Rover Name Provisionally sold to Chinese.

[JohnDotCom]

I see from a Translation Post today sent from NAG site, and on Auto Express News Release that the Rover Name has been Purchased by the Chinese Group Provisionally from Ford and the Rowe Name will be dropped and the Rover Badge Installed in its Place.
Don't know if that is Good or Bad News.

[CDTi]

WOW - this is news, John :eek:

Could be good for Longbridge in the medium to long term with a bit of luck.

[JohnDotCom]

I have reports and Photos of Two new "Rover" Models to be released,
just awaiting Translations.

[GERFIX]

Don't know if that is Good or Bad News.
That was my initial thought but looking on the bright side, at the very least it keeps the name alive (despite now being a "Chinese Brand").

[Aurora ZT-T]

I've been saying/thinking for a long time that it would be ironical if the Rover name was eventually bought NAC or SIAC as the whole saga will have gone full circle!!
It will also likely help with residual values of the "MG Rover" Rovers
I think it will be a good thing as "Roewe" would never sell over here, certainly not on their 750 as it would give people like Clarkson a field day!!

[sworks]

not sure which way to go with this! think possibly a bad decision 'Rover' was, is and should have stayed British. Think it might have been better for the brand name to have just dissapeared. But on the plus side, better than going to Tata

[GERFIX]

But on the plus side, better than going to Tata
At least the name is going to be attached to a car which originally had the same name. If the name had been sold to the likes of Tata, who knows what it would have ended up on the back of? Rover Nano http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/images/icons/icon13.gif.

[ikorodu]

I have reports and Photos of Two new "Rover" Models to be released,
just awaiting Translations.

John, Can you post the photos!

Rob

[CDTi]

I'm confused, why would this be good for Longbridge? I thought Roewe were in shanghai or wherever, and that the lot that make the MG7 are at Longbridge.

If I'm right, then the Roewe 750 would be badged Rover, in direct (and greater) competition with the MG7.

Or have I got it the "wrong way" round??

malcolmNAC and SAIC have merged - or SAIC have taken over NAC, depending on how you look at it :D

This means that SAIC now effectively own Longbridge. SAIC are much richer than NAC, although they showed no interest in UK production before the sale back in 2005.

There are now many possible futures for Longbridge with SAICs deeper pockets - production of MG7/"Rover" 750 or new models completely.

We shall have to wait and see.

[pondweed]

its going to be good news for retrofitting....!

SAICs deeper pockets are more likely to see them experiment with new niche markets like the Tourer body more quickly, perhaps?

[baxlin]

NAC and SAIC have merged - or SAIC have taken over NAC, depending on how you look at it :D

Must have missed that - I read there were rumours, but I didn't know the "merger" had actually been done.

Ownership of the Rover brand makes sense, then.

[bluey9]

It sounds like good news. Although, I agree that Rover being a British brand with the hertiage to match it's sad that it will become Chinese in ownership. But, the owners may have scope for design, engineering and building of the cars to be in the UK.
If you look at so many brand names that are associated with certain countries it's easy to see that it's a global marketplace. With so many iconic British brands having gone overseas in the past it's fair to assume that Rover would have done likewise if they hadn't gone belly up in 2005.
I mean Jaguar, Land Rover, Rolls Royce, Mini and Bentley are all under "foreign" ownership.

It's better to see Rover come back from the dead than continue to fade into the annals of history.

Who knows? If it's in existence there is always a chance it could be British again, one day.

[Ackel]

The merger of SAIC and Nanjing is old news but I haven't heard anything at all anywhere else about the Rover brand being sold to the Chinese! Really a scoop! If it's correct, which I doubt. Anyone out there who could give me a web link that would confirm this!?

/Ackel

[Roger1]

That was my initial thought but looking on the bright side, at the very least it keeps the name alive (despite now being a "Chinese Brand").

One wonders how many brands we know today will be "Chinese" within 20 years. There's the odd country that may end up being "Chinese" too!

I'm ambivalent about the matter. One the one hand it keeps the brand alive and may help with values (we have the British version etc) on the other there's the negative connotation of Chinese cars. Having said that, Korean cars used to have that reputation, whereas now they easily rival Japanese and some commentators have rated the likes of Hyundai as better than most Japanese manufacturers. Only time will tell!:shrug:

[CDTi]

Looks like Tata may have got the Rover name after all, according to .org: Link removed search on their site.

[JohnDotCom]

At the Moment we seem to have Claim and Counter Claim with everyone Using the Terms Provisionally and Offered to etc.
Isn't it about time they sorted it once and for all?
I think with Ford selling they would just go with highest Bidder and get the Most Money and not give a Dam.

[oakridge]

Because of the confusion I asked the question 'in another place' and the replies made it clear that nothing is certain, but that it is more certain to be Tata than SAIC.

Malcolm

[CDTi]

Because of the confusion I asked the question 'in another place' and the replies made it clear that nothing is certain, but that it is more certain to be Tata than SAIC.

MalcolmDon't forget that NAC (and now SAIC) own the rights to longship emblem. So if Tata do get the name then they cannot use the longship without an agreement of some kind.

[e668ecp]

Actually NAC owned and now SAIC own the Rover viking sheild from 1989 > 2005 without the ROVER name over it. Land Rover or whoever now own all the old logos and the right to the name

[JohnDotCom]

Confused? You will be in the Next Exciting episode of.......

What US TV Show did That Line Come from?

[bluey9]

Soap

Now, that was a while ago

[JohnDotCom]

Well Done. Yes it really was some time ago. :D

[Jamie]

Sorry...but I am totally confused, I guess you knew that already though hey?

short answers please as I am a simple minded individual.....

Who owns the longbridge site now?

Who owns the Rover name? I thought BMW did????

What the heck have Tata go to do with it all?




I am totally befuddled. :o

[CDTi]

This is my understanding of the current situation:
[quote=Jamie-Biker in a suit;152942]
Who owns the longbridge site now? SAIC

Who owns the Rover name? I thought BMW did????Ford

What the heck have Tata go to do with it all? Ford will soon be selling JLR, thats Jaguar and Land Rover (with the Rover name) to Tata

[e668ecp]

This is my understanding of the current situation:
[quote=Jamie-Biker in a suit;152942]
Who owns the longbridge site now? SAIC

Who owns the Rover name? I thought BMW did????Ford

What the heck have Tata go to do with it all? Ford will soon be selling JLR, thats Jaguar and Land Rover (with the Rover name) to Tata

TATA will only ge the Rover brand if they buy it. It is according to a Ford source for sale seperately

[CDTi]

TATA will only ge the Rover brand if they buy it. It is according to a Ford source for sale seperately
I thought it was included in the sale of JLR :confused:

So, in theory, SAIC could buy the name, re-join it with the longboat emblem and build Rovers again?

[e668ecp]

That is how I understand it to be

[CDTi]

According to "Headlineauto"

Under the terms of the Land Rover sale, all '...Rover' brands will pass to Tata. BMW, Rover's previous owner, had retained the rights to the same until last year, when it was bought by Ford.

[ayrshirelad]

Hi all xcuse me for being slow but does all this too ing and froing and buying and selling names company names and companies actully eventually mean that one company will opwn the Rover name,and thus be able to put it on a car that actually bears a passing resemblance to a rover:shrug: some time this decade.O r is it all just a paper excersise and we are never going to see new reborn rovers or inded mgs This whole sorry saga has been going for seemly for ever:cry:hopefully it will eventually get sorted out:lol:

[Chaikaman]

I would be surprised if Ford sold off the Rover name separately. They bought it to give protection to Land Rover in case someone else built a 4x4 Rover. I would think that whoever buys LR, will also want the same protection. There is one possibility (just my idea) that the Halewood Assy Plant could build an Xtype replacement alongside the Freelander, and call it a Rover. The higher volume Xtype never sat well in the Jaguar family of luxury saloons.

[ayrshirelad]

I think that if and when Ford do sell Jaguar and or land rover that the rover name will go as well.It would take a strong company financially i mean to get the rover name back to what it once was.With all the uncertainty that has been surrounding it.Unless Ford makes up its mind what is happening with LR and Jaguar they are in danger of damaging those brands too.

[Donj73]

I hope the Rover brand name will be back, although personally I think its to late to save the heritage and tradition of the Rover brand. Selling Roewe's/Rover's under the Ssanyong brand in the UK & Ireland would be a disaster! The brand name Ssanyong sound like a dodgey cheap washing machine or food mixer!!! If the Chinese buy the Rover brand name the car will have some chance of success in the UK & Ireland. Although it would be a bit like the Mini today... the Germans bought the rights to the name Mini but it's designed & manufactured by BMW in the UK... yes it's a success, but we all know its not a real Mini!!! The Rover/Roewe/Ssanyong will be the same...

[Perkins]

TATA Motors owns the rights to use the ROVER name
Classic names are part of Tata deal
Tony Lewin
Automotive News Europe
March 27, 2008 12:46 CET

Tata Motors will get the right use three classic British auto-brand names as part of its $2.3 billion deal to buy Jaguar and Land Rover.
Included in the deal are the Rover name and the Jaguar-owned names of Daimler and Lanchester.
Ford bought the rights to the Rover brand name from BMW in September 2006 for an undisclosed sum to ensure no other automaker could use it and cause confusion with the Land Rover brand.
"We acquired the Rover trademark in the interests of protecting Land Rover," said Ford of Europe spokesman John Gardiner. "So it's also in the interests of the new owner of Land Rover to have it."
BMW obtained ownership of the Rover name when it bought the Rover group in 1994. In 2006, BMW refused a request from China's SAIC to use the Rover brand name under license. SAIC had bought some assets of the ailing MG Rover group and now builds cars called Roewes in China.
Jaguar acquired the rights to sell cars badged as Daimlers in 1960 from the UK Daimler car company that was founded in 1896 and licensed by Gottlieb Daimler to use his internal combustion engine. The UK Daimler car company also owned the Lanchester brand name.
Source : Automotive News Europe

[Chaikaman]

I wonder who owns Vanden Plas now. Jaguar/Daimler have used it in the past and Rover used it for their pre-facelift stretched 75.

[Perkins]

I wonder who owns Vanden Plas now. Jaguar/Daimler have used it in the past and Rover used it for their pre-facelift stretched 75.
SAIC/NAC owns Vanden Plas.

[Telferstr]

TATA Motors owns the rights to use the ROVER name

Source : Automotive News Europe

An interesting piece of news.

As Richard Woolley, the original designer of the 75, works with Land Rover.
could he be commisioned to design a new 75 and have it built at Rovers true home of Solihull. A saloon of this stature would compliment an already profitable factory and could do nothing more than enhance the the Rover and Land Rover range. Here's hoping
Regards,
Telfer

[Chaikaman]

An interesting piece of news.

As Richard Woolley, the original designer of the 75, works with Land Rover.
could he be commisioned to design a new 75 and have it built at Rovers true home of Solihull.
Telfer

.............or Halewood where the current Xtype is built and due for a change.