NEXT-generation Rolls-Royce models could continue to be built at Crewe when BMW gains control of the company in three years' time. The traditional home of the world's best-known prestige car brand has been added to a short-list of potential locations for an all-new factory, BMW AG management board member Dr Henrich Heitmann revealed at the North American International Auto Show.

'We will be on target with the new Rolls-Royce in January, 2003. We have already designed our car and we will soon make our decision as to where it will be built. We must not over-invest in such a venture because of the low volume, and the time prior to the hand-over of the marque will be a very delicate situation. We realise that much of the craftsmanship associated with this kind of vehicle exits in the Midlands, so Crewe is now one of the alternatives to London for the new factory,' Heitmann told Fleet NewsNet.

He said feasibility studies on a number of potential sites for the greenfield production centre were still being carried out but the Munich board would soon be considering a series of reports on the issue. Only a few yards away from the BMW stand in Detroit's Cobo exhibition centre, Rolls-Royce chief executive Tony Gott revealed BMW had made an approach to Volkswagen - its former arch-rival in the fight for ownership of the famous marque - over future production arrangements.

Said Gott: 'We have been asked whether we would be prepared to continue producing the Silver Seraph and the Corniche beyond the end of 2002. We are looking into this option. It will take some time for us to make a response because there needs to be a full commercial discussion as to the implications. But we know nothing about the possibility of BMW looking at Crewe for a possible separate Rolls-Royce facility in future.'