BMW, which retained rights to the Rover name after selling the carmaker five years ago, has said that it is prepared to enter talks over the revival of the marque.

"BMW does not want to stand in the way of the parties involved, but one must wait and see how the insolvency proceedings develop," a BMW spokesman told Boersen-Zeitung, the German newspaper.

In separate comments, BMW said: "If someone wants to continue to make Rover cars, we’re prepared to talk."

The comments were seen by some observers as raising hopes that Rover production might be continued in China by Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation.

However, other commentators have questioned whether SAIC requires BMW consent, having reportedly bought rights to the name in a £67 million deal with MG Rover last year over the Rover 25 and 75 models.

Further reports have said that MG Rover has control of the Rover name.

PWC today said that the intellectual property rights surrounding MG Rover was a "very complex" area.

However, a spokeswoman told Times Online: "There is no doubt that BMW do have to agree use of the Rover name."

BMW held on to the rights to the brand in the 2000 deal which sold MG Rover to the Phoenix consortium for £10.

Meanwhile, in a separate development it has been revealed that MG Rover's workers fighting to keep their jobs face the threat of having to pay thousands of pounds for cars they have leased from the company.

Employees at the Longbridge factory were told they may be liable for loans taken out to buy new MG Rover cars. Some voiced fears that any redundancy pay they will receive if the plant closes will be wiped out if they have to pay off loans taken out to buy new cars.

Julie Kirkbride, who is standing for re-election as Conservative MP for Bromsgrove, said she knew of some workers who had five MG Rover cars in their family bought under a special employee scheme.

"It was bad enough that workers face losing their job but this is another bitter blow," she said. She blamed directors of the firm’s owners Phoenix Venture Holdings for "pushing" cars at workers in order to boost sales without warning them of the consequences if the company went insolvent.

Times Recommends

• Minister in talks with Saudis to protect creditors
• Premier Inn hits back in £29-a-room row
• Bankers hit back at 'populist' bonus supertax