The Viking and the Samurai - The inside story of the collaboration between British Leyland / Rover and Honda

‘The Viking and the Samurai’ is an eyewitness account, telling the story of the crucial relationship between British Leyland/Rover and Honda, through the eyes of John Bacchus, the man who negotiated it in the 1970s and then managed it for the next 16 years, until it came to an end with the sale of Rover Group to BMW in 1994. John was at the heart of events throughout the turbulent era of mergers, strikes, nationalisation and privatisation, all overlaid on the challenges of cultural differences.

In the 1970s British Leyland was navigating tough times, with regular industrial action, lack-lustre products, financial challenges and competitor pressure, piling ever more burden on its business at home and abroad. In the midst of this period, a relationship with Honda was forged, vastly improving the company’s manufacturing technology and product quality and delivering a new generation of vehicles that would transform the company’s fortunes for over a decade.

This account was written in 1996 when events were fresh in the author’s mind, but it was never published. Thirty years on from the BMW takeover, its historical importance has grown. It is now time to share this fascinating story with everyone who has an interest in the history of the British automotive industry. The production of this book is itself a collaboration by ex-employees and John’s friends.