Prodrive buy Aston Martin - News on Page 4 from different members

[Dave A]

Astons could very well become some of the world's best-ever cars

Become, they already are mate They could be better, but nothings perfect. I like the idea of ProDrive owning them, but I'd still like to know how ProDrive plans to fund Aston Martin because that is a concern.

 

[TheCracker]

I would think that the two investment companies - Investment Dar and Adeem Investment that have stumped up a big chunk of the sticker price will also fund R & D.

 

[Appie]

Wow never knew thar Prodrive would actually buy it. nice job Prodrive:tup:

 

[Metar]

Become, they already are mate They could be better, but nothings perfect. I like the idea of ProDrive owning them, but I'd still like to know how ProDrive plans to fund Aston Martin because that is a concern.

Sure, but improvements are always possible.

Funding might be a problem. After all, with some results-less years in the WRC, I dunno where they have the cash...
And they're also going to enter F1, don't remember when.

 

[Dave A]

I think ProDrive are entering F1 next year.

 

[YSSMAN]

Its offical...

Ford today officially announced the sale of Aston Martin to an investment group lead by Prodrive founder and chairman David Richards. The deal — expected to close during the second quarter — is valued at $925 million, the company said. Ford plans to retain a small $77 million stake in Aston.

The new owner of Aston Martin is a consortium comprised of: David Richards, founder and chairman of Prodrive, a world-leading motorsport and automotive technology company; John Sinders, an avid Aston Martin collector and a backer of Aston Martin Racing; and Investment Dar and Adeem Investment Co, international investment companies headquartered in Kuwait.

CEO Dr Ulrich Bez will remain in charge of Aston Martin.

I'm hoping for the best here, sounds like a good deal.

 

[nitro_2005]

I can see it now: Prodrive-Aston Martin F1 cars

 

[harrytuttle]

The Vanquish was a 575M competitor, and a good one at that. It certainly wasn't lagging behind in the performance stakes. The DB9 and 575 are on different levels price wise, as is the DB9 and 599. The 599 is better than the Vanquish but then the Vanquish is coming to the end of it's life and the 599 has just started. The only overlap between Aston marting and Ferrari is the Ferrari Grand Tourers, and they haven't had more than 1 Grand Tourer in their lineup at any one time for a long, long time. In the 60's supercars were generally more like Grand Tourers in design, so the supercar and Grand Tourer markets were virtually the same in most cases, with just a few standout supercars being vastly different ie the GT40, Lamborghini Muira ect. Besides all that, my point in the other post was that where the small overlap currently is between Aston Martin and Ferrari, Aston Martin arn't really behind on the sporting front. 0.3 seconds between the Vanquish S and 575 HGTC, two cars that competed. Thats nothing.

That's primarily what I was alluding to: the GT's, not the sports cars (which you cleared up). I think Prodrive can really turn the V8 Vantage into a real 911 GT3-baiter. Maybe not a killer, but a real competitor.

And awesome news that Prodrive got the purchase. In retrospect, could there have been any better owner?

 

[Speedster502]

Did anyone know that although Prodrive owns the majority of the company that Ford still owns small shares in it and will provide Aston and Prodrive with parts, technical suport and probably Fords Gaydon based factory (The one they use at the moment) and it opens up 200 more jobs. It all sounds good to me!

 

[Sting]

All of you can forget seeing AM in F1 for the near future:

Aston Martin owner rules out F1
By Andrew Benson
Motorsport editor

New Aston Martin boss David Richards has ruled out the company entering Formula One for the foreseeable future.

Richards, Aston Martin's new co-owner and chairman, also runs the Prodrive motorsport company that is entering F1 in 2008 with its own team.

But he told BBC Sport that Prodrive had already decided the best approach for F1 was to buy cars from another team.

And he added: "There is a long way to go before an involvement in F1 could benefit the Aston Martin brand."

There had been widespread speculation that Aston Martin would consider an F1 programme when it was revealed Richards was leading the consortium that was buying it.

Richards, who has previously run the Benetton and BAR-Honda F1 teams, will be co-owner and chairman of the company after it was sold by US car giant Ford to a consortium including Kuwaiti investors.

And Prodrive runs Aston Martin's programme in sportscar racing.

But Richards said: "Obviously you always review thing as you go along, but there are two factors against [an Aston Martin F1 programme] at the moment.

"Firstly, we consider at Prodrive that our route to be competitive in F1 is to partner an existing team - frankly, I don't have the patience to set up a team from scratch and flog around at the back of the grid for five years.

"And as far as Aston Martin is concerned, it is a product that is still in its infancy. It is still developing as a brand.

"There is a great range of cars, but there is a long way to go before it is in a place where an involvement in F1 could benefit the brand.

"Today we sell all the cars we produce. We need a proper cross-section of products and only then can we start to look at what we can do to extend the reach of the brand further.

"You would also have to look at the damage it could do to go into F1 and get it wrong.

"There are other issues for Aston Martin without worrying about something as dramatic as Formula One motor racing."
Story from BBC SPORT:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/6443609.stm

Published: 2007/03/13 10:13:44 GMT

© BBC MMVII

 

[Frizbe]

"Firstly, we consider at Prodrive that our route to be competitive in F1 is to partner an existing team - frankly, I don't have the patience to set up a team from scratch and flog around at the back of the grid for five years.

Nice

 

[ND4SPD]

This is great news. Almost like a match made in heaven.

 

[land sea air]

nothing but positive news 👍 👍 I think that even if finances became a problem (which I strongly strongly doubt Ford will let happen) its been proven that a company with money troubles can still make better cars than a company owned by a mega super evil corporation.

 

[SlipZtrEm]

Nothing turns on creative inspiration quite like last-minute (er, financial) panic. I couldn't agree more; it seems so many companies pull their biggest punches when they're risking going under. Porsche, Lotus, Chrysler (they could use another one).

Anyways, on the topic at hand, there couldn't have been better news for Aston. Excellent, just awesome for everyone 👍