Aston Martin to F1 with Prodrive and Cosworth?
The two announced this week that they would form an investment fund of up to $1.25 billion and that they are “looking at Aston Martin," the Financial Times quoted a person “close to the pair" as saying.
Aston Martin makes about 5,000 cars a year, which cost upward of $100,000 each. The company has its headquarters, research and production facilities in Gaydon, England.
Ford bought a controlling stake in Aston Martin in 1987 and acquired full ownership in 1994 but recently announced it was prepared to sell out as part of a broader restructuring of the struggling company.
Arnault’s own fund, Groupe Arnault, and Frere’s Compagnie Nationale a Portefeuille, said they planned to invest mainly in European companies.
Frere’s Compagnie Nationale a Portefeuille said it had no comment on the report. Groupe Arnault did not return a call for comment.
Arnault is chairman, chief executive and controlling shareholder of luxury goods retailer LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA; its brands include Louis Vuitton and Fendi. Detroit Free Press
[Editor's Note: These two gentlemen have a keen interest in F1. Will they bring the Aston Martin brand to F1? Someone needs to tell Cosworth they might need an F1 engine to badge. Ford currently owns Aston Martin and of course for many years they branded the Cosworth. Dave Richards will be coming to F1 with his Prodrive group in 2008. Seems like a plausible pairing to us.]