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MG 6 UK launch 'delay' confusion
26 May 2010
The launch of the MG 6 in the UK could be delayed.
MG initially committed to selling the car in Europe later this year, but reports in Shanghai following an interview given by parent company SAIC's president, Chen Hong, suggest that the car's launch has been delayed until at least early 2011.
MG6 first drive exclusive
However, insiders at MG's Longbridge plant say work is continuing to have hatchback versions of the car in showrooms by the end of this year, and that the reports of any delays could be a result over confusion over the launch of a saloon variant, which is due to go on sale in 2011.
Hong did not explain the possible delay, but reports suggest SAIC is believed to be concerned that meeting booming Chinese market sales won't allow it to focus on the MG 6's European launch, the success of which is critical to relaunching the brand.
SAIC, which has tie-ins with VW and GM in China, expects to sell more than 1.6 million cars in China in the first six months of this year, around 400,000 more than last year. It has enjoyed remarkable growth in the past 12 months, boosted by govcernment incentives for Chinese car buyers.
Chen told journalists in Shanghai that he was confident that SAIC would achieve its target of selling three million vehicles this year.
China's overall vehicle sales grew 60.5 per cent year-on-year in the first four months of 2010.
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