Editing LDV Group (section)

==History==
[[File:2001 LDV Cub Diesel 2.3 Front.jpg|thumb|[[Nissan Serena#Europe|LDV Cub]]]]
[[File:Ldvpilot.jpg|thumb|[[LDV Pilot]]]]
[[File:2002 LDV 400 Convoy Diesel SWB 2.4 Front.jpg|thumb|Low topped [[LDV Convoy]]]]
[[File:London Ambulance on Hamilton Terrace.jpg|thumb|High topped [[LDV Convoy]] from 2000]]
[[File:LDV Maxus 2.8 CDi 95 SWB 2005.jpg|thumb|right|2005 [[LDV Maxus]] 2.8 CDi 95 SWB]]
LDV was formed in April 1993 as Leyland DAF Vans, following a [[management buyout]] backed by [[3i]] of [[DAF NV]]'s van plant in Washwood Heath, Birmingham, following the Dutch company being placed in administration.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/1964088.stm Van firm in £1.5bn bid] ''[[BBC News]]'' 2 May 2002</ref><ref name=Guardian>[https://www.theguardian.com/business/2009/jun/08/ldv-timeline LDV: Countdown to collapse] ''[[The Guardian]]'' 9 June 2009</ref> It was rebranded as LDV in January 1994.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20181026230141/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/leyland-daf-in-pounds-86m-rebound-management-buyout-brings-a-change-in-fortunes-and-name-1371905.html Leyland DAF in £8.6m rebound: Management brings change in fortunes and name] ''[[The Independent]]'' 23 April 1994</ref><ref name=EC>[https://web.archive.org/web/20181026224157/http://ec.europa.eu/competition/state_aid/cases/232269/232269_983777_18_2.pdf State aid NN/41/2009 - Rescue Aid for LDV Group Limited] ''[[European Commission]] 7 August 2009</ref>

Prior to its merger with [[Leyland Motors|Leyland Trucks]] and [[DAF Trucks]] to form [[DAF NV]] (which in the UK traded as [[Leyland DAF]]) in February 1987, it was part of the [[British Leyland]]/[[Rover Group]] empire, and was latterly the [[Freight Rover]] arm of the [[Land Rover Group]] division.

In December 2005, after going into administration, LDV was bought by group [[Sun Capital Partners]], and was subject to a financial restructuring.<ref name=Guardian/><ref name="bbc">{{cite news|title=Russian company buys UK vanmaker|date=31 July 2006|publisher=BBC|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5230806.stm|access-date=7 September 2007}}</ref> ''What Van?'' reported LDV's commitment to its existing customers, including an assurance from their marketing director that their production target of 1,000 vans per month would put them well above break even point.<ref>{{cite news|title=LDV reassures customers over warranty|date=15 March 2006|publisher=What Van|url=http://www.van-guard.co.uk/news/archives/00000089.php|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930002143/http://www.van-guard.co.uk/news/archives/00000089.php|archive-date=30 September 2007}}</ref>

[[GAZ]] acquired LDV on 31 July 2006.<ref name="gaz">{{cite web|title=GAZ International|publisher=LDV|url=http://www.ldv.com/gb/aboutgaz.asp|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070501093717/http://www.ldv.com/gb/aboutgaz.asp|archive-date=1 May 2007}}</ref> Former [[Ford of Europe]] executive [[Martin Leach (executive)|Martin Leach]] and former [[AT Kearney]] executive Steve Young were appointed to run the business and expand production at LDV's Birmingham plant by adding new product lines and entering new markets in Europe and elsewhere.<ref name="bbc"/>

GAZ had plans to export LDV technology to Russia, and start producing the Maxus at its plant in [[Nizhny Novgorod]] (Russia), with 50,000 as an initial volume.<ref name="gaz"/><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080408102253/http://www.autoindustry.co.uk/news/05-11-07_4 GAZ plans to start Russian Maxus production in 2009] ''Auto Industry'' 5 November 2007</ref> There were also proposals to export the GAZ Maxus to Australia, a traditional market for British Leyland.

However, GAZ's plans never really showed any increased output, and due to the severe worldwide recession and a lack of long-term investment and commitment, production was suspended at the LDV factory in Birmingham in December 2008. After the [[Government of the United Kingdom|British Government]] tried once again to save the company by agreeing to pour in £5 million of grants to enable [[Malaysia]]'s WestStar Corporation to purchase LDV. WestStar failed to secure financing.<ref name=EC/><ref name=Guardian/>

The [[intellectual property]] rights were sold by administrators [[PricewaterhouseCoopers]] to Chinese firm Eco Concept on 15 October 2009,<ref name="BBChina">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/8309771.stm|title=LDV assets sold to Chinese firm|publisher=BBC News|date=15 October 2009|access-date=15 October 2009}}</ref><ref>[https://www.scotsman.com/business/eco-concept-snaps-up-the-assets-of-ldv-1-779084 Eco Concept snaps up the assets of LDV] ''[[The Scotsman]]'' 15 October 2009</ref> who sold them to [[SAIC Motor]] in August  2010, with [[Maxus]] commencing production in China in March 2011.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://chinaautoweb.com/2010/08/saic-to-resurrect-ldv-maxus/ |title=SAIC to Resurrect LDV Maxus |publisher=ChinaAutoWeb.com}}</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110722064840/http://www.chinacartimes.com/2011/03/03/saic-launched-new-brand-maxus-for-vans/ SAIC launched new brand Maxus for cans] ''China Car Times'' 3 March 2011</ref>

Coincidentally, PWC were the same group of administrators who dealt with the demise of the [[MG Rover Group]] in 2005, the descendant of the original company Leyland Trucks was a part of. Also, SAIC Motor currently owns the rights to most of MG Rover's assets, reuniting the two companies.