Nick Scheele, former Ford chief has started the bidding fight for the Land Rover and Jaguar brands, joining former Ford CEO Jacques Nasser and One Equity Partners consultant in the wrangle. Financial Times says Scheele is now working for Ripplewood Holdings a private contestant equity company.

Other labels are interested in Jaguar and Land Rover including Indian producers Tata and Mahindra. To short list the number of companies bidding to only two brands, Ford may have to begin an auction, reported yesterday the Business Standard.

It seems that Chrysler’s buyout by Cerberus Capital Management it’s the only sale of a carmaker to a private equity firm; the results of Jaguar and Land Rover being under an Indian firm management should be interesting.