Editing Rootes Group (section)

{{Short description|British automobile manufacturer}}
{{For|the American supercharger manufacturer|Roots Blower Company}}
{{ref improve|date=August 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2016}}
{{Infobox company
| name             = Rootes Motors Limited
| logo             = Rootes Group.png
| logo_size        = 
| image            = Rootes maidstone c1948.jpg
| image_caption    = The Rootes Maidstone on Mill Street,<br>Rootes' factory building c. 1948
| type             = [[Private company limited by shares|Limited]]
| fate             = Acquired by [[Chrysler]]
| industry         = [[automotive industry|Automotive]]
| predecessor      = 
| successor        = 
| foundation       = 1913
| founder          = [[William Rootes]]<br>Reginald Rootes 
| defunct          = 30 June 1970
| location_city    = [[London]]
| location_country = England
| locations        = [[London]], [[Ryton plant|Ryton]], [[Linwood, Renfrewshire|Linwood]], 
| area_served      = Global
| key_people       = 
| products         = [[Automobile]]s, [[commercial vehicle]]s
| subsid           = {{plainlist|
* [[Humber Limited|Humber]] (60%, 1931–67)
* [[Commer]] (1931–67)
* [[Hillman]] (1931–67)
* [[Karrier]] (1934–70)
* [[Singer Motors|Singer]] (1956–70)
* [[Sunbeam Motor Car Company|Sunbeam]] (1935–67)
* [[Talbot (automobile)|Talbot]] (1935–67)}}}}

The '''Rootes Group''' was a British [[automobile]] manufacturer and, separately, a major motor distributors and dealers business. From headquarters in the [[West End of London]], the manufacturer was based in the [[English Midlands|Midlands]] and the distribution and dealers business in the south of England. In the decade beginning 1928 the Rootes brothers, [[William Rootes|William]] and Reginald, made prosperous by their very successful distribution and servicing business, were keen to enter manufacturing for closer control of the products they were selling.

With the financial support of [[Prudential plc|Prudential Assurance]], the two brothers bought some well-known British motor manufacturers, including [[Hillman]], [[Humber Limited|Humber]], [[Singer Motors|Singer]], [[Sunbeam Motor Car Company|Sunbeam]], [[Talbot (automobile)|Talbot]], [[Commer]] and [[Karrier]].

At its height in 1960, Rootes had manufacturing plants in the Midlands at [[Coventry]] and [[Birmingham]], in southern England at [[Acton, London|Acton]], [[Luton]] and [[Dunstable]], and a brand-new plant in the west of Scotland at [[Linwood, Renfrewshire|Linwood]]. From its offices in [[Devonshire House]], [[Piccadilly]], in London it controlled exports and international distribution for Rootes and other motor manufacturers and its own local distribution and service operations in [[London]], [[Kent]], Birmingham and [[Manchester]]. There were assembly plants in nine countries outside the UK.

Rootes Group was under-capitalised and unable to survive industrial relations problems and losses from the 1963 introduction of a new aluminium-engined small car, the [[Hillman Imp]]. By mutual agreement, from mid-1964, Rootes Motors was taken over in stages by [[Chrysler]], which bought control from the Rootes family in 1967. By the end of 1978 the last of the various elements of Chrysler UK had been sold to [[Groupe PSA]].