RATAN TATA is expected to appoint a senior Ford executive to run Jaguar and Land Rover, the two British carmakers that he is on the point of acquiring.

Ford last week confirmed – as revealed by The Sunday Times in November – that Tata was preferred bidder for the British marques.

The American group is selling them as part of a major restructuring plan. Senior industry sources said last week that Tata was likely to name a top Ford executive in Europe as chief executive of the Jaguar-Land Rover group. The current chief executive is Geoff Polities, an Australian car-industry veteran.

It is understood that Tata plans few immediate changes to the businesses, with the UK operations and model plans kept intact.

Tata will this week reveal the scale of his automotive ambitions when he unveils his long-awaited “people’s car”.

The “one lakh” car (one lakh equals 100,000 rupees or about £1,225) is specifically for India and neighbouring countries. It is a small, four-seater hatchback intended as a step up from motorcycles and three-wheelers. The price is about half that of the cheapest new car on the Indian market.

It has a steel chassis and plastic body panels, and is powered by a 660cc two-cylinder engine.

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