With any manufacturer of cars, most parts used are purchased in from another company, and are made to a standard agreed with the motor Manufacturer and the supplier. These suppliers usually also supply the same part to the Manufacturers parts department as spares. Once the part ceases to be used on production, the Parts department then has to agree continued supply either from the original manufacturer or another one depending on circumstances. In the case of MG Rover , it now does not exist and the original nominated parts supplier XPart has continued. Unfortunately I don't believe it even has the original specification for all the parts it supplies, and that certainly the case with some body panels where they reversed engineered to get a design to have made.
You could argue there is no such part as Original Equipment, as stock that came from production sources has long since passed. All have been remanufactured to one degree or another, some from original production suppliers and many not, the tanks straps being a case in point.
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