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Does BMW own Rolls-Royce?



Yes, lock, stock and Flying Lady hood ornament. Rolls-Royce and Bentley were both owned by aircraft-engine manufacturer Vickers PLC until 1998. Volkswagen outbid BMW for both brands, but because BMW had been supplying engines and other parts to Rolls-Royce, it leveraged that relationship to secure some of the Rolls-Royce trademarks, including the brand name and logo, leaving VW without access to key Rolls-Royce assets. That touched off a nasty intramural battle between the two German manufacturers.

Volkswagen and BMW negotiated a settlement that gave BMW all rights to the Rolls-Royce brand and trademarks — including the famous hood ornament — and VW wound up owning Bentley and the factory in Crewe, England, where both cars were built. That deal became final on Jan. 1, 2003, and Rolls-Royces are now made at a BMW-owned plant in West Sussex, England.