MG6 to Start Production at Birmingham site on April 13, Prices Start from £15,495
April 7, 2011
The fastback version of the all-new MG6 will soon become MG Motor’s first all-new model to pass through the gates of the firm’s Longbridge factory in 16 years. The last time MG showed a brand new model was in 1995 with the MG F, a mid-engined, rear-wheel drive roadster. According to the British automaker, the first series production model will roll off the assembly line on April 13, 2011 at precisely 11:00 am.
MG Motors, which now belongs under the umbrella of China’s Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) group, will follow up with a sedan version of the MG6 this summer. Both the four-door saloon and the five-door fastback will be offered with a 1.8-litre turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine that’s good enough for 160 ponies and 215Nm of peak torque at 1750-4500 rpm.
New MG6 Saloon First Photos, Goes on Sale in the UK this Summer
February 17, 2011
Having been delayed for a couple of months due to some negative consumer feedback, the MG6 four-door Saloon model has now taken over the social media scene. The first photos of the ₤17.000 Focus rivaling MG have been posted on the British firm's facebook page. The MG6 Saloon is scheduled to land in UK showrooms this summer, a few months after the first batch of MG6 fastback's reach their owners. Read more »
MG to Build First All-New Model in 15 Years at its UK Plant
October 6, 2010
MG Rover's old Longbridge car plant is set to comeback in a big way when SAIC / MG begins building its first all new car in 15 years at the end of the year. The plant will start producing the MG6 mid-size model from knocked-down kits imported from China, preceding the UK relaunch of MG as a "value brand" in 2011.
The all new car will be available initially as a five-door fastback, with a four-door saloon to follow later on. The automaker optimistically told the Financial Times that customer clinics have compared the MG6 with the likes of the Ford Mondeo, Skoda Octavia and even with small BMWs. Prices in the UK are said to range between £16,000 to £20,000 (US$25,425 to US$31,780).
Rover 55 Sedan: A Proposal for a British-Flavored Chrysler 300 Than Never Was
August 12, 2010
Once upon a time, back in the days when the MG Rover Group was alive and fairly hopeful for the future [...] in the hands of BMW, the Bavarian carmaker was dreaming up a new lineup for the British company. Among the plans was one for the development of a replacement for the outdated, fifth-generation Honda Civic-based, 200/400 series, later called the 25/45, positioned under the 75 in Rover's car lineup.
We remember many proposals and concept sketches for the car from the period, but the folks from "Aronline" managed to secure some exclusive photos of a full size clay model that we've never seen before. Named the R55, it's a design proposal for a compact sedan slightly larger than the BMW 3-Series said to have been completed back in the Spring of 1997.
Last-Known MGB Works Rally Car Going Under Auction
May 20, 2010
An extremely rare 1964 MGB which is said to be the last known genuine MG works rally car is being offered for auction, 35 years after bidding farewell to the world of motorsports.
One of two only official MGB rally cars built in 1964, the specific example made its racing debut in the Spa-Sofia-Liege rally in August 1964. It then went on to race another five times as a works entry, at the Tulip Rally, The Acropolis Rally, Geneva Rally, the Castrol Danube Rally and the RAC Rally, all in 1965.
MG XPower to be Well-Represented at UK's Historics Auction
May 18, 2010
Set to hit the block at the UK's Historics at Brooklands event are these two MG XPower SVs.
The carbon fiber-bodied MG XPower Sport Veloce, based on the less aggressive X80 concept, was designed by Peter Stevens (responsible, among others, for the McLaren F1 and Jaguar XJR-15) and is underpinned by a platform from Qvale's Mangusta.
Powered by Ford's 4.6 liter 4-valve Cobra V8, the standard SV made 320 horsepower with an advertised top speed of 165 mph when new.
Roughly 82 of the rear-wheel drive MG coupes were built and sold to consumers before a lack of sales forced MG to stop production. At around £75,000 when new, it's easy to see how that could happen.
Beijing Show: MG Zero Supermini Concept
April 24, 2010
This year's edition of the Beijing Motor Show saw China-owned MG unveiling the 'ZERO', a thinly disguised concept of an upcoming production model in the supermini segment -most likely called MG3- that could go on sale in China first and then in Europe as early as next year.
The company emphasized the fact that the 4m long supermini was developed in the UK by MG Global Design team, led by British MG Design Director Anthony (Tony) Williams-Kenny, based in Birmingham.
Holy Rover! 1980's Metro Ad Featuring Batman and Robin
December 18, 2009
The Rover, MG Rover, Austin and whatever other brand the Metro was sold under, was a forgettable mini that wasn't taken very seriously, even by the company that made it. This may explain this late 1980s-early 1990s advertisement spoofing the 1966 Adam West-era Batman and Robin TV series.
The one-minute long commercial shows the dynamic duo swapping their funky 1960s Batmobile for the British mini because "it's rush hour in Gotham city and the Batmobile is big"...
The ad ends with the message, "When you got to.... pick up a penguin, Metro gets you going." Holy priceless collection of Etruscan snoods.... Enjoy the video after the break.
MG to Launch Two New Versions of TF Roadster
May 13, 2009
Ah yes, the MG TF roadster, still fun to drive but let's face it, no makeup can cover its mid-1990s roots. Still, the British firm's Chinese owner is trying to make the best of it by announcing the launch of two new variants of the mid-engined roadster. First up is the new entry-level TF 135 that will go on sale in the UK this spring with an OTR of £13,511 (approx $20k or €15k) or about £2,500 lower than the TF LE500. Later in the summer, the TF 135 will be joined by a special edition model produced to mark the 85th Anniversary of the brand, the MG TF 85th Anniversary. MG has yet to disclose photos of the anniversary model, but the firm said that it will be available in three special colors overlaid with "striking graphics" (whatever that means), new alloy wheels, specific trim options in the interior and a revised suspension setup with Bilstein shocks, Eibach anti roll system, lower ride height, an all new anti torsion pack and a modified wheel set up.
Prices for the MG TF 85th Anniversary will start at £15,664 on the road or £13,664 with the UK Government's scrappage scheme deduction.
Shanghai Show: MG Rover's MG6 to Enter Production in 2010
April 20, 2009
At the Shanghai Auto Show, SAIC Motors' MG division presented its first all-new model since acquiring the rights to the British firm's brand name in 2005. The sporty looking MG6 Concept, which is in fact a near production model that is scheduled to enter the Chinese market in 2010, was penned in the U.K. The five-door fastback is heavily based on the Roewe 550 four-door sedan which in turn uses a modified version of the old Rover 75's front-wheel drive platform and 1.8-liter K-Series engines.
Just like the 550, the production MG6 will be offered with naturally aspirated and turbocharged 1.8-liter gasoline engines producing 130 and 160-horsepower respectively. Power will be transferred to the front wheels via 5-speed manual or automatic transmissions.
Though not officially confirmed, rumor has it that MG's Chinese parent is considering to bring the MG6 initially in the U.K., and if the circumstances allow it, to other major European markets also.
MG6 Turbo: First Photos of China-Made MG Rover Liftback
April 18, 2009
At the center of MG's stage at next week's Shanghai Auto Show will be the all-new MG6 Turbo. The midsize five-door liftback is based on the platform and the mechanics of sister company Roewe's 550 sedan which in turn uses the underpinnings of the Rover 75 that was developed back in the late 1990's when the MG Rover Group belonged to BMW. The MG6 is powered by an upgraded version of Rover's K-series 1.8-liter turbocharged engine.Speculation has it that the MG brand, which now belongs to China's SAIC Group along with Roewe, plans to sell the MG6 initially in the UK as early as 2010, and if all goes well, to the rest of Europe.
Roewe N1 Concept Sketches Surface on the Net
April 14, 2009
SAIC's renamed Rover division, Roewe, plans to unveil a new near-to-production concept car codenamed N1 at the 2009 Shanghai Auto Show that runs from April 20 to 28. While Roewe is being quite secretive about its new concept study, two official renderings of the subcompact sedan found their way into the net outlining the vehicle's sleek exterior styling. Speculation has it that the N1 is based on the underpinnings of the Chinese firm's 550 compact sedan which you can check out here.Via: Worldcarfans
MG Rover MG6 Concept Based on Roewe 550 to Debut in Shanghai
April 7, 2009
Having already announced the Roewe N1 Concept, China's Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) that owns the rights to the MG Rover brand, revealed that its 2009 Shanghai Auto Show booth will also host the world premiere of the MG6 Concept. The five-door liftback model is based on the underpinnings of the Roewe 550 which was designed as SAIC's successor to the Rover 45.Although details are still sketchy, the MG6 will most likely lead to a production version that might very well find its way into Europe where MG Rover already sells the resurrected TF LE500 in the U.K.
Powertrain options for the MG6 will be identical to those offered in the Roewe 550 including a 1.8-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder petrol engine.
Resurrected MG TF LE500 hits UK Race Tracks
March 26, 2009
UK-based auto-repairer XPart is supporting one of the first MG TF LE500s to hit the race tracks since the model was raised from the dead last September by the firm's new Chinese owner, NAC MG. The British-built TF LE500 that has been prepared for racing by one of XPart's approved MG Rover specialists and MG Motor authorized repairer, Dreadnought Garage, will take part in this season's 12-round MG Trophy Championship. Among the car that run in the race are earlier MG TFs and the front-wheel drive MG ZR.MG to Bring Three New Cars to Europe – U.S. Plans Scrapped
August 26, 2008
In addition to a revamped version of the current TF LE500 roadster, NAC, the Chinese owner of MG is planning to introduce three new models in Europe according to company’s managing director, Gary Hagen. “We’re planning a four-car range of MGs – first to arrive will be a mid-sized saloon sharing its platform with the Roewe 550. The planned introduction for this car is late 2010 and, looking at today’s marketplace, I see the main opposition as being the Mazda 6,” said “After that, there will be a C-segment compact and a B-segment supermini – and, no, that won’t be the MG3 SW, which has been a major success for us in
NAC MG’s managing director also took the opportunity to shed some light on the company’s ‘on and off’ plans for a return into the North American market. “We’re starting with the
Via: Austin Rover Online
NAC MG TF Pricing Announced – More Expensive Than an MX-5!
July 2, 2008
Chinese carmaker NAC MG has announced But we ask; more than 16,000 pounds for a car that's practically a facelifted version of the original MG TF that was introduced in 1995? That's a lot for a car that was already outdated compared to its rivals when it went out of production in 2005, let alone in 2008. For example, prices for the Mazda MX-5 1.8 start from 15,750 pounds while you can get a nicely equipped MX-5 1.8 Icon for 16,825 pounds. We drove the last TF130 back in 2005, and while the MG had its fun side, even then, it showed its age in more ways than one.
MG TF LE500 Production Commencing at Longbridge Plant in August 2008
May 8, 2008
Chinese carmaker NAC MG who owns the rights to the MG name has announced that production of the TF LE500 mid-engined roadster will commence at MG Rover’s Longbridge plant in The revived MG TF LE500 is virtually a mildly facelifted version of the original MG TF that was introduced in 1995 when the British marque was still under the control of BMW -talk about retro... The roadster received two facelifts in 1999 and 2002 before it went out of production in 2005. -Continued
Chairman for NAC MG UK Ltd, Mr He, Xiao Qing, said; “I am delighted to be in a position to talk about a launch date for the TF LE500 following a process of planning, re-organisation, active quality improvements and parts optimization that we recognize resulted in frustration for our stakeholders. We are now fully focused on bringing our hard work to fruition.”
NAC MG added that the company is planning to extend the MG range into additional sectors in the near future.
2009 Roewe 550: MG Rover’s Successor Unveils New Sedan
April 17, 2008
A while ago we showed the first images of Roewe’s new compact sedan called 550. Today, the Chinese automaker, which acquired the rights to build MG-Rover cars from the Brits in 2005, released a whole bunch of pictures of the 550. Despite the fact that 550’s exterior design has been inspired from a variety of cars including the VW Passat and the Lexus IS, we must admit that its styling is more than decent. Same goes for the sedan’s interior even though from what we know, Roewe did not acquire the rights from BMW to imitate its dashboard design… Still, we think you’ll agree with us when we say that the 550’s cabin looks a whole much better than many Japanese, Korean and American cars. The 550 will be available in
