MG to return

Chinese firm Nanjing Automotive has confirmed that it is to go ahead with car production at the former MG Rover factory in Longbridge, which closed last year with the loss of around 6000 jobs.

Nanjing, which has a 33-year lease on part of the Longbridge site, will also build cars in China. The firm is believed to be keen to keep Longbridge because of the paint shop there - an expensive facility which is difficult to move. It is thought that the TF roadster is the most likely candidate for production.

Full article here

Agent63 - 7/5/2006 4:12:51 PM

+1 Boost

It looks like a Maserati spyder to me.

atomicbri - 7/6/2006 9:08:21 AM

+1 Boost

Interesting to see what the Chinese will do with MG/Rover now.... will they sell them again in Europe?

EnnNorak - 7/6/2006 7:04:55 PM

+1 Boost

Not retro enough for me. I'd like it to look more like the MG B last made in the fifties. Only useful if equipped with a modern DOHC in-line 6 cylinder engine. The sporty British car I would like to see return is one most everyone has forgotten about, namely the Bristol -- I'm sure it would sell if styled as it was when that marque was discontinued and if it were made entirely out of aluminum or stainless steel to prevent rust.

pg54 - 7/7/2006 4:51:45 PM

+1 Boost

It would be nice to see MG return to the US. However with the Chinese still on a quality learning curve you wonder how well they will succeed. Other then price I see no other reason to look at a Chinese car when there is a perfectly ample supply of Japanese and Korean brands.

Rupert - 7/9/2006 9:56:16 AM

+1 Boost

ennorak bristols are still made, they just cost a huge amount of money. and there is only one dealer in the whole world

w515 - 7/10/2006 11:56:19 PM

+1 Boost

Good luck to the chinese company. I'm thinking, why maintain the british painting plant when they can do a fairly good job in China. I think its a formula for disaster. People wont be buying convertibles in China. As for Brand, the chinese has a lot of local branded cars in China from joint ventures with Big car companies. Have you guys ever heard of a car company called "Great Wall"?

Mad_Dog - 1/4/2007 12:58:51 PM

+1 Boost

w515 .. yep I have heard of Great Wall. Have you read any of the reviews in regards to Chinese build standards and safety standards ... not the sort of cars you want to be involved in an accident in!!
The Rover and MG brands as they were are dead and buried ... any similarity between the Chinese offerings and Rover Group cars will not hold up to quality assurance. Don.t get me wrong I am not anti-China , they are bloomin good at electronics etc. but they have a very long way to go before they can produce a good automotive product that meets all the current safety standards.

MattGTiMk5 - 7/14/2006 6:58:10 AM

+1 Boost

MG oh so british, and the TF roadster has been on british roads for years now.. will be good to see some new models and maybe some upgraded TF's coming to a show room near US!! And no its not a Look a like for a Masarati Spyder, about 4 or 5 foot too short

ZORADUNTOV - 7/18/2006 2:09:06 PM

+1 Boost

...a British manufacturer now owned by the Chinese building automobiles in Oklahoma...if you live long enough you see everything...

vcowman - 8/17/2006 11:00:14 AM

+1 Boost

Glorified Miatas? I dont think MG will be successful in the US market and the japanese did it better for 15 years.

austintyson - 9/28/2006 8:22:53 AM

+1 Boost

Japanese did it better for 15 years so that means no one can do better.. the British cars is what the Miatas were modeled after.. Not saying I like this car .. I just hate it when people think no one but the Japanese can only build a good car... personally I would take a Saturn Sky over either one.