Wednesday 22nd September 2004
Cosworth future hangs in the balance
No news about who or when any time soon, says Jaguar
News about who will buy Cosworth, which is being sold off as part of Ford/Jaguar's pull-out from F1, is unlikely to arrive before the end of the 2004 F1 season, according to Jaguar Racing's spokesman Nav Siddhu. "Of course, if it happens beforehand we'll announce it," he added, "but we've got three races to contest and we're focused on that". Jaguar is the only team to use Cosworth's range-topping CR6 engine.
Given the commercial sensitivity of any negotiations, Cosworth is being tight-lipped about who might buy the company but, said Siddhu, "we're talking to several prospects".
Quizzed on whether Jordan or Minardi -- the other F1 teams reliant on Cosworth for motive power -- were involved in the negotiations, or what their reactions were, Siddhu refused to comment.
Discussion
Just negociating with Bernie.
The proposals for a standard size F1 engine, so teams can buy engines from the likes of Cosworth rather than having unique chassis / engine marriages all kind off falls apart should Cosworth not be there.
It would potentially cut the grid by two more teams, forcing F1 administration to rip up the concorde agreement
Humble pie for Mr Ecclestone
The proposals for a standard size F1 engine, so teams can buy engines from the likes of Cosworth rather than having unique chassis / engine marriages all kind off falls apart should Cosworth not be there.
It would potentially cut the grid by two more teams, forcing F1 administration to rip up the concorde agreement
Humble pie for Mr Ecclestone
Don't Cosworth supply Jaguar, Jordan and Minardi? If Cosworth go it would need the other 7 teams to all run 3 cars each - as Mr E has a contract with the circuits to supply 20 cars on the grid I believe. Top level motorsport is so expensive that perhaps significant cost reduction is necessary.
Captain Beaky said:
Surely time for Nikolai Smolenski to dip into his funds and pick up a new engine or two for TVR...
Exactly my thoughts . . . This bloke has deep pockets. Tune down the Cos f1 lump and pop into a Cerbera 2005 and gooooo! RedTagLine at 12k . . . surely safe enough to rev a tiny bit higher. 14k for the RedRose . . .
mmm, my bet is on GM.
They are using re-branded Cosworth(Ford) motors in the 'Chevy' powered IRL race cars, and it is kind of a black eye for them. They used to own a stake in Ilmor but were bought out by Mercedes.
Also, CART, the other big North American open wheel series, is now exclusively powered by Cosworth engines, and therefore Ford gets to claim credit for all of the engines. If GM bought Cosworth they could now say that all of those cars were now powered by Chevy Cosworth engines, or Cadillac Cosworth, or whatever.
I bet they wouldn't mind having some Cosworth expertise helping out with their growing Cadillac/Corvette racing programs either.
GM has to jump at this.
They are using re-branded Cosworth(Ford) motors in the 'Chevy' powered IRL race cars, and it is kind of a black eye for them. They used to own a stake in Ilmor but were bought out by Mercedes.
Also, CART, the other big North American open wheel series, is now exclusively powered by Cosworth engines, and therefore Ford gets to claim credit for all of the engines. If GM bought Cosworth they could now say that all of those cars were now powered by Chevy Cosworth engines, or Cadillac Cosworth, or whatever.
I bet they wouldn't mind having some Cosworth expertise helping out with their growing Cadillac/Corvette racing programs either.
GM has to jump at this.
Demon Hill said:
Yes, I know Mark but I'm not too sure of Kit, but then, I've only been here for 21 years.
I know mark as kit..
Tell him to get his arse to Silverstone on the 30th October to give us a hand at the birkett.
G
p.s. Autosport is showing Red Bull as the leading contender for jag F1 ( no surprise there then) no word on Cosworth though
I can't imagine Ford letting go of such a revered name in motorsports, and automotive history.
I personally think it's utter stupidity in the fog of greed.
Volvo recently commissioned a new V8 motor for their new SUV. Who did Ford turn to for the development of this motor? YAMAHA, I might add a few more "ha ha" to the end of that name.
Here they have Cosworth, one of the most revered name in Ford racing history, dating back to the days of the rear engine Lotus Ford Indy cars, and Ford turns to Yamaha for a DOHC V8 design. In the meantime, we sit here and watch Cosworth get tossed out with the dishwater, and we watch Jaguar get moved to the back burner, and the heat on that burner is being turned down to save fuel.
Had Ford turned to Jaguar to provide the new V8 in collaboration with Cosworth, Volvo would have gotten a fine motor from within Ford PAG, they would have saved jobs at Jaguar, been able to keep the profits within the organization, and now Volvo wouldn't have the stigma of being a Lexus with a Swedish badge on the front.
Sad, isn't it?
How can Ford be so good with things like the GT-40, and so stupid at the same time? After all, Jaguar made them PLENTY of money a year ago, and now "someone" is claiming Jaguar is losing what, $400 million bucks? Sounds more like a MANAGEMENT PROBLEM AT FORD to me.
Dogsharks
I personally think it's utter stupidity in the fog of greed.
Volvo recently commissioned a new V8 motor for their new SUV. Who did Ford turn to for the development of this motor? YAMAHA, I might add a few more "ha ha" to the end of that name.
Here they have Cosworth, one of the most revered name in Ford racing history, dating back to the days of the rear engine Lotus Ford Indy cars, and Ford turns to Yamaha for a DOHC V8 design. In the meantime, we sit here and watch Cosworth get tossed out with the dishwater, and we watch Jaguar get moved to the back burner, and the heat on that burner is being turned down to save fuel.
Had Ford turned to Jaguar to provide the new V8 in collaboration with Cosworth, Volvo would have gotten a fine motor from within Ford PAG, they would have saved jobs at Jaguar, been able to keep the profits within the organization, and now Volvo wouldn't have the stigma of being a Lexus with a Swedish badge on the front.
Sad, isn't it?
How can Ford be so good with things like the GT-40, and so stupid at the same time? After all, Jaguar made them PLENTY of money a year ago, and now "someone" is claiming Jaguar is losing what, $400 million bucks? Sounds more like a MANAGEMENT PROBLEM AT FORD to me.
Dogsharks
Apparently a few years ago when a certain enthusiast at Ford had influence and access to money, Ford bought up some premium brands, like Jaguar, Aston Marton, Cosworth, AC, and now Volvo, and Rover.
In the case of poor AC, and now Cosworth, and hopefully not Jaguar, Ford gleefully captured them, and then apparently lost interest and/or didn't know what to do with them. One might ask, why were they acquired in the first place, just a game to keep someone else from getting them???
AC was sold to Ford and Autokraft in 1986 and became AC Car Group. After 7 years of being captured by Ford, managed by Ford to go nowhere by intent, the group was sold again in 1993 and went into receivership in 1996 but was rescued from administration, as AC Car Group Ltd, and continued car production. I don't think anyone at AC is really looking back at the Ford experience with fond memories.
The Ford left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. Executives live out their own fantasy, and then either retire or move on to other jobs, leaving the continuity of the company in the hands of "others". Guess what? "It shows", not only in their actions like this, but in the products they build.
I rented a Taurus the other day on a business trip. I had to actually stop, get out of the car, walk around and look to be sure I didn't have a flat tire. Yes, it was that bad.
Now at Volvo, Ford is wedging their management style into the Volvo culture. For the first time ever, Volvo now has a job description "head of engine compartment design", which is headed up by a "stylist" rather than a "deigner" or "engineer". The result is a new plastic cover on top of what is probably a magnificient looking new 60-degree balance shaft DOHC V8 designed by yes, the Japanese. Where in history has the Bauhause influenced Swede ever put a plastic cover over top of a cam cover before? This unnecessary "adornment" is just one more reason why Ford products basically suck. It's a disconnect.
Dogsharks
In the case of poor AC, and now Cosworth, and hopefully not Jaguar, Ford gleefully captured them, and then apparently lost interest and/or didn't know what to do with them. One might ask, why were they acquired in the first place, just a game to keep someone else from getting them???
AC was sold to Ford and Autokraft in 1986 and became AC Car Group. After 7 years of being captured by Ford, managed by Ford to go nowhere by intent, the group was sold again in 1993 and went into receivership in 1996 but was rescued from administration, as AC Car Group Ltd, and continued car production. I don't think anyone at AC is really looking back at the Ford experience with fond memories.
The Ford left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. Executives live out their own fantasy, and then either retire or move on to other jobs, leaving the continuity of the company in the hands of "others". Guess what? "It shows", not only in their actions like this, but in the products they build.
I rented a Taurus the other day on a business trip. I had to actually stop, get out of the car, walk around and look to be sure I didn't have a flat tire. Yes, it was that bad.
Now at Volvo, Ford is wedging their management style into the Volvo culture. For the first time ever, Volvo now has a job description "head of engine compartment design", which is headed up by a "stylist" rather than a "deigner" or "engineer". The result is a new plastic cover on top of what is probably a magnificient looking new 60-degree balance shaft DOHC V8 designed by yes, the Japanese. Where in history has the Bauhause influenced Swede ever put a plastic cover over top of a cam cover before? This unnecessary "adornment" is just one more reason why Ford products basically suck. It's a disconnect.
Dogsharks
Around 6 years ago, Audi purchased Cosworth Engineering off Vickers. A few weeks after that, Audi sold the racing part to Ford and was named Cosworth Racing. The road engine side of Cosworth Engineering was kept by Audi and called Cosworth Technology. These are two independent companies.
Cosworth Racing retained the right to use the COSWORTH name and logo and will still keep that when Ford sells us.
Cosworth Racing retained the right to use the COSWORTH name and logo and will still keep that when Ford sells us.
Dogsharks said:
Apparently a few years ago when a certain enthusiast at Ford had influence and access to money, Ford bought up some premium brands, like Jaguar, Aston Marton, Cosworth, AC, and now Volvo, and Rover.
Ford bought Land Rover from BMW, not Rover (thank God!).
History is littered with unsuccessful merger and acquisition attempts, not just in the automotive space. I sold a company a few years back and was reminded at the time that something like 80% of M&A's fail.
Ford has done a poor job with the PAG brands (and the rest of Europe too), but then we can hardly say that DaimlerChrysler did a good job with Mitsubishi, BMW with Rover, GM with SAAB. I wonder where the likes of Jaguar and Volvo would be now without large corporate money behind them. Good knows Rover is struggling.
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