Tata’s $2.3bn successful bid for Jaguar and Land Rover has propelled India’s biggest vehicle-maker on to the international stage. The company famed for making the world’s cheapest car has acquired two of Britain’s prime luxury marques. Ratan Tata, Tata’s chairman and the driving force behind its global ambitions, believes it can succeed where Ford, the previous owner, failed. He faces a monumental task.

The sale of Jaguar and Land Rover is a strategic withdrawal for Ford, which in recent years has had to subsidise losses in Jaguar. It is profitable in Europe and can now focus on its core US car business.