Mahindra & Mahindra said to be in race for Aston Martin

Mahindra & Mahindra and European private equity firm Investindustrial are reported to have bid for part ownership of Aston Martin, the Gaydon, UK-based premium carmaker. The European PE firm is learnt to have offered over $400 million (Rs 2,223 crore), which M&M reportedly bettered with a counter bid. The winning bidder will get 50 percent of the voting rights and a 40 percent stake in the company, says a report. Neither company has made official comments.

Aston Martin is currently owned by a Kuwaiti firm Investment Dar, which acquired it from Ford in 2007. Investment Dar denies any plan of a stake sale through a press release in its website. An industry source, who is well versed with the operations of Aston Martin, told Autocar Professional that the company is in serious need of funds and said that an acquisition by a large automotive group like M&M will help Aston Martin move its plans from the drawing board to the production line. Aston Martin sold around 4,200 vehicles worldwide in 2011.

The brand was launched in India in April, 2011. Additional capital infusion is required by Aston Martin to compete stronger against its peers like Jaguar and Ferrari, according to an industry executive.

A successful deal will provide M&M access to cutting-edge technology among other benefits.

At the time of going to press, Autocar Professional learns that "everything is fluid and in the discussion table" with the people concerned weighing the pros and cons of a deal.

JLR ‘interested’?

Aston Martin is no doubt a desirable brand. Even Jaguar Land Rover is learnt to be interested in it. According to sources close to JLR, the Tata Motors-owned company was interested in Aston Martin, but without its ‘legacy debt’. However, in the current situation, where the focus is growing JLR's presence in new segments and markets, Aston Martin may not be an ideal fit in Tata Motors' scheme of things.

JLR’s acquisition by Tata Motors in 2008 was the first such move by an Indian OEM in the passenger vehicle space. M&M was also interested in acquiring JLR, but withdrew from the bidding process.

SUMANTRA BAROOAH