BMW retained the Riley and Triumph names. In 1998, Berndt
Pischetsrieder (I think it was) confirmed at a Dinner to mark the
Riley Centenary that a car bearing the Riley name would re-appear
within a relatively indecently short period. Roars of applause,
speculation it would be along the lines of an MGF or a Z3 with a Riley
grille - and then Pischetsrieder left the company.
We know BMW has re-registered the Triumph name in the States but
AFAIK, nowhere else. It has plants scattered around where it could
build cars, maybe Spartanburg, maybe Cowley (where mini 2 is built),
maybe Munich, maybe Dingolfingen - or maybe not at all.
Lots of speculation - maybe it's keeping the name with a view to
selling it off at a later stage. I read recently that it was alleged
to have bought Austin Healey which seems a bit of a mind-stretcher
because the AH name was abandoned in the early 70's and absent from
Sprites. They became Austin Sprites. Also seems the Healey family are
more than casually interested that BMW claim they own the family name
because that's alleged to be news to them.
Jonmac
MG 4305 DLO 1970 Triumph 2.5PI, TED 152318 1950 Ferguson TED20
"Children in back seats cause accidents. Accidents in back seats cause
children."
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