Could Ford Consider Selling Mazda?

BusinessWeek is reporting that some analysts believe Ford might consider selling its 33.9 percent controlling share in Mazda if the failing US automaker is not soon able to turn its financial woes into wins.

Analysts say Ford's sale of its share in Mazda would net the world's number 3 automaker around AUD$2.7 billion, which represents only a little more than the $2.5 billion Ford received for its sale of Jaguar and Land Rover to Tata.

Given the very close development ties between Ford and Mazda—many of Ford's best cars are built on Mazda platforms—any move to sell off its stake in Mazda would no doubt cause massive upheaval at both companies.

While its profitability may still be on the brink, Ford's products are definitely starting to look up in the past few years, so it seems a better plan might be to weather the storm and continue to build on these successes rather than look for the quick cash.

[BusinessWeek]