# Looks Like the End For MG Rover **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 8, 2005, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looks-like-the-end-for-mg-rover/298365 "2005-04-08T07:10:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2005, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looks-like-the-end-for-mg-rover/298365/41 "2005-04-11T20:00:20Z")
> [@Neurotik](#): > > Eh? When I was in Winchester, every third car appeared to be a Ford. Which was a big shock coming from London where you couldn’t find a Ford if you tried. Many Fords are made in England. ---
**Author:** ![Jervoise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@Jervoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jervoise)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2005, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looks-like-the-end-for-mg-rover/298365/42 "2005-04-11T21:12:38Z")
> [@Neurotik](#): > > Eh? When I was in Winchester, every third car appeared to be a Ford. Which was a big shock coming from London where you couldn’t find a Ford if you tried. The Ford Focus (made in Germany and Spain), Ford Ka (aka The Teapot) and Ford Escort are common in London. There’s also a few Sportkas and Mondeos around too. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2005, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looks-like-the-end-for-mg-rover/298365/43 "2005-04-11T22:41:31Z")
> [@owlstretchingtime](#): > > The sort of person who would be in favour of Government intervention is the sort of person who would be in favour of Britain’s membership of the EU. (Personally, I am against both) Interesting. In America, it would be the opposite. The people who would support intervention (and protectionism in general) are usually the same people who have a deep-seated distrust of any sort of international body (like the UN or the World Trade Organization.) ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2005, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looks-like-the-end-for-mg-rover/298365/44 "2005-04-11T22:44:38Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > Interesting. In America, it would be the opposite. The people who would support intervention (and protectionism in general) are usually the same people who have a deep-seated distrust of any sort of international body (like the UN or the World Trade Organization.) Well, yes, but look at what side of the road the Brits drive on. It’s pretty obvious that they get a lot of things backwards. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looks-like-the-end-for-mg-rover/298365/45 "2005-04-12T10:00:35Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > Well, yes, but look at what side of the road the Brits drive on. It’s pretty obvious that they get a lot of things backwards. 😉 Ha! Say that next time you walk down a road and meet a man with a sword! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looks-like-the-end-for-mg-rover/298365/46 "2005-04-12T10:09:58Z")
> [@Pushkin](#): > > Ha! Say that next time you walk down a road and meet a man with a sword! 😉 Actually, I’d ask him why he was bringing a knife to a gun fight! :wally ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2005, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looks-like-the-end-for-mg-rover/298365/47 "2005-04-25T14:34:03Z")
[The Iranians appear to be interested.](http://www.just-auto.com/news_detail.asp?art=47878) > [@](#): > > Two rival Iranian companies were competing for the remnants for MG Rover over the weekend as administrators considered offers from Russia, China, India and the Middle East, the Daily Telegraph reported on Monday. > > The paper’s report followed a weekend of conflicting reports as Iranian car companies were said to be interested – or not – and the Iranian embassy weighed in with statements. > > According to Monday’s Telegraph, the Baluchi company Dastaan said it would produce a £17.5 million letter of credit from Germany’s BW bank today as the down payment on its offer, proposing a deal that could eventually lead to the manufacture of 150,000 Rover vehicles a year in eastern Iran. > > The group reportedly said it had “several hundred million dollars” in backing from the Iranian ministry of industry and mines, insisting that the scheme could ultimately be worth £750 million a year for Longbridge. Dastaan claims sole rights over MG Rover products in Iran after signing a contract with Longbridge last December, the Daily Telegraph said. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2005, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looks-like-the-end-for-mg-rover/298365/48 "2005-04-25T21:29:59Z")
Iran has only just said goodbye to the tail end of one other defunct [defunct British car manufacturer](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rootes); > [@](#): > > The Linwood plant closed in 1981, signalling the end of the road for the Avenger, but the production tooling for the Hillman Hunter went to Iran, where the car is still in production today as the Paykan, and is a common sight throughout the Middle East. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2005, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looks-like-the-end-for-mg-rover/298365/49 "2005-04-25T21:43:43Z")
> [@Pushkin](#): > > Iran has only just said goodbye to the tail end of one other defunct [defunct British car manufacturer](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rootes); On a related note, Royal Enfield motorcycles continue to be made in India. Another Indian company, Mahindra, made Willys CJ3Bs for a long time after the Jeeps were discontinued elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2005, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looks-like-the-end-for-mg-rover/298365/50 "2005-04-25T21:50:35Z")
On another (related) note, what British-owned car firms are left and what makes a car firm British? I consider TVR to be British despite the owner being a Russian national. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2005, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looks-like-the-end-for-mg-rover/298365/51 "2005-04-25T21:52:18Z")
> [@Johnny L.A.](#): > > From what I’ve read, the quality of Jags went down pretty low in the 1970s and stayed there until Ford took over. Granted we may have been lucky, but my father had a 1982 or 83 XJ-12. That car was wonderful - great lines and no problems. Dad drove it until 1997 and I drove it for 2 years until the cooling system started to crap out. To me the new Jags look like they are built by Ford - they have lost what set them apart. ---
**Author:** ![Imasquare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Imasquare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imasquare)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2005, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looks-like-the-end-for-mg-rover/298365/52 "2005-04-26T01:02:38Z")
> [@owlstretchingtime](#): > > We think they’re underpowered gas guzzlers. They’re also too big for the European environment. They may well be gas guzzlers but they certainly aren’t underpowered. ---
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2005, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looks-like-the-end-for-mg-rover/298365/53 "2005-04-26T21:39:39Z")
virtually nothing left except Morgan [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looks-like-the-end-for-mg-rover/298365.md?page=2)