Ford takes up option on Rover name!

calibrax · Post by **calibrax** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 9:50 am

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5358590.stm

Opinions?

Squaddiemodo · Post by **Squaddiemodo** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 9:54 am

can only be god for the marque IMHO

BrackenFox · Post by **BrackenFox** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 10:01 am

Hmmm.

Well, certainly better news than the Rover name going to China.

Let's just hope that Ford don't just sit on the name, and bring it back to former glory.

Weren't they looking at using the Land Rover name for some nice upmarket saloons and estates a while ago? Might be a plan there...!

DaveR · Post by **DaveR** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 10:03 am

Should be good. They've got the money to develop new cars.

Mr_James · Post by **Mr_James** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 10:23 am

DaveR wrote:Should be good. They've got the money to develop new cars.

If only that were true... ford are in serious money problems... lol

uusmatt · Post by **uusmatt** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 10:27 am

The reason they kept the first option on buying the rover name is purely to protect landrover. I'd imagine they just intend on sitting on it for the time being.

calibrax · Post by **calibrax** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 10:32 am

I think they took up the option just to have control of it... now they can licence it to SAIC for the Rover 75, and this way they can dictate how it's used... i.e. prevent SAIC from using the Rover name on 4x4 vehicles, whcih would have damaged the Land Rover brand.

Squaddiemodo · Post by **Squaddiemodo** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 10:46 am

BrackenFox wrote:Hmmm.

Well, certainly better news than the Rover name going to China.

Let's just hope that Ford don't just sit on the name, and bring it back to former glory.

Weren't they looking at using the Land Rover name for some nice upmarket saloons and estates a while ago? Might be a plan there...!

I too am sure i read somewhere about landrover looking into rugged saloon cars, could use the Rover name for that

BlueRover · Post by **BlueRover** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 12:44 pm

Mr_James wrote:
DaveR wrote:Should be good. They've got the money to develop new cars.
If only that were true... ford are in serious money problems... lol

I agree, they are considering dumping Jaguar and Aston Martin.

Imagine an MG off roader :!: V8 powered and 4x4 but looking like a ZT-T on steroids !!

calibrax · Post by **calibrax** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 12:49 pm

BlueRover wrote:Imagine an MG off roader :!: V8 powered and 4x4 but looking like a ZT-T on steroids !!

Yeah, but Rover already did a 4x4 lookalike... haven't you seen a pre-facelift 620ti on standard suspension?

mach1rob · Post by **mach1rob** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 12:57 pm

With Ford looking to offload brands recently, I can't see a new 'Rover' appearing anytime soon tbh, but I'd love to be proved wrong, and see something perhaps based on the Focus and Mondeo floorpans with a Rover body, something to fit between the Mondeo and X type Jag would be nice

BlueRover · Post by **BlueRover** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 4:37 pm

mach1rob wrote:With Ford looking to offload brands recently, I can't see a new 'Rover' appearing anytime soon tbh, but I'd love to be proved wrong, and see something perhaps based on the Focus and Mondeo floorpans with a Rover body, something to fit between the Mondeo and X type Jag would be nice

What do you mean "between" . The Mondeo and the X-type are so close you couldn't get a 1 thou feeler gauge between them.
Seriously though, the 4x4 system in a Rover would be rather cool.

Squaddiemodo · Post by **Squaddiemodo** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 4:39 pm

4x4 75 coupe V8

MWAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAA

Something for the scoobys to worry about lol

600_Nutta · Post by **600_Nutta** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 4:42 pm

It would be good to see some newer models coming through, just as long as they don't have the same tag as fords, like REPS cars or the ESCORT BOY RACER/CHAV image which they seem to have

southside · Post by **southside** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 5:28 pm

mach1rob wrote:With Ford looking to offload brands recently, I can't see a new 'Rover' appearing anytime soon tbh, but I'd love to be proved wrong, and see something perhaps based on the Focus and Mondeo floorpans with a Rover body, something to fit between the Mondeo and X type Jag would be nice

The rover 75 you mean? lol

mach1rob · Post by **mach1rob** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 7:17 pm

BlueRover wrote: What do you mean "between" .

Erm Mondeo, repmobile, Jag upmarket executive car

southside wrote:
mach1rob wrote:With Ford looking to offload brands recently, I can't see a new 'Rover' appearing anytime soon tbh, but I'd love to be proved wrong, and see something perhaps based on the Focus and Mondeo floorpans with a Rover body, something to fit between the Mondeo and X type Jag would be nice
The rover 75 you mean? lol

Yes same sort of thing but seeing as the rights to the 75 have gone to China, unless one company pays the other lots of money you won't get a Rover 75 again

Gonzo · Post by **Gonzo** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 7:19 pm

mach1rob wrote:With Ford looking to offload brands recently, I can't see a new 'Rover' appearing anytime soon tbh,

Aye doubt they intend to do anythin with it just probably making sure the Land Rover name remains safe

BlueRover · Post by **BlueRover** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 8:26 pm

mach1rob wrote:
BlueRover wrote: What do you mean "between" .
Erm Mondeo, repmobile, Jag upmarket executive car

But essentially the same car.

C2K · Post by **C2K** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 8:30 pm

Who cares? It's a brutal chassis. Get a Rover bodyshell on it and a car that handles from day 1 might be born!

mach1rob · Post by **mach1rob** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 8:33 pm

BlueRover wrote:
mach1rob wrote:
BlueRover wrote: What do you mean "between" .
Erm Mondeo, repmobile, Jag upmarket executive car

But essentially the same car.

Same basics yes I agree, but different class, I mean what would you rather roll up to the golf club in old boy? Ford or a Jaguar?

C2K · Post by **C2K** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 8:40 pm

A Faguar!

BlueRover · Post by **BlueRover** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 11:20 pm

How about a Jugular !! Altogether a Bloody good car..

DaveR · Post by **DaveR** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 10:09 am

Mr_James wrote:
DaveR wrote:Should be good. They've got the money to develop new cars.
If only that were true... ford are in serious money problems... lol

How serious are their money problems?
They ditched the Jaguar F1 team and Ive heard they have made losses, but its such a large company Im wondering how bad it all is?

ti or not ti · Post by **ti or not ti** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 10:22 am

Gonzo wrote:
mach1rob wrote:With Ford looking to offload brands recently, I can't see a new 'Rover' appearing anytime soon tbh,
Aye doubt they intend to do anythin with it just probably making sure the Land Rover name remains safe

I disagree - Ford have 17 plants in nrth America mothballed as they can't afford to run them. They are currently paying for all those workers to sit on their bums. And as it's America - if they are made redundant they still have to pay all medical insurances. the cost runs into millions.

Ford own the land rover site in Solihull which the council and the airport are fighting over... now see where i'm going.. there are loads of Jag technicians over at Gaydon making the LR product range better and the original LR guys are in America and Russia showing them how to put flat packed LR's together. So Ford have had their development time from LR and are now just looking to recoup cash which will see them selling the name to the Chinese along with selling LR (site included) and this might get them out of the dog doo - hopefully they will still continue to pay the mortgage in mum and dad's house!

-Alex- · Post by **-Alex-** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 12:47 pm

Updated News Item

zozzie_9t9 · Post by **zozzie_9t9** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 6:24 pm

Squaddiemodo wrote:4x4 75 coupe V8

MWAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAA

Something for the scoobys to worry about lol

We may need a bucket of cold water for squaddie...

Post by **Punx0r** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 9:06 pm

"The company [Ford] is reported to be expecting a loss of $9bn this year"

How much?!

All that tat about naming conventions for cars

I can see why they spend time/money coming up with car names (psuedo-pyschology), but Ford US starting all their car names with the letter "F"? Sounds more like a running joke than the actions of an international car giant!

mach1rob · Post by **mach1rob** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 9:12 pm

Punx0r wrote:"The company [Ford] is reported to be expecting a loss of $9bn this year"

How much?!

All that tat about naming conventions for cars I can see why they spend time/money coming up with car names (psuedo-pyschology), but Ford US starting all their car names with the letter "F"? Sounds more like a running joke than the actions of an international car giant!

But since when has Mustang began with F

T_16 · Post by **T_16** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 1:44 am

or GT40, or ranger?

calibrax · Post by **calibrax** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 1:58 am

Or Mondeo, Transit, Ka, StreetKa, Galaxy...

T_16 · Post by **T_16** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 2:01 am

calibrax wrote:Or Mondeo, Transit, Ka, StreetKa, Galaxy...

Ford US though.

Different names.

The Transits probably a Raider or something

Post by **Punx0r** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 11:40 am

Good call on the Mustang

rover 620ti · Post by **rover 620ti** » Sun Oct 15, 2006 12:57 am

Ford will never produce a Rover! why would they the British public and pree have killed it already. It was a move purely to protect Land Rover

BrackenFox · Post by **BrackenFox** » Sun Oct 15, 2006 8:55 am

Punx0r wrote:"The cFord US starting all their car names with the letter "F"? Sounds more like a running joke than the actions of an international car giant!

Expedition? Excursion? Bronco? Crown Victoria? Taurus? And, um, most of the rest of the range?

The only Ford cars beginning with 'F' that I can recall from when I was over there were the Focus, Festiva (US Fiesta) and the F series trucks.