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Thread: Rover to become nuclear political football??

  1. #1
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    Rover to become nuclear political football??

    We've had the Japanese (Honda), we've had the German's (BMW). The Chinese have recently tried to play a part and now the Iranians????

    From the Telegraph:

    Quote Originally Posted by www.telegraph.co.uk
    Iran is preparing an offer to buy MG Rover's entire operating plant and reopen the Longbridge assembly lines for immediate production.

    The bid to save up to 20,000 jobs in the West Midlands is seen an effort to earn goodwill in Britain and soften the Government's hard line on Iran's nuclear programme.


    The deal could save 20,000 jobs
    Teheran has ordered rival Iranian car firms Dastaan, Saipa, and Khodro to work together towards a combined offer to buy about 150,000 Rover cars over the next two years before moving to partial assembly of kits in Iran, which would safeguard thousands of jobs in Britain until the end of the decade.

    A team from Iran's industry ministry visited Longbridge last week on a fact-finding mission to inspect the plant. Dastaan is acting as the negotiating arm in Britain.

    Rover's administrator, Price Waterhouse Coopers, has received 16 separate offers from nine countries, but most buyers aim to strip Rover's assets and exploit the technology. PWC has so far refused to show its hand.

    Dastaan's British agent, Peter Linghorn, said Iran is the only buyer willing to preserve the Rover structure. "We're willing to take over the whole thing and kick-start production," he said.

    He added that Iran was even willing to take over some of the Rover MG's £67m pension liabilities: "They want to help. This is not a commercially-driven deal, it's about enhancing relationships."

    An Iranian official said yesterday that it was unclear exactly what was for sale. "This isn't about money. The ministry has the resources, but we still don't know what assets we can buy once the Chinese have finished with Rover," he said.

    Mr Linghorn said the deal would save "almost 100pc" of the existing MG Rover structure. "We want to reopen all the Rover lines: the 75, the 45 and 25, MG sports," he said. "There's an immediate need for 150,000 cars because the country is only just starting to open up to imports," he said.

    He believed MG sports cars could still be exported to Europe and America. Later phases would involve assembly of a further 150,000 cars a year in Iran.

    While Iran is not demanding an explicit "quid pro quo" for saving British jobs, it hopes Britain will play a "constructive" role in the ongoing crisis talks over Iran's nuclear programme.

    Last Friday, Iran threatened to restart uranium enrichment, seen as a step towards the production of nuclear weapons. Teheran insists that the fuel is for civilian reactors.

    Washington and the EU have demanded an immediate halt to the nuclear fuel cycle.

    The Foreign Office said yesterday that there was "no question" of Britain linking the issues of Rover and uranium enrichment.
    Now, don't get me wrong - there are a lot of people that depend on the (false?) economy that MG-Rover has provided since the days of British Leyland (my Dad for one has worked for them since he left school).

    But surely the words "flogging a dead horse" come to mind?

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    Cable Guy Jonny M's Avatar
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    I totally agree. There is no point in trying to resurrect this company, they failed for a reason, so propping them up is a complete waste.

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    well.. there are reasons why lots of people build cars over here - for one it bypasses some eu import laws - perhaps the iranians are buying rover so they can sell their cars over here??
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    I think thats a slightly negative view to be honest. The choice doesn't appear to be commercial and if it helps maintain jobs i think its a good thing. I'm certainly not up for our government putting money into in it, but if another government wants to buy it so be it.

    Just my opinion.

    TiG
    -- Hexus Meets Rock! --

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    Senior Amoeba iranu's Avatar
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    It's impossible for the Iranians to buy Rover and build Rover cars. The rights to Rover designs and engines have already been sold to China.
    "Reality is what it is, not what you want it to be." Frank Zappa. ----------- "The invisible and the non-existent look very much alike." Huang Po.----------- "A drowsy line of wasted time bathes my open mind", - Ride.

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    Quote Originally Posted by iranu
    It's impossible for the Iranians to buy Rover and build Rover cars. The rights to Rover designs and engines have already been sold to China.
    As far as i'm aware no assets have been sold as yet. PWC have to try to sell the company as a going concern first. If that fails (more than likely) then the 16 companies that have showed interest will have their chance. I would like to see where you gained this information though.

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    Senior Amoeba iranu's Avatar
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    No assets have been sold by PWC yet because there aren't any assets left. Even the Longbridge land was sold and leased back. The only thing left is the production line.

    The directors split off the profit making finance company and a few other things for their ownselves.

    "But the SAIC source maintained it took possession in a £67m deal last year. SAIC now controlled the Rover brand, its K-series engine, and the intellectual property behind the Rover 75, its most up-to-date car. Other reports say SAIC also has the rights to the Rover 25. If the brand move is confirmed, SAIC could build Rovers in China." Here

    I've mainly got the info from The Daily Telegraph which has followed Rover ever since the "Fab Four" took it over. They are a pretty reliable source. Rover = fubar.
    "Reality is what it is, not what you want it to be." Frank Zappa. ----------- "The invisible and the non-existent look very much alike." Huang Po.----------- "A drowsy line of wasted time bathes my open mind", - Ride.

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    Actually i just stumbled accross that information. Seems SAIC have production rights to Rover MG's 25 & 75. Although i thought that BMW owned the Rover name (along with others). I would have thought the MG brand was a better option than the Rover brand.

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    Latest time they were in the news was when Ford were buying the "Rover" name from BMW... http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/5358590.stm

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    Now the company that wanted to buy the Rover name but couldn't have decided to release cars with the name Roewe:

    Quote Originally Posted by bbc news
    Now, Shanghai is planning to use a name that sounds rather similar on cars to be launched later this year.

    The name is spelled Roewe. One possible pronunciation is Ro-wee.
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6067000.stm

    LOL (childish laughing)

    The first new car to be made, will be the Roewe 750 - a restyled, longer, redesigned Rover 75, made by SAIC, pics on http://www.austin-rover.co.uk/ in the news section.
    Last edited by joshwa; 20-10-2006 at 04:13 PM.

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