Britain's Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has been asked to investigate the collapse of MG Rover after a four-year probe into the Midlands car maker’s demise, it was confirmed today.

An official report into the collapse of MG Rover has finally been submitted to the British government, more than four years after the car-maker's demise, it emerged today.

The Bank of England’s decision to spare businesses a further rise in interest rates proved to be a crumb of comfort for manufacturers this week.

Car production at the former MG Rover factory in Longbridge will start again in June, a council leader claimed today.

Nanjing Automobile, the Chinese car maker that bought MG Rover two years ago, today launched production of MG model sports cars, seeking to revive the historic brand in China and overseas.

The UK car industry was given a much needed boost today after Toyota revealed its British operations finally moved into the black.

China’s oldest car manufacturer plans to build a US assembly plant in southern Oklahoma to help revive the MG automotive brand.

Production of cars at Peugeot-Citroen’s UK plant was at a standstill today as workers considered their next move following the stunning news that the plant is to close with the loss of 2,300 jobs.

A total of 4,000 former MG Rover workers in England have found new jobs since the car maker collapsed last year, according to an official report today.

A “landmark” deal opening the way for car production at the site of the collapsed Rover car business was signed today.

The new owners of MG Rover today announced a deal with a British team of designers to develop a new range of cars.

SHANGHAI Automotive (SAIC), the Chinese carmaker that lost out in the bidding process for MG Rover last week, said yesterday it was considering a legal challenge to the court-appointed administrator’s decision to sell Rover to fellow Chinese company Nanjing Automobile.

Workers at MG Rover were today hoping more jobs would be created at its Longbridge, UK factory after Chinese firm Nanjing bought the collapsed carmaker.

The future of collapsed carmaker MG Rover looked set to be settled tonight with the sale of the company, raising hopes of a limited return of production to the huge Longbridge plant.

Business trouble-shooter David James is expected to file a £40m (€58m) bid for MG Rover within 48 hours, it was reported today.

The company troubleshooter who rescued the Millennium Dome is bidding to take over collapsed car group MG Rover, it emerged today.

Car giant Ford refused to be drawn today on whether a review of staff costs outside its North American heartland would lead to job cuts in the UK.

Administrators organising the sale of MG Rover today refused to comment on claims the collapsed car giant sold one of its key assets – the MG TF sports car - to the Chinese firm SAIC by accident.

There was a culture of “dreadful inertia” at collapsed car company MG Rover, its former design director said today.

The chances of car production ever resuming at MG Rover looked bleak today as administrators to the collapsed company made it clear they were running out of time to achieve a rescue deal.

The health of the UK's manufacturing sector continues to deteriorate, experts warned, after it emerged today that factory output had declined for the first time in more than two years.

Would-be buyers of parts of collapsed car group MG Rover have moved a step nearer to making offers, it emerged today.

Britain's new Trade and Industry Secretary Alan Johnson will today make his first visit to the West Midlands since his appointment on a fact finding mission in the aftermath of the MG Rover crisis.

Administrators to collapsed car giant MG Rover are talking to five companies interested in buying parts of the business and there was an "outside possibility" that some form of production could resume at the giant Longbridge plant, it was announced today.

The collapse of MG Rover claimed more jobs today when a firm which used to supply the carmaker with body panels announced it would close, with the loss of 200 jobs.

Birmingham midfielder Darren Anderton has been ruled out of the trip to Norwich with an Achilles problem.

TWO Russian tycoons are interested in buying collapsed British car manufacturer MG Rover, it was reported yesterday.

Most engineers blame management and previous owners at MG Rover for the carmaker’s collapse, according to a new report today.

Engineering giant BAE Systems is to open a recruitment office in Birmingham in a drive to hire some of the workers losing their jobs following the collapse of MG Rover, it was revealed today.

The British government was urged today to reconsider the funds it was making available to help retrain MG Rover workers after a new report argued that more money will be needed to help the 5,000 ex-employees find new jobs.

The British government was urged today to reconsider the funds it was making available to help retrain MG Rover workers after a new report argued more money will be needed to help the 5,000 ex-employees find new jobs.

Firms in the Middle East, India and Russia have expressed an interest in buying parts of the stricken car company MG Rover, it was learned today.

The European Commission today offered fresh cash support for the UK's West Midlands to soften the blow of the job losses at MG Rover.

Thousands of workers at MG Rover were today awaiting the inevitable arrival of their redundancy notices following the collapse of the carmaker.

Shares in car dealer Reg Vardy today fell nearly 3% after it said it was likely to take a hit from the collapse of MG Rover.

Thousands of MG Rover car workers were today facing redundancy after hopes of a proposed deal with a Chinese partner finally collapsed.

The prospects of saving MG Rover looked doomed today after Shanghai Automotive was understood to have decided not to continue talks aimed at securing the UK carmaker’s future.

Suppliers of stricken MG Rover will meet later today to discuss “serious and immediate cash flow problems”.

THOUSANDS of workers at ailing car giant MG Rover were sent home on full pay yesterday and were left in no doubt that the chances of a deal to secure their future were slim.

Thousands of workers at ailing British car giant MG Rover were sent home on full pay today and were left in no doubt that the chances of a deal to secure their future were slim.

NEGOTIATIONS to revive a rescue package for MG Rover are continuing as administrators continue to scrutinise the stricken company’s books.

Firms which supply ailing car giant MG Rover have started laying off workers because of the crisis, industry sources said today.

British Chancellor Gordon Brown today indicated that claims MG Rover bosses made millions may be part of a future investigation into the ailing car group.

Administrators at the collapsed MG Rover car group are seeking to reopen discussions with Chinese manufacturers SAIC to revive a deal which could keep the company’s Longbridge plant open, it was confirmed today.