Rover (marque)

Rover Marque

Rover logo 2003
Awner	Jaguar Land Rover (since 2013)
Introduced	1878
Discontinued	2005
Mercats	Automotive
Previous awners	Rover Company (1878–1967) British Leyland (1967–1990) Austin Rover (1990–1992) Rover Group (1992–2000) BMW (2000–2007); licensed tae MG Rover, 2000–2005) Land Rover (2007–2013)

Rover is an English automotive marque uised atween 1904 an 2005. It wis launched as a bicycle maker cried Rover Company in 1878, afore manufacturing cars in 1904. The brand uised the iconic Viking longship as its logo.

Despite a state-controlled absorption bi the Leyland Motor Corporation (LMC) in 1967 an subsequent mergers, naitionalisation, an de-mergers, the Rover marque retained its identity first as an independent subsidiary division o LMC, then throu variously named groups o British Leyland throu the 1970s an intae the 1980s.

The Rover marque became the primary brand o the then newly renamed Rover Group in 1988 as it passed first throu the haunds o British Aerospace an intae the ainership o BMW Group. Sharing technology wi Honda an financial investment during the BMW ainership led tae a revival o the marque during the 1990s in its core midsize segment.

In 2000, BMW sauld the Rover an relatit MG car activities o the Rover Group tae the Phoenix Consortium, who established the MG Rover Group at Longbridge. BMW retained ainership o the Rover marque, allouin MG Rover tae uise it unner licence. In Apryle 2005, Rover branded cars ceased tae be produced when the MG Rover Group became insolvent.

BMW sauld the rights to use the Rover name tae Ford in september 2006 for approximately £6 million, the latter exercising an option o first refusal tae buy it datin back tae its purchase o Land Rover. Ford sicweys reunited the oreeginal Rover Company marques, primarily for brand-pertection reasons.

In Mairch 2008, Ford reached agreement wi Tata Motors o Indie tae include the Rover marque as pairt o the sale o thair Jaguar Land Rover operations tae them, alongside relatit Daimler an Lanchester marques. Legally the Rover marque is the property o Land Rover unner the terms o Ford's purchase o the name in 2006.

In the middle o the decade, SAIC Motor Corporation Leemitit attempted tae acquire MG Rover, but in 2005 wis outbid bi anither Cheenese automaker, Nanjing Automobile. SAIC did manage tae obtain some MG Rover technology that wis incorporated intae a new line o luxury sedans unner the Roewe marque.

Wi no Rover vehicles currently in production, the marque is considered dormant.