When Rover Met BMW
Encyclopedia
When Rover Met BMW is a 5-part documentary series produced by the BBC
in 1996. German motor company BMW
had bought Rover
in 1994 and the series follows the sometimes fraught relationship between the two. Episode one, Don't Mention The War, covers the launch of the Rover 200, analyses the press coverage this generated and also shows the reaction to BMW's appointment of a new chairman for Rover. The title of the first episode is a Basil Fawlty
quote from the comedy series Fawlty Towers
. By the final episode, Undercover Operations, Rover's chief executive, John Towers, has resigned and BMW have reshuffled the Rover board.
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
in 1996. German motor company BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
had bought Rover
Rover Group
The Rover Group plc was the name given in 1986 to the British state-owned vehicle manufacturer previously known as British Leyland or BL. Owned by British Aerospace from 1988 to 1994, when it was sold to BMW, the Group was broken up in 2000 with the Rover and MG marques being acquired by the MG...
in 1994 and the series follows the sometimes fraught relationship between the two. Episode one, Don't Mention The War, covers the launch of the Rover 200, analyses the press coverage this generated and also shows the reaction to BMW's appointment of a new chairman for Rover. The title of the first episode is a Basil Fawlty
Basil Fawlty
Basil Fawlty is the main character of the British sitcom Fawlty Towers, played by John Cleese. The character is often thought of as an iconic British comedy character, and has been deemed unforgettable despite only a dozen half-hour episodes ever being made....
quote from the comedy series Fawlty Towers
Fawlty Towers
Fawlty Towers is a British sitcom produced by BBC Television and first broadcast on BBC2 in 1975. Twelve television program episodes were produced . The show was written by John Cleese and his then wife Connie Booth, both of whom played major characters...
. By the final episode, Undercover Operations, Rover's chief executive, John Towers, has resigned and BMW have reshuffled the Rover board.
List of episodes
- Don't Mention The War (first broadcast 5 November 1996)
- Identity Crisis (first broadcast 12 November 1996)
- A Job For Life (first broadcast 19 November 1996)
- Bonding (first broadcast 26 November 1996)
- Undercover Operations (first broadcast 3 December 1996)