BMW getting nervous about Rover??

Nigel wrote: I wanted an old XJ6 jag to play with, and I couldnt find one good enough for the money I had to spend. BMW's on the other hand are very very cheap cars second hand, especially the old 5 & 7 series, so I can have the type of car I cant really afford, for very little money, and enjoy driving it at the weekend. I was discusing what next with Peter h on the phone tonight, and at the moment it would either be an S type Jag, or Rover 75, both much better value for £7,500 ish than the E39 beemer.

youd buy more than one rover for £7500

i'd considered a jag s-type, an xj6, an e-class merc and an audi a6, but, like the bm, they all have foibles, whether its dodgy astethics, fuel consumption, staidness or blandness

Rob Right wrote: Rover Group of the early 1990's was a profitable enterprise, having overcome turbulent times in the 70's and 80's and fast gaining a strong foothold in the premium car sector (both Rover cars and Land Rover), hence BMW's interest in acquiring it. During BMW ownership, Rover cars were prevented from competing directly with any BMW products in their poorly managed and misjudged attempts to turn Rover into a sub-brand of BMW. Rover, now free of such shackles and collaborating with perhaps the world's most ambitious manufacturer (Shanghai Automotive has plans to produce 3.5 million cars by 2010!) is free to return to it's original brand values of producing executive cars that are exciting, innovative and cutting edge.  Look towards the TCV and Rover 75 Coupe concept cars if you wish for a taste of things to come.    Given that Rover now have the services of one of the world's top designers in Peter Stevens and also look likely to backed by the deep pockets and financial muscle of Shanghai Automotive, it's no wonder that BMW are beginning to worry. With Chris Bangle at the design helm of BMW, it's becoming apparent that Mr O' Donnell can see the future even if you can't!

oh my god    stop it you're killing me!

a secondhand rover is a far cheaper prospect than the equivalent bmw, lot of car for the money...just impossible to sell on....  maybe thats what its really down to - patriotism is fine, as long as people dont have to suffer for it

Rover Group of the early 1990's was a profitable enterprise, having overcome turbulent times in the 70's and 80's and fast gaining a strong foothold in the premium car sector (both Rover cars and Land Rover), hence BMW's interest in acquiring it.

During BMW ownership, Rover cars were prevented from competing directly with any BMW products in their poorly managed and misjudged attempts to turn Rover into a sub-brand of BMW.

Rover, now free of such shackles and collaborating with perhaps the world's most ambitious manufacturer (Shanghai Automotive has plans to produce 3.5 million cars by 2010!) is free to return to it's original brand values of producing executive cars that are exciting, innovative and cutting edge.  Look towards the TCV and Rover 75 Coupe concept cars if you wish for a taste of things to come.   

Given that Rover now have the services of one of the world's top designers in Peter Stevens and also look likely to backed by the deep pockets and financial muscle of Shanghai Automotive, it's no wonder that BMW are beginning to worry.

With Chris Bangle at the design helm of BMW, it's becoming apparent that Mr O' Donnell can see the future even if you can't!  

Well I wish them luck, as I come from Birmingham I have always known lots of people working at rover, and even had family working there.

I get the odd call there myself, although nothing of late.

I would love to see any British car firm take on BMW, Merc, Audi etc.

the pipe and slippers image wasnt foisted on them by bmw, they always had it....

consider this...

what other manufacturer can "turn themselves around" yet still attract the same clientele?

blue-rinses and old duffers, rovers staple market...

driving mgs....

why? cos they are the only ones old enough to remember mg when it was a force to be reckoned with

and thats not bs, thats fact

Yes thats the one, have a chat with Peter h, I hope it works out for them, a lot of uk jobs depend on it doing so.

BMW arent all good at the moment, they have enough work to do sorting their own models out, rather than worrying about what rover is doing, now they are trying to move into the volume market, the goal posts are moving quite a bit for them.

Rover can only go up, without closing they cant get any lower.

I think he has rather a good point.

The 75 is turning into rather a good car, especially the diesel estate.

It could be an interesting few years watching rover develope, and I wish them sucess, it would be nice to see rover come good.

they should have never dumped Honda....

Given the recent personal attacks on the directors of MG Rover by Jim O'Donnell, managing director of BMW GB, is this a sign that that BMW are now nervous about the threat that a potentially revitalised Rover could pose to BMW?

For those of you unaware, MG Rover is on the brink of finalising a joint venture deal with China's biggest car manufacturer, Shanghai Automotive.  The deal is likely to see more than one and a half billion pounds invested in producing a new model range for Rover, aimed at producing 1 million cars for a worldwide market within the next 5 years (equal to BMW's current output).  Unlike previous investments by Western car manufacturers in China, this deal will allow for the sharing of R&D technology, placing MG Rover in potentially the strongest position of any of the Western car manufacturers in the worlds biggest potential market!

New Rover models are likely to be a world apart from the 'pipe and slippers' image they gained under BMW stewardship, instead opting for cutting edge design and technology, aimed firmly into BMW's current territory. 

Is BMW starting to get nervous that the once 'English patient' might just be returning to health and might one day be it's nemesis??