Ford Motor Co could announce the sale of its Aston Martin luxury performance cars unit for more than £450 million this week, a source said today.
Formula One team Prodrive, working with Egypt's Naeem investment bank, is the front runner to buy the business although other bidders such as UK buyout firm Doughty Hanson are still in the process should talks fall through, the source said.
Doughty Hanson and Syrian-born property tycoon Simon Halabi also submitted second-round offers for Aston Martin in an auction being run by investment bank UBS, sources said last month.
Ford said last year it would sell all or part of Aston Martin to raise funds for other businesses.