Rover Company
Fate	Merged
Successor	Rover Group
Founded	1904
Defunct	1986
Location	Coventry, West Midlands Solihull, West Midlands
Industry	Automotive
Key people	John Kemp Starley & William Sutton (Founders)
Parent	Leyland Motor Corporation British Leyland Motor Corporation

The Rover Company was a British motor vehicle manufacturing company originating in Coventry, which moved to Solihull after World War II. Rover Group plc was the name that was given by the British government, in 1986 to the state-owned vehicle manufacturer British Leyland or BL Year 1904 ( MCMIV) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting on Coventry ( is a city and Metropolitan borough in the County of West Midlands in England. The West Midlands is a Metropolitan county in western central England with a population of 2591300 Solihull (ˈsɒlɪhʌl or /ˈsəʊlihʌl/ is a large town in the West Midlands of England, with a population of 94753 The West Midlands is a Metropolitan county in western central England with a population of 2591300 John Kemp Starley (1854 - 1901 was an English inventor and industrialist who is widely considered to be the inventor of the modern Bicycle, and also originator of William Sutton VC ( 1830 - 16 February, 1888) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious British Leyland was a vehicle manufacturing company formed in the United Kingdom in 1968 as British Leyland Motor Corporation Ltd (BLMC A motor Vehicle is a Machine which incorporates a motor (sometimes known as an Engine) and which is used for Transportation Coventry ( is a city and Metropolitan borough in the County of West Midlands in England. Solihull (ˈsɒlɪhʌl or /ˈsəʊlihʌl/ is a large town in the West Midlands of England, with a population of 94753 World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Following absorption by Leyland Motors in 1967, and subsequent mergers, the Rover Company retained its identity as a subsidiary of British Leyland through the 1970s and into the 1980s. British Leyland was a vehicle manufacturing company formed in the United Kingdom in 1968 as British Leyland Motor Corporation Ltd (BLMC The Rover marque survived the break-up of British Leyland, and sell-off into private ownership, being used as the primary brand of the Rover Group as it passed, first through the hands of British Aerospace, and then into the ownership of BMW. A marque ( French for "brand" ˈmɑrk is a Brand name especially in the Automobile industry Rover Group plc was the name that was given by the British government, in 1986 to the state-owned vehicle manufacturer British Leyland or BL British Aerospace (BAe was a UK aircraft and defence-systems manufacturer that is now part of BAE Systems. ( BMW) (Bavarian Motor Works is an independent German automobile manufacturer founded in 1916 In 2000 BMW sold much of the mass-market car activities of the Rover Group to the Phoenix Consortium who established it as the MG Rover Group. Phoenix Venture Holdings ( PVH) also known as the Phoenix Consortium, is a British company formed by four businessmen ( John Towers, Peter MG Rover was the last domestically owned mass-production car manufacturer in the British motor industry. However, BMW retained ownership of the Rover brand, allowing MG Rover to use it under licence. In April 2005 Rover branded cars ceased to be produced when MG Rover became insolvent. Insolvency means the inability to pay one's debts This is defined in two different waysCash flow insolvency unable to pay debts as they fall dueBalance sheet insolvency In July 2005 the Nanjing Automobile Group acquired the physical assets and tooling of MG Rover, although SAIC already owned certain intellectual property, with plans to resume production of MG Rover car designs in China and at Longbridge, in 2007. The Nanjing Automobile (Group Corporation (Chinese 南京汽车集团有限公司 or 南京汽車集團有限公司) is a state-owned enterprise with history dates On September 18, 2006 BMW sold the Rover brand name to the Ford Motor Company for approximately £6 million. Events 96 - Nerva is proclaimed Roman Emperor after Domitian is assassinated Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Ford Motor Company is an American Multinational corporation and the world's fourth largest automaker based on Worldwide vehicle sales, following Ford wanted it in order to protect their Land Rover brand. Land Rover is an all-terrain vehicle and Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV manufacturer based in Solihull, England, now operated as part of the Jaguar ^[1] Ford had acquired an option of first refusal to buy the Rover brand as a result of its purchase of Land Rover from BMW in 2000. Land Rover is an all-terrain vehicle and Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV manufacturer based in Solihull, England, now operated as part of the Jaguar In March 2008, Ford reached agreement with Tata Motors of India to include the Rover brand as part of the sale of their Jaguar Land Rover operations to them. Tata Motors Limited', formerly known as TELCO (TATA Engineering and Locomotive Company is a Multinational corporation headquartered in Mumbai ^[2]

History

Rover badge until 2003

Before cars

The first Rover was a tricycle manufactured by Starley & Sutton Co. A tricycle (often abbreviated to trike) is a three-wheeled vehicle of Coventry, England in 1883. Coventry ( is a city and Metropolitan borough in the County of West Midlands in England. The company was founded by John Kemp Starley and William Sutton in 1878. John Kemp Starley (1854 - 1901 was an English inventor and industrialist who is widely considered to be the inventor of the modern Bicycle, and also originator of Starley had formerly worked with his uncle James Starley (father of the cycle trade) who began in manufacturing sewing machines and switched to bicycles in 1869. The bicycle, cycle, or bike is a pedal-driven, human-powered vehicle with two wheels attached to a frame, one behind

In the early 1880s the cycles available were the relatively dangerous penny-farthings and high-wheel tricycles. The ordinary, high wheel or penny-farthing was the first true Bicycle with which actual speed and distance could be achieved in a practical manner J. K. Starley made history in 1885 by producing the Rover Safety Bicycle—a rear-wheel-drive, chain-driven cycle with two similar-sized wheels, making it more stable than the previous high wheeled designs. A bicycle chain is a Roller chain that transfers power from the pedals to the drive- wheel of a Bicycle thus propelling it Cycling Magazine said the Rover had 'set the pattern to the world' and the phrase was used in their advertising for many years. Starley's Rover is usually described by historians as the first recognisably modern bicycle. The bicycle, cycle, or bike is a pedal-driven, human-powered vehicle with two wheels attached to a frame, one behind The words for "bicycle" in Polish (Rower) and Belarusian (Rovar, Ро́вар) are derived from the name of this company. Polish ( język polski, polszczyzna) is the Official language of Poland. The Belarusian language, or Belorussian,(беларуская мова BGN/PCGN: byelaruskaya mova, Scientific: belaruskaja mova

Early Rover cars

Rover 1905

In 1888 Starley made an electric car, but it never was put into production.

The Rover Six in a 1910 advertisement—£155

Rover Tourer 1926

1936 Rover 10

In 1889 the company became J. The Rover 6 was the second car model made by the British Rover car company K. Starley & Co. Ltd and in the late 1890s, the Rover Cycle Company Ltd. Three years after Starley's death in 1901, the Rover company began producing automobiles with the two-seater Rover Eight to the designs of Edmund Lewis who came from Daimler. The Rover 8 was a name given to three early models of car from the British Rover car company This article is about the British automobile manufacturer See Daimler for other uses derived from the German engineer and inventor Gottlieb Daimler. During the First World War they made motorcycles, lorries to Maudslay designs and not having a suitable one of their own, cars to a Sunbeam design. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All MotorCycle is the title of a 1993 album by Rock band Daniel Amos, released on BAI Records. The Maudslay Motor Company was a British vehicle maker based in Coventry Sunbeam was a Marque registered by John Marston Co Ltd of Wolverhampton, England, in 1888 Bicycle and motorcycle production continued until the Great Depression forced the end of production in 1925. The business was not very successful during the 1920s and did not pay a dividend from 1923 until the mid 1930s. In 1929 when there was a change of management with Spencer Wilks coming in from Hillman as general manager. Maurice Cary Ferdinand Wilks (1904 - 1963 was the chief designer at the British car company Rover at the end of World War II, responsible for the development of the Hillman was a famous British Automobile Marque, manufactured by the Rootes Group. He set about reorganising the company and moving it up market to cater for people who wanted something "superior" to Fords and Austins. Ford Motor Company is an American Multinational corporation and the world's fourth largest automaker based on Worldwide vehicle sales, following The Austin Motor Company was a British manufacturer of automobiles that rose to be a major motorcar brand the dominant partner after merger with Morris in 1952 He was joined by his brother Maurice, who had also been at Hillman, as chief engineer in 1930. Maurice Cary Ferdinand Wilks (1904 - 1963 was the chief designer at the British car company Rover at the end of World War II, responsible for the development of the Spencer Wilks stayed with the company until 1962 and his brother until 1963.

World War II and gas turbines

In the late 1930s, in anticipation of potential hostilities which would become World War II, the British government started a re-armament programme and as part of this "Shadow Factories" were built. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including These were paid for by the government but staffed and run by private companies. Two were run by Rover, one at Acocks Green, Birmingham started operation in 1937 and a second larger one at Solihull started in 1940. Acocks Green is an area and ward of south Birmingham, England. Solihull (ˈsɒlɪhʌl or /ˈsəʊlihʌl/ is a large town in the West Midlands of England, with a population of 94753 Both were employed making aero engines and airframes. The original main works at Helen Street, Coventry was severely damaged by bombing in 1940 and 1941 and never regained full production.

In early 1940 Rover were approached by the government to support Frank Whittle in developing the gas turbine engine. Air Commodore Sir Frank Whittle, OM, KBE, FRS, Hon FRAeS (1 June 1907 &ndash 9 August 1996 was an English Royal Whittle's company, Power Jets had no production facilities and the intention was for Rover to take the design and develop it for mass production. Whittle himself was not pleased by this and did not like design changes made without his approval but the first test engines to the W2B design were built in a disused cotton mill in Barnoldswick, Lancashire, in October 1941. Barnoldswick (colloquially known as Barlick) is a town and Civil parish within the West Craven area of the Pendle district of Lancashire Rolls-Royce took an interest in the new technology and an agreement was reached in 1942 that they would take over the engines and Barnoldswick works and in exchange Rover would get the contract for making Meteor tank engines which actually continued until 1964. The Rolls-Royce Meteor (also sometimes known as the Rover Meteor) was a British Tank engine developed from the Rolls-Royce Merlin

After the Second World War, the company abandoned Helen Street and bought the two Shadow Factories. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Acocks Green carried on for a while making Meteor engines for tanks and Solihull became the new centre for vehicles with production resuming in 1947 and would become the home of the Land Rover. Land Rover is an all-terrain vehicle and Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV manufacturer based in Solihull, England, now operated as part of the Jaguar

Experimental cars

Rover gas turbine experimental car

In 1950, designer F. R. Bell and Chief Engineer Maurice Wilks unveiled the first car powered with a gas turbine engine. A gas turbine, also called a combustion turbine, is a rotary Engine that extracts energy from a flow of Combustion gas The two-seater JET1 had the engine positioned behind the seats, air intake grilles on either side of the car and exhaust outlets on the top of the tail. During tests, the car reached top speeds of 88 mph (140 km/h), at a turbine speed of 50,000 rpm. The car ran on petrol, paraffin or diesel oil, but fuel consumption problems proved insurmountable for a production car. In chemistry paraffin is the common name for the Alkane Hydrocarbons with the general formula C n H2 n +2 Diesel or Diesel fuel (ˈdiːzəl in general is any Fuel used in Diesel engines The most common is a specific fractional distillate of petroleum It is currently on display at the London Science Museum. For science museums in general check out Science museum. The Science Museum on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London is part Rover and the BRM Formula One team joined forces to produce a gas turbine powered coupe, which entered the 1963 24 hours of Le Mans, driven by Graham Hill and Richie Ginther. The 24 Hours of Le Mans ( 24 Heures du Mans) is a sports car endurance race held annually since near the town of Le Mans, Sarthe, Norman Graham Hill ( February 15, 1929 – November 29, 1975) was a British racing driver and two-time Formula One World Paul Richard "Richie" Ginther (born in Granada Hills, California, 5 August 1930 - died 20 September 1989 in It averaged 107. 8 mph (173 km/h) and had a top speed of 142 mph (229 km/h).

Rover also ran several experimental diesel engine projects in relation to the Land Rover. A diesel engine is an Internal combustion engine which operates using the Diesel cycle (named after Dr The Land Rover Series I, II, and III are Off-road vehicles produced by the British manufacturer Land Rover that were inspired by the U The 2-litre, 52 horsepower diesel unit designed and built by Rover for its 4x4 had entered production in 1956 and was one of Britain's first modern high-speed automotive diesel engines. Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4x4 ("four by four" is a four-wheeled Vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four Wheels to Experimental projects were undertaken to improve the engine's power delivery, running qualities and fuel tolerances. British Army requirements led to the development of a multi-fuel version of the 2. The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. 25-litre variant of the engine in 1962, which could run on petrol, diesel, Jet-A or kerosene. Diesel or Diesel fuel (ˈdiːzəl in general is any Fuel used in Diesel engines The most common is a specific fractional distillate of petroleum Jet fuel is a type of Aviation fuel designed for use in Aircraft powered by gas-turbine engines. Kerosene, sometimes spelled kerosine in scientific and industrial usage is a Combustible Hydrocarbon liquid However, the engine's power output when running on low-grade fuel was too low for the Army's uses. Rover developed a highly advanced (for the time) turbodiesel version of its engine in the mid 1960s to power its experimental '129-inch' heavy duty Land Rover designs. Turbodiesel refers to any Diesel engine with a Turbocharger. Turbocharging is the norm rather than the exception in modern car and truck diesel engines The 1960s decade refers to the years from the beginning of 1960 to the end of 1969 Land Rover is an all-terrain vehicle and Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV manufacturer based in Solihull, England, now operated as part of the Jaguar This 2. 5-litre engine used a turbocharger built by Rover's gas turbine division, as well as an intercooler. A turbocharger, or turbo, is an air Compressor used for forced-induction of an Internal combustion engine. An intercooler, or Charge air cooler, is an air-to-air or air-to-liquid heat exchange device used on turbocharged and supercharged (forced This was one of the first times these features had been incorporated on such a small-capacity diesel unit, but were not adopted.

Golden years

1962 Rover 80 (P4)

The 1950s and '60s were fruitful years for the company, with the Land Rover becoming a runaway success (despite Rover's reputation for making up-market saloons, the utilitarian Land Rover was actually the company's biggest seller throughout the 1950s, '60s and '70s), as well as the P5 and P6 saloons equipped with a 3.5L (215ci) aluminium V8, the design and tooling of which was purchased from Buick, and pioneering research into gas turbine fuelled vehicles. The Rover P4 series was a group of saloon Automobiles produced from 1949 through to 1964 Land Rover is an all-terrain vehicle and Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV manufacturer based in Solihull, England, now operated as part of the Jaguar The Rover V8 engine is a compact V8 Internal combustion engine with Aluminium Cylinder heads and Cylinder block, originally Buick (ˈbjuːɪk is a Marque of automobile sold in the United States, Canada, China, Taiwan, Qatar, and

Rover 2000 (P6)

Mergers to form British Leyland

Main article: British Leyland

In 1967, Rover became part of the Leyland Motor Corporation (LMC), which already owned Triumph. The Rover P6 series (named 2000, 2200, and 3500 for their engine displacement was a group of saloon Cars produced from 1963 to British Leyland was a vehicle manufacturing company formed in the United Kingdom in 1968 as British Leyland Motor Corporation Ltd (BLMC The Triumph Motor Company had its origins in 1885 when Siegfried Bettmann (1863-1951 and Moritz (Maurice Schulte from Germany founded Bettmann & The next year, LMC merged with the British Motor Holdings (BMH) to become the British Leyland Motor Corporation this was the beginning of the end for the independent Rover Company, as the Solihull based company's heritage drowned beneath the infamous industrial relations and managerial problems that beset the British motor industry throughout the 1970s. British Motor Holdings Ltd (BMH was a British motor company created in an attempt to halt the decline in Britain's manufacturing base in the 1960s British Leyland was a vehicle manufacturing company formed in the United Kingdom in 1968 as British Leyland Motor Corporation Ltd (BLMC At various times it was part of the Specialist Division (hence the factory designation SD1 for the first—and in the event, only—model produced under this arrangement), Rover-Triumph, and Jaguar Rover Triumph.

In 1970, Rover combined its skill in producing comfortable saloons and the rugged Land Rover 4x4 to produce the Range Rover, one of the first cars (albeit possibly inspired by the earlier Jeep Wagoneer and IH Bronco) to combine off-road ability and comfortable versatility. Land Rover Range Rover Classic|Range Rover SportThe Range Rover is a Four-wheel drive luxury Sport utility vehicle (SUV produced by Land Rover in the Powered by the ex-Buick V8 engine, it had innovative features such as a permanent 4 wheel drive system, all-coil spring suspension and disc brakes on all wheels. Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4x4 ("four by four" is a four-wheeled Vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four Wheels to A Coil spring, also known as a helical spring, is a mechanical device which is typically used to store energy and subsequently release it to absorb shock or to maintain The disc brake or disk brake is a device for slowing or stopping the rotation of a Wheel. Able to reach speeds of up to 100 mph, yet also capable of extreme off-road use, the original Range Rover design was to remain in production for the next 26 years.

As British Leyland struggled through financial turmoil and an industrial-relations crisis during the 1970s, it was effectively nationalized after a multi-billion-pound government cash injection in 1975. Michael Edwardes was brought in to head the company.

1985 Rover Vitesse (SD1) (post-facelift)

The Rover SD1 of 1976 was an excellent car, but was beset with so many build quality and reliability issues that it never delivered its great promise. Rover SD1 is the code name given to a series of large Executive cars made by British Leyland and its successor Austin Rover from 1976 until 1986 Following the closure of the Triumph factory at Canley production of the Triumph TR7 and Triumph TR8 was moved to Solihull but soon after a savage programme of cutbacks in the late 1970s led to the end of car production at the Solihull factory which was turned over for Land Rover production only. The Triumph Motor Company had its origins in 1885 when Siegfried Bettmann (1863-1951 and Moritz (Maurice Schulte from Germany founded Bettmann & Canley is a suburban neighbourhood located in southwest Coventry, England. The Triumph TR7 was a Sports car manufactured from September 1974 to October 1981 by the Triumph Motor Company, part of British Leyland, in the United The Triumph TR8 is an eight-cylinder version of the "wedge-shaped" Triumph TR7 sports car manufactured by British Leyland (BL and then Jaguar/Rover/Triumph The TR7/8 model was discontinued while SD1 production moved to Cowley. Cowley in Oxford, England, is a residential and industrial area that forms a small conurbation within greater Oxford All future Rover cars would be made in the former Austin and Morris plants in Longbridge and Cowley, respectively. The Austin Motor Company was a British manufacturer of automobiles that rose to be a major motorcar brand the dominant partner after merger with Morris in 1952 Morris Commercial Cars The Morris Motor Company was a British car manufacturing company

Rover and Honda

In 1979, British Leyland (or as it was now officially known, BL Ltd) began a long relationship with the Honda Motor Company of Japan. () is a Multinational corporation, engine Manufacturer and engineering corporation headquartered in Japan. The result was a cross-holding structure where Honda took a 20 percent stake in the company while the company took a 20 percent stake in Honda's U. K. subsidiary. The deal was thought to be mutually beneficial: Honda used its British operations as a launchpad into Europe, and the company can pool resources with Honda in developing new cars.

Austin Rover Group was formed in 1982 as the mass-market car manufacturing subsidiary of BL, with the separate Rover Company becoming effectively defunct. The Austin Rover Group ( ARG) was a British motor manufacturer In the 1980s, the slimmed-down BL used the Rover brand on a range of cars co-developed with Honda. () is a Multinational corporation, engine Manufacturer and engineering corporation headquartered in Japan. The first Honda-sourced Rover model, released in 1984 was the Rover 200, which, like the Triumph Acclaim that it replaced, was based on the Honda Ballade. The Rover 200-series / 25 is a small Car which was produced by the Austin Rover Group, and latterly the Rover Group and MG Rover. The Triumph Acclaim was a Front wheel drive medium-sized Family car made by British Leyland (BL from 1981 to 1984 The Honda Ballade was a subcompact Automobile built by Honda of Japan. (Similarly, in Australia, the Honda Quint (known in Europe as the Quintet) and Integra were badged as the Rover Quintet and 416i. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The Honda Quint was a Subcompact car manufactured by Honda Motor Co The Honda Integra, a car sold as an Acura in North America and as a Honda elsewhere was a sporty Front-wheel drive vehicle sold both as a sedan and The Rover 416i was a model designation used for various cars marketed by the Rover company )

The Rover brand name lives on

Main article: Rover Group

1996 Rover 400

By 1986, Austin Rover had moved to a one-marque strategy, using only the Rover brand, and its parent BL, was renamed as the Rover Group, with the car division becoming Rover Cars. Rover Group plc was the name that was given by the British government, in 1986 to the state-owned vehicle manufacturer British Leyland or BL The Rover 400 (later the Rover 45) is a Small family car produced by the British automaker Rover from 1990 to 2005 Rover Group plc was the name that was given by the British government, in 1986 to the state-owned vehicle manufacturer British Leyland or BL In 1986, the Rover SD1 was replaced by the Rover 800, developed with the Honda Legend. The Rover 800 series is an Executive car introduced by the Austin Rover Group in 1986 and also marketed as the Sterling in the United With info translated from the entry for Honda Legend in the Japanese Wikipedia: The Honda Legend is a Full-size Luxury car made by the Japanese The Austin range were now technically Rovers, though the word "Rover" never actually appeared on the badging — there was instead a badge similar to the Rover Viking shape, without wording. These were replaced by the Rover 400 and Rover 600, based on Honda's Concerto and Accord. With info translated from the entry for Honda Concerto in the Japanese Wikipedia: The Honda Concerto was an automobile produced by the British division of the Japanese The Honda Accord is series of midrange Automobile manufactured by Honda since 1976 and sold in most automotive markets throughout the world

Rover exported Rover 800s, badged as Sterlings, to the United States from 1987 to 1992. Sterling was a brand name of automobile marketed in the USA by ARCONA Austin Rover Cars Of North America under the name Sterling Motor Cars,

British Aerospace ownership of the brand name

In 1988, the Rover brand went back into private hands when the Rover Group was acquired by British Aerospace. British Aerospace (BAe was a UK aircraft and defence-systems manufacturer that is now part of BAE Systems.

BMW ownership of the brand name

1998 Rover 75

The Honda partnership proved to be the turn-around point for the company, steadily rebuilding its image to the point where once again Rover branded cars were seen as upmarket alternatives to Fords and Vauxhalls. This article is about the motor vehicle produced 1999–2005 For the original Rover 75 of 1949–59 see Rover P4. In 1994 British Aerospace sold the Rover Group, including the Rover, Land Rover, Riley, Mini, Triumph and Austin-Healey brands to BMW, who had begun to see Rover branded cars as potential major competitors. Land Rover is an all-terrain vehicle and Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV manufacturer based in Solihull, England, now operated as part of the Jaguar Riley was a British motorcar and Bicycle manufacturer from 1890 The Mini is a small car that was produced by the British Motor Corporation (BMC and its successors from 1959 until 2000 The Triumph Motor Company had its origins in 1885 when Siegfried Bettmann (1863-1951 and Moritz (Maurice Schulte from Germany founded Bettmann & Austin-Healey is a defunct British sports car maker The marque was established through a joint venture arrangement set up in 1952 between Leonard Lord ( BMW) (Bavarian Motor Works is an independent German automobile manufacturer founded in 1916 Under BMW, the Rover Group developed the Rover 75 as a retro designed car influenced by the earlier Rover P4 and P5 designs. This article is about the motor vehicle produced 1999–2005 For the original Rover 75 of 1949–59 see Rover P4. The Rover P4 series was a group of saloon Automobiles produced from 1949 through to 1964 Mark I The P5 appeared in 1958 Powered by a 30 L (2995 cc/182 in³ it quickly became known as the "3-Litre"

In 2000, BMW split-up the Rover Group, selling Land Rover to the Ford Motor Company for an estimated sum of £1. Land Rover is an all-terrain vehicle and Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV manufacturer based in Solihull, England, now operated as part of the Jaguar Ford Motor Company is an American Multinational corporation and the world's fourth largest automaker based on Worldwide vehicle sales, following 8 billion, retaining the MINI operations, and selling the rest of the car business to the Phoenix Consortium, who established it as MG Rover. Mini (styled as MINI) is a British automotive brand owned by the German BMW Group that has produced a redesign of the traditional Mini Phoenix Venture Holdings ( PVH) also known as the Phoenix Consortium, is a British company formed by four businessmen ( John Towers, Peter MG Rover was the last domestically owned mass-production car manufacturer in the British motor industry. Interestingly, although BMW included ownership of the MG brand in the deal, they retained ownership of the Rover brand, licensing its use to the new MG Rover company, for use on the ongoing car models that they had acquired.

MG Rover licensing of the brand name

Main article: MG Rover Group

2002 Rover 25

A specially-assembled group of businessmen, known as the Phoenix Consortium, and headed by ex-Rover Chief Executive John Towers, established the MG Rover Group from the former Rover Group car operations, acquired from BMW for a nominal £10 in May 2000, and continued to use the Rover brand under licence from BMW. MG Rover was the last domestically owned mass-production car manufacturer in the British motor industry. The Rover 200-series / 25 is a small Car which was produced by the Austin Rover Group, and latterly the Rover Group and MG Rover. Phoenix Venture Holdings ( PVH) also known as the Phoenix Consortium, is a British company formed by four businessmen ( John Towers, Peter MG Rover was the last domestically owned mass-production car manufacturer in the British motor industry.

The year before its break-up, the Rover Group had made losses of an estimated £800million. The four business men who took control of the newly-formed MG Rover Group are reported to have received around £430million in a dowry from BMW which included unsold stock.

The first new Rover branded car to be launched after the formation of MG Rover was the estate version of the Rover 75, which went on sale later in 2000. This article is about the motor vehicle produced 1999–2005 For the original Rover 75 of 1949–59 see Rover P4. In 2003, MG Rover launched the CityRover—an entry-level model which was produced in a venture with Indian carmaker Tata, but failed badly to sell as it was overpriced for the level of equipment if offered. The Rover CityRover was a Hatchback car model offered by MG Rover Group in the UK market India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Had MG Rover re-engineered and 'Roverised' the Indica to a higher degree and priced it more sensibly, it may have been much more successful. The Tata Indica is a Hatchback Automobile range manufactured by Tata Motors of India. Several concept cars intended as eventual replacements for the Rover 25 and 45 were shown in the early 2000s, but never went into production. The Rover 200-series / 25 is a small Car which was produced by the Austin Rover Group, and latterly the Rover Group and MG Rover. The Rover 400 (later the Rover 45) is a Small family car produced by the British automaker Rover from 1990 to 2005

MG Rover production ceased on April 15th 2005, when it was declared insolvent. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Insolvency means the inability to pay one's debts This is defined in two different waysCash flow insolvency unable to pay debts as they fall dueBalance sheet insolvency On 22 July 2005, the physical assets of the collapsed firm were sold to the Nanjing Automobile Group for £53m, who indicated that their preliminary plans involved relocating the Powertrain engine plant to China while splitting car production into Rover lines in China and resumed MG lines in the West Midlands (though not necessarily at Longbridge), where a UK R&D and technical facility would also be developed. Events 1099 - First Crusade: Godfrey of Bouillon is elected the first Defender of the Holy Sepulchre of The Kingdom of Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Nanjing Automobile (Group Corporation (Chinese 南京汽车集团有限公司 or 南京汽車集團有限公司) is a state-owned enterprise with history dates The West Midlands is a Metropolitan county in western central England with a population of 2591300 The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The phrase research and development (also R and D or more often R&D) according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, refers

On May 30, 2007, Nanjing Automobile Group claimed to have restarted production of MG TF sports cars in the Longbridge plant; with sales expected to begin in the Autumn. The Nanjing Automobile (Group Corporation (Chinese 南京汽车集团有限公司 or 南京汽車集團有限公司) is a state-owned enterprise with history dates

Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC), who held the intellectual property of Rover 75 car design (bought for £67m before MG Rover collapsed) and was also bidding for MG Rover, announced their own version of the Rover 75 in late 2006. The Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation ( ( abbreviated 上汽 Shàngqì or SAIC, pronounced) is a Chinese Automobile manufacturer which ranks On July 2006, SAIC announced their intent to buy the Rover brand name from BMW (who still owned the rights to the Rover marque). Events in July The traditional period known as "fence month" (the closed season for deer in England ended July 9 (date varied Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ( BMW) (Bavarian Motor Works is an independent German automobile manufacturer founded in 1916 ^[3] However, BMW refused their request due an agreement that the Ford had reached with them, to be given first option on the brand, when it acquired Land Rover. Ford Motor Company is an American Multinational corporation and the world's fourth largest automaker based on Worldwide vehicle sales, following Land Rover is an all-terrain vehicle and Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV manufacturer based in Solihull, England, now operated as part of the Jaguar Unable to use the Rover name, SAIC created their own brand with a similar name and badge, known as Roewe. Roewe (in Chinese: 荣威 in Pinyin: Rongwei, English pronunciation, which is similar to the British pronunciation for "Rover") Roewe was eventually launched in early 2007.

Ford Motor Company ownership of the brand name

Ford took up their option on the Rover brand name, that they had negotiated to protect the Land Rover brand, and bought it on 18 September 2006. Events 96 - Nerva is proclaimed Roman Emperor after Domitian is assassinated Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ^[4] No Rover branded cars were produced whilst Ford owned the brand.

Tata Motors ownership of the brand name

As part of Ford's agreement to sell their Jaguar Land Rover operations to Tata Motors, the Rover brand name was included in the deal. Jaguar Cars Limited is a luxury car manufacturer based in Coventry, England, now operated as part of the Jaguar Land Rover business Land Rover is an all-terrain vehicle and Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV manufacturer based in Solihull, England, now operated as part of the Jaguar Tata Motors Limited', formerly known as TELCO (TATA Engineering and Locomotive Company is a Multinational corporation headquartered in Mumbai ^[5]

Rover models

Launched under the independent Rover Company pre-merger (1904–1967)

• 1904-1912 Rover 8
• 1906-1910 Rover 6
• 1906-1910 Rover 16/20
• 1912-1923 Rover 12
• 1919-1925 Rover 8
• 1924-1927 Rover 9/20
• 1925-1927 Rover 14/45
• 1927-1932 Rover Light Six
• 1927-1947 Rover 10
• 1929-1932 Rover 2-Litre
• 1930-1934 Rover Meteor 16HP/20HP
• 1931-1940 Rover Speed 20
• 1932-1933 Rover Pilot/Speed Pilot
• 1932-1932 Rover Scarab
• 1934-1947 Rover 12
• 1934-1947 Rover 14/Speed 14
• 1937-1947 Rover 16
• 1948-1978 Land Rover (I/II/III)—In 1978 BL established Land Rover Limited as a separate subsidiary—it took over Land Rover production. The Rover 8 was a name given to three early models of car from the British Rover car company The Rover 6 was the second car model made by the British Rover car company The Rover 8 was a name given to three early models of car from the British Rover car company The Rover 10 was a small family car from the British Rover car company produced between 1929 and 1947 The Land Rover Series I, II, and III are Off-road vehicles produced by the British manufacturer Land Rover that were inspired by the U Land Rover is an all-terrain vehicle and Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV manufacturer based in Solihull, England, now operated as part of the Jaguar
• 1948-1949 Rover P3 (60/75)
• 1949-1964 Rover P4 (60/75/80/90/95/100/105/110)
• 1958-1973 Rover P5 (3-Litre/3.5-Litre)
• 1963-1976 Rover P6 (2000/2200/3500)

Launched under the Rover Company as a LMC/BL subsidiary (1967–1986)

• 1970-1978 Range Rover—In 1978 BL established Land Rover Limited as a separate subsidiary—it took over Range Rover production. The Rover P3 car produced by the Rover company in 1948 and 1949 was very much an interim model The Rover P4 series was a group of saloon Automobiles produced from 1949 through to 1964 Mark I The P5 appeared in 1958 Powered by a 30 L (2995 cc/182 in³ it quickly became known as the "3-Litre" The Rover P6 series (named 2000, 2200, and 3500 for their engine displacement was a group of saloon Cars produced from 1963 to Land Rover Range Rover Classic|Range Rover SportThe Range Rover is a Four-wheel drive luxury Sport utility vehicle (SUV produced by Land Rover in the Land Rover is an all-terrain vehicle and Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV manufacturer based in Solihull, England, now operated as part of the Jaguar
• 1976-1986 Rover SD1 (2000/2300/2400/2600/3500/Vitesse)
• 1984-1999 Rover 200 (211/213/214/216/218/220)
• 1985-1989 Rover 416i—Australian market

Pre-existing models re-branded under the Rover Group (1986–2000)

• Mini/Supermini cars
  • 1986-2000 Rover Mini—Originally called the Austin Seven/Morris Mini Minor in 1959, but renamed Rover Mini in 1986. Rover SD1 is the code name given to a series of large Executive cars made by British Leyland and its successor Austin Rover from 1976 until 1986 The Rover 200-series / 25 is a small Car which was produced by the Austin Rover Group, and latterly the Rover Group and MG Rover. The Rover 416i was a model designation used for various cars marketed by the Rover company The Mini is a small car that was produced by the British Motor Corporation (BMC and its successors from 1959 until 2000
  • 1990-1998 Rover Metro, Rover 100 (111/114/115)

• Family cars
  • 1989-1994 Maestro—Never branded a Rover but sold through brand. Austin/MG Metro On 8 October 1980, BL introduced the Austin miniMetro. The Austin Maestro is a mid-sized 5-door Hatchback Car that was produced from 1983 to 1994 initially by the Austin Rover subsidiary of British
  • 1989-1994 Montego—Never branded a Rover but sold through brand. The Austin Montego is a British mid-size saloon Car that was produced by the Austin Rover subsidiary of British Leyland (BL

Rover branded models launched under the Rover Group (1986–2000)

• Family cars
  • 1992-1998 Rover 200 Coupe (216/218/220/220 Turbo)
  • 1990-2000 Rover 400 (414/416/418/420)
  • 1993-1999 Rover 600 (618/620/623)
  • 1999-2005 Rover 25

• Executive cars
  • 1986-1998 Rover 800 (820/825/827) and Sterling
  • 1998-2005 Rover 75

Rover branded models launched under MG Rover (2000–2005)

• Mini/Supermini cars
  • 2003-2005 CityRover

• Family cars
  • 2000-2005 Rover 45
  • 2003-2005 Rover Streetwise

• Van
  • 2003-2005 Rover Commerce^[6]

See also

• Austin Rover Group
• Rover Group
• MG Rover Group
• Nanjing Automobile Group

References

External links

• Portuguese Mg-Rover Club
• Polish MG Rover Club
• Spanish site of MG-ROVER
• Czech MG-Rover Community