LONDON -- The combined businesses of Jaguar and Land Rover made a strong profit in 2007, Tata Motors Managing Director Ravi Kant said today.

Speaking to analysts on a conference call, Kant also said that the combined operations were profitable in each of the four quarters of the year.

While Land Rover is "very healthy and profitable," Jaguar was "turning around and on the cusp of recovery," Tata Chief Financial Officer C Ramakrishnan said on the same call.

When asked for detailed financial performance figures for the two British brands, Ramakrishnan said Ford Motor would be issuing "specific data on Jaguar Land Rover" within the next two weeks.

Tata is buying Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford for $2.3 billion.

Responding to questions on technology transfer and royalty payments to Ford, Ramakrishnan said the $2.3 billion sale consideration included all royalty payments on current and future technology as well as 100 percent ownership of Jaguar and Land Rover's three manufacturing plants, two r&d centers and 26 sales companies worldwide.

"Our royalty payments will drop to zero," Ramakrishnan told analysts.

Asked whether Jaguar Land Rover would be working with Fiat to share platforms and manufacturing facilities, Ramakrishnan said there was no connection between Jaguar Land Rover and Fiat.

In response to questions about future Land Rover technologies, Ramakrishnan confirmed that work is in progress on hybrid powertrains and lightweight vehicle architectures and that the compact LRX concept shown at this year's Detroit and Geneva auto shows is a significant model technically.

Ramakrishnan said Tata had got "a good deal" in buying Jaguar and Land Rover. He said that further information will be released once the deal is completed before the end of June.