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ROVER situation

To: triumphs@Autox.Team.Net
Subject: ROVER situation
From: Gerhard.Wiederholl@t-online.de (G. Wiederholl)
Date: Thu, 3 Dec 1998 18:49:16 +0100
Some days ago someone posted a newspaper article about the bad situation at 
Rover . Beeing an international list I thought it would be interesting to see 
how this subjekt reads in German newspapers:

"ENGINE BREAKDOWN AT ROVER (Suedwest Presse Dec. 3rd 1998, translated)

The British BMW daughter ROVER has an engine breakdown which puts the mother in 
big trouble. Four years ago the taking over was celebrated as a big deal to 
gain 
succes on the high volume car market. In principle this was right. But 
carring-out is more difficult and expensiver than expected. BMW managers canīt 
be blamed for the strong pound, but they can be blamed for the lack of 
productivity at ROVER, which is expected to change after taking away 2500 
places 
of employment. But the central problem is the kind of cars they offer. Niche 
vehicles like LANDROVER, MINI and MG sell well, but not normal ROVER cars. 
Converting older ROVER types, which still are based on Hondas, to newer models 
takes more time and more money than BMW had expected. And ROVER still hasnīt 
gained a better image in the eyes of the buyers. ROVER is the child of BMW-Boss 
Pischetsrieder. If he canīt cope with it soon he will share the fait of Rover 
Boss Hasselkus and loose his job............
... ROVER is expected to loose some 1 650 000 000 DM this year. Pischetsrieder 
didnīt want to confirm this number......... but the savings from the steps 
agreed with the trade unions canīt completly close the gap in productivity (30% 
compared to German factorys).

Pischetsrieder announced conservations with the British government about unfair 
competition conditions in Great Britain. He didnīt say details but he said 
ROVER 
is constantly placed at a disadvantage. Rumours say there will be talk about 
help from the British government at an amount of 250 000 000 pounds "


Seems to me that they go on at the point where TRIUMPH stopped.

Gerhard Wiederholl


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