In July 1998, Holger Grossmann, managing director of MD Motors, was both
surprised and concerned. He had just learned that although Volkswagen
AG had recently bought Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Ltd. in the United
Kingdom, Bayerische Motoren Werke AG in Germany had acquired exclusive
rights to the Rolls-Royce brand name. In the future, MD Motors, the
exclusive agent in Hong Kong for Rolls-Royce and Bentley motor cars,
faced the possibility that it would no longer be able to market the
Rolls-Royce brand with its imposing radiator grille and elegant Flying
Lady hood ornament. Grossmann knew he would have to carefully develop a
new strategic marketing plan to reposition MD Motors.