Ford Motor appears to be stepping back from its luxury car lines, according to The Wall Street Journal. Terry Kosdrosky, Steve McGrath and Stephen Power report (subscription required) that Ford’s Premier Automotive Group, featuring Aston-Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo are bleeding billions (largely thanks to Jaguar), rather than contributing mighty profits, as the powerpoint promised. Valuations range from 200MM to 1B for Aston, and rumours suggest that other lines in the PAG may be available as well.

The obvious factors are Ford’s difficulty in mainstream automobiles, and the inability of the PAG to pull its own weight, let alone contribute to the bottom line. As brands become more focused, we’re seeing companies more successfully exploit a portofolio approach when the brands target similar markets, rather than serving as additional feeders off some vertical capability. Nike serves as an example; TI’s legendary stumble into watches and Speak ‘n’ Spell serve as a cautionary counter-point.

Either way, the DB9 can be expected to survive, and as the article notes, removing Aston-Martin could breathe fresh air into the Jaguar line – the Jan Brady of the PAG.