POTENTIAL buyers of collapsed car manufacturer MG Rover have until the end of today to submit offers.

The Administrator, Price-waterhouseCoopers, warned that assets will begin to be sold off next week if viable proposals were not received.

There has been reported interest in the Longbridge-based group from various companies including from Iran and Russia. However, no firm proposals were submitted by Iranian car maker Dastaan or the millionaire owner of sports car maker TVR, Nikolai Smolenski.

PwC said discussions were still ongoing with interested parties after the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation said it had no interest in acquiring the business as a going concern.

The administrators have received enquiries from more than 200 parties, interested in the business and assets.

PwC apparently believes there are sufficient intellectual property rights remaining in MG Rover for a car-producing business to be sold, despite SAIC's ownership of the rights on the Rover 75 and 25 models and two Powertrain engines.

MG Rover went into administration with the loss of 5,000 jobs last month after SAIC pulled out of a potential rescue deal.

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