While Nanjing Auto bought MG Rover back in July 2005, the forerunner to buy the Rover brand name from BMW was Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp, who actually owns many of Rover’s design rights. SAIC was expected to buy the Rover brand name for US$21.7 million. It had plans to put the Rover 75 back into production in late 2007 or early 2008.
However, SAIC has to change it’s plans now, as Ford whom BMW has given first right of refusal over the Rover brand name has decided to execute it’s rights and buy the brand name from BMW – and it has no plans to resell it later. Ford feels it is essential to own the Rover brand name to protect the interests of it’s Land Rover brand, through which it gained it’s first right of refusal in the first place when it bought Land Rover from BMW in the year 2000.
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worst,Pople will not ever remember the brand name..but it will remains as a story of the "milo tin on wheels" or the trilogy of "I need to open door when pay toll", "I need to open door when collect parking ticket" and "I NEED TO OPEN DOOR WHEN BUYING FAST FOOD AT DRIVE THRU COUNTER".
P/S nobody will try to take over this make…all puke
Would somebody tell Clarkson that all they can do about a car now is just talk about it?
Now theres a big possibility of China made FORDs…Hmmm….Wonder if anybody will buy " made in China " cars after this….
Ford is doomed…losing money like no tmr…the Rover brand is only a serious contender in the UK market …so sales wise im nt sure if its that helpful…doest sound like a smart move
but Ford have lots of benefits from the Volvo take over..I think Ford as a very very very senior carmaker will know what are they looking for…
p/s bring the Focus st here la…or you want msian to buy the old foocus and tranplant the S80 engine and rebadge Focus ST80/type R/wrc/McRae Edition
I thought Ford was already suffering from a financial problem and wanted to sell off Aston and Jaguar?
The Brits are good at making some fine cars but it's so unfortunate that they can't sustain a good business behind a brand.
Question is, why didn't they get the Rover brandname earlier? Why do they wait until SAIC change their plans?
what the heck is Ford thinking now?
its losing hundreds of millions and now only they are thinking of acquiring Rover?
Rover is a brand name that won't bloster sales either, if jaguar and aston martin isn't goin to save Ford, how on earth could a brand which is like Proton to the British, save Ford.
Ford's problem is the American car market. But buying a brand lik Rover won't solve anything.
Buying Rover wont save anyone. I'm pretty sure Ford is aware of it.
Jaguar and Aston are niche products. Low volumn image builders. They are practically loss leaders, but there for a reason.
Cars that save ford are the bread and butter Focuses (Foci?), Ford 500, Windstar, and F-Series Trucks. Majority of these cater for the North American Market. And as of late, the NA market is a little on the dry side, which explains the slump. Doesn;t affect only Ford…DC, GM, Honda, Toyota and the rest are getting hit as well. Only one doing relatively well is Hyundai/Kia..no surprises there though.
For example, last month (8/06) Ford managed to sell 76,804 F-Series pickups alone in USA (Same month in 2005, Ford pushed out over 90k F-Series). This is 2x more than the the total new vehicle purchases in Malaysia.
The UK is a small market. They might use the MG brand to penetrate certain markets as a test, failure wont contamintate the bigger band name. You can see where that is going. China has a weird appitite for car brands. GM seems to be doing fairly well with the Buick nameplate despite the fact, GM nearly killed the brand in North America but instead gettign rid of Oldsmobile.
Malaysia is a minute market. Most of us are not exposed to the dynamics of a large mature automotive market so some of these strategies may make little sense to us.
As for Lotus. They are doing well because they are allowed to do what they do best. Previous management got it in thier thick heads to make Lotus profitable, which made things worst. Lucky Proton has gotten that msg clear.
OT : Looks like GM is getting the hint and jumping in the bandwagon buying up DRB-HICOM shares and might bring in more Chevy/Deawoo models.
ford faster buy rover back
don wan see it suffering in da hands of da chinese.
Huh!!?? Ford buy Rover?? Will it do it really? Aston and Volvo, Jaguar already under them.. Rover again?
Ford bought "Rover" brand in order to protect its Land Rover brand.
no ittention to build Rover car, they will keep it only.
Ford seems try to avoid from selling any of its PAG's brand especially Volvo & Land Rover. Ford should stop rebadge Ford's vehicle as Mercury.
possibility rumours around US that Ford & GM will merge in near future.
maybe we will see more drastic decision etc. Ford to ripped off Mercury brand.
if SAIC bought Rover brand, "Rover" brand reputation and image could be in danger. its better for Ford to bought the brand even just to keep it without producing any vehicle under Rover brand.
If SAIC can come out brand like Chery ("mimic" Chevy – Chevrolet), and Rover was bought over by Ford, then SAIC also can put "Lover" mah, what a big fuss, save 21 million bucks …….