Le
Financial Times reprend les dates du 5 et 6 mars comme les dates probables de l'annonce officielle de l'achat des marques anglaises par TATA MOTORS
Autres points soulevés par le FT (que je résume ):
* Le Deal est évalué à près de 2 milliards $ US.
* Il implique des milliers de pages avec différents accords subtils entre le groupe Ford et les deux marques (LAND ROVER et JAGUAR).
* Les accords portent sur l'approvisionnement de moteurs,l'information sur la technologie, la propriété intellectuelle et les services financiers des marques anglaises.
* Une personne familière avec les discussions a affirmé que Tata et Ford signeront des accords qui portent sur la fourniture de moteur qui pourrait couvrir une durée de 5 à 10 ans.
* Tata devrait faire face à d'importants défis avec Jaguar. Land Rover est rentable, et ses ventes mondiales ont augmenté de 18 pour cent l'an dernier à 226395 véhicules. Toutefois, Jaguar est en perte, et ses ventes mondiales en 2007 ont chuté de 19 pour cent pour atteindre 60485 véhicules. Les nouveaux modèles viennent à un moment difficile pour les ventes de véhicules de luxe, avec un ralentissement de l'économie américaine.
(
La marque ROVER n'est pas ici évoquée explicitement mais elle pourrait logiquement faire partie des droits intellectuels attachés à LAND ROVER...)
Source :
http://www.ft.com/home/europeTata nears luxury marques deal
By Joe Leahy in Mumbai
Published: February 27 2008 02:00 | Last updated: February 27 2008 02:00
Tata Motors could sign a deal with Ford to buy the US carmaker's Jaguar and Land Rover marques as early as next Wednesday or Thursday, people familiar with the deal said yesterday.
The deal should see Ford supply engines to both marques over the next five to 10 years, say those with knowledge of the deal.
"It might still slip. but everyone's working towards that [March 5 or 6]," said a person close to the talks.
Progress was made after a meeting between Tata last Friday and Unite, the main union representing employees at Jaguar and Land Rover.
The deal, valued at about $2bn, would be Tata's first big foray into the international luxury motor manufacturing industry, and a further step by Ford towards restructuring to focus on its North American businesses.
Ford, the world's third-largest carmaker, lost $2.67bn last year and a record $12.6bn in 2006.
Tata is India's largest truckmaker and the second- largest passenger vehicle manufacturer by sales, specialising in lower-cost small cars. Ford declined to comment on the timing of a deal yesterday, saying only: "The discussions are ongoing and made good progress."
Tata Motors said: "We are in negotiations and are happy with the progress."
However, people who are familiar with the negotiations said that both Ford and Tata were working hard towards signing a preliminary agreement next week as part of pledges to conclude final arrangements by the first quarter of this year.
"Everyone is aiming for next week; whether or not it will be achieved, there is still a bit of an issue there," another party familiar with the talks said last night.
The deal centres on vendor and supplier agreements between Ford and the two marques. These cover areas ranging from engine supply, information technology, intellectual property and the brands' financial services.
One person familiar with the talks yesterday said Tata is expected to agree to engine supply agreements that could span the next five to 10 years. But even if it clinches the deal, Tata is expected to face significant challenges with Jaguar and Land Rover.
Land Rover is profitable, with worldwide sales rising 18 per cent last year to 226,395 units but Jaguar is loss-making, with its sales falling 19 per cent to 60,485.