Germany's BMW AG is unable yet to say how big were last year's losses at its Rover Group British subsidiary, a BMW management board member said yesterday.

Mr Wolfgang Reitzle told the Welt am Sonntag weekly that the exact figure was not yet known because the company had yet to decide about the level of risk provisions for 1999, which would influence last year's results.

"There can't be an exact figure now because it is not clear yet what will be the provisions for 1999," Mr Reitzle said.

Mr Reitzle, who is in charge of sales and development, said BMW itself was in excellent shape and had financial and staff resources to overcome Rover's problems.

"The core of BMW business presents itself not only as healthy but brilliant," he said.

Mr Reitzle also said that even though an overvalued sterling made Rover's consolidation more difficult than earlier anticipated, the British carmakers' condition did not come as a surprise.

"It was clear for us that a large investment programme is necessary to prepare Rover for future competition," Mr Reitzle said.

Commenting on take-over rumours surrounding the Munich-based luxury car-marker, Mr Reitzle said a solution to Rover's problems should help kill off such speculation.