• The Detroit News, Monday, March 12, 2007 3:30 PM

Aston Martin, the British nameplate made famous in James Bond movies, could be sold by Ford as early as today to a group of private investors in a deal worth about $870 million. The group is led by auto racing entrepreneur David Richards, a founder of Prodrive Ltd., which runs Aston Martin's racing program. Kuwait's Investment Dar Co., among others, would back him, sources say.

Aston Martin is part of Ford's Premier Automotive Group, which includes Jaguar, Land Rover and Sweden's Volvo. It wants to sell the sports car maker to raise cash to help pay for its restructuring, but it is likely to retain a small stake in the brand, the sources say.

Ford bought a majority stake in Aston Martin in 1987, and the rest of it in 1994. It put the brand on the selling block in August.

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