Roewe

Roewe was founded in October 2006 by SAIC Motor after the company's unsuccessful attempt to acquire the "Rover" brand name from BMW following the collapse of MG Rover [1][11]. Instead, SAIC purchased the intellectual property and technology for the Rover 25 and 75 models, creating the Roewe name (phonetically similar to "Rongwei" in Chinese) to launch its own premium domestic brand [6][15]. The first model, the Roewe 750, was a mid-size sedan based on the Rover 75 platform [11][17]. In the 2010s, Roewe pivoted toward SUVs and connectivity, launching the RX5 in 2016 as the "world's first mass-produced internet car" in partnership with Alibaba [2][9]. This success established Roewe as a major player in China's digital-first automotive market, leading to the expansion of its "New Energy" portfolio with the "Ei" and "ER" series focusing on battery electric and plug-in hybrid powertrains [4][16]. By the early 2020s, Roewe faced increased competition from domestic EV startups and internal brand restructuring within SAIC. In 2024, SAIC integrated high-end electric models from its Rising Auto (Feifan) sub-brand back into the Roewe lineup to consolidate its premium EV offerings [12]. While Roewe remains a staple of the Chinese market, its international presence is primarily facilitated through rebadging vehicles under the MG brand for global export [13][18].