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Trade union leaders representing 15,000 British workers at Jaguar and Land Rover are holding urgent talks with management over the future of the two car brands.
The move came as the parent company, Ford, confirmed that it had appointed investment bankers to advise it on the future of two of Britain’s best known car makers.
Concerns that Ford is seeking to sell Jaguar and Land Rover have led to calls for the UK government to intervene to safeguard their future.
Dave Osborne, car industry national secretary for the Unite union, said: “We have been pressing for assurances for the future from Jaguar/Land Rover and will redouble those demands now.”
Ford, which lost $12.7 billion last year, has been reviewing the future of several divisions.
One is its Premier Automotive Group, which includes Jaguar, Land Rover, Volvo and, until March, Aston Martin, which was sold to a consortium backed by Middle Eastern investors.
There were reports, denied by Ford, that it was in talks with BMW over Volvo’s future and there has been persistent speculation that the two remaining British marques could be sold.
Ford said: “We are looking, with our financial advisers, to determine the best future for Jaguar/Land Rover.”
Land Rover employs 8,300 workers in the UK and Jaguar has a workforce of 7,300.
The close ties between the marques makes it more likely they would be sold together but industry sources say there is far more interest in Land Rover, which has had record sales of late, than in Jaguar.
