I wrote to the MG-Rover press office about the damage all the speculation is, and will continue to cause back in December. My point to them at the time was that an awful lot of people in this country actually support the company and what it is trying to do because it is British first and everything else second. Selling anything off to SAIC or the joint venture firm would be pretty foolish as at present it is only the die hards who are buying the cars anyway and without us it would be even worse.
I got an encouraging reply which led me to believe that neither Longbridge or the brands will be sold. The joint venture is about developing new models where MGR put in what they have in the way of designs and technology and the Chinese bring the money to make them actual finished designs. Although the reply was sketchy on detail- as it had to be given the deal wasn't finalised- I definitely felt that the plan was to continue making all the models here, for UK and European markets, and SAIC will build them over there for the far eastern markets.
If we are to be expected to believe that MG has been sold, the technology has been sold, less money is coming than initially suggested, BMW will still have a say in what happens with the Rover brand whilst knowing that everything can be made in China for a fraction of the cost it can here then Peter Stephens and his design team may as well start looking for accomodation in Shanghai because that will be all that is left. I don't believe that most of these whispers are even half true and am looking for MGR and SAIC to get this deal done and bring an end to this speculation once and for all. I expect there to be a deep collaboration between them but I fully expect MGR to continue (and will be gutted if they don't) making pretty well the full range- hopefully one day including a proper small car- and I expect the announcement of the deal to be coupled with some hard news about when we can expect RD60 to appear at a dealer near you. If what we have heard about this model is true then the only thing holding it up is the completion of the joint venture and if I were running the company I would want to unveil my new model on the day the whole world is watching. I just hope they can deliver.
My final comment on all this is about the Phoenix four. I don't know much about them, but I do remember that when they stepped in to buy MGR for that now infamous tenner they made the point that unlike the other bloke who wanted to close most of the business and build the MGF, they were car people, and West Midlands people and saving the firm as a whole mattered to them. If this is true I would be surprised if five years on they have transformed themselves into asset strippers who will sell out everything for a few quid. Sure, they have made mistakes, we all know that, but I still hope that they remember what really matters in all this. Maybe some of you know them, or know about them and they are just venture capitalists, but I will reserve my judgement on them until I know what the deal is.