Wednesday 28th May 2008

Richards: Aston Not For Sale

Aston chairman David Richards 'not looking for buyers'

---

Aston Martin is not for sale, company chairman David Richards has told Autocar.

Richards, who is also boss of Prodrive, sought to dispel ongoing rumours that the company would be on the market for the right price.

'This speculation is only there because we are talking to people all the time about engines.

'But we are always talking to people and it doesn't mean we're for sale,' he said during last weekend's Nurburgring 24hr race.

'The company is not for sale,' he added.

In the race, Richards' Astons finished first, second and third in their class.

Speculation that Richards and other investors would be quick to sell the company has been circulating ever since the partnership bought Aston from Ford last year.

Richards also said Ford would be supplying Aston's engines for the next few years and was cagey about any deal with Mercedes.

'We are guaranteed engine supply by Ford until 2012 and we are talking to Mercedes, but then we are talking to Ford and we talk to everybody,' he added.

[Brink]

It won't be the first time a denial come before a sale...

[OperationAlfa]

Good. Best thing was when the partnership bought Aston from Ford.

[layabout]

OperationAlfa said:

Good. Best thing was when the partnership bought Aston from Ford.

Why? Aston would have gone belly up a long time ago if it wasn't for Ford

[bikemonster]

So, we can expect the sale announcement within the next week or so then.

[Pinger23]

I hope the sell it to a Russian billionaire so it will be in safe hands for the future generations.

[haggle]

mmmmm aston with a supercharged amg v8

[rjes77]

Pinger23 said:

I hope the sell it to a Russian billionaire so it will be in safe hands for the future generations.

Better than selling it to a Russian billionaire's fkwit son who pisses it down the river.

Richards is an astute chap and recognises its better to source engines from a third party which hence involves conversations with the usual suspects, Merc, BMW etc

[OperationAlfa]

layabout said:

OperationAlfa said:

Good. Best thing was when the partnership bought Aston from Ford.

Why? Aston would have gone belly up a long time ago if it wasn't for Ford

I know that, but I think it was time to split.

[Zod]

BMW engines for a more sporting Aston, Mercedes for GTs. I'd love a DB9 or a Vantage with the V10 from my car.

Edited by Zod on Wednesday 28th May 14:29

[Quentin1]

I am sorry, but "his" Astons did not finish 1,2,3. The second V8 Vantage in SP8 was a private one. Nevertheless a really cool race that weekend.

[Road_Terrorist]

haggle said:

mmmmm aston with a supercharged amg v8

That old supercharged engine has been killed off now.
And as nice as the Merc engines are, it would be just seem plain wrong in an Aston Martin. Plus it wouldn't be long before Mercedes swallowed up Aston and made it just another part of it's range, the Vantange would turn into an upmarket SLK, the DB9 a rebodied SL, the Rapide a CLS etc, it would essentially kill Aston in all but name.

Really Aston should look to someone like Nissan/Renault to develop some new performance engines and/or RWD platform. Nissan already has the know how and desire to make RWD platforms and decent performance cars, it wants to head a bit upmarket with the Infiniti brand so a partnership with Aston sitting above that but sharing base level tech would probably work quite nicely for all.

Then if Aston really wanted to go Porsche hunting as they seem to want to do, they could rebody the GT-R with a more stylish Aston body and a basically create a proper 911 turbo rival . Yeah I know pretty unlikely, but it's fun to speculate .

[chippy17]

'we talk to everybody, all the time' protest too much...hasn't said a word to me though...

[thinfourth2]

The way the bond film is going they could survive on just selling them cars

[Double R]

"Lazies und Gentlemen, heeer ze new all British Azton Mavtin Vontage built in Germany with German enzine by our German dezigners"

Vorsprung Dur... err... Zpeed, Zoul und Beauty! I mean

[flattotheboards]

Im sure though if the right price came along he would sell.

[Fire99]

I have no scientific basis but my guess is that Aston Martin wont be up for sale within the next 3 years..
David Richards seems to have a very good reputation in the motoring industry and also appears a pretty straight talker..

If the consortium were considering a buyout i would doubt he would point-blank deny it.

[Al 450]

flattotheboards said:

Im sure though if the right price came along he would sell.

'He' doesn't own it!

[belleair302]

DR is the front man for a consortium backed by money from a variety of investors from the US and Dubai. They will at some point want their money back, plus interest, but AM are NOT selling cars in the US at the moment....seen the exchange rate and are struggling in Europe. Russia, China and SE Asia may be different but these are NOT volume markets, Europe, UK and USA are!! No worries yet but by the end of the year it may well be a different story.

[robm3]

"The company is not for sale" = it is.

Edited by robm3 on Wednesday 28th May 22:51

[Fire99]

robm3 said:

"The company is not for sale" = it is.

Edited by robm3 on Wednesday 28th May 22:51

50p bet that it ain't