MG Rover

[Steven]

I've just heard on the radio that they've called in the administrators. I thought with the general election coming up the government might have stepped in and bailed them out with a loan, but it doesn't look like it.

The cars are rubbish, but it's sad to see 6000 peoples jobs slipping away like this. Does Britain have a single car maker left?

 

[Jai]

too bad..still when i went into a showroom a year ago looking at alternatives to the panda we did buy, the salesman actually though the cityrover was a better car...panel gaps and squeaky dash included..walked away very quickly

all the big manufacturers have had there troubles, vw, fiat, renault, etc the difference is can you still make a product that people "want" and you look at most of the mainland european makers and the answer is yes they can, the panda came along when fiat looked like it was in serious trouble, so why not rover? poor management, no imagination, and a process of gradual evolution rather than innovation, which apparently they were renowned for back in the day.

i do feel the workers there and in the support industries are bearing the brunt, but they like many others are simply reaping what they sowed back in the 70's with wildcat strikes bring production to a virtual standstill for no reason, creating an image of poor quality, "friday/monday cars" and a general air of "we're crap and dont care", that endured for a long long time.

despite problems worse than that for the italian marques (alfa and fiat) and the majority of japanese ones with rampant rust and reliabilty from that same period of time, they have managed to distance thrmselves from that image, with a product range that works and is desirable in the main

at least the mini and land/range rover made it out alive and are thriving, as for the reat of the range...i agree with steve, rubbish

 

[alexb]

I think they've done quite good things (looks-wise anyway) with the recently facelifted MG models, but the masses of people who've just bought them will be cursing!!

With regard to British car makers! Ha! I don't think so:

Jaguar is owned by Ford.
TVR is over by a Russian.
Aston Martin? Who knows!
Rolls Royce? Are they even British?

 

[NowIsGone1106]

rolls royce - german....

just heard that the government will be stuping up some muller for em'...

if only they made cars with a bit of passion they might not make a loss! lol

still hope all is well... if only for all the peeps they employ

alfie

 

[Jai]

I think they've done quite good things (looks-wise anyway) with the recently facelifted MG models, but the masses of people who've just bought them will be cursing!!

With regard to British car makers! Ha! I don't think so:

Jaguar is owned by Ford.
TVR is over by a Russian.
Aston Martin? Who knows!
Rolls Royce? Are they even British?

i think aston martin is owned by ford (usa) theres a big article in evo about how the new jag coupe and aston coupe look so alike

rolls? i think bmw own that one

 

[alexb]

how the new jag coupe and aston coupe look so alike

'tis true! But they both look damn fine.

So ARE there any British manufacturers left??

 

[Steven]

Anyone know what happens to someone with a brand new Rover. How will it affect warranty claims and so on if they do collapse?

 

[Jai]

er.......morgan? fouda? those specialist single seat maker? i'm sure in terms of specialist low volume there are...but as for meaningful numbers....

 

[joecinq]

I'm pretty sure westfield is english...

 

[Nuova500]

It is so sad, the Rover range, 75 excepted is out of date and poor both erginomically and dynamically. The 75 however is a good car. The CityRover was a last desperate attempt at creating a life saver for Rover using a hopeless base. The car is a Tata Indica, Indian made and awful. To be fair Rover worked a miracal with it to make it even acceptable to drive as the Indian originals are ****e! The work MG Rover has done to the 25 and 45 is fabulous. Drive a ZS180 and say you werent impressed... The ZR was the UKs best selling hot hatch for some time, ousting the Paxo VTR from the top spot. Thats a fabulous achievement. Then they made a rear engined 75 and ZT, and the MG Max concept car was outstanding. The talent is there, the whole world knows that, but the money isnt or the managers will to succeed.
The really sad thing is that this year is the 100th birthday of Austin, where Rovers are made at Longbridge. A very sad time indeed.

Also, this deal with the Chinese.... did you know that a few weeks ago Fiat approached the same Chinese company with regard to a deal? Makes you wonder... are the Chinese dumping Rover in favour of Fiat????

 

[Luke]

As long as i can pick up a rover 200 cheap with a 1.4 K series engine in a year or so and i'm happy

 

[custard]

very sad, i too though the government would step in.
think our biggest(only?)car maker now is the company that makes the black cabs

 

[serin]

I'm pretty sure westfield is english...

so is Caterham, i think :chin:

rolls? i think bmw own that one

and Bentley is owned by VW

 

[Luke]

so is Caterham, i think :chin:

They are indeed, their factory isnt far from me.

You also have Noble,
Marcos,
Ultima Sports,
Could keep going for a while

 

[serin]

this is all rather annoying

i can, or rather could of got a 12% discount on Rovers :bang:

oh well,

 

[Liam]

I've got an Auot Express with the brand new MG in it, not the 05 plate of the usual shape but a totally new model.

Wonder where of if that will be made?

Liam

 

[Jai]

all great, but all low volume specialist makers, their combined output for a year would probably be less than that for nissan at sunderland for a month. in terms of sheer numbers and mass market, there isn't been a fully british brand anymore

having said that you look at most other companies, and they learnt a long time ago to send component manufacture offshore, and assemble in house, or even in another country to their "home"

 

[Ems]

My other half's parents have just bought a 2 1/2 year old ZT, very nice car but when they asked me what to look out for I said be careful with the Rover because I knew they'd been in difficulty for a while and the parts supply could be affected. My other half laughed at me (and he's an accountant!) and told me not to be silly. Well.....

I think they've done quite well with the ZR range as well, fairly cheap insurance for the young drivers but with the styling that appeals to them. But, the Rover 25 (or 200) is still a really old car to keep tarting up and they've needed something new for a while.

 

[Magical Trevor]

My mother has a 2 year old Rover 25, shes going trading it in this morning for a new Peugeot 206cc her Rover, which was 13.5k is now worth 3.5k thats some hell of depreciation

 

[smurfhead]

That is their head office. The cars are actually made a couple of miles from Mallory Park on the stretch of road there between Mallory Park and Market Bosworth.

They are indeed, their factory isnt far from me.

You also have Noble,
Marcos,
Ultima Sports,
Could keep going for a while