Agree - the TCV and RDX60 should be preserved at Gaydon (along with the SD1 if it still exists). The missing red 80s sports prototypes and TF Coupe I could imagine being retained for developing their own heritage collection, but if they don't seem to want them they would be best going to Gaydon too. As someone else has said at the moment its a PR own goal, whereas they would get at least some positive respect by donating them to the heritage museum. Strange they have ignored previous requests.
Well done Tom.. The 75 limo needs saving as well. Keep up the pressure. Hopefully the PR1 and 2 have been put away. The MGF coupe and the MGB need to be moved to people who give a toss. Hopefully the MG owners might get involved
I have contacted MG and I have contacted Beaulieu national motor museum to see if they can do anything. great video bud, good to see you spreading the word.
Tom, we need to contact Gaydon about saving the cars as they will have alot of clout. I also think a petition of some sort might be worth a try too. Maybe a few big names like Sarah Crabbers and Fuzz Townsend.
Great video, sad to see this so well done for publicising. Worked at Longbridge in summer of '96 while at uni then Gaydon and Solihull following summer as was on the MG Rover undergrad scheme. Good memories of time there, massive sprawling site, c14k people working there and lovely people, would hate to see it now.
Great work, Tom! As a middle-aged yank who is car mad, and had always loved BL cars, it is very uplifting to see that not only is there interest in these vehicles, but you, a driving force behind the effort, is (and this is not meant to be patronizing whatsoever) is so young. It is refreshing to see people of other generations have a fondness and respect for things that have come before. And most definitely, I will contact the British Motor Museum. Britain's motor heritage is rich and important. The industry may be going through a transformation, but it is important to preserve the past so that future generations can appreciate it and use the knowledge to move forward. This is pure gold.
At least they weren’t destroyed, but they do need to be in a museum for sure. They are the final pieces of Rover. Kind of surreal seeing them as concept cars, just a shame Rover didn’t manage to give them a go on the production stage due to financial reasons. Great video.
I admit that it's frustrating to see these cars like this, but it's no different to how BL, Austin Rover and Rover kept their prototypes. Many were left outside to rot, the Rover P8 languished for years outside at Studley. I hope that MG can be persuaded to donate them to somewhere like Gaydon or the Great British Car Journey.
Well done Tom! Being one of the 75’s enthusiasts, your dedications and perseverance to Rovers are deeply appreciated and should pay! The act of leaving those gems abandoned and exposing to the direct sunlight for long reveals that the management does care about sales volume more than conservation of the brand very unfortunately. I don’t think that the UK’s office has a say about the directive as the brand is entirely Chinese owned. My perception and experience gained from the projects I moved on with them are that profit making is always accorded with priorities, conservancy of history can be none unless their financial spreadsheets are related correspondingly. Anyhow, I really hope the magic will happen and those prototypes are soon to be restored and protected to show in a museum. I was so surprised to see the pics for a closer look of the TCV, the designer was a genius and design of the car was so ahead of time. Please keep up. Thank you
Great to see them out there ... I had a good look through there when I was at POL ... But didn't see them, maybe they were more blocked in. Is it worth contacting Gaydon to see if they can house them? They might make contact with MG and offer to take them, they would fit well with their collection.
Companies don't care about prototypes and mules after they've served their purpose. The XJ220 Transit was abandoned to die in a carpark as well, until someone "discovered" it and got it running again.
Much as I am not the biggest fan of the later MGB, that’s a mystery on it’s own! I have subscribed, and I will no doubt watch all the videos on this, because it’s sad, and fascinating at the same time.
As a huge rover/mg fan seeing those cars abandoned they should be in a museum and now! The awsome TCV and RDX-60 would of been the car that could and probably would of saved rover.
MG motor don’t give a crap about their history, and leaving these incredibly significant cars to rot is proof of that. The fact that they are even too tight to put a cover on them says a lot. I feel the red ones are inside somewhere, being open topped prototypes. Perhaps writing to the local MP, councillors and MG clubs/ groups could help get some traction in getting these cars saved. At the end of the day though, it’s their property now, and no one can tell them what to do. But clearly, they don’t give a s**t. The MGs now are not MGs, they’re faceless corporate trash. MG Rover was done over, looted, betrayed and dumped.
I know there used to be an issue about prototypes and their legality which they might try but you need to give it a go and if it is going to a museum they should embrace the free advertising! They must be mad to ignore the opportunity
I'm not sure what MG hope to achieve by just keeping them in this condition, there are certainly Brownie Points to be had for MG by donating them to Gaydon or even developing their own heritage collection; after all the MG name was bought by the Chinese as it was a known brand in the UK. Good detective work Tom.
The only way I can see these cars being saved is if they go to a museum, I don’t think SAIC can sell them to the public. The problem is, dealing with them is probably pretty low down the list of priorities for whoever the site manager is and coordinating the effort to get them into a musuem may not be deemed worth their time/money :( I really hope they can be pursuaded to do the right thing. I'm sure some of the enthusiast community would gladly help coordinate getting them into a museum, if only SAIC would allow it.
Its such a shame being that other prototypes have found their way into the Gaydon museum in recent years from the MG Rover stable including some of the models of those prototypes sitting in that car park.
If someone could that’d be amazing, don’t take this as me slagging the guy off because I don’t know him but his tier of RU-vid seem to be quite dismissive of me which is a bit saddening and discouraging at times. Maybe I’ve got the wrong end of the stick.
I Remember seeing a video about it at the Geneva Show in like 2004/05 I believe. Quite a bunch of people were excited and even the press liked it. @@tomdrives
MG should retain ownership, but move them to a museum. That's got to be the easiest way for them to fix this. As prototypes they probably were never designed to sit outside, especially for 20 years!
@@tomdrives I had a reply from Gaydon, they said they do have a relationship with MG at Longbridge and are aware of significant vehicles still on site.
Just an update from us - we were made aware of Tom’s detective work in finding historically greatly significant cars remaining on site at Longbridge. Richard Usher our founder and CEO of GBCJ has spoken to MG UK and it appears they're taking it seriously and are going to put him in touch with whoever is currently in charge of the cars. Longbridge is a major feature of the Great British Car Journey experience and so we'll endeavour to ensure that these and any other vehicles find a long term home. Richard visits Longbridge fairly frequently and it was confirmed that these cars were not in the car park when he was there a few months ago.
Hi Guys, thanks for your help. Is there any chance you could put me in touch with someone so we can document the cars please as they are? I’d like to be a part of this whole journey if possible.
Unbelievable that they’re just sat outside. It tells you that SAIC/MG have absolutely not regard for the heritage of the brand even though they’re happy to coin it in on the back of it. These should be donated to Gaydon!
Great find 🙂 but remember, they don't "have to" save them, we just want them saved. And the old saying you catch more flies with sugar than shite would be relevant here. Building a relationship with higher ups in the company through respectful contact may get you more co-operation than simply demanding action in a sweary RU-vid rant. The attitude displayed here really wouldn't get you any distance with anyone in a position to grant your wish. Also could lead with the POV of the positive publicity it would bring, even if not donated, even just loaned to a relevant museum. Could there even be tax write offs of something in it? Any other sort of reason to help? Something to investigate and offer up.
I today,sent an e mail with the videos to gaydon.. hopefully they will do something? Just hope these videos don't encourage the management to dispose of these remaining heritage cars..😮
By the way guys, don't go bandying the Word Limo around unless you understand the full meaning of it. Limousine does Not simply mean big or large car!! its whole definition is that a car must have at Least SIX seats to be a limousine. a car that has been given extra room in the back has been extended by giving it a LONGER Wheelbase. that's why are usually called long wheelbase cars.
Keep them as is but in a museum. They need to be saved. End of. Business men just want the money. So offer more than scrap. !! Should work if u know who owns them. If nobody owns them just go get em.😮😮😊
Excellent work! Have you ever seen the SD1 estate prototype at the Hayne's Motor Museum? I think we need somebody with the capital to buy the Rover marque and start producing again. The Ineos Grenadier shows that new car makes can come out, we just need a billionaire to get on board, does anybody know one?
I’ve seen the SD1 but not in person sadly. I did approach TATA a few years ago about that when my circumstances were different but no response, I was hoping to get some investment if I created a worthwhile business plan, It’d be too close to Jaguar now
@@tomdrives I suppose some things just come to an end, though it wouldn't be the first time a car brand had been revived. Perhaps the best option for the British car industry is a completely new brand to come out. Unfortunately, to have mass appeal and longevity these days, it would be nothing like what we love about the 75 but at least there would be an actually British mass-market car brand again!
I believe it is important that heritage of British Motoring is maintained and cars are at least offered to museums. To see them sitting there to rot or crushed is sole destroying.
The fact that Rover is no more is SO sad, and a disgrace to be honest! I had a new Rover 75 connoisseur in black with cream leather - absolutely fantastic car! Bugs me that we rescue greedy banks, but our indigenous car company we let go! Disgraceful! The fact these cars are not protected is as you say, a travesty!!!
Out of all the cars there two have covers over them, and one of them is a BMW!!!!!! Says it all really about the people who look after the place now...
Maybe worth contacting gayden or the greate British car journey see if they can help. Speaking of help if you be interested in helping restore a MK1 mgf and help get a zt back on the road give me a shout
Once upon a time the UK had a motor industry…. A large one. Now the last vestiges of thatindustry are wasting away because the Chinese company known as MG appears not to care. Shouldn’t politicians get involved? AR online? Gaydon? Surely someone has some influence.
RDX60 would have been a massive flop. Its direct competition would have been the vauxhall Sigma and look how well that sold.The similarities are comparable in looks and size. Even if launched Rover were a laughing stock by then.
