AFAIK they didn't merge, but Roewe has appeared after some Chinese company has acquired MG and Rover. Thus, MG's should be just sporty Roewe's now, I guess.
AFAIK they didn't merge, but Roewe has appeared after some Chinese company has acquired MG and Rover. Thus, MG's should be just sporty Roewe's now, I guess.
IIRC two separate companies have bought Rover's corpse and the MG company. the first, can't remeber the name, can produce Rover's cars but can't use the Rover name because Ford bought it (it has a sort of agreement since it originally bought Land Rover from BMW when the latter owned Rover too). and so Roewe was born.
The other Chinese company bought MG both as a brand and as a company, and can produce old cars and eventually new ones. Naijing, IIRC.
last month MG entered Chile's market, and among the usual MG's line-up there was also the Roewe 550, but badged as an MG, that's why there should be an agreeement between those Chienese companies.
KFL Racing Enterprises - Kicking your ass since 2008
*cough* http://theitalianjunkyard.blogspot.com/ *cough*
Actually, we're taking about two companies here:
- SAIC - Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation
- NAC - Nanjing Automobile (Group) Company
SAIC was in talks with MG Rover about a joint-venture since 2003. After the deal failed and MG Rover went bust in 2005, they were left with the rights to produce the Rover 25 and 75 cars, as well as the technology to produce engines, transmissions etc. They chose to use the name Roewe for the new cars, since in chinese it's pronounced the way Rover is in english.
NAC bought the remainings of the MG Rover and Powertrain Ltd (the sister company of MG Rover that was responsible for their engines, transmission etc.) after the bankruptcy. They got the rights and necessary tooling to produce the ZT and TF models and use the name of MG.
Since both companies' cars shared the same mechanical parts, the chinese government suggested a merger would be a good idea. In December 2007 the deal has been finalized (actually a takeover of NAC by SAIC, though called a merger for publicity purposes).
It's not denial. I'm just very selective about the reality I accept.
they can't use the "Rover" name because it's owned by Ford, who has a right of preemption. When the whole MG Rover group was up for sale after the bankruptcy, they purchased the rights for using the name "Rover". this preemption was established in the moment Ford purchased Land Rover from BMW who in those times owned MG Rover too. as, sort of, posted above your post.
KFL Racing Enterprises - Kicking your ass since 2008
*cough* http://theitalianjunkyard.blogspot.com/ *cough*
Not quite At least not anymore. Nowadays, the Rover marque belongs to Tata Motors. Ford sold it as a part of the Jaguar-Land Rover deal (together with Daimler and Lanchester marques).
But of course you're right when you're saying that SAIC and NAC started using other names, because the Rover marque was at that time owned by Ford.
Last edited by go.pawel; 11-10-2008 at 10:08 AM.
It's not denial. I'm just very selective about the reality I accept.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)