What's going on?

[Jen1991]

Hi everyone, I haven't visited the site for a while and wanted to know what is happening up at Rover now. I know that the Chinese have been taking out all the tracks because I have seen the lorries but what has happend to John Towers, et al? They seem to have disappeared completely - or have they? I found those photos of longbridge, really depressing, it is all so smashed up. But then, my dad said that it was looking pretty derelict when bmw owned it. I have tried to follow some of the threads but they get a bit confusing. Is the Nanjing company taking everything to China? Will there be cars produced in England again by Rover or any company with a similar name? Please someone enlighten me, as I am hoping that I can buy a new Rover, or similar in the New Year.

Jenny

[iga]

Well, you won't be able to buy a new Rover or MG in the New Year. At least not one manufactured after April 2005. There are still unsold models about and reportedly a few ones have been finished that were left on the line.

As for production re-starting at Longbridge that is a moot point. NAC have certainly been busy moving equipment to China and there is increasing skepticism that production will ever re-start at Longbridge. However, the TF and 75/ZT lines remain and there are snippets of information coming about about NAC negotiating with suppliers and seeking to buy the Rover name from BMW. The big question mark is if they need another partner to re-start large scale production in LB, but personally I don't doubt their commitment. Part of the problem is that NAC have been less than forthcoming about their plans, but I suspect this is as more of a cultural difference than an absence of action.

Either way, don't expect anything out of Longbridge before 2007 and then perhaps only TF production. As for Towers & Co, who knows? There's a suggestion that some of them are on the board of NAC's UK subsidiary but if they are I suspect it was/is only on a temporary advisory basis.