Typical!! A British company thats gone to the dust, there is nothing here now in Britain!!
The Rover company had bad word of mouth by it own country, have you ever seen that in Germany !! No is the answer because the take pride in the country.
Also the Rover company was in incompetent hands the so-called Phoenix Four went to enrich themselves by taking 42m from a company in debt. They didnt care at all!!
Britains has nothing now , every industry is going abroad!
@MrRobifan ..Mate..Rover went because the cars were shit,,the management were shit and most of the bad backs who worked there were shit,,i saw it ,,they moaned about there money ,they moaned about there holidays,they moaned about everything,,and they built shit cars i had a Rover the cylinder head went twice in a year..cos windass wanted another cup of tea,,,its gone get over it..
@MrNamchebazar Your cylinder head gasket went because YOU did somthing stupid. I take it you are about 18? There are a huge number of Rovers around and their heads are ok so what did you do to yours? To make such a cold smart arse (ass) remark like that, says much about your mentality, if you have one, which I doubt. The reply will prove me right no doubt. Im waiting.
@Stogrin Unfortunately, it's no business for small players any more. Renault reportedly spent more developing the climate control system for the new Laguna than Rover spent developing the entire RD60 project. Even the big boys are clubbing together to save cash. Ford and Jag/Land Rover are using Peugeot/Citroen diesels, for example. The writing was on the wall for Rover when BMW came in and Honda walked away, until the day Towers and co closed the doors.
its partly our fault - we didnt want to buy rovers for the simple reason the designs of the cars were outdated compared to renault and even fucking seat for christ sakes!
BMW were the other party in blame - they bought rover for one reason and one reason only; they wanted the mini
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surprised the people of longbridge did not go on strike over this,, they did not value their jobs till it was to lait ,those buch of slackers got what they deserved.
really saddened me to see the rover factory shut down. A british motoring icon for over 100 years sold to an international company. Looking at some pics of teh abandoned factory of the web, thers coffee mugs, switched on computers, some prototype cars they had in development, it seems as if the workers have jus finished a shift and will be back in to finish the cars and its actually quite saddening to see.This was the home of some great(and not so great) cars such as the awesome mini!.
i grew up not liking rover, i even hated some cars and the people (and stereotypes) that drove them, but still my first cars was a mini, made at longbridge, this was my cars home, its birthplace, seeing it all sold off to china and bmw is sad, and seeing the demolision of the factory is even worse. just like some people have been saying we dnt want that chinese and japanese crap, the production lines were so basic and a gave real british jobs, so why did it not work? no sence.....
I am not afraid to agree with the truth about our shortcomings and there is alot of improvement to be made in detroit, but i just cannot agree with your observation that all our stuff has leaf springs and poor fit and finish...there are alot of things we can talk about thats wrong but those things from my perspective are just not true.we make a full line of trucks to pull just about anything you could want in comfort. we make loaded SUV's and economy zippy cars. fire engines, ambulances...
[caravans].toyota and nissan,VW and all the others make cars and SUV's, thats it! all our vendors are 80 year old factories making components for our vehicles across the USA.entire towns rely on the factories.tradition. heritage.pride. whats britain got, the ford transit and euro diesel unibody vans from italy, germany and france then your into big trucks and nothing in between. the range here is staggering. anything you want or need at a good price
America is amazing compared to ripoff britain and I can say that because I have experience with both countries, I was born and lived in britain for 29 years and the states the last 12 years. I have brit friends who emigrated here and love that you can go buy a chevy silverado pickup, loaded with a V8 engine, leather seats etc for what we would pay for a vauxhall basic car in britain. the pubs back home are full of people talking about it, i know, i was there and there is alot of jealousy and
resentment that morphs into slagging off. you and me both like old fashioned stuff, but I think you would be dissappointed if you came here to find out that actually, its getting harder to find a american gem thats not full of technology and complication...lets not forget what the brains in detroit brought us...the catalytic converter, hybrid and electric cars...EGR systems...air bags...hell britian only just got rid of leaded gasoline in 1999!the truth about lead is a cover up though.
Your views of american vehicles are ill informed, ignornant and out dated and typical of a brit. Just come and punch the gas pedal on some detroit muscle and you'll be hooked. I'd rather have a few clydesdales under my hood than a bunch of screaming shetland ponies. and I am british you tosser, I chose to leave your thatcherised britain to you 12 years ago. 10% of the cost of a car is wages so again, your wrong about unions. what are you some rich kid,tell me you dont want a good wage.
The American cars now are dreadful, and Chinese imports and unions are definitely a curse on the car industry. However, America doesn't lead the way on big diesels - explain the superb engines coming out of Germany, like the VW group's 5.0L V10 TDI, and the Mercedes 4.0L V8 TDI which powered the Le Mans car that became the R8, the now-discontinued BMW 745D...
your perfectly entitled to your opinion but I am interested what your basing your views on? the internet? have you been here to the states and seen what we have to offer. I think that your preception of "american" is typical of people, including americans who choose a toyota over a domestic vehicle and that perception is reality and thats the hardest thing for a manufacturer to change. for example, when people think of american they think of gas guzzler when in fact, all the american...
manufacturers have comparible or better fuel efficient cars than the competition but people dont want to buy them because its not "the brand". also, all the worlds manufacturers suffer from reliability problems including the german vehicles which rank some of the worst in reliability here in the states except toyota and Nissan which provide turn key 200,000 mile worry free driving then you scrap it after ten years and go buy another....
I am a Brit living here and working, driving these american vehicles and I can tell you from first hand experience the fit and finish of these vehicles is second to none...however, after sales service if you have a problem with your new car, sucks, the dealers are rude and arrogant and the factory assembly workers are haphazzard and lazy and careless building our cars. the garages don't know and donpt have the training to properly take something apart and put it back together...
better than it was before example dahs now rattles and wiring not routed properly. whereas a toyota garage is proffesional and everyone is trained and they have invested in the right tooling, the factory workers are treated very well and are happy content workers in modern factories. this is the japanese culture and we will never be like that in our countries because we like being who we are and we like the cars we build. many people here see a car as a tool and dont care how it looks...
I don't know anything with leaf springs except for our pickup trucks have them on the rear and ford still makes a hi-tech version of a leaf on the front because there are still people out there buying a Ford just because it has leaf springs and a solid front axle..chevy trucks have been coils for over a decade with independent suspension and everyone likes the ride but the 4WD mags are full of readers wanting to convert to solid axle because the IFS sucks off road, not enough ground clearance.
We have a few motoring shows, whatever they test from states tends to have very plasticy trim, pushrod engines etc, nothing wrong in that but an observation, corvette has leaf springs!! But generally all modern cars r the same I think, plasticy, over technical, not built to last (time not mileage).
seems french cars r the worst for reliability issues from experience.
Give me an old pontiac with a cummins any day though!
I am an idealist,romantic I wish we could celebrate all our different cultures reflected in our creations and drive and be proud of what we make in our respective countries like I remember when i was a kid in the seventies and we went to Italy it was al fiats, alfa's,Lancia's and they drove em hard, then there was germany with its smoking little diesels everywhere and bright orange and green dayglo golfs and polo's, then I went to Japan where everything was brand new uptodate Japanese and proud
I saw them work 24 hours on a road corner re-design till it was done and planted with trees and perfect...then the Aussies with there own brand of V8 and Straight six fords and holdens, Ute's and road trains. then there was Home, England with its funky BL creations, whining spur gear trannys and leaking valve guides, leaded petrol and exotic E-types and rollers..then in the states, it was yellow Checkers rumbling down Manhattan,red acticulated fire trucks and muscle cars...
now all i see and hear is toyota toyota toyota, and your right, they are all plasticy its just that the japanese know how to make plastic right and they do make excellent plastic...jeezuz...plastic, what the fucks that doing on a car its good for lemonade bottles and there's two types of plastic...plastic thats broke and plastic thats gonna break. we dont care anymore. where's our pride.yes i know its light and its easy to make shapes out of and the public are fooled because underneath that..
is styrofoam. oh yeah, for crash protection..right.British engineering history is second to none but whats happened to all that expertise. we have become a nation of shop keepers much like whats happening in the states...everyone just cares about number one and getting through the day. no one cares, there's no pride and I am sorry america, but you can't be proud driving a toyota all you did was pay money for it you did'nt build it, you could'nt build it its a product of japan
its so reliable and put together so well with high quality materials and proactive managment and engineering.we, on the other hand, are set in our ways,corrupt, lazy, passionate,greedy , stupid [not investing back into our companies instead, we hand out attaboy cheques to our corrupt managers instead of putting back into the company].
one thing that amazed me abou comaparing toyota to say ford, is ford has lots of factories around the states but each factory might only make the F-150 pickup
Not many people buy Toyota's Sequoia V8 SUV, or Tundra V8 pickup but it does'nt matter because toyota can shut down, re-tool the same factory in a day and fill an order then go back to producing Corolla's. this is huge when you see the vast stocks of unsold F-150's at the docks, i just cringe and Henry Ford would be turning in his grave.fuck toyota.we gotta learn from it and DO IT Different.
This is what you get when you make crap cars, With the build quality of rotten cabbage.
It is FAR to easy to buy a better car on credit. No-one is going to spend there hard earned cash on crap cars that they were making. I am supprised they lasted until 2005. NO BIG LOSS!!!
The big loss is that no-one makes cars like the P5 and P6 anymore. Things started going down the pan when the BL takeover happened, and only really recovered when MINI and 75 happened. Then, BMW pulled out MINI and undermined the 75 project to stop it threatening the 3-series.
And BMW pulled out the best V8 ever made, sold it off. If Rover maed a modern P6, front longitudinal engine (preferably the V8, with EFI/ECU), rear wheel drive, a 6-speed manual 'box, with the P6 De Dion tube/Panhard rod/Watts linkage rear suspension and the horizontal front coils and redesigned it to meet modern crash worthiness standards, it'd be a world-beater. Hopefully, with Rover now in the hands of Tata, who own Jaguar/Land Rover, it might even happen. I'd buy it. Anyone else agree?
The UK is going the same way, 100 years of expert knoweldeg down the toilet, BMC was milked dry by greedy shareholders and then stupid policy in the 70s using too many components to make similar cars, how many 4, 6 & 8 pot engines did BL have! (& a 12 pot). Management shoould have got a grip, & labour party too. VW & Renault are state run afterall, they dont fuck about with unions...tell it to your poor kids.
I was at Rover for 5 years up 2000. got out when BMW sold up. I knew it had no future. such a sad state of affairs.
Why is it though that the government weren't allowed to bale Rover out because of European law, but could bale Northern Rock out to the tune of 10s Billions of pounds???
Is it because one has a future and the other didn't? Like you said at beginning, you got out before it's complete demise. Wasn't Land Rover part of the deal with the buying of Rover MG? - As it appears that was all BMW were interested in at the time, for the development of their X5. Then they soon rid of Land Rover too.
i drive a mg zs and yes it has some faults but its still better than half the cars on the road... the goverment could of saved rover with a tenth the money they threw at northern rock ! ! !
This scenes and demolition of this emblematic factory is very sad...I'm brazilian, but I love british cars... Please british people, fighting for a real and strong british motor industries!!!
If the 4 directors had invested, rather than just taking £15m bonuses each this could have been avoided. Although the SV is a good car, it isn't what the company needed - they needed to replace the 25/ZR and 45/ZS. They were good cars but a new body design was demanded by the public.
After all, the handling was there, the engines were pretty reliable heatgasket aside, and the paint finish was excellent.
If Blair wasn't a twat, he should have thought - 6,000 employees & family = lots of votes.
its not imposible, but rover could be brought back,it just needs some one with a lot of cash to get it going, and people who want to make a car to "beet the rest". they did once, they could again.but wether youd be able to sell them as rover though as the name is some one elses.
at least they wont skimp on materials and manufacturing facilitys, i was talking to my dad about rover and found out that my great uncle designed the track that built the metro,and said they cut corners so drasticly in the making of it it was no wonder the build quality was shocking
I found out something else, it's MG that's coming back under the ownership of NMA and SAIC have the rights to Rover but not the badge, so they're bringing out a Roewe 250 instead of a Rover 25.
The Rover and Austin marques are owned by TATA Motors, and they're registered as dormant.
Apparently Rover 75's were built really well, but my dad said that some Rovers 'the aunties' you'd like slam the door on one side and the one on the other side would fall off.
thankfully that doesnt happen with the maxi,but rover SD1s were built longer one side than the other and the austin 1800 was to big to fit the convaor tunnel so were transported to another part of longbridge in bare mettle in all weathers, 75's were made under german supervision so thats proberly why,the germans only wanted rover for its fwd technology to build that thing they call the "mini" wich totaly oposite to the idea of the origonal
Another nail in the coffin for Great Britain .WE connot survive unless we manufacture. We make Honda,Toyota and Sanyo etc ,why cant we make the very things we invented?Please read Fantasy Island in paperback and come to your own conclusions.50 billion for a Northern bank and counting , where was the help for B.L.or Rover?We cant all work in call centres ,fast food outlets and shops!
@tinaandvince our gov is selling us down the river, Hitler called us a nation of shopkeepers. we don't even own the corner shop anymore. we are guests in our own country.
I lived & worked out of Bromsgrove in the late 80's, & this was my drive into Brum every saturday afternoon...
I can remember they had then re-branded as Austin Rover so there were always some of their new liveried cream-coloured Leyland trucks in a delivery yard next to the main road which was part of where this flattened area now is....
at that time, it seemed everybody knew someone who worked at Longbridge.....
Its Sad for me because a lot of my family used to work for BL Rover and my dad has owned loads of them & the point of the matter is if they were bad cars then why does my dad always but them, they have charm, unlike Patinum processsor BMW's, britain is not really a nation of Zink Kichens & Computers we'are a nation of nice steaming Cups of tea , fireplaces and full british breakfast.
I have never been to Longbridge so I didn't really know the scale of the demolition, until I looked at the area from Google Earth. The satellite image is an old one, clearly showing the scale of the Plant I would imagine in its final years of MG Rover. RIP Longbridge, Austin / BL / MG Rover
what a sad state of affairs. The brittish government has systematically drove the car industry into the ground over the last 50 years. Every car maker in the world has benifited from rover ideas. Honda, BMW to name the most obvious. How can the french government support a company who make rubbish cars, renault and the brittish government cannot support a great car maker. We were once the greatest nation in the world and still can be
To anyone who grew up in the area, this video clip and soundtrack has more emotional impact that anything that has come out of Hollywood, EVER. The nearest would be for New Yorkers when, in The Planet of the Apes, they find the Statue of Liberty half buried on the beach. this clip is AWESOME and anyone with mere political comments is really missing the emotional impact. The guy who made this deserves an Oscar in all categories. If he ever does go into movies, watch out.
Not lving in Birmingham but owning a Rover and my cousins used to work there at Longbridge, seeing videos like this and seeing pictures of the Plant in this state does bring a tear to the eye. I totally agree with what you said, it is a brilliant bit of video. But Rover although "bust" will still live on. Tonnes of Rovers, MG's and even Austins are still alive and driving the nations roads.
Well just one more British well before the every body from over the pound got there hands on it has fallen i don't think there is much British things anymore but we shall see if British power will rise again and rise again it should i do think everybody in the nation is fed up of accepting shit from overseas any way good video shame about Long bride R.I.P BL rover
You know, Lord Tebbit's father didn't go round MINDLESSLY BULLDOZING FACTORIES and SELLING OFF HERITAGE to the Chinese/Germans/Yanks. No, he GOT ON HIS BIKE and LOOKED FOR WORK.
Such a shame. My family and I have owned Rover products for most of our driving career and we still do. I remember driving past here on the way to my mates and seeing the derelict buildings, then coming down a few weeks later and seeing this :(
Thanks for the cars with soul you anti Thatcherist communists of the Midlands (Canley, Browns Lane and Abingdon), - I loved my 74 Midget, 76 Spitfire and still have and love my 74 Stag and 98 XJ8.
This is Detroit in a few years. We lucky yanks the Chinese are going to ship MGs in a box to Oklahoma where Americans can add 6 sheet metal screws to them and call them cars. Thank god I've got my trusty 1974 UK spec Stag in my garage because all the cars are going to be made of recycled Chinese bog roll.
very very sad. it makes me feel sick. i loved the rover cars i had. made me proud to brtish. yet again another well known brand name gone. r.i.p rover longbridge. people of longbridge i feel for you all. a very great loss. everyone blamed the torys in the past, but labour was the hangman in all this. they could of step in and kept it british and saved everyones jobs. whats done is done. thank you all ex rover employers for producing top qualty cars.
Nanjing Automobile Corporation (NAC) purchased in May 2005 the MG brand, the manufacturing rights to the MG range of vehicles and assets of the collapsed MG Rover organisation in a deal worth in excess of £50 million. Currently the're producing the MG TF and the MG7 (base comes from the Rover 75) in China. Some of the TFs (for the european market) are assembled in Longbridge. Now they are in talks with car dealers.
i feel sick. the same is going to happen to detroit if americans don't wake up and quit buying toyota's and let me tell you if detroit goes, the ripple will be felt across the world.
67genxer, name me one really good Detroit-built car, that the European (and specifically British) market would accept, in terms of safety, styling and handling (remember, the Americans go far more for comfort than handling by our standards). Frankly, if Detroit goes, serve 'em right. GM, for a start, has the British Leyland problem of far too many brands. Detroit is run inefficiently and incompetently. We need to learn from the Germans and Japs, and from our own mistakes.
your 17 years old! what can you possibly know! lol, but if you want to have a converstation with me about this subject I would be happy to through email..I am British but lived in the USA for 12 years. How many cars have you even driven my dear. How many American cars have you driven. I think your wrong about everything except your last staement that we need to learn from others like they have from us over the past 100 years.the reason we fail is because we as individuals dont give 100% at work.
and in our private lives, we are lazy and our management is corrupt and greedy. I look at our domestic vehicles today and our competition and cant believe the creativity that comes from detroit,its amazing, have you even been here?I think people would buy the mustang,charger,300,all the pickups we have. our vehicles have effortless power and torque and MPG to match many euro and jap vehicles of the similar engine size.you really dont know what your talking about. detroit sets the bar for the...
world.of course our competition is better in some area's and thats due to our culture and due to their culture...we are not going to change our culture are we and you just verified that by telling me your british choice is to buy a foreign vehicle. that does not make you smart, it is typical and expected and part of why our countries build the cars they do...your part of the problem dude. All you can do is your best everyday and make sure YOU learn from the foreign competition so YOU do better.
The problem with 'your culture' is gross inefficiency. Simple Japanese-inspired business practices which caught on quickly here in Europe are just not widely enough implemented in Detroit. Detroit is also at the mercy of the unions: it needs a strong hand, an Iron Fist, even, in the spirit of Margaret Thatcher, someone who will stare the unions in the face and make them work. The British Choice isn't to buy foreign, it's sadly been a necessity for too long. The new Jaguars look great...
The Mustang is a good car, but it's not great. Compare it to cars like the BMW M3 coupé, and suddenly it's not such a bargain. The fact is, the Mustang just plain isn't agile enough, the suspension's too soft, you just can't chuck it round country lanes like an M3. Also, the Mustang's V8 engine is pretty crude: a Rover V8 of the same 4.6 litre displacement is way better, and the same can be said of the 4.0 in the M3. The Mustang's engine just ain't efficient enough, and it's too CO2-heavy.
Furthermore, here in Britain, we just don't need big lazy engines like Detroit does. I mean, an 8.3L V10 in the Dodge Viper?! Even an old 3.2L BMW M3 is more powerful. Also, I fail to see why I should be impressed by a Mustang when a BMW 335D offers the high-end power to nearly match the Mustang V8 (over 280bhp) and low-end torque to put it to shame (428 lb ft), plus the BMW gives better fuel economy, and handles better.
Likewise, the Jaguar XF handles better, and, with its (ironically, Ford-developed, though Jaguar-improved) 3.0L twin-turbo diesel, it does 280-odd BHP, 600 lb/ft torque at only 2000rpm, it'll show a Mustang a clean pair of heels at the traffic lights and on the motorway (freeway, to use your mangled Americanised English)
I may only be 17, but I have experience of driving off road, and I know enough other people with enough experience to prove your opinions wrong. Munich leads the world right now, my friend, not Detroit. Sad to say it's not the Midlands, but GM, Ford and Chrysler will never rule the roost in terms of making quality mass-market cars.
Dude: This one has a Rover V8 upfront with Edelbrock manifold and 4 barrel carb and a heck of a lot less weight than the 3500S...she goes like a bomb.
Yeah, but the Stag is a terrible car, dreadful build quality, not like the Rover, which is near-bombproof, rust apart (not a problem in San Diego's climate, either).
Er...no, rover have to be one of the lowest quality manufacturers going, due to lazy greedy worker and old fashioned technology until that is all the cars were just rebadged hondas!
I own a landrover and love it but they break a lot and rust compared to land cruiser etc.
The new landrovers have lost the plot, to much technology.
The workers weren't lazy or greedy, it was the management who were lazy and greedy. The engines were mostly good - the 2000, 2200 and 3500 engines were all superb, as was the Land Rover 3.9L V8, and the 2.25 LR petrol and diesel engines. They were all highly efficient for their day. The V8 is still one of the best, despite being over 45 years old as a design. Fit modern carbs or EFI + ECU and you've got one of the most powerful, torquey and efficient V8s anywhere. The Honda-type Rovers were...
...really not great at all, they weren't that well-made or engineered, and neither were the Hondas of the same era. However, the BMW-era designs (Rover 75, MGF / MG TF) were very good cars, although the F was let down by its cabin. The 75 was let down by its FWD chassis and detuned diesel engine (BMW insisted on it - Rover wanted RWD, but BMW perceived a real threat to the 3-series). BMW also killed off the estate version before it reached production, though thankfully it was revived post-BMW...
The new MINI was also Rover-developed, remember, and look what a success it's been. It's sad that BMW asset-stripped Rover, stopping V8 production and taking MINI with them when they sold up. If Rover had been invested in properly by BMW, allowed to excel, they would still be here, making fine cars. As for Land Rover, I know build quality isn't all it could be, but it's been very influential. They developed the X5 for BMW, remember - anyway, at least you don't have stupid Japanese design...
...quirks, and the Owner's Manual is in clear English. Land Rover is being forced to do better, particularly given how their sales have gone down in recent years. They're still superb off-roaders, and 'too much technology' is just nonsense. They don't rust now, they're rust-proofed, like all modern cars. Anyway, I hope that now Jag/LR and Rover are under one organisation (TATA) Rover will be relaunched and will benefit from the superb engineering that has made the Jaguar XF such a triumph.
to much technology will be the death of all new cars in a few years time, just wait and see, ecus fuck up, low voltage wiring fucks up, odd faults occur, I know from experience, the more complex something is the more can go wrong, u will not see a new landrover in 20 years time still running.
The Chinese bought Rover for one reason and one reason only?
It was the only British Car name they could Pronounce?
They tryed BLITISH RAYLAND but were misunderstood?
robdagnall1 1 month ago
It is true then, when they say that the world is coming to an end
FaustoM1991 11 months ago
Typical!! A British company thats gone to the dust, there is nothing here now in Britain!!
The Rover company had bad word of mouth by it own country, have you ever seen that in Germany !! No is the answer because the take pride in the country.
Also the Rover company was in incompetent hands the so-called Phoenix Four went to enrich themselves by taking 42m from a company in debt. They didnt care at all!!
Britains has nothing now , every industry is going abroad!
MrRobifan 1 year ago 3
@MrRobifan ..Mate..Rover went because the cars were shit,,the management were shit and most of the bad backs who worked there were shit,,i saw it ,,they moaned about there money ,they moaned about there holidays,they moaned about everything,,and they built shit cars i had a Rover the cylinder head went twice in a year..cos windass wanted another cup of tea,,,its gone get over it..
MrNamchebazar 5 months ago
@MrNamchebazar Your cylinder head gasket went because YOU did somthing stupid. I take it you are about 18? There are a huge number of Rovers around and their heads are ok so what did you do to yours? To make such a cold smart arse (ass) remark like that, says much about your mentality, if you have one, which I doubt. The reply will prove me right no doubt. Im waiting.
gw4pjq 1 week ago
Truly an undignified end to over 100 years of building some of the most legendary cars that history had ever seen
supertrix101 1 year ago
Whats saddening is that i have a rover mini and now i carn't take it back to its birthplace! :(
but still i do own a classic BRITISH made car :)
nickc217 1 year ago 2
i loved rovers and mgs i wish they would come back
JACQUES330 1 year ago 2
@Stogrin Unfortunately, it's no business for small players any more. Renault reportedly spent more developing the climate control system for the new Laguna than Rover spent developing the entire RD60 project. Even the big boys are clubbing together to save cash. Ford and Jag/Land Rover are using Peugeot/Citroen diesels, for example. The writing was on the wall for Rover when BMW came in and Honda walked away, until the day Towers and co closed the doors.
postie2003 1 year ago 3
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its partly our fault - we didnt want to buy rovers for the simple reason the designs of the cars were outdated compared to renault and even fucking seat for christ sakes!
BMW were the other party in blame - they bought rover for one reason and one reason only; they wanted the mini
Mahoney8T7 2 years ago
superb video. What a bloody shame. So sad to see this.
mgzt52 2 years ago 7
There must be someone out there with enough money to start a new british car firm... there must be! Or even buy back the rover name.
Stogrin 2 years ago 4
I actually feel like crying.....
I was born and raised in Edenhurst Rd, Longbridge. My late father worked there for decades and I was a commercial student there in the early 70's.
I live in France now but came back home a while back and the factories I had worked in were just gone. Completely.
Even the Jolly Fitter pub is demolished.
Tancred66 2 years ago 3
Very poignant and very moving. I'm originally from south Birmingham but now based oversea's the majority of the time.
It's the first time I've seen Longbridge like this, and as others have said it really is sad.
standenberg 2 years ago 2
sad vid it will be LDV vans you film next been puled down... what music you got in the backround there
cheddarbombnufc 2 years ago 2
The music is Enya - Mysterium.
Gonzola007 2 years ago 2
@Gonzola007 this is a hard hitting vid my friend well done for this
cheddarbombnufc 2 years ago 3
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cheddarbombnufc 2 years ago
Welcome to Britain PLC I 'm affraid.
Giles1814 2 years ago 2
ROVER FTW!!!!
EXTREME4YEARSTOCOME 2 years ago
This was a sad moment for Rover and BL come to think of it...
hamsterdance4lyf08 2 years ago 3
Come back british leyland, we love u
lavi8686 2 years ago
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surprised the people of longbridge did not go on strike over this,, they did not value their jobs till it was to lait ,those buch of slackers got what they deserved.
bikersrule07 2 years ago
Rover made car's that people wanted, not liked.
thomashome05 2 years ago
Really sad! You can feel the death of Rover when watching this video!
psykotanks 2 years ago 4
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frenchie23666 2 years ago
Really Really sad.
come on Rover, come back.
i miss you ...
bloozeman101 2 years ago 5
I just brought a 2 owner rover 420si and on the V5 the first owner was rover longbridge
dotapotamus 2 years ago 2
really saddened me to see the rover factory shut down. A british motoring icon for over 100 years sold to an international company. Looking at some pics of teh abandoned factory of the web, thers coffee mugs, switched on computers, some prototype cars they had in development, it seems as if the workers have jus finished a shift and will be back in to finish the cars and its actually quite saddening to see.This was the home of some great(and not so great) cars such as the awesome mini!.
SinghShady01 2 years ago 9
Very sad.
bommmmmmmm 2 years ago 4
i grew up not liking rover, i even hated some cars and the people (and stereotypes) that drove them, but still my first cars was a mini, made at longbridge, this was my cars home, its birthplace, seeing it all sold off to china and bmw is sad, and seeing the demolision of the factory is even worse. just like some people have been saying we dnt want that chinese and japanese crap, the production lines were so basic and a gave real british jobs, so why did it not work? no sence.....
thesupahfly 3 years ago
I am not afraid to agree with the truth about our shortcomings and there is alot of improvement to be made in detroit, but i just cannot agree with your observation that all our stuff has leaf springs and poor fit and finish...there are alot of things we can talk about thats wrong but those things from my perspective are just not true.we make a full line of trucks to pull just about anything you could want in comfort. we make loaded SUV's and economy zippy cars. fire engines, ambulances...
67genxer 3 years ago
highway buses,coaches,motorhomes,trailers
[caravans].toyota and nissan,VW and all the others make cars and SUV's, thats it! all our vendors are 80 year old factories making components for our vehicles across the USA.entire towns rely on the factories.tradition. heritage.pride. whats britain got, the ford transit and euro diesel unibody vans from italy, germany and france then your into big trucks and nothing in between. the range here is staggering. anything you want or need at a good price
67genxer 3 years ago
America is amazing compared to ripoff britain and I can say that because I have experience with both countries, I was born and lived in britain for 29 years and the states the last 12 years. I have brit friends who emigrated here and love that you can go buy a chevy silverado pickup, loaded with a V8 engine, leather seats etc for what we would pay for a vauxhall basic car in britain. the pubs back home are full of people talking about it, i know, i was there and there is alot of jealousy and
67genxer 3 years ago
resentment that morphs into slagging off. you and me both like old fashioned stuff, but I think you would be dissappointed if you came here to find out that actually, its getting harder to find a american gem thats not full of technology and complication...lets not forget what the brains in detroit brought us...the catalytic converter, hybrid and electric cars...EGR systems...air bags...hell britian only just got rid of leaded gasoline in 1999!the truth about lead is a cover up though.
67genxer 3 years ago
if you dont want to email me I am done here, we are taking up to much space on this video no one wants to hear it. email me or I am done.
67genxer 3 years ago
Your views of american vehicles are ill informed, ignornant and out dated and typical of a brit. Just come and punch the gas pedal on some detroit muscle and you'll be hooked. I'd rather have a few clydesdales under my hood than a bunch of screaming shetland ponies. and I am british you tosser, I chose to leave your thatcherised britain to you 12 years ago. 10% of the cost of a car is wages so again, your wrong about unions. what are you some rich kid,tell me you dont want a good wage.
67genxer 3 years ago
hate to say this but modern yank cars r very poor quality finish and build using old fashioned engines and leaf springs!
I like american for this reason though!
Americans lead the way on big diesels, europe on small ones.
I do think unions and chinese imports fucked everything up in UK also!
They asked for so much money under threat of strike (blackmail) that everything became to expensive, coal, cars, general manufacturing.
£80 an hour at local garage!
tpvalley 3 years ago
The American cars now are dreadful, and Chinese imports and unions are definitely a curse on the car industry. However, America doesn't lead the way on big diesels - explain the superb engines coming out of Germany, like the VW group's 5.0L V10 TDI, and the Mercedes 4.0L V8 TDI which powered the Le Mans car that became the R8, the now-discontinued BMW 745D...
EccentricRichard 3 years ago
5 litre is hardly a big diesel either.
Even old yank diesel were good, eg,
7.3 idi V8 in 3 tonne truck, 26mpg!
Thats just as old as landrover diesel.
6.2 v8 suburban 29mpg!
land rover 2.25 diesel 22mpg!
The 4x4 suburban can get over 24mpg with 6.2 litres!
Big efficient under stressed diesels.
My dad has 1.9tdi, nearly 60mpg, excellent,
but the bigger vags guzzle, not as much as old landrovers though!
tpvalley 3 years ago
your perfectly entitled to your opinion but I am interested what your basing your views on? the internet? have you been here to the states and seen what we have to offer. I think that your preception of "american" is typical of people, including americans who choose a toyota over a domestic vehicle and that perception is reality and thats the hardest thing for a manufacturer to change. for example, when people think of american they think of gas guzzler when in fact, all the american...
67genxer 3 years ago
manufacturers have comparible or better fuel efficient cars than the competition but people dont want to buy them because its not "the brand". also, all the worlds manufacturers suffer from reliability problems including the german vehicles which rank some of the worst in reliability here in the states except toyota and Nissan which provide turn key 200,000 mile worry free driving then you scrap it after ten years and go buy another....
67genxer 3 years ago
I am a Brit living here and working, driving these american vehicles and I can tell you from first hand experience the fit and finish of these vehicles is second to none...however, after sales service if you have a problem with your new car, sucks, the dealers are rude and arrogant and the factory assembly workers are haphazzard and lazy and careless building our cars. the garages don't know and donpt have the training to properly take something apart and put it back together...
67genxer 3 years ago
better than it was before example dahs now rattles and wiring not routed properly. whereas a toyota garage is proffesional and everyone is trained and they have invested in the right tooling, the factory workers are treated very well and are happy content workers in modern factories. this is the japanese culture and we will never be like that in our countries because we like being who we are and we like the cars we build. many people here see a car as a tool and dont care how it looks...
67genxer 3 years ago
I don't know anything with leaf springs except for our pickup trucks have them on the rear and ford still makes a hi-tech version of a leaf on the front because there are still people out there buying a Ford just because it has leaf springs and a solid front axle..chevy trucks have been coils for over a decade with independent suspension and everyone likes the ride but the 4WD mags are full of readers wanting to convert to solid axle because the IFS sucks off road, not enough ground clearance.
67genxer 3 years ago
TV shows!
We have a few motoring shows, whatever they test from states tends to have very plasticy trim, pushrod engines etc, nothing wrong in that but an observation, corvette has leaf springs!! But generally all modern cars r the same I think, plasticy, over technical, not built to last (time not mileage).
seems french cars r the worst for reliability issues from experience.
Give me an old pontiac with a cummins any day though!
tpvalley 3 years ago
I am an idealist,romantic I wish we could celebrate all our different cultures reflected in our creations and drive and be proud of what we make in our respective countries like I remember when i was a kid in the seventies and we went to Italy it was al fiats, alfa's,Lancia's and they drove em hard, then there was germany with its smoking little diesels everywhere and bright orange and green dayglo golfs and polo's, then I went to Japan where everything was brand new uptodate Japanese and proud
67genxer 3 years ago
I saw them work 24 hours on a road corner re-design till it was done and planted with trees and perfect...then the Aussies with there own brand of V8 and Straight six fords and holdens, Ute's and road trains. then there was Home, England with its funky BL creations, whining spur gear trannys and leaking valve guides, leaded petrol and exotic E-types and rollers..then in the states, it was yellow Checkers rumbling down Manhattan,red acticulated fire trucks and muscle cars...
67genxer 3 years ago
now all i see and hear is toyota toyota toyota, and your right, they are all plasticy its just that the japanese know how to make plastic right and they do make excellent plastic...jeezuz...plastic, what the fucks that doing on a car its good for lemonade bottles and there's two types of plastic...plastic thats broke and plastic thats gonna break. we dont care anymore. where's our pride.yes i know its light and its easy to make shapes out of and the public are fooled because underneath that..
67genxer 3 years ago
is styrofoam. oh yeah, for crash protection..right.British engineering history is second to none but whats happened to all that expertise. we have become a nation of shop keepers much like whats happening in the states...everyone just cares about number one and getting through the day. no one cares, there's no pride and I am sorry america, but you can't be proud driving a toyota all you did was pay money for it you did'nt build it, you could'nt build it its a product of japan
and thats why
67genxer 3 years ago
its so reliable and put together so well with high quality materials and proactive managment and engineering.we, on the other hand, are set in our ways,corrupt, lazy, passionate,greedy , stupid [not investing back into our companies instead, we hand out attaboy cheques to our corrupt managers instead of putting back into the company].
one thing that amazed me abou comaparing toyota to say ford, is ford has lots of factories around the states but each factory might only make the F-150 pickup
67genxer 3 years ago
Not many people buy Toyota's Sequoia V8 SUV, or Tundra V8 pickup but it does'nt matter because toyota can shut down, re-tool the same factory in a day and fill an order then go back to producing Corolla's. this is huge when you see the vast stocks of unsold F-150's at the docks, i just cringe and Henry Ford would be turning in his grave.fuck toyota.we gotta learn from it and DO IT Different.
67genxer 3 years ago
the only reason rover went down the pan is cus they stoped making the mini and im sure theres plenty of people tht wud agree with me
bikerdude96 3 years ago
This is what you get when you make crap cars, With the build quality of rotten cabbage.
It is FAR to easy to buy a better car on credit. No-one is going to spend there hard earned cash on crap cars that they were making. I am supprised they lasted until 2005. NO BIG LOSS!!!
papermarioa 3 years ago
The big loss is that no-one makes cars like the P5 and P6 anymore. Things started going down the pan when the BL takeover happened, and only really recovered when MINI and 75 happened. Then, BMW pulled out MINI and undermined the 75 project to stop it threatening the 3-series.
EccentricRichard 3 years ago
And BMW pulled out the best V8 ever made, sold it off. If Rover maed a modern P6, front longitudinal engine (preferably the V8, with EFI/ECU), rear wheel drive, a 6-speed manual 'box, with the P6 De Dion tube/Panhard rod/Watts linkage rear suspension and the horizontal front coils and redesigned it to meet modern crash worthiness standards, it'd be a world-beater. Hopefully, with Rover now in the hands of Tata, who own Jaguar/Land Rover, it might even happen. I'd buy it. Anyone else agree?
EccentricRichard 3 years ago
a sad sad shame
landrovernutta2008 3 years ago
Notice its mostly japanese cars passing :P
BlondieFreak07 3 years ago
The UK is going the same way, 100 years of expert knoweldeg down the toilet, BMC was milked dry by greedy shareholders and then stupid policy in the 70s using too many components to make similar cars, how many 4, 6 & 8 pot engines did BL have! (& a 12 pot). Management shoould have got a grip, & labour party too. VW & Renault are state run afterall, they dont fuck about with unions...tell it to your poor kids.
malcstag 3 years ago
such a shame
david01478 3 years ago
Era una gran marca, k pena
Carlisisi 3 years ago
I was at Rover for 5 years up 2000. got out when BMW sold up. I knew it had no future. such a sad state of affairs.
Why is it though that the government weren't allowed to bale Rover out because of European law, but could bale Northern Rock out to the tune of 10s Billions of pounds???
plugman1963 3 years ago 3
Is it because one has a future and the other didn't? Like you said at beginning, you got out before it's complete demise. Wasn't Land Rover part of the deal with the buying of Rover MG? - As it appears that was all BMW were interested in at the time, for the development of their X5. Then they soon rid of Land Rover too.
Welloiledcog 3 years ago
i drive a mg zs and yes it has some faults but its still better than half the cars on the road... the goverment could of saved rover with a tenth the money they threw at northern rock ! ! !
NICKOFDERBY 3 years ago
Well Rover has joind the ranks of dead British car makers, Austin, Morris, Triumph, Lanchester, Standard, Humber and many others.
RIP
1066ant 3 years ago
This scenes and demolition of this emblematic factory is very sad...I'm brazilian, but I love british cars... Please british people, fighting for a real and strong british motor industries!!!
cmj1977 3 years ago 2
If the 4 directors had invested, rather than just taking £15m bonuses each this could have been avoided. Although the SV is a good car, it isn't what the company needed - they needed to replace the 25/ZR and 45/ZS. They were good cars but a new body design was demanded by the public.
After all, the handling was there, the engines were pretty reliable heatgasket aside, and the paint finish was excellent.
If Blair wasn't a twat, he should have thought - 6,000 employees & family = lots of votes.
jameswalker99 4 years ago
I have to ask what the music is to this.
cornflakes002 4 years ago
it was a bad day to be british like when anything that is british shuts down rip rover
tradingplaces400 4 years ago
Did the german aircraft bomb your factory like in WWII to be in a such condition?
javeljaveljavel 4 years ago
Such a shame, R.I.P Rover Longbridge
Dragon2sword 4 years ago
its not imposible, but rover could be brought back,it just needs some one with a lot of cash to get it going, and people who want to make a car to "beet the rest". they did once, they could again.but wether youd be able to sell them as rover though as the name is some one elses.
austinmaxi 4 years ago
The people who bought it, the Nanjing Motor Association, are bringing it back, next year a whole range of Rovers and Austins are planned.
BritishClassAware 3 years ago
at least they wont skimp on materials and manufacturing facilitys, i was talking to my dad about rover and found out that my great uncle designed the track that built the metro,and said they cut corners so drasticly in the making of it it was no wonder the build quality was shocking
austinmaxi 3 years ago
I found out something else, it's MG that's coming back under the ownership of NMA and SAIC have the rights to Rover but not the badge, so they're bringing out a Roewe 250 instead of a Rover 25.
The Rover and Austin marques are owned by TATA Motors, and they're registered as dormant.
Apparently Rover 75's were built really well, but my dad said that some Rovers 'the aunties' you'd like slam the door on one side and the one on the other side would fall off.
BritishClassAware 3 years ago
thankfully that doesnt happen with the maxi,but rover SD1s were built longer one side than the other and the austin 1800 was to big to fit the convaor tunnel so were transported to another part of longbridge in bare mettle in all weathers, 75's were made under german supervision so thats proberly why,the germans only wanted rover for its fwd technology to build that thing they call the "mini" wich totaly oposite to the idea of the origonal
austinmaxi 3 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Perhaps they should have made better cars, rather than shit like the Metro, 214 and 75
RaceAndRally 4 years ago
Yes,they were so shit,they hardly sold any.Oh,sorry,they sold them by the fucking thousand didn't they,you silly little boy-racer.
numberstation 4 years ago
Another nail in the coffin for Great Britain .WE connot survive unless we manufacture. We make Honda,Toyota and Sanyo etc ,why cant we make the very things we invented?Please read Fantasy Island in paperback and come to your own conclusions.50 billion for a Northern bank and counting , where was the help for B.L.or Rover?We cant all work in call centres ,fast food outlets and shops!
tinaandvince 4 years ago 16
@tinaandvince our gov is selling us down the river, Hitler called us a nation of shopkeepers. we don't even own the corner shop anymore. we are guests in our own country.
vindicari 1 year ago 4
My God, this has left me numb.....
I lived & worked out of Bromsgrove in the late 80's, & this was my drive into Brum every saturday afternoon...
I can remember they had then re-branded as Austin Rover so there were always some of their new liveried cream-coloured Leyland trucks in a delivery yard next to the main road which was part of where this flattened area now is....
at that time, it seemed everybody knew someone who worked at Longbridge.....
a tragic end, but life has to continue.
Ben4810 4 years ago
Its Sad for me because a lot of my family used to work for BL Rover and my dad has owned loads of them & the point of the matter is if they were bad cars then why does my dad always but them, they have charm, unlike Patinum processsor BMW's, britain is not really a nation of Zink Kichens & Computers we'are a nation of nice steaming Cups of tea , fireplaces and full british breakfast.
hamster639 4 years ago 2
I have never been to Longbridge so I didn't really know the scale of the demolition, until I looked at the area from Google Earth. The satellite image is an old one, clearly showing the scale of the Plant I would imagine in its final years of MG Rover. RIP Longbridge, Austin / BL / MG Rover
Leafster1973 4 years ago
what a sad state of affairs. The brittish government has systematically drove the car industry into the ground over the last 50 years. Every car maker in the world has benifited from rover ideas. Honda, BMW to name the most obvious. How can the french government support a company who make rubbish cars, renault and the brittish government cannot support a great car maker. We were once the greatest nation in the world and still can be
wylie1988 4 years ago
To anyone who grew up in the area, this video clip and soundtrack has more emotional impact that anything that has come out of Hollywood, EVER. The nearest would be for New Yorkers when, in The Planet of the Apes, they find the Statue of Liberty half buried on the beach. this clip is AWESOME and anyone with mere political comments is really missing the emotional impact. The guy who made this deserves an Oscar in all categories. If he ever does go into movies, watch out.
Starbuttz 4 years ago
Not lving in Birmingham but owning a Rover and my cousins used to work there at Longbridge, seeing videos like this and seeing pictures of the Plant in this state does bring a tear to the eye. I totally agree with what you said, it is a brilliant bit of video. But Rover although "bust" will still live on. Tonnes of Rovers, MG's and even Austins are still alive and driving the nations roads.
GDWGlos 4 years ago
Well just one more British well before the every body from over the pound got there hands on it has fallen i don't think there is much British things anymore but we shall see if British power will rise again and rise again it should i do think everybody in the nation is fed up of accepting shit from overseas any way good video shame about Long bride R.I.P BL rover
Lukeashley2323 4 years ago
You know, Lord Tebbit's father didn't go round MINDLESSLY BULLDOZING FACTORIES and SELLING OFF HERITAGE to the Chinese/Germans/Yanks. No, he GOT ON HIS BIKE and LOOKED FOR WORK.
austintowers75 4 years ago 3
Ha!Spot on.
numberstation 4 years ago
Good video. Has anyone got the same scenes before demolition for comparison?
tvfilmglamdirector 4 years ago
Thanks for the video I love BL cars it was very sad to see Longbridge plant been demolished
michaelc6012 4 years ago
Such a shame. My family and I have owned Rover products for most of our driving career and we still do. I remember driving past here on the way to my mates and seeing the derelict buildings, then coming down a few weeks later and seeing this :(
gandi699 4 years ago
Thanks for the cars with soul you anti Thatcherist communists of the Midlands (Canley, Browns Lane and Abingdon), - I loved my 74 Midget, 76 Spitfire and still have and love my 74 Stag and 98 XJ8.
sandiegoharleyguy 4 years ago
This is Detroit in a few years. We lucky yanks the Chinese are going to ship MGs in a box to Oklahoma where Americans can add 6 sheet metal screws to them and call them cars. Thank god I've got my trusty 1974 UK spec Stag in my garage because all the cars are going to be made of recycled Chinese bog roll.
sandiegoharleyguy 4 years ago 2
Mate, screw your Stag, you want a Rover 3500S...
EccentricRichard 3 years ago
very very sad. it makes me feel sick. i loved the rover cars i had. made me proud to brtish. yet again another well known brand name gone. r.i.p rover longbridge. people of longbridge i feel for you all. a very great loss. everyone blamed the torys in the past, but labour was the hangman in all this. they could of step in and kept it british and saved everyones jobs. whats done is done. thank you all ex rover employers for producing top qualty cars.
topline1000 4 years ago
Nanjing Automobile Corporation (NAC) purchased in May 2005 the MG brand, the manufacturing rights to the MG range of vehicles and assets of the collapsed MG Rover organisation in a deal worth in excess of £50 million. Currently the're producing the MG TF and the MG7 (base comes from the Rover 75) in China. Some of the TFs (for the european market) are assembled in Longbridge. Now they are in talks with car dealers.
hausperger 4 years ago
Very sad, but at least some of it will remain now that they're going to build MG's again.
paulph12002 4 years ago
I live in scotland and I dident even know this happend untill I saw that video
cornflakes002 4 years ago
i feel sick. the same is going to happen to detroit if americans don't wake up and quit buying toyota's and let me tell you if detroit goes, the ripple will be felt across the world.
67genxer 4 years ago
67genxer, name me one really good Detroit-built car, that the European (and specifically British) market would accept, in terms of safety, styling and handling (remember, the Americans go far more for comfort than handling by our standards). Frankly, if Detroit goes, serve 'em right. GM, for a start, has the British Leyland problem of far too many brands. Detroit is run inefficiently and incompetently. We need to learn from the Germans and Japs, and from our own mistakes.
EccentricRichard 3 years ago
your 17 years old! what can you possibly know! lol, but if you want to have a converstation with me about this subject I would be happy to through email..I am British but lived in the USA for 12 years. How many cars have you even driven my dear. How many American cars have you driven. I think your wrong about everything except your last staement that we need to learn from others like they have from us over the past 100 years.the reason we fail is because we as individuals dont give 100% at work.
67genxer 3 years ago
and in our private lives, we are lazy and our management is corrupt and greedy. I look at our domestic vehicles today and our competition and cant believe the creativity that comes from detroit,its amazing, have you even been here?I think people would buy the mustang,charger,300,all the pickups we have. our vehicles have effortless power and torque and MPG to match many euro and jap vehicles of the similar engine size.you really dont know what your talking about. detroit sets the bar for the...
67genxer 3 years ago
world.of course our competition is better in some area's and thats due to our culture and due to their culture...we are not going to change our culture are we and you just verified that by telling me your british choice is to buy a foreign vehicle. that does not make you smart, it is typical and expected and part of why our countries build the cars they do...your part of the problem dude. All you can do is your best everyday and make sure YOU learn from the foreign competition so YOU do better.
67genxer 3 years ago
The problem with 'your culture' is gross inefficiency. Simple Japanese-inspired business practices which caught on quickly here in Europe are just not widely enough implemented in Detroit. Detroit is also at the mercy of the unions: it needs a strong hand, an Iron Fist, even, in the spirit of Margaret Thatcher, someone who will stare the unions in the face and make them work. The British Choice isn't to buy foreign, it's sadly been a necessity for too long. The new Jaguars look great...
EccentricRichard 3 years ago
The Mustang is a good car, but it's not great. Compare it to cars like the BMW M3 coupé, and suddenly it's not such a bargain. The fact is, the Mustang just plain isn't agile enough, the suspension's too soft, you just can't chuck it round country lanes like an M3. Also, the Mustang's V8 engine is pretty crude: a Rover V8 of the same 4.6 litre displacement is way better, and the same can be said of the 4.0 in the M3. The Mustang's engine just ain't efficient enough, and it's too CO2-heavy.
EccentricRichard 3 years ago
Furthermore, here in Britain, we just don't need big lazy engines like Detroit does. I mean, an 8.3L V10 in the Dodge Viper?! Even an old 3.2L BMW M3 is more powerful. Also, I fail to see why I should be impressed by a Mustang when a BMW 335D offers the high-end power to nearly match the Mustang V8 (over 280bhp) and low-end torque to put it to shame (428 lb ft), plus the BMW gives better fuel economy, and handles better.
EccentricRichard 3 years ago
Likewise, the Jaguar XF handles better, and, with its (ironically, Ford-developed, though Jaguar-improved) 3.0L twin-turbo diesel, it does 280-odd BHP, 600 lb/ft torque at only 2000rpm, it'll show a Mustang a clean pair of heels at the traffic lights and on the motorway (freeway, to use your mangled Americanised English)
EccentricRichard 3 years ago
I may only be 17, but I have experience of driving off road, and I know enough other people with enough experience to prove your opinions wrong. Munich leads the world right now, my friend, not Detroit. Sad to say it's not the Midlands, but GM, Ford and Chrysler will never rule the roost in terms of making quality mass-market cars.
EccentricRichard 3 years ago
Dude: This one has a Rover V8 upfront with Edelbrock manifold and 4 barrel carb and a heck of a lot less weight than the 3500S...she goes like a bomb.
sandiegoharleyguy 3 years ago
Yeah, but the Stag is a terrible car, dreadful build quality, not like the Rover, which is near-bombproof, rust apart (not a problem in San Diego's climate, either).
EccentricRichard 3 years ago
Er...no, rover have to be one of the lowest quality manufacturers going, due to lazy greedy worker and old fashioned technology until that is all the cars were just rebadged hondas!
I own a landrover and love it but they break a lot and rust compared to land cruiser etc.
The new landrovers have lost the plot, to much technology.
tpvalley 3 years ago
The workers weren't lazy or greedy, it was the management who were lazy and greedy. The engines were mostly good - the 2000, 2200 and 3500 engines were all superb, as was the Land Rover 3.9L V8, and the 2.25 LR petrol and diesel engines. They were all highly efficient for their day. The V8 is still one of the best, despite being over 45 years old as a design. Fit modern carbs or EFI + ECU and you've got one of the most powerful, torquey and efficient V8s anywhere. The Honda-type Rovers were...
EccentricRichard 3 years ago
u do know the v8 landrover engine was a buick design right?
As for vw v10 etc, good but totally thirsty.
u can get 25mpg and over 350bhp and over 700lb/ft of torque from a cummins for example.
VAG engines r good but when over 4 cylinders thermal efficiency drops as it does when u have more cylinders per cc.
tpvalley 3 years ago
...really not great at all, they weren't that well-made or engineered, and neither were the Hondas of the same era. However, the BMW-era designs (Rover 75, MGF / MG TF) were very good cars, although the F was let down by its cabin. The 75 was let down by its FWD chassis and detuned diesel engine (BMW insisted on it - Rover wanted RWD, but BMW perceived a real threat to the 3-series). BMW also killed off the estate version before it reached production, though thankfully it was revived post-BMW...
EccentricRichard 3 years ago
The new MINI was also Rover-developed, remember, and look what a success it's been. It's sad that BMW asset-stripped Rover, stopping V8 production and taking MINI with them when they sold up. If Rover had been invested in properly by BMW, allowed to excel, they would still be here, making fine cars. As for Land Rover, I know build quality isn't all it could be, but it's been very influential. They developed the X5 for BMW, remember - anyway, at least you don't have stupid Japanese design...
EccentricRichard 3 years ago
...quirks, and the Owner's Manual is in clear English. Land Rover is being forced to do better, particularly given how their sales have gone down in recent years. They're still superb off-roaders, and 'too much technology' is just nonsense. They don't rust now, they're rust-proofed, like all modern cars. Anyway, I hope that now Jag/LR and Rover are under one organisation (TATA) Rover will be relaunched and will benefit from the superb engineering that has made the Jaguar XF such a triumph.
EccentricRichard 3 years ago
to much technology will be the death of all new cars in a few years time, just wait and see, ecus fuck up, low voltage wiring fucks up, odd faults occur, I know from experience, the more complex something is the more can go wrong, u will not see a new landrover in 20 years time still running.
tpvalley 3 years ago
what happened to the millions of pounds bmw left when they pull out? disaster.
lesgodfrey 4 years ago
Truely sickening.
numberstation 4 years ago
I worked in the Old West works, very upsetting.
bhamboy05 5 years ago
I spent my early years living in Rubery so it was a sad day when the bulldozers swept in.
waresocks 5 years ago