BMW could ship in up to 150 senior managers from Germany to turn round troubled Rover.
Although prospects are bright at Cowley, with the launch of the R75 and other models in the pipeline, the Longbridge plant in Birmingham faces heavy job losses and possible closure.
As enthusiasts today celebrated the 50th birthday of the Cowley-built Morris Minor, Rover's owners BMW were said to be planning a "get tough" initiative after four years of frustration.
Company sources suggested senior managers and engineers could be brought in from Munich. Meanwhile, Rover management was meeting unions today to discuss job cuts, wages and flexible working at Longbridge.
*The Morris Minor was launched at the Motor Show in Earls Court, London, on October 27, 1948, when Autocar magazine hailed it the star of the show. More than 40,000 of the 1.6m built are still on the road. A video of the car's history is now available.
Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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