FRANKFURT: The European chief of General Motors (GM), Carl-Peter Forster, may switch to Indian car manufacturer Tata, German media reported Saturday.

Forster, 55, is quitting GM after strongly criticising the Detroit-based car giant's surprise U-turn in deciding not to sell European subsidiary Opel.

Tata is reportedly eyeing the GM manager to take charge of its global sales division. A decision was due shortly, sources told German Focus news magazine.

The role would involve launching Tata's budget Nano car in Europe, due in 2011.

Tata also owns the prestigious British Jaguar and Land Rover brands.

GM confirmed on Friday that Forster was quitting. The former Opel boss had been highly critical of GM's last-minute decision not to sell the German carmaker to Canadian-Austrian car parts manufacturer Magna and their Russian backer, state-owned Sberbank.

Carl-Peter Forster, the departing boss of General Motors Europe, is understood
to be eyeing the top job at Jaguar Land Rover, with reports indicating that
he could join the Midlands-based luxury car maker and its Indian parent
company, Tata Motors, in the next few months.