Yumcha

From Topgear.com...

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

This is a pretty stupid move on Ford's part. They need the money more than they need the already flailing Rover brand name and with the way Ford's financials are stacking up, they really don't have the money to support another full line-up brand like Rover.

Moog-Type-S

Looks like nobody wants the Chinese to get the euro-brands.

fuckleberry

fixed

gavriil

This is huge news for Europe and elsewhere...

titan

Wrong. It's a pretty savy move on Ford's part. First of all, Ford's flush with cash. They have $25 billion in the bank. All of the talks of selling this brand and that brand is to bring their operating costs and profits inline. Don't get me wrong, it's critical that they do this, and it's wise that they do this without touching their cash hord, but the fact of the matter they have cash. Second, the article said they don't plan to buld any Rover cars (atleast right now), so where did you get the money that they want to "support another full line-up band like Rover?" Ford isn't buying any plants, and it'd not buying a fleet. It's buying an established and world reknowned (except in NA) name brand for peanuts. Also, If they wanted to sell Land Rover at some point, it'd be critical that they could sell the Rover brand with it as a package; Land Rover's brand would be alot less attractive to a buyer if another company owned the Rover brand and couldn't control it. Good move on Ford's part. Ford Europe and Ford Asia are healthy. If Ford's fortune's turn and it decided to resurrect the brand in a few years it could do it and probably be a profitable venture.

titan

Precisely.

Crazy Bimmer

Wait, i thought ford bought them awhile ago?

Wasnt ford putting engines in the lastest ones or was that still bmw engines in there?

phile

I'm pretty sure Ford only bought the Land Rover portion, which supposedly is different from the Rover portion. I don't know, Im not familiar with the name at all.

Mokos23

Weird that Ford bought Rover and they have the money?? But, yet they don't care about the 10,000 jobs they are going to be cutting in the USA.

SpeedyV6

I can't believe that's all that the Rover brand was worth.

Silver™

titan

Well, it's gets confusing. From what I understand, Ford bought the entire Rover group, which included Rover brand cars, Land Rovers, and Mini, acutally. It only wanted LandRover, and BMW bought the rest (with the veto power over Rover's car brand); BMW only wanted Mini (we all know this ofcourse), which left Rover brand cars. All three are British brands with alot of English history, which is why it's weird the brand went for so little (even though they've been in the crapper lately). That's like walking up to GM and saying, "hey, I'll give you $50 million for the Buick or Pontiac brands." Sure, both brands are floundering lately, but they're steeped in history; and with the right product in they're lineup, they could be great. Same with Rover.

titan

Thats what I thought.

kansaiwalker1

More "Dumb Moves" by Ford.

stangg172004

so now all British brands aren't owned by British companies or people?

SpeedyV6

I think Triumph motorcycles are still owned by a British firm.

Python2121

England: DENIED

phile

I've heard of Daimler (no relation to Daimler-Benz), which produces those limousines for the royal family. Don't think they've been bought yet.

phile

Interesting commentary:

http://www.autoblog.com/2006/09/19/c...s-lexus-acura/

Mokos23

Mazda doesn't need a luxury division. Volvo can be their luxury division since the Volvo S40 is essentially a rebadged Mazda 3 and vice versa.

titan

Mazda simply doesn't need a luxury division. Geez.

heyitsme

From what I've seen since the late 90's, FORD simply doesn't even deserve a luxury division.

And yes from a company standpoint, Mazda being so much more innovative with design and basically everything automotive they should be the ones to bring appart a new luxury company.

titan

I don't care what Ford "deserves." When it aquired Jag and the others in the late '90's they were much healthier. It was Mazda that was in the pits. Mazda is just recently hitting it's stride and that's largely do to the deeper pockets it has with it's connection to ford. Again, we have enough lux companies out there already. What do you propose? That Mazda take Rover's name and rebadge 6s and 3s with them? They certainly aren't going to single handidly start a lux division from scratch. Bottom line, Jag is fixable. Letting Lincoln slip the way it did is the worst thing it could have done; it's fuckin' criminal.

heyitsme

I don't think Mazda's success has to do with deeper pockets because they haven't rebadged anything. They simply evolved, Ford uses mazda platforms, Volvo uses mazda platforms, not the other way around. And who said Mazda was a rebadger for Rover. Thats the whole point of giving Mazda Rover, no rebadges because Mazda is an innovative company.

Hyundai will start a luxury company single handed, think Mazda can do the same with a name offered from Ford.

titan

I didn't say Mazda rebadged anything from Ford. Ford's deeper pockets means money for R&D to create good products. Hyundai's farther ahead than Mazda and has a much fuller lineup. Mazda's still trying to get back there. There are still gaps in the lineup the can plug before they try to go luxury. Also, creating the 6 and 3 doesn't make them the end all of innovation. Again, Mazda doesn't need a lux divison. It couldn't even hold on it's Avalon/Maxima comeptitor (929) and entry lux Milinea. They can't handle another brand right now, and they shouldn't try. It'd be a mistake.

chungkopi

blokes have nothing left! even ManU is owned by bucs owner!