Aston Martin up for sale, Toyota could be interested - report

Aston Martin AM 310 Vanquish 10.09.2012

Mahindra & Mahindra could also be interested

Aston Martin's largest shareholder, Investment Dar Company, has reportedly approached several suitors about the British brand.

The Kuwaiti company is reportedly looking to sell their 64 percent stake in Aston Martin and is rumored to have hired the Rothschild Group to advise them during the process. Little is known about who is interested in the company, but two sources have told Business Week that Mahindra & Mahindra is one possible candidate.

Another, more surprising, possibility is Toyota. A source familiar with the matter said the company hired an auditor to conduct a preliminary review of Aston Martin less than two months ago.

Investment Dar is reportedly asking $800 (€629 / £503) million for their stake which would allow them to recoup what they invested when they bought Aston Martin from Ford in 2007. Breaking even isn't ideal from an investment standpoint, but Investment Dar reportedly needs the funds to reorganize $4.9 (€3.8 / £3.0) billion of debt after missing a payment on an Islamic bond in 2009.

Source: Business Week via Jalopnik

add to favorites Rate:

Nov 9, 2012 1:50 pm By Michael Gauthier

Posted in:

Aston Martin European Rumours Toyota

Tags:

show

Aston Martin sells 37.5 percent stake to Investindustrial

Aston Martin could get AMG tech and parts - report Kuwaits Dar may sell stake in Aston Martin

Kuwait's Dar may sell stake in Aston Martin

Add comment

Comments (35)

newest first oldest first

Subscribe to comments

MercLeRoux

NOOOOOOO dont sell to Toyota, for reasons seen on the Mazda 2 being rebadged post!!!

-1

November 9, 2012 1:53 pm

report abuse | reply

AOS

Toyota would be a likely candidate given their collaboration on iQ, and the encounter at the track with the heads of both company last year, this deal probably has already been set in motion since then.

November 9, 2012 2:23 pm

report abuse | reply

MadAboutCars

McLaren, so they can charge a hefty premium justifiably with bespoke parts dedicated to two premium brands. Technology and tradition in tandem, not some power beauty soul lcd logo every time you start the car.

November 9, 2012 2:31 pm

report abuse | reply

9TNine

Go for it Toyota. IMO Toyota should have bought a cash-strapped LOTUS for peanuts back in the 1980's. Or even a cash-strapped Porsche just before their Boxster era... (after which Porsche's fortunes changed for the better). Those companies Know-how would have benefitted the Toyota group, and perhaps Toyota would have been more successful in Formula 1. As for Aston Martin - is a more upmarket brand but IMO brings less to the table than the other two, but then Toyota has a lot of money - see Formula1 - so they can afford the gamble.

-1

November 9, 2012 2:58 pm

report abuse | reply

MTC

Being back by Toyota, I can only see it doing good to Aston Martin's R&D

November 9, 2012 3:02 pm

report abuse | reply

MerHC

Mr. Bond, your Toyota 2000GT is resurrected.

November 9, 2012 3:45 pm

report abuse | reply

Kakumbaz

This is great news and I hope it happens, i've always matched up Toyota and Aston in my mind..

-5

November 9, 2012 3:50 pm

report abuse | reply

2 replies

SnakesInMyPants

What happened to Mercedes wanting to buy Aston. I much rather have Diamler own Aston than Toyota

-1

November 9, 2012 4:58 pm

report abuse | reply

3 replies

lambocop

Oh no..please not toyota..the company making one of the most beautiful cars ever being owned by the company that makes the absolutely most boring cars in the world.. I rather Aston Martin shuts down and ceases to exist to be honest..

November 9, 2012 7:22 pm

report abuse | reply

2 replies

Cohiba-lover06

A the fickle business of having to accept Arab investment. That can turn on you on a dime (pun intended). No tradition, no loyalty, no history, no consideration. Today it can be cars, tomorrow, airlines, then again banks to them: its only money. Let this be a lesson to all of you angleing for the Arab dough.

November 10, 2012 1:22 am

report abuse | reply

Cohiba-lover06

BMW would be a shoe-in. They need a SPORTIER brand in their line up aside from Rolls. VW/Audi have Bentley, Bugatti, Duccati. So they too need a halo sports car. Bond, a while back drove a Z8..... So there must be a way.

November 10, 2012 1:25 am

report abuse | reply

Tron117

Sad times for the motoring world. Why can't a brand/company that'd be good and fitting to Aston Martin look at buying it, instead of Toyota or Mahindra :(

November 10, 2012 3:25 am

report abuse | reply

buruchaga

Is Aston not making money enough or they can't stand competition?

November 10, 2012 5:18 am

report abuse | reply

TomasramonCorrea

If Mahindra buys the shares both Jaguar (Tata),and Aston Martin will be owned by Indian companies. How ironic. I think AM and Toyota would be mistmatched at best, but on the other hand, Toyota´s money and reputation could do wonders for Aston Martin.

November 10, 2012 8:44 am

report abuse | reply

DarkoInem

Go toyota go, it would be great for aston, unlimited money for R&D

-1

November 10, 2012 9:18 am

report abuse | reply

Joao Oliveira

it would be nice to see some LFA tech get into the astons... LFA has some nice engeneering touches that could bring the aston to another level. And don't forget the parternership betweem Toyota and yamaha... Imagine a V12 Aston tuned by yamaha... jeeeezzzz!

November 10, 2012 3:57 pm

report abuse | reply

siranto

I'm surprised Aston Martin remained independent this long. But I don't think the Japanese companies are the type to be white knights. Its probably going to be the Chinese or the Indians.

November 10, 2012 4:46 pm

report abuse | reply

dbehmoaras

BMW here's your chance to bring back the V10 and keep the V12 alive.

November 10, 2012 6:05 pm

report abuse | reply

3 replies

techie69

Nobody doubt that the naysayers are now eating their words of how beneficial Tata has been to Jaguar, so Mahindra is a good choice, but Toyota's quality and tech would really make Aston a super-contender and at the same time give cred Toyota if it worked well with a non-Japanese co.

-1

November 10, 2012 7:28 pm

report abuse | reply

Aston Martin has been lacking impetuous in their car line up until the One-77 and new Vanquish. the current line up of Vantage/DB9 and their V12 is definitely outdated. Toyota is #1 in the world in spending money in R&D. LFA shows us what Toyota can do. love to see some excitement from Aston and more importantly win more races.