The end for MG?

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  • John Meachen
    Senior Member
    • Jan 2004
    • 10482

    The end for MG?

    Uncertainty surrounds the MG-Rover car company,see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4423025.stm
    It is sad for car manufacturing and embarassing for the government during an election campaign.
  • glowell222
    Senior Member
    • Apr 2002
    • 3741

    #2
    It will be sad, indeed, if MG is to go away.
    Berryville, VA: A quaint little drinking community with a farming problem.

    Comment

    • Andrew Craig-Bennett
      Who?
      • Aug 1999
      • 28484

      #3
      There's little of it left by now.

      The end of the MG Rover Group is a squalid little story of BMW losing patience with the workforce, who over the course of three decades managed to turn the world's biggest car maker into a pathetic shadow of itself, followed by some ingenious lining of pockets by some enterprising "Midlands businessmen" who decided to tap the cash rather than commit to a new model, ending in a thoroughly sordid attempt by the Government, at the highest level, to try to sell a Chinese company a pup, with a gaping hole in its pension scheme, and who knows what other liabilities.

      It makes me feel ashamed of my nation. Still, this is the nation that invaded Iraq for no good reason, so that's nothing new.

      [ 04-08-2005, 10:56 AM: Message edited by: Andrew Craig-Bennett ]
      IMAGINES VEL NON FUERINT

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      • DougR
        obnoxiously persistent.
        • Jan 2005
        • 26001

        #4
        Still, this is the nation that invaded Iraq for no good reason, so that's nothing new.
        Fairs fair, I don't think the definite article is deserved.
        I'd much rather lay in my bunk all freakin day lookin at Youtube videos .

        Comment

        • Andrew Craig-Bennett
          Who?
          • Aug 1999
          • 28484

          #5
          I stand corrected. Try this:

          The end of the MG Rover Group is a squalid little story of BMW losing patience with the workforce, who over the course of three decades managed to turn the world's biggest car maker into a pathetic shadow of itself, followed by some ingenious lining of pockets by some enterprising "Midlands businessmen" who decided to tap the cash rather than commit to a new model, ending in a thoroughly sordid attempt by the Government, at the highest level, to try to sell a Chinese company a pup, with a gaping hole in its pension scheme, and who knows what other liabilities.

          It makes me feel ashamed of my nation. Still, this is a Government that invaded Iraq for no good reason, so that's nothing new.
          PS. There was a time when a "Midlands businessman" actually made something, besides cash.

          [ 04-08-2005, 10:58 AM: Message edited by: Andrew Craig-Bennett ]
          IMAGINES VEL NON FUERINT

          Comment

          • John of Phoenix
            Senior Member
            • Jun 2001
            • 31214

            #6
            First MG. Is GM next? Some are worried.

            Comment

            • RichardBlake
              Member
              • Jul 2003
              • 47

              #7
              For what it's worth, I talked to a Dutch/German motor industry journalist about a year ago, who said the general opinion among his colleagues was that BMW bought the Rover etc. group because Rover had come up with a model BMW was scared of, and that BMW's background plan was to buy up the group, hang on to the plums (which they've done), and asset-strip or get rid of the rest, to torpedo the Brit industry for the future. At that point he didn't think MG-Rover would survive.

              Comment

              • Dale R. Hamilton
                Dale Hamilton
                • Mar 2001
                • 1697

                #8
                I was never so dissapointed as when I arrived in Abingdon on Thames (via rowing boat) a few years back, and I asked for the location of the MG works. There are none I'm told. Nothing to even mark the birthplace- no bricks and morter.

                Comment

                • Hwyl
                  Gareth
                  • Jan 2003
                  • 22222

                  #9
                  Is Morgan the biggest British car company now. I don't think these


                  are around any longer.

                  How about TVR, I think Lotus was bought up years ago?

                  Comment

                  • Andrew Craig-Bennett
                    Who?
                    • Aug 1999
                    • 28484

                    #10
                    TVR, Morgan, Bristol, a few others.

                    Lotus are owned by Proton, I think.

                    The truth is that in order to finance new model development, new engine development, and so on, car companies have to be very big, and very multinational. There will be a niche for handfuls of hand built cars, but these cars will be built using other makers' components.
                    IMAGINES VEL NON FUERINT

                    Comment

                    • brian.cunningham
                      Multihuller
                      • Jan 2002
                      • 2451

                      #11
                      with the revival of little sportscars that get great gas mileage, you'd think they'd be doing better.
                      Brian T. Cunningham
                      SWIFTWOOD - my schooner rigged trimaran sailing kayak
                      http://members.aol.com/swiftwood/

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