Chinese Groups Lead Bids for Ford’s German Site as Tensions Rise
- BYD, German solar component maker among final bidders
- Germany steps up checks on China deals, blocks chip plant sale
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Ford Motor Co. is nearing an agreement to sell a plant in Germany, with two groups of Chinese carmakers among the three leading bidders at a time when Chinese investments in Europe are under growing scrutiny.
One of the bids comes from BYD Co., the largest domestic automaker in China, while another involves several smaller Chinese car companies, according to people familiar with the situation. The US carmaker and the German state of Saarland, home to the plant, are also in talks with a German solar component maker, said the people, who declined to be named discussing private information.