[David Lacey]

MGR's supplier failed to keep up the supply of gearboxes? In this day and age of 'Just in Time' parts supply - this is crazy and should not be allowed to happen! What is going on with all these
so-called 'suppliers'?
The financial implications of sending 1000 employees home for a day must have been huge! Will the supplier compensate MGR for this? I wonder...

 

[SteveChilds]

I heard the supplier was owned by BMW - they also make the gearboxes for the new Mini.

Just a bit of useless and probably incorrect info!

 

[David Lacey]

Steve - you were correct! The R65 gearbox is made by a company owned by BMW!! Not sure of the name though. So BMW therefore can, in effect, have control over production at MGR. Absolutely Crazy! I heard that the B'ham newspapers gave them a hard time after 1000 workers were sent home for the day. I didn't know the gearbox was fitted to the new MINI. Suppose you learn something new every day!

 

[David Lacey]

Red - you are correct - Midland Gear are the culprits. The R65 'box is used in the M**i with a different bellhousing adaptor.That is the beauty of that gearbox - the bellhousings are so easy to change.But, on that note, MGR have the BEST engine, the K series rather than any imported c**p.

 

[David Lacey]

M**i

John - This explains why I left a M**i for dead today in my ZS120!! That awful engine! I enjoyed every minute of it

 

[andy]

Am i the only one here that dislike (or should i say hate?) BMW for what they did to MGR? >=(

i know this has nothing to do with MGR :
bmw's mini's gearbox is sourced from the 206

 

[David Lacey]

The R65 gearbox is made under licence by Midland Gear from PSA Group (Peugeot)
It is used in the 206 and Citroen Saxo to name only two. I'm certain it is used in other PSA Group models in other guises.

I firmly believe that although the way in which BMW acted over the Rover saga was despicable, the MG-R Car Company as it is today will be a force to be reckoned with, given time to get on its feet.

BMW had a very blinkered view on the Rover marque - and with those views it would never had worked.