=_NextPart_000_004B_01C6C820.B2334150 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
8/25/06
(Reuters) Ford Motor Co. is in talks to sell some luxury-auto brands to = an investment group led by its former Chief Executive Officer Jacques = Nasser, Bloomberg news service reported on its Web site, citing four = people familiar with the discussions.
The discussions focus on Jaguar and Land Rover, Bloomberg cited one of = the people saying. The article said the talks are with JPMorgan Chase & = Co.'s One Equity Partners LLC, where it said Nasser is senior partner = for mergers and acquisition.
The talks with Nasser, which could result in a joint venture rather than = an outright acquisition, don't involve Volvo, the article said.
Nasser was ousted from his position as Ford's president and chief = executive in October 2001, amid mounting troubles at the company at the = time. His departure came shortly after the company reported a $692 = million third-quarter loss on top of a loss the previous quarter.
JPMorgan and Ford were not immediately available for comment.
Ford, based in Dearborn, Michigan, is under pressure to speed up = cost-cutting efforts after a $254 million loss in the second quarter =
2006 and worse-than-expected July U.S. sales.
Ford's U.S. vehicle sales have fallen almost 10 percent through July, a = month in which Japanese rival Toyota Motor Corp. (7203.T) outsold Ford = for the first time.
Battling shrinking U.S. market share and rising costs, Ford has said it = will accelerate its turnaround plan, dubbed the "Way Forward," to = respond to weakening U.S. demand for fuel-hungry trucks and SUVs amid = high gasoline prices.=20
Yet another $.02 worth from a proud owner of a 1970 Mach 1 @ =