Midland Automotive

[U475 Foxtrot]

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/ne...00bhp-16-turbo
http://www.autocar.co.uk/blogs/new-c...c-x75-hypercar
http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/News/Se...-here-in-2014/

[blahblahv2]

More Brilliant news from Jaguar Land Rover

Jaguar Land Rover creates 1,100 new jobs in the UK

Jaguar will build its XF Sportbrake in its Castle Bromwich plant

The new workers will build the new Jaguar XF Sportbrake estate car and other models at its Castle Bromwich plant.

JLR has already hired 8,000 new workers in the last two years.

The government welcomed JLR's decision, which is also expected to support thousands of jobs with suppliers in the UK.

"This expansion is a clear demonstration of Jaguar Land Rover's continuing commitment and investment in the UK," said Business Secretary Vince Cable.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-18973393

Interestingly. JLR owns the trademark to a brand name which died in 2005. One which was once considered "The Poor Man's Jag." With the right products, the right positioning and the right marketing, I wonder if there could be a place for a reborn Rover brand as a kind of "Sub-Jaguar?" By "Sub-Jaguar" I mean a JLR Designed, Produced & Rover Branded City Car, Small and Medium hatchback/Estate and 4x4 which would be built to current JLR standards with the latest engine technology and could be positioned to sit beneath the X Type replacement in both size and price?

I reckon that with the cars sold from the new Combined JLR Dealerships, and with the HALO effect the Land Rover name would have, this could work....

[markmcd1976]

Rover as a brand is dead, they would be mad to bring it back with all the negative connotations in has.

They would be better off creating a new brand, with none of the detrimental history of Rover.

Look at Lexus and Infinity as a great example (and Mini to an extent).

[U475 Foxtrot]

Landrover now produces the cars with the traditional Rover premium brand values and has evolved into what Rover was and should have been.

The Rover name could come back if they ever decided to make cars rather than 4x4s and SUVs but it wouldn't have a longboat on the badge and it wouldn't happen until every JLR niche had been exhausted.

[blahblahv2]

Originally Posted by markmcd1976

Rover as a brand is dead, they would be mad to bring it back with all the negative connotations in has.

They would be better off creating a new brand, with none of the detrimental history of Rover.

Look at Lexus and Infinity as a great example (and Mini to an extent).

Look at what VW did with Skoda, and what Renault Nissan are about to do with Dacia.

Agree with U475 though, they need to get all the niches filled with Jaguar & Land Rover first. Resurrecting Rover at the moment may be biting off more than they can chew, but after that - it's certainly another avenue to explore, and makes use of an asset they already posess

[markmcd1976]

But Skoda was a brand that was alive. Before VW invested into the company its reputation was one of low quality and dated products, but it had still a positive values around it's low price point, which VW used and it now sits at the value end of its portfolio of brands.

Rover very publicly died in this country, it has too much stigma attached to it to spend millions on trying to change the public perception.

If there were to go into the small car market they would be better off starting from scratch or stretching the Jag brand, like BMW did with the 1 Series, Merc did with the A Class and Audi have done with the A1 and A2.

[U475 Foxtrot]

21/07/2012 Emil Frey GT3 Jaguar enters the fray

The Emil Frey Racing Team, the only purely Swiss team, is making its comeback by taking on the huge challenge of the legendary 24-hour race at Spa, Belgium, with its internally developed Emil Frey GT3 Jaguar.

The Emil Frey Racing Team is returning to motor racing with a unique project. Firstly, an entire team with new infrastructure has been put together in only 15 months. And secondly, with the Emil Frey GT3 Jaguar, Emil Frey Racing has developed a completely new car inhouse – one which brings the legendary Jaguar marque back on to the international motor racing scene.

The official race debut takes place at the famously gruelling Total 24 Hours of Spa.

http://blancpain-endurance-series.co...em.php?key=348
http://stage.emilfreyracing.com/en/press/

[Typhoon2000]

Originally Posted by markmcd1976

Rover as a brand is dead, they would be mad to bring it back with all the negative connotations in has.

They would be better off creating a new brand, with none of the detrimental history of Rover.

Look at Lexus and Infinity as a great example (and Mini to an extent).

And I've already had this argument before too.

Nope the Rover brand has been far tarnished and it's best kept on hold for at least 3 car generations... Sorry guys, that's the way it is right now. Jaguar and Land Rover have to broaden their appeal base and they need to start working on reliability issues - mostly electrical - in order to compete properly with the Lexus brand.

I have a feeling that Hyundai could even be nipping at the heels of the luxury market as they continue to refine their whole set-up.. possibly leaving Kia to take up the bread and butter stuff.. (and remember, ironically Hyundai was overhauled by George Turnbull...- look him up)

It's not impossible of course, FIAT are in the process pushing Lancia to the UK market after the reputational disasters of the 80's. However, JLR have got there own things they need to tick the boxes on before Tata decide if they want to use the badge for their own stuff - and even there, it has to be as good as, if not, better than anyone VW's...

Hurrah for the guys at JLR is all I say!!!

[U475 Foxtrot]

I can't get my head round FIAT. Who in their right mind would buy a horrible Chrysler badged as a horrible looking Lancia?! I can't see them surviving in the long term.

Alfa are in trouble with only two cars, Ducati has been flogged off to Audi and the Ferrari brand has been massively devalued by a massive empty theme park in the desert and their puma merchandising. FIAT are profitable because of their truck & industrial side and bringing out a rash of vehicles isn't going to do their brands which always perform very badly any favours in JD Power surveys.

[blahblahv2]

PSA are in bigger trouble than FIAT at the moment. Losses of £100 Million per month. Declining sales, latest Peugoet 208 being panned by the motoring press, operational costs of trying to run the business as two entities, factories at 75% capacity and according to their CEO, they are the subject of some take-over speculation already.

Then the Socialist French President wades in with his size 9's and calls PSA's restructuring proposals which include 8,000 + redundancies as "unacceptable".

There will be another MG-Rover type collapse of a major carmaker within the next 20 years....

Interestingly with JD Power, that Rover never fared that badly. Rover 75 owners were praising the comfort, quality and ride of their cars for many years after the company folded....

[sefton66]

Aren't SAIC planning on reintroducing the rover brand to its UK operation under the roewe branding? It's gone down executive route

[blahblahv2]

Originally Posted by sefton66

Aren't SAIC planning on reintroducing the rover brand to its UK operation under the roewe branding? It's gone down executive route

They don't own the "Rover" Trademark. Tata does as, along with "Jaguar" "Land Rover" and "Range Rover"

If I remember correctly, JLR's previous owner, Ford, purchased the "Rover" Trade Mark to protect Land Rover and that was passed to Tata when Land Rover & Jaguar were sold to Tata

"Roewe" is because SAIC don't own the rights to "Rover"

[markmcd1976]

Won't even be 20 years.

Saab already gone, Alfa/Fiat and PSA... might have Chinese companies circling.

[sefton66]

Originally Posted by blahblahv2

They don't own the "Rover" Trademark. Tata does as, along with "Jaguar" "Land Rover" and "Range Rover"

If I remember correctly, JLR's previous owner, Ford, purchased the "Rover" Trade Mark to protect Land Rover and that was passed to Tata when Land Rover & Jaguar were sold to Tata

"Roewe" is because SAIC don't own the rights to "Rover"

Sorry I meant under the roewe brand but in sense a relaunch of "rover"

[NeilM]

Looks like with PSA the French are seeing a similar thing to what happened in Britain in the late 80's/early 90's and beyond, but it seems to be happening a bit quicker there.

And I thought BMW still owned the "Rover" name or did TATA buy it off them?

[U475 Foxtrot]

Originally Posted by sefton66

Sorry I meant under the roewe brand but in sense a relaunch of "rover"

Yes, Roewe is Rover in all but name and certainly has a presence at the technical centre as the logo is over the walls just as much as MG. There was also a 550 in there last time I visited.

The 950 is quite a nice looking thing. http://www.roewe.com.cn/

[U475 Foxtrot]

Originally Posted by markmcd1976

Won't even be 20 years.

Saab already gone, Alfa/Fiat and PSA... might have Chinese companies circling.

SEAT are in the shite too. If VW pick up Alfa I wouldn't be surprised to them dropped like a stone.

[Butterfield]

MG3 supermini coming to Europe

Latest spy shots confirm that the MG3 will go on sale in the UK, arriving early next year

These are the pictures that confirm the MG3 will be coming to the UK, complete with a new look and a few other European-friendly updates.

It was spotted testing in Spain wearing UK number plates and the camouflaged front hides a slightly updated fascia. The lower intake has been made shallower and is more shapely, and the grille has been given more of a wing shape, a lot like the new Renault Clio.

The car is already on sale in China but MG will be making changes to the suspension set up and the interior quality to help the car appeal to more demanding European customers.

The engine line up will consist of a 107bhp 1.5-litre petrol engine and a 1.3-litre engine with 87bhp. Future engines include a range of small turbos starting at 1.0-litre in size, plus, eventually, a 1.4 diesel.

The standard MG3 will go on sale early in 2013. A hot-hatch model will also be unveiled later in the year and a rugged Streetwise version may also be produced.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/mg/mg3/...-coming-europe

[Typhoon2000]

that is going to be one sturdy looking car.. hope it's not too heavy :-/

[feltip]

Longbridge plugs in with new EV charge points
A business park in Birmingham is the latest place to plug-in to the growing popularity of electric cars.
The Innovation Centre at Longbridge Technology Park now has two new dual Evolt chargers, as supplied APT Technologies. The centre is home to some 50 technology-based local, national and international businesses, who will be able to make use of the charging facilities which can recharge up to four cars at any one time.

http://www.thegreencarwebsite.co.uk/...charge-points/