MG US boss outlines plans, three MG saloons

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Could not find any news about this saloon news.

Source: 4car

The CEO of the newly-created MG Cars North America/Europe Inc has given more details on the plans to reintroduce the MG brand.

Duke T Hale - an industry veteran who has worked at Lotus Cars USA, Lotus Engineering, Isuzu, Mazda, Volvo, Chrysler and Ford - has reiterated that MG's new owner, Nanjing Automotive, intends to manufacture a coupe version of the MG TF in Oklahoma and to relaunch the TF roadster (assembled from Chinese-built kits at Longbridge) - and he has also said that Nanjing is working on three different saloon models to be sold under the MG brand-name.

Hale told Edmunds.com: "Right now, Nanjing is looking to build three sedans [saloons] in China. For lack of another description, they'll be small, medium and large. In the UK, we will build a modified version of the MG TF roadster. In Ardmore, Oklahoma, we will produce a coupe variant of the roadster. Those will be the products initially& The roadster will launch first in the UK and the rest of Europe in the second or third quarter of 2007. The coupe won't be built until 2008. The US will have nothing to sell until May-June of 2008, when the roadster will be here also."

He added that exports to Europe of all the Chinese-built saloons (one of which will be a version of the ZT/Rover 75) are planned, but US sales of these have not yet been decided.
 
TVR&Ferrari_Fan
Could not find any news about this saloon news.

Source: 4car

The CEO of the newly-created MG Cars North America/Europe Inc has given more details on the plans to reintroduce the MG brand.

Duke T Hale - an industry veteran who has worked at Lotus Cars USA, Lotus Engineering, Isuzu, Mazda, Volvo, Chrysler and Ford - has reiterated that MG's new owner, Nanjing Automotive, intends to manufacture a coupe version of the MG TF in Oklahoma and to relaunch the TF roadster (assembled from Chinese-built kits at Longbridge) - and he has also said that Nanjing is working on three different saloon models to be sold under the MG brand-name.

Hale told Edmunds.com: "Right now, Nanjing is looking to build three sedans [saloons] in China. For lack of another description, they'll be small, medium and large. In the UK, we will build a modified version of the MG TF roadster. In Ardmore, Oklahoma, we will produce a coupe variant of the roadster. Those will be the products initially& The roadster will launch first in the UK and the rest of Europe in the second or third quarter of 2007. The coupe won't be built until 2008. The US will have nothing to sell until May-June of 2008, when the roadster will be here also."

He added that exports to Europe of all the Chinese-built saloons (one of which will be a version of the ZT/Rover 75) are planned, but US sales of these have not yet been decided.
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I must be losing my mind, because I can't tell if it says so in the article: Does this mean MG is returning to the US?
 
Yes, MG will be selling the TF Coupe/Convertable here in the early summer of 2008. The question then becomes, will they sell anything else? Maybe... It seems than Nanijing doesn't want to say for sure, but I wouldn't count out the full-size model that would share a design with the Rover 75.
 
MG = dead, getting the electroshock treatment.

Uphill struggle for them to develop anything new besides the TF. They'll have to "borrow" or buy a platform to kickstart the brand, as the current ones are quite outdated.
 
YSSMAN
Yes, MG will be selling the TF Coupe/Convertable here in the early summer of 2008. The question then becomes, will they sell anything else? Maybe... It seems than Nanijing doesn't want to say for sure, but I wouldn't count out the full-size model that would share a design with the Rover 75.
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I think the TF is all they need for now. Mid-range sports cars is how most Americans remember MG (MGA, MGB, etc.), and the TF should fill that gap quite nicely.
 
harrytuttle
Mid-range sports cars is how most Americans remember MG (MGA, MGB, etc.), and the TF should fill that gap quite nicely.
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Hopefully they'll leave out the countless quality and engineering glitches, though. ;)
 
L8 Apex
Hopefully they'll leave out the countless quality and engineering glitches, though. ;)
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[sarcasm]
Are you kidding? That's part of the charm! Who wouldn't expect to be stuck on the side of the road, head stuck inside the engine bay, wondering why the motor just died? And since it's going to be Chinese-owned, this "feature" should be a slam dunk.
[/sarcasm]

In reality, I actually expect it to be really spotty, like any new manufacturer.
 
Too all saying how great the TF would be for MG's U.S. entrance, I'll repost this for your benefit:
Myself
No way. The MG TF wasn't even as good as the first gen Miata. The suspension was rediculously stiff, but the car didn't handle well enough to make up for it. The interior reeks of every poor quality plastic from every other Rover, and the only great thing about them was the Rover K, which doesn't quite have enough power to cut it anymore.
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The TF was a homeless man's 3rd gen. MR2, yet it cost more. And remember how amazingly well the 3rd gen. MR2 sold in this country.
 
The MG ZT is an accomplished saloon, so it's not all grim.
 

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