Relaunched MG prices confirmed

NAC, the Chinese owner of MG, has announced that its version of the TF will cost £16,399 in “LE500” trim when it is launched in September. That is £700 more than the cost of a basic Mazda MX-5. Despite that, NAC says that it has already taken 300 orders and insists that these high-spec early models are ‘competitively priced.’Behind familiar styling, the company claims it’s bought the British sports car up-to-date with a body-coloured hard top, manual air conditioning, a leather interior, parking sensors and a Pioneer CD player. Power will come from a version of the 1.8-litre ‘K’ series engine offering 134bhp and tuned to meet Euro IV emissions standards. Despite being 10 years old when MG Rover collapsed in 2005, the TF was still the best-selling roadster in the country. Back then a basic 1.6-litre version cost £15,995 and an entry-level 1.8-litre was £17,745.NAC says that cheaper, lower-spec versions of the new TF will be launched some time next year. The company says it doesn’t have any specific expectations for sales volumes.“We are delighted to be able to bring in such a highly specified car at such a reasonable price,” said Gary Hagen of NAC UK.

Will Powell