It is said that a “Chinese Curse” is getting what you wish for.


Forbes Magazine is reporting on its website that the Chinese owner of the bankrupt British MB Rover company will be bringing back the Austin-Healey brand.  The company is Nanjing Automobile Corporation.  According to the report, it has reached agreement with Healy Automobile Consultants, Ltd., and HFI Automotive, Ltd., which own the actual brand names, to bring to production a new line of Healy and Austin-Healey sports cars.  According to a statement issued by Nanjing, the agreement ends a running dispute between the companies over ownership of the brand names.

   

Nanjing acquired the assets of MG Rover in 2005 and recently restarted production of the MG TF in England. 

   

Rover was once a part of BMW, having been acquired by the company in 1994.  The purchase was an utter disaster for BMW, which salvaged Land Rover from the wreckage and got rid of the rest to private investors.  Land Rover was ultimately sold to Ford and the remainder of the company ended up bankrupt, bought – as mentioned – by the Chinese company. 

   

Ford announced only yesterday that it has engaged investment bankers to rid itself of Land Rover.

   

Is this the ultimate “Chinese Curse?”