BMW'S treatment of Rover has been slammed as 'chaotic, incomplete and incoherent' by the Trade and Industry Select Committee. The committee's report concluded: 'The chaotic, incomplete and incoherent way in which BMW sought to disengage from Rover strongly suggests that it may not have devoted as much care and attention as it could and should have done.'

It also said it was 'considering a wider inquiry into the UK car manufacturing industry in view of the pending announcement by Ford of its intentions for car production at Dagenham; of increasing uncertainties over the plans of other car manufacturers; and the pressing problems confronting the UK vehicle components industry and other industries which feed into vehicle manufacture, as well as some more favourable recent developments'.