ROVER'S fleet boss has welcomed the bid for the company from its former chief executive John Towers, which was submitted to BMW on Friday. The offer from the 'Phoenix Consortium' unites Towers, chief executive of the Concentric Group, with Midlands-based software John Hemming and is understood to include a number of dealer groups.

It is thought to promise the continuation of mass-production of Rover cars and minimum job losses, but Towers has been unavailable for comment. Rover's corporate sales director, Trevor Houghton-Berry, said: 'In these troubled times this bid is welcome.'

He denied accusations that Towers contributed to Rover's demise with a strategy that sought to improve profitability at the cost of fleet sales and market. Houghton-Berry said: 'Anyone with any serious intentions in the UK market would not seek to sacrifice fleet sales. He was referring to pulling out of fast cycle business, like self-drive hire, which is a strategy we have continued, most recently with the 75 saloon.'