Who did Ford buy out?
Ford Motor Company bought outright several high-profile brands over the years, notably Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover, and Volvo Cars. These brands were later sold to new owners, reshaping the company’s portfolio. This article outlines who Ford bought out and what happened to each brand.
Major buyouts in Ford's history
Below is a concise look at the four brands Ford fully owned for a period, including when the acquisitions happened and their eventual outcomes.
- Aston Martin — Ford acquired a controlling stake in 1987 and completed full ownership by 1994; the brand remained under Ford until 2007, when it was sold to a consortium led by Prodrive.
- Jaguar — Ford bought Jaguar in 1989; Jaguar stayed under Ford’s umbrella until 2008, when Tata Motors acquired the brands Jaguar and Land Rover.
- Land Rover — Ford acquired Land Rover from BMW in 2000 and integrated it with Jaguar into the Premier Automotive Group; it was sold to Tata Motors in 2008 as part of the same deal that brought Jaguar under Tata.
- Volvo Cars — Ford acquired Volvo Cars in 1999 and sold it to Geely in 2010.
These moves illustrate how Ford sought to diversify beyond mass-market vehicles, then refocused on its core operations after the financial crisis and strategic realignment.
What happened to these brands after Ford's ownership
Brand outcomes and current ownership
Aston Martin operates independently under new ownership; Jaguar and Land Rover are now part of Jaguar Land Rover, controlled by Tata Motors; Volvo Cars is owned by Geely, a Chinese automaker. These shifts reflect broader industry consolidation and cross-border investment trends in the 2000s and 2010s.
Summary
In brief, Ford’s major buyouts were Aston Martin (1987–2007), Jaguar (1989–2008), Land Rover (2000–2008), and Volvo Cars (1999–2010). Since then, all four have moved on to new owners, shaping today’s automotive landscape.
