Just been reading news story at www.carkeys.co.uk and at another site (cant remeber address sorry).
Anyhow, the signed strategic partnership has hit snags.
Main jist of articles - Chinese firm Shanghai Automotive are determined to become mainstream and dont want to wait around forever to become a mainstream brand.
They want to take a 53% stake of rover, and re-brand it as the luxury affordable manufacturer it used to be re-nowned for.
However, mg rover uk or phoenix are not interested. I cant see why.
Firstly - they personally as share holders would get a good return from a sinking ship.
The rover brand would have a greater chance of long-term existence.
Get rid of them paying the pension deficeit.
From what i have read, and heard form a few trade sources - rover with no new models on the horizon for at least 1 year need to lose 1,000 staff.
Surely the shanghi people would keep some people on - at least for a move over period.
Plus, it makes sense for the chinese as rover are still a decent brand (especially 75).
how this would affect the cityrover tie up - i dont know.
One things for sure...
the proton deal is dead, falling sales, awful face lift (45 at least) - no sensible diesel for 25 or 45.
Its looking like a bleak winter.
dont get me wrong i love rover, my favourite car ever was a Rover 213, yet its looking sick.
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Rover 213 wasnt rover. it was honda 12 valve unit. body was honda as well.only unit fitted that was BL not rover. Was 1.6 IIRC had volkswagen g/box. may be wrong.Honda 12 valve was highly regarded as it outlasted the body.And was worth more than car.prob lied in no one else used it so died with 213.IIRC triumph Aclaim may have used this unit but was a dead duck due to severe rusting. very early. in cars life?
I though. a lover of Rovers. wonder how they manage to carry on.But as management probs have caused it.wonder if its actually too late to try. ie to keep going. Thread of hope here?
maybe pipe dream. I think they are on verge of collapse which is why I didnt buy new rover. I did get 218 diesel. best car yet. K series has done them, ie not correcting HGF/ecu prob Others may dissagree
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Was mech1
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213 Honda unit was a dream.
better engine than the 214 in my opinion.
Great revs, decent handling and well screwed together.
Only problems came from water pump and carb.
The reason why rover isnt even on my list off options when i change car - 2 reasons - insurance costs & high rrp costs.
Discounts just arent big enough.
A rover 25 2.0d 5 door is only worth 7 grand new.
why the owners wont sell - yep its puzzled me.
btw, in other news, according to some lads who work at halewood, they might have the new discovery being built their not before long.
Also ,they are now on a 2 shift pattern - jaguar x type sales have really fallen.
New x-type or fresh update vastly needed.
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I agree.213 was better unit.Your point about costs.Carb wasnt too much of a prob.it was failure of vaccum pipes that caused probs.many pipes fitted to one union that did it?.I had Two so I know.One reason for insurance hike. K series has what is known as bomb proof block/bottom end.Only pity HG prob hasnt been sorted.which is main failure of K series. ie means it can without too many mods. Be used for Racing.I gather it is
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Was mech1
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Isn't Rover structured so Rover Cars does not own the land, just the car producer and all the value is in Phoenix. WOuldn't be surprised if the next big pay day for the four is when the car maker closes unable to pay off its staff and they get the benefit from the sale of the land. Buyout by a Chinese group may not be so lucrative.
but then I am too cynical!
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Judging by the number of vehicles Rover sold in August some 32 a day (DT business section)it won't be long before they are no more
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The list prices are truely bizarre.
The Rover V8 lauded by Clarkson lists at £28K!
If anyone on this site is willing to pay this price could they contact me as I have some magic beans going for only £10K a bean. Bargain!
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List price is crazy.
you cant be a luxury brand and sell the cityrover
you cant charge luxury brand RRP prices.
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1.3 unit in Triumph Acclaim and Rover 213 was also in Honda Civic on which Triumph was based. Honda Ballade??also.
Superb unit. Ran like a sewing machine and probably smoother. Sounded like a turbine not an Internal Combustion engine. I don't think there's an engine like it now. Not even Honda 2000 VTEC.
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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The list prices are truely bizarre. The Rover V8 lauded by Clarkson lists at £28K!
Not any more - they dropped it to a figure I can't recall but somewhere between £20 and 25k.
I bet the customers who bought one at £28k were well chuffed to see £5k of value in their car vanish overnight....
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without wishing to be rude, but imo anyone who buys a new Rover is confused if he/she pays more than 70% of list price. (I almost posted "off" instead of "of" - perhaps I am confused!:-)
madf
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