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Last Updated: Saturday, 9 April, 2005, 03:29 GMT 04:29 UK

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Timeline: A century of car-making

1905

Austin Motor Company formed at Longbridge.
Herbert Austin sets up the Austin Motor Company at a former print works in Longbridge Birmingham.

1922

Austin Seven is launched.

1946

Millionth Austin produced.

1952

Austin and Morris join forces.
The British Motor Corporation is formed out of the merger of Austin and Morris to create a British car giant to rival Ford.

1959

The Mini is launched.
The shape of British car manufacturing changes dramatically when Alec Issigonis invents the Mini. It is the first to combine frontwheel drive and a transversely mounted engine. Minimalist inside it is to become a British icon particularly during the 1960s.

1965

Millionth Mini is produced.

1966

BMC merges with Jaguar to form British Motor Holdings.

1968

BMH and Leyland Motors owner of Rover merge to form British Leyland.

1975

British Leyland is nationalised.
A multibillion� government cash injection effectively nationalises British Leyland as it struggles through financial turmoil and an industrialrelations crisis during the 1970s. Michael Edwardes is brought in to steer the company forward and it joins forces with Japanese rival Honda.

1986

BL becomes the Rover Group run by Graham Day.

1988

The struggling firm goes back into private hands when it is bought by British Aerospace.

1994

Rover is sold to BMW which invests heavily to try to revive the companys fortunes.

May, 2000

BMW breaks up the business and Rover is sold.
After boardroom upheaval at BMW the business is sold off. The company resists an approach from venture capitalists Alchemy Partners in favour of a group headed by former Rover executive John Towers. Phoenix Venture Holdings buys it for �10 and aims to make a profit within two years. It becomes MG Rover revifving the famous British marque.

October, 2000

The final Mini rolls off the Longbridge production line.
Having sold Land Rover to Ford BMW takes the Mini with it depriving Rover of its more successful component and switching production to Oxford.

2001

MG Rover announces big losses but still an improvement on recent performances.
The new group announces losses of �254m for the first eight months of business. But the losses are less than feared and considerably better than the �780m fullyear loss under BMW in 1999.

2002

The company announces an alliance with Chinese group China Brilliance to help fund investment in new models.

2003

Losses are down car production is down.
Fullyear losses are �77m compared with nearly �800m in 1999. But there is no sign of the profit that its new owners had targeted within two years. Car production is also considerably lower from 145000 in 2002 to 116000.

January, 2004

The bulk of the Longbridge site is sold to raise investment cash.
MG Rover sells all but 20 acres of the 248acre Longbridge site for �42.5m. It rents back the land and reinvests the proceeds in the business.

November, 2004

MG Rover announces plans for a �1bn joint venture with the Shanghai Automotive Industrial Corporation.

March, 2005

Sales continue to plunge as it pays the price for its inability to launch new models.
Hampered by an inability to invest in new models Rover sales continue to fall. Sales in 2004 are below 120000 and the March figure of 12545 is nearly 17 less than the corresponding number a year earlier. The Rover 75 remains its most competitive model amid a sea of models perceived to be staid and outdated.

8 April, 2005

Longbridge looks doomed as MG Rover runs out of money.
As the extent of the crisis becomes more evident DTI officials go to China to try to persuade MG Rover's partner to complete a deal to buy it. It offers a �100m conditional bridging loan but it's not enough to convince the Chinese. Firms that are owed money stop supplying and production halts. The beleagured firm calls in the administrators.

23 July, 2005

Chinese carmaker Nanjing Automotive buys MG Rover.
China's oldest carmaker Nanjing Automotive buys MG Rover pledging to retain "some" vehicle production in the UK. Nanjing says it plans to use the MG marque on any cars it produces in Europe.

17 August, 2005

Rovers accountants are to be investigated.
The UK's accounting watchdog announces it will examine the role of MG Rover's accountants and auditors Deloitte in the period leading up to the car firm's collapse.

17 January, 2006

A committee of MPs announces an inquiry into the governments role.
The Trade and Industry select committee reveals it is to investigate the role the government played in trying to save MG Rover. It says it will examine whether it did too much or too little to try to save the ailing firm focusing on the roles of former Trade and Industry Secretaries Stephen Byers and Patricia Hewitt.

22 February, 2006

Fresh hope for the future of Longbridge as new owner reveals plan to resume car production.
Nanjing Auto renews the lease at Longbridge pledging to renew production of the MG TF sports car in 2007.

10 March, 2006

A report criticises the government over its �6.5m bridging loan.
The National Audit Office says much of the �6.5m the government spent on trying to help MG Rover in its final days was wasted and would not be recovered. However it said many workers had been found new work as a result of the loan and it praised some of the DTI's groundwork.

17 July, 2006

Nanjing confirms sports cars are to be built at Longbridge again.
Nanjing Automobile Corporation pledges a multimillion� investment in the Longbridge plant to assemble the MG TF. Production is due to start early in 2007 and the cars will go on sale in the second half of the year.