MG ROVER TIMELINE

 MG Rover started from bicycles, next produced motorcycles, and then in 1904, its first cars.
 After World War II(1945+) the company developed the Land Rover off-road to compete with
Jeep. Sales were slow but steady. And over time Land Rovers earned a reputation for being
nearly indestructible.
 Late 1950s- Rover began sales in the U.S. and was only a minor player here, selling just a few
thousand Rover cars and Land Rover off-road vehicles each year until the early 1970s.
 1960’s - Rover was the assimilated into the nationalized British Leyland.(Issue on quality and
reputation)
 1980- Rover tried for a U.S. comeback twice with the aerodynamic Rover 3500 SD1 five-door.
 late 1980s - British Aerospace had become owner of what was once British Leyland, Rover’s
parent company
 1982- Strategic alliance with Honda, giving them access to Honda’s engineering expertise and
produced some excellent results.
 1987- Introduced the Honda-powered Sterling line of sporty sedans.
 1988- MG Rover was sold to British Aerospace
 1994- BMW bought the company form British Aerospace
- within BMW’s circle called “English patient”
- -Production and labor facilities are antiquated and the model range is in need of urgent
updating.
- -BMW invested billions of pounds in revamping and modernization.
- BMW kept the Mini brand. Land Rover went to Ford, which already owned Jaguar, while
the MG and Rover brands were sold to a group of British investors for 10 pounds.
 2000- suffer years of heavy losses
- -drain BMW’s resources
- Sold to Phoenix Consortium and renamed as MG Rover Group
 April 4, 2005- MG Rover ran out of money and with debts of over £1.4 billion
 2005- MG Rover went into administration and its key assets were purchased by Nanjing
Automobile Group, with Nanjing restarting MG sports car and sports saloon production in 2007.