Ford buys Rover name

[The Stylist]

Two articles on Ford buying the Rover marque to protect Land Rover's image, so that the Chinese don't make a hash of it.


From Topgear.com

September 18, 2006

Ford buys Rover
Ford has agreed a last-minute deal to buy the rights to the Rover marque, blocking the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation's plans to take it to China.

Shanghai agreed to buy the brand for £11m from BMW five weeks ago, but the sale was subject to the agreement of Ford, which had negotiated a veto on any sale when it bought Land Rover in 2000.

A spokesman said Ford has no plans to start building Rover cars, but decided to secure the brand to protect the Land Rover brand.

Good thing really - we know Ford has its financial problems, but we're not sure a Fiesta-based Metro comeback is the answer...



Second article:

Ford to buy Rover brand name from BMW
Reuters / September 18, 2006 - 9:29 am

FRANKFURT -- Ford Motor Co. will exercise its right to buy the Rover brand name from BMW, a spokesman for Ford's Premier Automotive Group said today.

"We feel it is in interests of our Land Rover business to have the Rover brand," the spokesman said, adding Ford had informed BMW about its decision today.

"We are acquiring it and we're not looking to sell it. We believe it is a valuable asset for us," the spokesman said, declining to give any financial details.

BMW had no immediate comment.

The Premier Automotive Group also includes the Jaguar, Volvo and Aston Martin brands.

Ford bought Land Rover from BMW in 2000 and had the rights to buy the Rover brand name, which BMW said last month it had agreed to sell to an unspecified partner.

Chinese media reports have said top Chinese carmaker SAIC had agreed to buy the brand name. SAIC has the design rights to two Rover models which it bought from failed British carmaker MG Rover before MG Rover collapsed last year.

SAIC is making its own cars based on the Rover platform, hoping the sell them one day to developed markets including Europe.