Rover's fallen fortunesRover. Ah, stately brown cars smelling of walnut panelling and pipe smoke. Now Ford has bought the right to make Rovers, are the classic British cars once produced under the Rover umbrella due a comeback?
Rover's fallen fortunesRover. Ah, stately brown cars smelling of walnut panelling and pipe smoke. Now Ford has bought the right to make Rovers, are the classic British cars once produced under the Rover umbrella due a comeback?
Rover is a name associated with a very British motor, but also with automotive business failure. Little wonder that Ford, the maker of the luxury 4x4s Land Rover and Range Rover, should be first in the queue when the rights to make Rovers came to be sold.
Rover is a name associated with a very British motor, but also with automotive business failure. Little wonder that Ford, the maker of the luxury 4x4s Land Rover and Range Rover, should be first in the queue when the rights to make Rovers came to be sold.
The American automotive giant has now paid up on a long-held agreement with BMW for first refusal on the name.
The American automotive giant has now paid up on a long-held agreement with BMW for first refusal on the name.
Is it the signal for nostalgia-lovers, who hark back to the joy of driving an Austin, Triumph, Clubman, Morris or Maxi - all made under the Rover umbrella - to anticipate the return of these classics?
Is it the signal for nostalgia-lovers, who hark back to the joy of driving an Austin, Triumph, Clubman, Morris or Maxi - all made under the Rover umbrella - to anticipate the return of these classics?
No, say industry insiders. Rather it is a canny move by Ford to protect the reputation of its own Rovers. The firm is likely to consign its new acquisition to the scrapheap, says Ian Henry, of consultants Autoanalysis.
No, say industry insiders. Rather it is a canny move by Ford to protect the reputation of its own Rovers. The firm is likely to consign its new acquisition to the scrapheap, says Ian Henry, of consultants Autoanalysis.
"Ford owns Land Rover and has the Range Rover car. It sees the word Rover as integral to the value of the brands. It doesn't really want somebody else using that word on cars which are not 4x4s and are not luxury cars."
"Ford owns Land Rover and has the Range Rover car. It sees the word Rover as integral to the value of the brands. It doesn't really want somebody else using that word on cars which are not 4x4s and are not luxury cars."
On the shelf
On the shelf
Buying - and shelving - a brand is common in marketing and in cars. BMW has the rights to a string of old car names, including the Maxi. As makers of the new Mini Cooper, it's in the firm's interest to own the rights to a car that once was a rival to the old-style Mini.
Buying - and shelving - a brand is common in marketing and in cars. BMW has the rights to a string of old car names, including the Maxi. As makers of the new Mini Cooper, it's in the firm's interest to own the rights to a car that once was a rival to the old-style Mini.
There is perhaps a reason these have not come backThe legal intellectual property of the name Rover is worth millions to Ford. The company is reported to be expecting a loss of $9bn this year, so spending £6m on protecting a brand is corporate peanuts.
There is perhaps a reason these have not come backThe legal intellectual property of the name Rover is worth millions to Ford. The company is reported to be expecting a loss of $9bn this year, so spending £6m on protecting a brand is corporate peanuts.
Michael Wynn-Williams, an automotive analyst for Trend Tracker Ltd, says manufacturers like to protect their brands: "This deal makes Land Rover easier to sell because it tidies up uncertainty over the Chinese owning the name."
Michael Wynn-Williams, an automotive analyst for Trend Tracker Ltd, says manufacturers like to protect their brands: "This deal makes Land Rover easier to sell because it tidies up uncertainty over the Chinese owning the name."
When MG Rover collapsed, BMW sold the Longbridge factory, machinery and rights to make the many of the firm's other cars - the Wolseley, Sprite, Austin Healey and Vanden Plas - to Chinese car company Nanjing Automobile.
When MG Rover collapsed, BMW sold the Longbridge factory, machinery and rights to make the many of the firm's other cars - the Wolseley, Sprite, Austin Healey and Vanden Plas - to Chinese car company Nanjing Automobile.
These names conjure up a golden time of motoring, of empty trunk roads, cheaper fuel, freedom. Might they be revived, or go the same way as Rover?
These names conjure up a golden time of motoring, of empty trunk roads, cheaper fuel, freedom. Might they be revived, or go the same way as Rover?
DittoUnlikely. Models marred by business or mechanical failure, or indeed irredeemable naffness, look set to stay shelved.
DittoUnlikely. Models marred by business or mechanical failure, or indeed irredeemable naffness, look set to stay shelved.
And naming a car is a tricky business, upon which multi-million pound advertising campaigns rest. Each firm has its own naming convention, so throwing a Midget or Wasp - two other former MG Rover names - into the mix just isn't going to happen.
And naming a car is a tricky business, upon which multi-million pound advertising campaigns rest. Each firm has its own naming convention, so throwing a Midget or Wasp - two other former MG Rover names - into the mix just isn't going to happen.
Ford, for instance, starts its car names with F - Fusion, Focus - and its off-roaders suggest excitement with names starting with "EX" - Excursion, Expedition. Mercedes uses letters - from the basic A Class to the Slk. At BMW, car models are given numbers.
Ford, for instance, starts its US car names with F - Fusion, Focus - and its off-roaders suggest excitement with names starting with "EX" - Excursion, Expedition. Mercedes uses letters - from the basic A Class to the Slk. At BMW, car models are given numbers.
A bit of British
A bit of British
Even strong sales can't guarantee a model's longevity. The world's best-selling car, the Toyota Corolla, is reported to be due to make way for a new car in its class.
Even strong sales can't guarantee a model's longevity. The world's best-selling car, the Toyota Corolla, is reported to be due to make way for a new car in its class.
There is one road of opportunity for the car names of the past, says Mr Henry. Car makers could cash in on the cache of selling something particularly British in the Asian markets.
There is one road of opportunity for the car names of the past, says Mr Henry. Car makers could cash in on the cache of selling something particularly British in the Asian markets.
Nanjing markets MG as a desirable slice of Britishness"A couple of the names - Kensington, Connoisseur, Sterling, Wolseley - with their sense of old England may return. Those are names that could conjure up an air of past Britain, glory days of the Empire."
Nanjing markets MG as a desirable slice of Britishness"A couple of the names - Kensington, Connoisseur, Sterling, Wolseley - with their sense of old England may return. Those are names that could conjure up an air of past Britain, glory days of the Empire."
MG seems the most likely candidate. Nanjing have already started to promote it, not as the MG of Morris Garages, but the "Modern Gentleman", a possessor of "grace and style".
MG seems the most likely candidate. Nanjing have already started to promote it, not as the MG of Morris Garages, but the "Modern Gentleman", a possessor of "grace and style".
But whether the name lives on depends on one thing. In an age of hi-tech engineering, computerised vehicles and sophisticated advertising, that the car does what it should, and well.
But whether the name lives on depends on one thing. In an age of hi-tech engineering, computerised vehicles and sophisticated advertising, that the car does what it should, and well.
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