MG Rover has slashed its recommended retail prices by 19% - the second major cut this year - in a desperate bid to claw back business. September registrations show that for the first time in its history, the manufacturer dropped out of the month's fleet top 10 to number 13 after suffering a 44.35% total sales slump at 13,005 units compared with 1999 (23,369) and 6.29% down for the year to the end of last month (Sept 2000 total: 85,274; Sept 1999 total: 91,002).

Year-to-date, MG Rover was left clinging to 10th place in the fleet market with 26,656 units sold in 2000 - 27.4% below the same period in 1999 (36,730). The results gave MG Rover a 3.68% market share in eighth position for September, one place behind its former owner BMW, which registered 13,399 cars. Overall, the new car market was down almost 9%.MG Rover expects its 19% absolute cut for Rover, MG and Classic Mini cars to help re-open fleet doors, following poor September sales. 'The September figures didn't come as a shock to us and we know we have a valley to climb,' an MG Rover spokesman said. 'But Rover 75 is back in production, prices have come down, and there should now be nothing holding back fleet sales. We're looking forward to a very strong 2001.'