MG Rover was yesterday embroiled in a row with its former owner after a BMW executive branded the four businessmen who bought it from the German group as "the unacceptable face of capitalism".
Jim O'Donnell, managing director of BMW's British arm, said it was "disgusting" that John Towers, Peter Beale, John Edwards and Nick Stephenson paid themselves so much at a time when MG Rover was making heavy losses.
MG Rover said it had contacted BMW over the comments. "We understand they were Jim O'Donnell's personal comments. However, we regard them as highly inappropriate."
An MG Rover spokesman said that the response from Mr Towers, the chairman of MG Rover's parent, Phoenix Venture Holdings, had been: "People are angry. They remember BMW trying to close the company - a company which continues to employ 6,000 people."
Tony Woodley, general secretary of the Transport & General Workers' Union, accused BMW of seeking to undermine confidence in Rover.
"BMW has no right to speak out given their own wretched record as owners. We are against employers overpaying themselves but at least the Rover factory is still operating." BMW should "observe a decent silence".
BMW sold MG Rover to PVH in 2000 for £10, with the German car maker handing over a "dowry" in the form of an interest-free loan of £427m.
Mr O'Donnell said the deal had represented a real opportunity. "We wanted to make sure we had given the company a chance. I don't think they have taken that chance."
Yesterday BMW (GB) said that the remarks represented Mr O'Donnell's personal view and that he stood by them but would be making no further comment. A spokesman at BMW's headquarters in Munich said: "We don't want other companies commenting about BMW Group, that's why we won't [comment about others]."
Last year Phoenix Venture Holdings lost £77m, down from £95m the year before. However, MG Rover's operating losses rose from £70m to £119m.
According to PVH, directors' salaries - including benefits in kind - rose 1.6% to £2.2m with the highest-paid getting £1.55m. There was a £3.58m payment to a trust fund, down from £12.95m the previous year.
MG Rover, which is battling with falling sales as its line gets older, is pinning its hopes on an alliance with the Chinese group Shanghai Automotive Industry Association.
The companies have signed agreements on a cash-for-technology swap but are awaiting Chinese government approval for a strategic link which would lead to a renewal of the Rover model range. A decision is expected in January.
