Freight Rover

Last updated

Freight Rover
Industry Automotive
FoundedJanuary 1981
DefunctApril 1987
Successor Leyland DAF
Headquarters
Washwood Heath, Birmingham
,
England
ProductsVans
Parent Land Rover Group

Freight Rover was a British commercial vehicle manufacturer based in the Washwood Heath area of Birmingham, England.

Contents

History

Freight Rover Sherpa 1988 Freight Rover Sherpa 350 (15619068397) (cropped).jpg
Freight Rover Sherpa
Freight Rover Box Van MHV Freight Rover 250D 03.jpg
Freight Rover Box Van

Freight Rover was created as a division of the Land Rover Group of British Leyland (BL) in 1981, creating a new single brand for BL's light commercial vehicle range, which had previously been sold under the Leyland and Austin-Morris brands (although car derived vans such as those based on the Morris Ital and Austin Metro continued to be sold under either the Austin or Morris brands). Essentially, Freight Rovers were face-lifted, badge engineered versions of the first generation Leyland Sherpa.

Under later restructuring, Freight Rover became part of the Leyland Trucks division of BL. Following the renaming of BL in 1986 to Rover Group, the Leyland Trucks division merged with the Dutch truck company DAF Trucks in 1987 to form DAF NV, which in the UK traded as Leyland DAF and which was later floated on the Dutch stock market. The new company had three plants: a truck plant in each of Eindhoven and Leyland, and the van plant in Washwood Heath. Following the collapse of DAF NV in 1993, the van plant was the subject of a management buyout and a new independent van company, LDV Group, was established. [1] [2] [3] [4]

Vehicles

References

  1. David Bowen (23 April 1994). "Leyland DAF in pounds 8.6m rebound: Management buyout brings a change in fortunes – and name". Independent. Archived from the original on 26 October 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  2. "Van firm in £1.5bn bid". BBC News. 2 May 2002. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  3. "LDV: Countdown to collapse". The Guardian. 8 June 2009. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  4. European Commission (7 August 2009). "State aid NN/41/2009 – Rescue Aid for LDV Group Limited" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 October 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2023.

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