MG Rover-News

[Angus]

Beginne hier mal einen Thread, in dem man nun ausschließlich Neuigkeiten bez. der Marken reinsetzen kann. Vielleicht ohne dass Kommentare folgen, damit die Diskussionen nicht wieder ins Unendliche gehen...!?!?
Sprich: Meldung rein und gut 

SAIC startet Rover-Nachbau

Der staatliche chinesische Autohersteller SAIC will bereits Ende 2006 einen Nachbau der Rover 75 Limousine in China vom Band laufen lassen.

Die Rechte am britischen Mobil mit bayerischer Technik hatten sich die Chinesen schon länger gesichert.

Um den Rover an die chinesischen Marktbedürfnisse anzupassen, will Shanghai Automotive unter anderem zahlreiche britische Ingenieure anheuern. Geändert werden sollen die Federung sowie die Motorabstimmung, die auf den schlechteren Kraftstoff umgestellt werden muss. Zudem soll für die Fondpassagiere mehr Beinfreihet geschaffen werden.

Der Rover 75 in der China-Version wird das erste Auto, das der Autobauer unter seinem eingenen Firmensignet auf den Markt bringen wird. Derzeit fertigt SAIC überwiegend Fahrzeuge in Joint-Ventures mit GM und Volkswagen

auto motor & sport, 27.06.2005

[AC-3EX]

"Streit um Forderungen an MG Rover soll beigelegt werden

27.06.2005

London/Neuss (ddp). Im Streit um Gläubigerforderungen an den Automobilimporteur MG Rover Deutschland hat der britische Insolvenzverwalter PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) eine baldige Lösung in Aussicht gestellt. PwC werde mit dem in der vergangenen Woche vom Amtsgericht Düsseldorf zum vorläufigen Insolvenzverwalter bestellten Anwalt Horst Piepenburg zusammenarbeiten, um mit den Gläubigern eine Einigung zu erzielen. Dabei sollen die bisweilen gegensätzlichen Interessen unter den verschiedenen Gläubigergruppen in fairer und gerechter Weise berücksichtigt werden, teilte PwC am Montag in London mit.

Bei dem Verfahren gegen die deutsche Tochter des traditionsreichen britischen Herstellers handelt es sich um ein so genanntes Sekundärinsolvenzverfahren. Damit soll verhindert werden, dass Gelder zuerst an die Muttergesellschaft fließen. Die deutschen Rover-Händler wollen jedoch erreichen, dass vorrangig deutsche Forderungen beglichen werden.

Nach der Insolvenz von MG Rover wurde im April vom zuständigen Gericht in Birmingham (England) zunächst eine "Administration" nach englischem Recht über die MG Rover Deutschland GmbH angeordnet. Die deutsche Tochter hat keinen Insolvenzantrag gestellt.

Über die Zukunft von MG Rover gibt es nach den Worten des Geschäftsführers von MG Rover Deutschland, Jürgen Voss, noch keine definitive Entscheidung. Die deutsche Tochter sei aber unabhängig von der Entwicklung in England dabei, Fragen des Autoverkaufs sowie der Garantieleistungen für die Kunden in Deutschland zu regeln, sagte Voss Anfang des Monats.

Die Lage ist aber offenbar problematisch. Gingen die Händler anfangs noch sehr entspannt mit der Situation um, so haben sich inzwischen die Fronten verhärtet. Der Händlerverband forderte seine Mitglieder auf, noch ausstehende Forderungen sofort fällig zu stellen. Dabei geht es dem Vernehmen nach um rund 2,8 Millionen Euro.

ddp.vwd/mwo/hwa"

[AC-3EX]

"Jetzt offiziell: MG Rover Partner können auf Zahlung hoffen
29.06.2005

Gute Nachrichten für die deutschen MG Rover-Partner: Die Aussichten, einen großen Teil der Forderungen gegen die unter Administration stehende MG Rover Deutschland GmbH, Neuss, zurück zu erhalten, haben sich für die Händler und Servicepartner deutlich verbessert. Wie schon vergangene Woche inoffiziell durchgesickert war, sollen die Forderungen von MG Rover Export Ltd. – eine Tochter der insolventen britischen MG Rover Group – aus Fahrzeuglieferungen an den deutschen Importeur nun definitiv als nachrangig bewertet werden. Dies wurde heute offiziell bestätigt. Damit steht ein großer Teil des zu erwartenden Erlöses aus dem Verkauf der noch vorhandenen knapp 2.900 Neu- und Gebrauchtwagen zur Befriedigung der Händlerforderungen zur Verfügung.

Der vom Düsseldorfer Gericht vorläufig eingesetzte Insolvenzverwalter Rechtsanwalt Horst Piepenburg hatte mit der Geschäftsführung der MG Rover Deutschland GmbH und den Administratoren die aktuelle Finanzsituation analysiert. Danach soll, wie AUTOHAUS Online erfahren hat, die Summe der Forderungen der deutschen Partner gegenüber dem Importeur deutlich geringer sein als das Vermögen des Unternehmens.

Ferner traf sich heute der vor zwei Wochen gewählte Gläubiger-Ausschuss zu einer Sitzung. Von den Administratoren von Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC) wurde dabei die gute Zusammenarbeit mit dem deutschen Insolvenzverwalter ausdrücklich hervorgehoben. Abgestimmt wurde über das weitere Vorgehen und die Maßnahmen zum Abverkauf der Fahrzeuge. Offiziell werden MG Rover Deutschland, PwC und der Insolvenzverwalter diese Maßnahmen bis Anfang der nächsten Woche vorstellen. Jürgen Voss, Geschäftsführer des deutschen Importeurs: "Es war ein hochprofessionelles, effektives und ergebnisorientiertes Gespräch. Für uns ist wichtig, dass wir mit den Händlern ein Agreement finden, um schnellstmöglich mit dem Verkauf der Fahrzeuge beginnen zu können." (bd)

Copyright © 1998 – 2005 by AUTOHAUS Online"

[Angus]

MG Rover Deutschland informiert: Einigung über Vermarktung des MG Rover Fahrzeugbestandes erzielt

08.07.2005, MG Rover Deutschland GmbH    [Pressemappe] 
   Neuss (ots) -

   Gläubigerauschuss und Händlerverband stimmen dem gemeinsamen
   Vorschlag des vorläufigen Insolvenzverwalters Horst Piepenburg und
   PricewaterhouseCoopers zu

   Am gestrigen Abend erzielten die Vertreter der Gläubiger und die
eingesetzten Administratoren (PricewaterhouseCoopers = PwC) sowie der
vorläufige Insolvenzverwalter Horst Piepenburg, 10 Tage nach dessen
Berufung durch das Amtsgericht Düsseldorf, eine Einigung über die
künftige Vermarktung  des MG und Rover Fahrzeugbestandes.

   Der gemeinsame Vorschlag von PwC und Horst Piepenburg sieht vor,
den MG Rover Handels- und Servicepartnern den Vorrang beim Verkauf
der noch bei der MG Rover Deutschland GmbH verfügbaren Fahrzeuge zu
geben. Es handelt sich dabei um rund 2.500 Autos, davon ca. 300 Neu-
und 2.200 überwiegend junge Gebrauchtwagen. Die Fahrzeuge werden mit
einer Garantieversicherung ausgestattet, deren Konditionen in Kürze
veröffentlicht werden.

   Wilfried Fleischer, Leiter Vertrieb/Händlernetzentwicklung bei MG
Rover Deutschland: "Wir werden unseren Partnern die Fahrzeuge auf
Wunsch als Kommissionsware anbieten zu marktorientierten Konditionen.
Unsere Partner tragen somit kein zusätzliches Risiko, erhalten aber
die große Chance, mit der Vermarktung unseres Bestandes Renditen zu
erwirtschaften."

   Horst Piepenburg und Mark Langford, PwC, äußerten sich zufrieden
über die Akzeptanz des gemeinsamen Vorschlages, der die
Vermarktungskonditionen festlegt. "Eine einheitliche Preisstrategie
ist notwendig, um die erforderliche Preisstabilität für die MG und
Rover Produkte auf dem deutschen wie auf dem europäischen Markt zu
sichern. Preisstabilität ist ein wesentlicher Punkt, um eine
höchstmögliche Quote zur Befriedigung der Gläubiger zu erreichen", so
Langford.

   "Innerhalb kürzester Zeit haben wir eine vernünftige Lösung
gefunden, die im Sekundärinsolvenzverfahren die Rechte der Gläubiger
aus Deutschland angemessen berücksichtigt", ergänzte Piepenburg

   Rechtsanwalt Dr. Christian F. Genzow, Mitglied des
Gläubigerausschuss und Lothar Schnabel, Vorsitzender des
Händlerbeirates, sehen in der erzielten Vereinbarung eine reelle
Chance für das MG Rover Handels- und Servicenetz, Gewinne zu erzielen
und dadurch Verluste möglichst auszugleichen.

   Für interessierte Kunden bietet sich mit der Einigung eine gute
Gelegenheit, die vorerst letzte Edition von Modellen der legendären
Marken MG und Rover zu erwerben.

[Angus]

MG Rover Deutschland informiert: Real Garant Versicherung AG und MG Rover Deutschland GmbH schließen Vereinbarung über die "MG Rover Deutschland - Garantie"

08.07.2005, MG Rover Deutschland GmbH    [Pressemappe]

   Neuss (ots) - Die Real Garant Versicherung AG, eine 100% Tochter
des ADAC, und die Administratoren (PricewaterhouseCoopers) von MG
Rover Deutschland GmbH (MGRD GmbH) haben eine Vereinbarung
geschlossen, mit der Zielsetzung, die sich bei MG Rover Deutschland
und bei den Händlern befindlichen MG und Rover Neu- und
Gebrauchtwagen mit einer Garantieversicherung zu versehen.

   MG Rover Deutschland GmbH wird alle noch im Besitz der MGRD
befindlichen Neu- und Gebrauchtwagen (total ca. 2.400 Fzg.), die
durch das deutsche Händlernetz verkauft werden, über die Real Garant
Versicherung AG versichern. Die Versicherungsdauer beträgt für
Neufahrzeuge 24 Monate und für Gebrauchtwagen 12 Monate.

   Für Neu- und Gebrauchtfahrzeuge, die sich im unverkauften Besitz
der MG Rover Vertragshändler befinden, können sich die
Vertragspartner auf Wunsch der Vereinbarung anschließen.

   Bei MG Rover Fahrzeugen, die sich bereits in Kundenhand befinden,
können die MG Rover Vertragspartner eine ebenfalls verhandelte
Garantieversicherung über die Restlaufzeit abschließen. Das Fahrzeug
darf nicht älter als 36 Monate ab Erstzulassung sein.

   Die Prämien und Laufzeiten richten sich danach, ob es sich um
einen Neuwagen, einen jungen Gebrauchtwagen (Alter max. 6 Monate ab
Erstzulassung) oder um einen Gebrauchtwagen handelt und ist natürlich
auch nach Motorleistung gestaffelt.

   Bei einem Neufahrzeug von 86 KW bis 150 KW wird bei einer
Versicherung von 24 Monaten einmalig eine Prämie von 495EUR fällig.

   Eine Garantieversicherung über die Restlaufzeit kostet beim
gleichen Typ je Monat Restlaufzeit 23EUR.

   Die Prämien verstehen sich incl. Versicherungssteuer. Das Angebot
der Real Garant ist befristet bis zum 29. Juli 2005.

   Jürgen Voss, Geschäftsführer der MG Rover Deutschland GmbH: "MG
Rover Deutschland und die Administratoren von PwC sowie der
vorläufige Insolvenzverwalter Horst Piepenburg haben dem Abschluss
einer neuen Garantie absolute Priorität eingeräumt und sind sehr
froh, diese jetzt mit dem Versicherer Real Garant anbieten zu können.
Nach dem faktischen Entfallen der Herstellergarantie können die MG
Rover Händler auf Wunsch auch Kundenfahrzeuge für die Restlaufzeit
über die Garantieversicherung absichern".

   Der Abschluss einer Garantievereinbarung mit einem Rückversicherer
war erforderlich, da sich das Unternehmen MG Rover Group Ltd, dessen
Tochter die MG Rover Deutschland GmbH ist, seit dem 8 April unter
Administration/in Insolvenz befindet. Im Zuge des
Administrations-/Insolvenzverfahrens wurden von den Administratoren
die Garantiefonds geschlossen.

   A V Lomas, S A Pearson und R J Hunt sind als Joint Administrators
der Gesellschaft bestellt worden. Mit ihrer Bestellung ist der
Beschlag über das Vermögen der Gesellschaft auf sie übergegangen. Sie
sind befugt, die Geschäfte der Gesellschaft zu führen, insbesondere
verfügen sie über ein Weisungsrecht gegenüber allen Mitarbeitern der
Gesellschaft.Hierzu sind die Joint Administrators allesamt bei dem
Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales zugelassen.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(...)
Zu kämpfen hat auch Jaguar. Die britische Edelmarke meldet mit 1 810 Neuzulassungen ein Minus von 24,1 Prozent. Und beim insolventen Hersteller MG Rover gehen langsam die Lichter aus: Im ersten Halbjahr wurden nur noch 1 110 Fahrzeuge verkauft, 51,9 Prozent weniger als ein Jahr zuvor.
(...)

08.07.2005, Auto-Presse.de

[Angus]

British bidder plans £40m MG restart at Longbridge

By Christopher Hope, Business Correspondent

David James, the company doctor who prevented the Millennium Dome from deflating in 2000 and negotiated with Colonel Gaddafi for the release of British hostages in Libya in the 1980s, is leading an all-British bid to buy the MG sports car business for £40m.

Mr James lodged details of the offer with administrator Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC) earlier this week. He is hoping to re-employ 500 former workers to build the sports cars at MG's Longbridge plant in Birmingham.

The news will bring fresh hope to the West Midlands, which is still reeling after MG Rover collapsed in April with debts of £1.4billion and the loss of more than 6,000 jobs.

Mr James has been brought in to refresh an offer made by a group of Birmingham businessmen. Other bids have come from Nikolai Smolenski, owner of the Lancashire-based TVR sports car business as well as Dastaan, an Iranian business.

The offer is for the assets of MG and for its Powertrain engines plant. Mr James said the offer - called "Project Kimber" - was fully funded, but declined to give details.

He said: "The money is on the table. We are proposing to buy the assets and return production to Longbridge for the MG. Ours is a British-backed bid for jobs in Britain."

Mr James needs to hire 500 former car workers to make his plans work, while another 1,500 new jobs hinge on whether other manufacturers can be persuaded to make cars at Longbridge. Mr James said he was in talks to build "niche brands" there.

If the offer is accepted Mr James, 67, will be chairman of the new business and take a 5pc stake. A team of motor industry executives would run it on a day-to-day basis.

Alchemy Partners, the venture capitalist that tried to buy MG Rover in early 2000 before it was sold to four local businessmen for a nominal £10, had been contacted about funding.

Jon Moulton, chairman of Alchemy, said: "We have been in contact with some elements of this group but we are not funding it."

Mr James, who started his career at Ford Motor Company, said he was keen to work with Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation, which bought intellectual property rights relating to some Rover models and engines for £67m late last year. A spokesman for PWC said: "We don't talk about individual bids."

Yesterday, it emerged that Nick Stephenson, one of the "Phoenix Four" who netted more than £30m from MG Rover, was working unpaid with another possible bidder, Nanjing Automotive, after executives from the Chinese company reportedly visited the plant last week.

It also emerged that the Phoenix Four, who pledged to give assets worth between £10m and £30m to a trust for ex-workers, had been advised not to release the assets until completion of an inquiry by the Department of Trade and Industry, which could take more than 18 months.

Eric MacDonald, an officer with the T&G and a trustee of the trust, said: "We are extremely unhappy about this. We understood very clearly the Phoenix Four had made an absolute commitment to hand over the assets."

The Daily Telegraph, 02.07.2005

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Secret talks could see car production return to Longbridge

Secret talks to revive car production at Longbridge could result in manufacturing restarting early next year.

Martin Leach, the former head of Ford's European operations, and Ed Sabisky, a former finance director at Vauxhall, are in China speaking to the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation.

Their proposal to SAIC involves establishing Longbridge as a base for research and development, as well as a production site for new models. If they get the go ahead, production could resume early next year.

The venture, which is being taken seriously by the Chinese, would be in addition to the production of Rover 25s and 75s in the Far East.

The new plan, which hinges on financial support from SAIC, would be on a much smaller scale than the original deal which was envisaged before MG Rover collapsed.

About 2,000 workers, from the 6,100 staff who previously worked at Longbridge, could be employed in a semi independent British division which would also produce the MG TF sports car.

It is thought the discussions were instigated by Tony Woodley, General Secretary of the Transport & General Workers' Union, who contacted Mr Leach and Mr Sabisky in April.

A source said: "When the original deal with the Chinese collapsed, there was a feeling that despite the financial problems, there was still a business logic behind it.

"Leach and Sabisky had a look at the company, and they are there or thereabouts with the plan.

"They have presented it to SAIC, and if SAIC gives the go ahead, production could optimistically start next year."

The Chinese may have to invest about £100 million into the venture, with extra funds being generated by Mr Sabisky and Mr Leach.

Mr Leach would be the managing director of the new company and Mr Sabisky the finance director.

"There have been fears about lift and shift with overseas bidders coming in and taking away the technology wholesale," said the source.

"This would keep some production in the UK."

The source said: "There is a logic and a credibility about this plan. SAIC wants to be a global player, and having a base in Britain provides a bridgehead into the rest of Europe."

The T & G and SAIC both declined to comment on the negotiations last night.

icBirmingham, 07.07.2005

[Angus]

'Two bidders vie' for Rover deal   

Two bidders are reportedly vying to buy the assets of MG Rover, which could see car production resume at its Longbridge plant in the Midlands.
According to newspaper reports, administrators are talking to Chinese firm Nanjing Automobile and a group lead by businessman David James.

The Mail on Sunday reported that Mr James had teamed up with Chinese firm Shanghai Automotive to make a bid.

PricewaterhouseCoopers has set an October deadline for reaching a deal.

The Sunday Telegraph reported that Nanjing Automobile had been awarded preferred bidder status, enabling it to conduct negotiations on an exclusive basis.

The Chinese firm reportedly wants to manufacture a range of models - including the MG sports car and possibly the Rover 75 saloon - at Longbridge, employing up to 2,000 staff.

However, the newspaper added that PwC was waiting to see whether Mr James - a corporate trouble-shooter who sorted out the finances of the Millennium Dome - could table an alternative bid in the next few days.

The newspaper claimed that Mr James's plans would also see production of both MG and Rover models resume at Longbridge.

Under the scheme, it is said that Rover would source engines for its models from partner Shanghai Automotive.

The Mail on Sunday reported Mr James as saying that a firm bid could be made within the next couple of days. Neither PwC nor Mr James could be reached for comment.

MG Rover collapsed in April with the loss of more than 5,500 jobs.

BBC News, 10 July, 2005

[Angus]

MG Rover 'white knight' drops out 

Businessman David James has ended plans to rescue collapsed carmaker MG Rover.
Speculation has been rife recently about a possible rescue for Rover, which went bankrupt earlier this year at a cost of more than 5,500 jobs.

Mr James is part of a consortium that had hoped to buy Rover and keep making cars at the firm's Longbridge plant.

For that to happen, Mr James needed China's Shanghai Automotive (SAIC) to agree to buy key Rover businesses and assets, which it refused to do.

Without SAIC's agreement, Mr James and his group could not raise the money that they needed to buy Rover.

Under the terms of their rescue plan, Mr James wanted to break up Rover and create a new MG car firm. The MG brand is seen as one of Rover's most valuable assets.

Under his plan, SAIC would have acquired Rover's profitable Powertrain engine-making division, and undertaken to buy the firm's remaining assets a year later.

Mr James said that over the weekend it became clear that SAIC was not willing to commit to the plan.

"I thought they would accept it, because it would be such a logical step," he told the BBC's Today programme.

"We would have put them on our board and given them 25% of our new MG company as a gift," he explained.

"It would have been a very logical progression towards an eventual time when SAIC would have owned everything."

He said that it would have given SAIC access to the UK car market as well as providing the Chinese firm with the assets they already had expressed an interest in.


SAIC had already held lengthy discussions with Rover's management about the possibility of a partnership, but eventually ruled itself out of making a bid.

Analysts said that the firm may have decided it can get the assets cheaper once all hopes of a rescue have evaporated.

Speculation has swirled about Rover and its chances of finding a white knight.

The Mail on Sunday carried news of Mr James' talks, while The Sunday Telegraph reported that another firm, Nanjing Automobile, had been awarded preferred bidder status, enabling it to conduct negotiations on an exclusive basis.

Rovers' administrators PricewaterhouseCoopers have set an October deadline for reaching a deal.

Mr James said that his deal could only be resurrected if PwC made it clear it would not accept bids from SAIC or Nanjing for parts of MG Rover, or if the UK government promised to step in as a guarantor for Mr James's proposed deals.

BBC News, Monday, 11 July, 2005

[Angus]

Positive signal on Rover pensions 

MG Rover pensioners have been given a "positive" message by trustees who are "confident" of protecting the benefits of workers at the collapsed carmaker.
The comments come after pensioners were told that their payments would be adjusted lower because of overpayment.

Trustees moved to calm fears saying that the cut was needed to prepare for entry into the Pension Protection Fund.

The fund will cover 90% of benefits, and entry will be a matter of weeks rather than months, trustees said.

Rover, the last British mass-produced car maker, collapsed in April at a cost of almost 6,000 jobs.

Financial problems meant that the company's two employee pension schemes had a deficit of £495m, raising concerns that workers would either lose benefits or have to live on reduced payments.

Trustees and the government have been negotiating to safeguard as much of the pension schemes as possible.

"We are now confident that we are very close to being able to have both schemes enter the Pension Protection Fund (PPF)," said Chris Martin, managing director of Independent Trustee Services, which is looking after the rights of Rover pensioners.

"I would imagine it would be a matter of weeks, rather than months."

Trustees will now have to finalise talks with Phoenix Venture Holdings, the company that owned and ran Rover, about how much debt they will pay off.

Once those talks are finished, the government will clarify entry requirements to the PPF.

Mr Martin told the BBC's Today programme that getting ready for entry into the PPF meant that they would have to cut pension payments to those people who had taken early retirement by 10%.

There also would be a readjustment to rectify three months of overpayment.

Mr Martin was keen to point out, however, that despite the cut in payments, pensioners are likely to be in a stronger position.

At best, Rover's pension schemes would have been able to pay out only 63% of their obligations. Once the schemes join the PPF, 90% of the pension payments will be guaranteed.

"The vast majority of pensioners will find themselves in a better position than the scheme would have afforded," Mr Martin told the BBC's Today programme.

"And all those 6,000 or so other workers that have not retired will have confidence that their benefits will be safe in the future."

BBC News, Tuesday, 12 July

[Angus]

Bidders to go it alone for Rover

Jul 12 2005

By John Duckers, John Cranage and Paul Dale

A consortium headed by company troubleshooter David James and including 30 Midland-based managers is ready to go it alone with a bid for MG Rover.

It appeared yesterday that Mr James, the man who rescued the Millennium Dome, had dropped out of the bidding for Rover after a possible deal with Chinese car group SAIC collapsed at the weekend.

But sources close to the consortium said Mr James was willing to stick with it.

The consortium, called Project Kimber after Cecil Kimber the celebrated director of MG in the 1930s, is the only British group contesting ownership of the remaining MG Rover assets with SAIC and another Chinese carmaker, Nanjing.

The original intention was to create a new MG company to produce cars at Longbridge while selling off the remainder of the group to SAIC in order to give the Chinese a foothold in the global car market.

To do this, they needed an agreement that SAIC would immediately buy the Power-train engine-making division from them and would commit itself to purchasing the remainder of the Rover assets a year later.

That would have given the consortium the chance to borrow working capital against the Rover assets to get the new MG up and running.

But over the weekend it became apparent SAIC was unwilling to give the required commitments, said Mr James.

SAIC's decision has left an £80 million hole in Kimber's finances but a source close to the g r o u p said it would mount its own bid. Its members have expertise in production planning, design, engineering, manufacture, sales and marketing and PR.

The aim is to employ up to 2,000 former Longbridge workers making a three-strong model range of MGs within five years. In addition, it would look to produce other niche models for major car makers under contract assembly deals.

The source insisted: "We will go in with a bid of our own and we will talk to whoever in the world might take the surplus assets off us. We are in discussion with several companies around the world. Several have shown ongoing interest in the assets."

Meanwhile the president of SAIC, Chen Hong, is expected in the UK this week for talks with former Ford of Europe boss Martin Leach who is heading another bid to revive production at Longbridge.

Nanjing, which is being advised by British engineering consultant Ove Arup and whose bid is backed by Nick Stephenson, a director of MG Rover parent company Phoenix Venture Holdings, denied claims it would "lift and shift" Rover's equipment to China and leave "next to nothing".

The plan foresees 1,000-2,000 UK-based designers, engineers and production line workers making sports and upmarket cars, and finishing small and medium cars imported from China.

Administrators PricewaterhouseCoopers would not comment yesterday.

Meanwhile, Birmingham City Council is drawing up fresh planning guidance in an attempt to create as many new manufacturing jobs as possible at Longbridge.

Clive Dutton, the council's strategic director of economic development, said he would issue a "statement of intent" setting out the local authority's wishes to see most of the former MG Rover site retained for the manufacturing sector.

The new guidance will act as a steer to landowners St Modwen and Advantage West Midlands and is intended to address concerns among people in the south-west of the city that parts of Longbridge could be sold off for retail development or warehousing.

Most of the land falls into the A38 Central Technology Belt, zoned by AWM for science-based industries.

Council leader Mike Whitby (Con Harborne), who issued a plea for manufacturing on the site, raised the issue with the Prime Minister when he met Mr Blair last month. "I have made our intentions clear at the highest level," he said.

icBirmingham

[AC-3EX]

NEW ROVERS UNVEILED

The first pictures of the new cars that could yet revive the fortunes of the collapsed MG Rover company have been revealed.

The shots of the replacements for Rover's 45 and 75 models have been published in the latest edition of Auto Express magazine.

According to the magazine, the two new models will be produced at Rover's under-threat Longbridge plant in the West Midlands and go on sale in 2007.

Auto Express says the models would be the first products of a joint venture between SAIC - the Chinese firm which owns the intellectual property rights to the Rover 25 and 75 models and the K-series engine range - and an as-yet unnamed company.

The magazine says: "With more radical styling than previous Rovers yet still with an emphasis on comfort and quality, the replacements should find favour with new and existing customers."

It adds that new MG versions could also go on sale in 2007.

Editor-in-chief David Johns said: "These two exciting new cars show that rumours of MG Rover's extinction has been very much exaggerated.

"And with a joint venture with SAIC close to agreement, perhaps Britain's most important motor manufacturer can now look forward to a bright future."


Quelle:http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-13386104,00.html

[Angus]

MG Rover in talks with Chinese bidders

Chinaview, 2005-07-13

    BEIJING, July 13 -- MG Rover administrators were in talks with two Chinese bidders for parts of the bankrupt British carmaker, though one potential British partner dropped out of rescue talks, unions and sources said.

    Administrators PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) were talking to China's Nanjing Automotive and a consortium backed by China's biggest carmaker Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. (SAIC).

    SAIC, which pulled out of a joint venture expected to save the carmaker earlier this year, was talking to former Ford Europe boss Martin Leach about a joint bid for MG Rover that could save the carmaker's Longbridge plant, unions said.

    "The bid headed up by Martin Leach offers the brightest prospects for Longbridge. It looks as though there is the possibility of real progress," said a spokeswoman for the Transport & General Workers Union, which backs the Leach bid.

    MG Rover filed for bankruptcy in April under debts of 1.4 billion pounds (US$2.44 billion), costing 5,000 jobs after the carmaker was forced to close its production plant at Longbridge in England.

    SAIC was also in talks with Birmingham businessman David James to save the business but it now appeared a deal with James was unlikely after weekend talks, said a source close to the situation.

    Administrators set themselves an October deadline last month to wrap up the sale of MG Rover, which collapsed in April.

[Angus]

Ergänzend zu ACs Bericht:

Autoexpress, Wednesday 13th July 2005 

New 75 Hails Rover's Return...

It's not over for Rover! And in our sensational pictures in this week's Auto Express we take the wraps off two radical new machines which are set to rise from the ashes of the collapsed manufacturer.

Thanks to exclusive inside information, we can show you exactly how the replacements for both the Rover 75 and 45 (Page 8 of this week's issue) will look when they hit showrooms in the UK within the next two years - resurrecting Britain's most important car company.

Both models will be manufactured in the UK by a new firm operating as part of a joint venture with Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) - the Chinese giant which bought the rights to produce the Rover 25, 75 and TF, and build K Series engines. SAIC will design and develop the new cars, which will be sold through the Rover dealer network in Britain. With much of the development work already underway - in the hands of ex-MG Rover engineers at UK-based automotive consultancy Ricardo and the Chinese - insiders estimate that the new 45 and 75 could go on sale as soon as 2007 and 2008 respectively.

Marking a radical departure from traditional Rovers, both models have striking designs. Pictured for the first time, the new 75 is much bolder and sportier than before, featuring a sweeping profile, chunky, high waistline and rising tail. What's more, the car already exists - a prototype version is currently being stored in a secret location at Rover's Longbridge site.

With a fresh and distinctive horseshoe grille plus shapely headlight arrangement - similar in concept to the Audi and Volkswagen corporate look - the next 75 boasts some much-needed aggression. The rear is finished off with swooping tail-lights which extend over the boot line.

The new car is shorter than the current 75, but it is 50mm taller and 100mm longer than BMW's 3-Series, so should offer better interior space than its German rival. Motorists can also expect a luxurious, high-quality cabin - a stand-out feature of the existing car, but which has since been eclipsed by new models such as Volkswagen's Passat. There will be plenty of equipment on offer, including sat-nav and Bluetooth telephone compatibility.

Likely to use a development of the current 75 platform, the fresh model will continue with front-wheel drive, complementing its more dramatic styling with better handling and sharper steering. However, the ride is still likely to be the best in its class for comfort.

Petrol engines will feature the current line-up of 1.8-litre, 1.8 turbo and 2.5 V6 units, with diesel power possibly coming from Volkswagen or General Motors - two of SAIC's partners. An MG ZT version is pencilled in to arrive at the same time as the 75 in 2008, offering a more driver-focused experience and even more dramatic looks. There is also potential for a two-door variant to rival BMW's 3-Series Coupé and the Mercedes CLK.
See page 8 of this week's issue: Lowdown on new '45'

[Angus]

Autoexpress, Wednesday 13th July 2005 

...And '45' Is On Its Way Back Too!

It's not only the compact executive market that will be targeted by the owners of MG Rover's best technology... SAIC also has its eyes on the huge family car market.

A new medium-sized model - codenamed RD60 - had already made prototype stage in the hands of MG Rover. The work started in Longbridge will be continued to form the 45 replacement. Aimed at the Ford Focus and VW Golf, it will blend the styling cues of the three cars pictured on the right, and the result will be an MPV-like hatch that rivals the all-new Honda Civic for visual drama.

We revealed the back of the MG Rover-built 45 replacement in Issue 845 - and the amazing images in this week's issue prove the story isn't over yet! The car gets a bold Rover badge in a sporty new mesh grille surrounded by chrome. Enhancing the look are narrow headlamps and aggressive spotlights. As on the 75, a high waistline and chunky pillars, combined with relatively small glass areas, mean a strong profile. Further stylish touches include extended wheelarches and distinctive lights set into a one-piece tailgate.

Shorter than the current 45 but longer than a Focus, the newcomer should have one of the most spacious interiors in class. Headroom will be particularly impressive due to a tall MPV-like roofline that extends to meet the chopped rear window. Build and material quality is tipped to be as good as in premium brands, with generous equipment, a host of airbags and a five-star Euro NCAP crash test rating.

Under the skin, the front-wheel-drive car is set to use a modified 75 platform with suspension tuned to give a sporty, but comfortable, driving experience.

The engine range should comprise the existing car's 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8-litre K Series petrol units, with diesel power potentially from VW or GM - as in the 75. Due on sale in 2007, the new 45 should debut at the Paris Motor Show in September 2006. A new MG ZT is likely, too, and both machines could be assembled on the same production line as the current 75 was at Longbridge, to cut costs. "Long-term plans centre on this line," said an insider. "It's set up to take more than one model as it's extendable."

Meanwhile, an all-new supermini is expected to replace both the CityRover and 25. The future of the TF cabrio rests on the joint venture's success - while SAIC owns the rights to build it, there is little demand for sports cars in China.

[AC-3EX]

SAIC 'could submit MG Rover bid'

Chinese firms continue to circle Rover
Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp (SAIC) team up with former head of Ford of Europe Martin Leach to rescue MG Rover, the Financial Times has said.

If a letter of intent is signed it means China's SAIC will be in competition with Nanjing Automobile of China to buy the UK firm.

PricewaterhouseCoopers - Rover's administrators - have been briefed on the bid vehicle, Ma8ma, the paper said.

No formal bid has been tabled, but rival Nanjing has submitted a bid.

Production plan

The Financial Times said Mr Leach and SAIC president Chen Hong "are understood to have had breakfast in London to discuss details of the letter of intent".

The plan, which is by no means certain to lead to a bid, could see the Rover 75 and sports cars built at Rover's Longbridge factory.

SAIC would produce engines at a plant in China, using machinery from Longbridge, the newspaper said.

Quelle: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4681369.stm