Coming out of Geneva along with the exodus of automotive journalists are reports that a sale of Aston Martin is imminent, and that the likely winning bid has come from a consortium headed by Prodrive founder David Richards. The expected bid is rumored to be around $965,800,000 (£500,000), or about half of what Ford Motor Co. was hoping to get for its most premium of brands. Ford is expected to retain an interest in Aston Martin since it's still the brand's number one supplier of parts, and current chief Ulrich Benz, who himself submitted a bid to own the brand he runs, should remain in his position for the time being.

Despite the lower than hoped for selling price, Ford is reportedly pleased to have found a new owner with experience in the auto biz and an already-established connection to the Aston Martin brand. Prodrive runs Aston Martin's racing team and has been connected with the automaker in one way or another for many years, so the purchase indeed seems like a good fit. We'll let you know when word comes that the sale is final, which is expected before the end of the week.

[Source: Daily Telegraph via GMInsideNews]