Aston Martin's Italian job

The Italian private-equity fund Investindustrial has snapped up a 37.5 per cent stake in James Bond's favourite car maker, Aston Martin, for €190m (£154m).

It beat off competition from the Indian car group Mahindra & Mahindra to secure the deal, which will see it taking a substantial stake alongside the current owners, a consortium of Kuwaiti investors led by Investment Dar, who will continue to control the company.

The deal, which will take the form of a capital raising, values Aston Martin at €940m, including debts in the company.