ROVER Corporate Finance has won its first major contract with a deal to supply Sears plc with 600 Rover, Land Rover and MG cars. This represents a renewal of a two-year-old contract for Rover Cars, but supply difficulties have seen BMW replaced by Mercedes-Benz as Sears' selected supplier of prestige models. Rover Corporate Finance will provide a full contract hire service for the Rover Group vehicles, and take responsibility for ordering Mercedes cars.

RCF is part of the BMW Financial Services Group and won the contract from British Car Contracts, itself half-owned by Rover until April this year when the company was sold to its other shareholder Lombard. Margaret Hannell, Sears' director of compensation and benefits, said: 'We were seeking a funding and management partner who could demonstrate high service levels combined with competitive rentals. We are delighted therefore to be working with Rover Corporate Finance who are handling all the processes for the Rover Group vehicles and the ordering processes for the other models included in this deal.'

She declined to say, however, who would be responsible for the funding and fleet management of the Mercedes cars. Rover fleet operations director Steve Harris said he expected about 80% of the fleet to be Rover Group vehicles.