JustBritish

Renowned British automobile brand, MG has joined the growing number of automobile brands in the country courtesy of Coscharis Motors, a leading automobile marketing company which also represents BMW, Land Rover, Jaguar and Ford, in Nigeria.

Presenting the MG models to members of the Nigerian Motoring Press over the weekend in their Victoria Island Lagos office, Mrs. Helen Alechenu, Deputy General Manager Coscharis Motors described the MG as typical British brand, through manufactured in China by SAIC Motors.

According to her, “The MG, as the best representative of the United Kingdom automobile industry, has significant leverage in the United States Sports Car Market, hence MG brand history is the Chronicle of the world automobile industry.”

The Deputy General Manager who ones had a stint in the BMW, Land Rover and Ford sections of the Coscharis Auto Group, explained that the MG models being introduced into the market are comparable to the Japanese and Korean models.

“With five beautiful models, that cut across the different auto segments, the MG models look good to give the Japanese and Korean brands a good fight in the Nigerian market,” she said.

The MG models available in the country include the flagship sedan, MG 750, as well as MG6, MG 550, MG 350 and MG3.
Produced in China by SAIC Motors, a leading auto manufacturer in China which produced and sold over 2.725 million vehicles in 2009 alone, the MG models still boasts that British touch in terms of design, comfort, safety and performance.

Longbridge has drastically cut its annual losses from over £12 million to just £392,000 as the rebirth of Birmingham’s most famous factory gathers pace. Results for MG Motor UK for 2010 showed that sales of parts to China had helped slash cash losses at the car firm, which launched production of the MG6, its first all-new MG, in April.

Meanwhile, a capital injection of £7 million from the Chinese parent company also helped to bolster the firm’s financial status, the report revealed. The vastly improved results came as sales of Longbridge’s first all-new MG for 16 years generate increasing revenues for the Birmingham factory following the relaunch of volume production.

The MG6 generated over £3 million of business in its first two weeks in showrooms, leaving many buyers facing a waiting list of up to six weeks for customized vehicles.

Director Hao Wang said in the annual report for 2010: “The company generated a turnover of £11,385,000 (2009 £6,887,000) in 2010. The increase in turnover was mainly due to the increased level of sales of automotive parts to group companies in China. The loss after tax amounted to £392,000 (2009 £12,737,000). The significant reduction was due to the increased sale of parts and service.”

The recent launch of the MG6, which is 80 per cent built in China and shipped to Birmingham for final assembly, is set to take annual car production at Longbridge into the thousands rather than the hundreds.

Bosses at MG Motor UK are now optimistic 2011 will see the firm move into profit.

Read More The Birmingham Mail.

MG has shown the new MG3 supermini to UK influencers for the first time – in preparation for a possible 2012 launch of the new British-designed Ford Fiesta rival.

Key UK customers, designers, suppliers and industry analysts were invited to a secret design forum at Prodrive’s Warwickshire test facility, to help MG generate initial opinions on how the new five-door supermini will be received.

While not yet confirmed for UK sale, MG Motors is very hopeful the supermini will soon get the green light (with assembly over here a strong hope, too). Because of this, the firm has started gathering data, from as broad a cross section as possible.

Furthermore, although the basic design of the car is fixed, MG is also seeking comments from UK motorists on what they would like changed. The Chinese-spec left-hand drive show car is representative of Eastern tastes, but these might not necessarily match European ones.

MG thus quizzed everyone at the Prodrive event on the bits they don’t like, as well as the ones they do. The foks over at MSN Cars was amongst those invited, and filled in the same questionnaire that all invitees did. MG Motor will be keen to hear what you’ve got to say: so, for the chance to influence what could potentially be your next supermini, make sure your voice is heard.

The first all-new MG for 14 years has gone on show in China and by the end of next year the new car will be built on a production line at Longbridge, it was revealed today.

Based on the Chinese-made Roewe 550 – which itself is based on a shortened version of the old Rover 75 – it will be called the MG6 when production starts in Birmingham.

The new model will be produced in saloon and hatchback form and will complement the two-seater MGTF being built at Longbridge.

Early production models have been revealed at the Guangzhou Auto Show which opened yesterday.

The launch in China, the world’s largest automotive market, begins the international roll out of sales of the MG6 which includes the UK. Sales in China will begin in January and plans for the UK and other markets will be released during 2010.
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Ford is in talks with the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation, China’s biggest car-maker, in a desperate attempt to sell its prestigious Volvo brand.

A source close to the American motor giant said it recently made a second approach to SAIC, which already owns the rights to the MG car marque. Earlier talks in the summer faltered over price. Ford, which bought Volvo for £4.4billion in 1999, is said to be hoping the sale will fetch £4 billion.

The disposal would send an important signal to the US Congress that Ford is taking major action to restructure its business in return for a massive cash injection.
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