[ROVERNET - UK] Classic names are part of Tata deal

[Geoff Kirkpatrick]

>From the Arcane Autos list: confirmation that Tata does indeed now own the Rover name.

Geoff


 
"This is the final test of a gentleman: his respect for those who can be of no possible service to him."
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            Classic names are part of Tata deal

Tony Lewin

Automotive News | March 27, 2008 - 6:46 am EST
Tata Motors will get the right use three classic British auto-brand names as
part of its $2.3 billion deal to buy Jaguar and Land Rover.

Included in the deal are the Rover name and the Jaguar-owned names of Daimler
and Lanchester.
Ford bought the rights to the Rover brand name from BMW in September 2006 for
an undisclosed sum to ensure no other automaker could use it and cause
confusion with the Land Rover brand.

"We acquired the Rover trademark in the interests of protecting Land Rover,"
said Ford of Europe spokesman John Gardiner. "So it's also in the interests
of
the new owner of Land Rover to have it."

BMW obtained ownership of the Rover name when it bought the Rover group in
1994. In 2006, BMW refused a request from China's SAIC to use the Rover brand
name under license. SAIC had bought some assets of the ailing MG Rover group
and now builds cars called Roewes in China.

Jaguar acquired the rights to sell cars badged as Daimlers in 1960 from the UK
Daimler car company that was founded in 1896 and licensed by Gottlieb Daimler
to use his internal combustion engine. The UK Daimler car company also owned
the Lanchester brand name.


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