Car production has resumed at the MG plant at Longbridge with the first examples of the new generation TF leaving the production line.
Production stopped at Longbridge when MG Rover collapsed in April 2005. The new operations are taking place on a small percentage of the former site, under the control of the new owners of the MG brand, NAC MG UK.
According to NAC, the company already has orders for two thirds of the 500 MG TF LE500s that will be first off the line. Sales will be handled by 57 dealers across the country, with the LE500 costing £16,500. Cheaper and more basic versions of the reborn TF will be produced later.
180 workers have been taken back on at Longbridge to produce the TF, which is assembled from kits imported from China. That’s a far cry from the 6000-strong workforce employed there before MG Rover’s collapse, but NAC claims it will expand its operations as sales volumes increase.
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Re: MG production restarts
Anywhere outside the UK, this model might have a chance at success, but with even the Chinese demanding the latest and greatest from OEMs and not some past-generation hand-me-downs, it's a longshot at best.
It would be interesting to see what the build quality was like, whether they have taken advantage of improved materials to stiffen the geriatric chassis design to cut out some of the scuttle shake.
Re: MG production restarts
what a sad sad day to think BMC, Leyland, Austin Morris, AustinRover, Rover MG etc has come to putting a few kits together.
I would love for Tata to buy the chinese out and start production of Proper Rover's and MG's ........
Re: MG production restarts
Yawn, wish them the best.
Please remember to post when they fail.
But I hope I am Wrong.