I am Ford will finally be out of the picture. Jaguar made very quality cars while still independent through 1989 and shortly there after when still making cars of their own design. Their main problem has always been electrical. That is more of Lucas, Bosch, and Marelli’s fault than their own. And Jaguar’s quality has become much better this century as Ford has taken a more and more hands off approach. I think that Jaguar will become a very successful corporation once again, assuming they are allowed to do their own thing by the next company that buys them. I think the same of Land Rover. Their quality has improved greatly in the previous few years as well. Both could really turn around under the right leadership. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been Ford. I think Jaguar and Land Rover will be the real winners in this transaction just by escaping Ford.

“I am *glad*” I should read it before I submit it…

Actually Jaguar’s quality improvement was remarkable after Ford introduced their quality engineers into Jaguar’s factories. Jaguar would not be where it is in quality today without Ford’s help. No matter whether you can accept it or not, Ford is good at manufacturing quality. Designing quality is something completely different, but even there Ford is starting to show its prowess.

If Ford had not sunk the billions into Jaguar that it did, the company would be gone today. The XK and XF are examples of products that have been thoroughly Jaguar, yet developed through Ford’s support in engineering and testing programs.

Don’t get me wrong, I can’t wait until the day that Ford gets rid of most of their stake in these companies, but Ford’s one bad move with Jaguar has been the X-Type, and it wasn’t even the concept, it was the EXECUTION (a rebadged Ford was just a bad idea). It was a big mistake, but Jaguar would have snatched up by some random Chinese company by now if Ford had not intervened for a dying brand in the late-80s.

What Ford leaves with Jaguar is a much more efficient development program, higher quality manufacturing program, good engineering program and a much improved and efficient management group. I would say what Ford has given to Jaguar has far outweighed the disaster that was X-type. I would argue with the XK in full stride, the XF now debuting, the XJ 18 months away and an appropriate X-type coming shortly after, Jaguar is, for the probably the first time since the 70s, prepared to stand on its own two feet. And that’s because of, and not in spite of, Ford’s ownership of the brand.

As long as they don;t go to those 2 indian POS 3-wheel building companies, I’m fine with it

wow this is newsworthy. The second they sell Jag and LR those companies will be better off. I dont know if people realize that the newer Land Rovers have a Ford engine in them Before 06 they had a 4.4 that was in the 7 series I dont think they lowered the price due to the inferior engine either
That new jag is hotttt

the wheels are rolling fowards for Ford again. i think Mulally wants to focus entirely on ford as well. i think its smart to get rid of them 100% though i dont see why they still have that stake in AM. o well

Its a shame they let them go now though, LR2 and LR3 just came out, as did the Jag XF so all the work Ford put into those products will be for nothing…they won’t see any profit from them

“I dont know if people realize that the newer Land Rovers have a Ford engine in them Before 06 they had a 4.4 that was in the 7 series I dont think they lowered the price due to the inferior engine either”

Really? I don’t think you know what you’re talking about. Ford doesnt have a 4.4L and they don’t use BMWs engines. But Jag does, and that’s where the LRs and RRs get thier engines. They have never had a Ford engine in them.

and the Jag AJV8 is in no way inferior to what BMW has so that’s why the prices didn’t get lowered.

The BMW engine was the one used on the 7 series. Ford does have a 4.4 when BMW sold RR to Ford, Ford changed the engines in the RRs. Also the V6 used in the LR 3 is a version of the duratec
They are Fords and they are built in Ohio. They are made for Jag.

This sounds like a good move to me. I don’t really know much about the car business, but it sure seems to me that Ford needs 100% of its attention focused on rebuilding their domestic product lineup, and therefore sales. Maybe Mullaly knows a thing or two about running a company!

I would love to see Ford start building exciting, innovative products that I actually aspired to own, and knew I could rely on. But for the last several years, after seeing the cool stuff they’re selling in Europe, it sure has looked like they turned their back on their own, home market. It’s like they figured we wouldn’t notice the difference between stupid rental stuff and the GOOD stuff. And that ain’t right.

I keep getting discouraged though, when I continually see the cool cars they’re building for Europe (Mondeo, Kuga, Focus, and Verve) and it’s like “Nope. Y’all can’t have these nice cars. We’re reserving them for the Europeans cause they know a good car when they see one.” And then a roommate rents an ‘07 Taurus with less than 5,000 miles on it, and it has a clunk in the front suspension every time we go over a driveway. How am I supposed to have ANY confidence in Ford?

Jaguar and LR are distractions that may slow down Ford’s goal to real profitability. So it’s all good…

I agree with Veda. Ford needs to focus on bringing the European cars stateside so they can fix the mess over here in the states. And if that means focusing only on Fords then by all means do it. People are still going to buy Jaguars and Land Rovers anyways.

IS this news? We discussed this to death two months ago

This may be a good move and letting them focus on ford only is likley a good idea as well. as long as it isn’t to little and to late already… Time will tell…

THEY STILL WANNA HAVE SHARES LAND ROVER AND JAGUAR….JUST LIKE HOW THEY OWN STAKES IN ASTON MARTIN.