As the bidding for Jaguar heads into its final stages, some U.S. dealers are expressing discomfort of an Indian company taking over the luxury brand. According to Ken Gorin, chairman of Jaguar’s national dealer council, dealers feel that an Indian ownership could be an image problem for the customers interested in the luxury brand.

“I don’t know that the United States consumer is ready to deal with a premium brand like Jaguar being owned by an Indian company,” Gorin told Automotive News. “It has nothing to do with reality, I’m sure there is a reality that exists that is terrific.

“But when we think about India, we think about a Third World country and people going to work on their bicycles.”

While Ford acknowledges the concern, no major protests have been made by U.S. dealers regarding Tata Motors bid for the brand.

Bid for Jaguar have been said to be in the range of $1.5-$2 billion and it is possible that the bids may be revised when negotiations get underway.

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)

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