Oklahoma, Where the MGs Are Assembled on the Plains?

[Tuckerfan]

Chinese company resumes production of MG cars. Looks to build assembly plant in Oklahoma.

Nanjing Automobile, the Chinese car maker that bought MG Rover two years ago, today launched production of MG model sports cars, seeking to revive the historic brand in China and overseas.

The company, China’s oldest car maker, bought bankrupt MG Rover Group in 2005, acquiring the MG brand.

Nanjing Auto plans to reintroduce MG models in China and Europe and is also planning production at an assembly line in Ardmore, southern Oklahoma, beginning next year.

So, we all gonna chip in and buy Johnny LA a brand new MG when they start making them here?

[Pushkin]

As Top Gear noted, a new Blitish sports car :rolleyes: :smack:

Its a headache trying to keep a track on the names of BL’s treasure chest, Ford has Rover and Land Rover, Nanjing build MGs and Roewes and a few other companies have a few other products.

Its a shame, the CityRover may have been a shitty-Rover (wahey!) but there were plans for a new Midget a few years back that might have been more of a money spinner and possible half saviour for the company with a new mid-sized hatchback. They never should have sold out Honda :mad:

[Johnny_L.A]

@Pushkin

Its a headache trying to keep a track on the names of BL’s treasure chest

[ul][li]MG (1924 – or 1923 0r 1925), sold to…[/li][li]Morris Motors (1935), became a part of…[/li][li]British Motor Corporation (1952), bought by…[/li][li]British Leyland (1968), restructured into…[/li][li]British Leyland Limited (1975?, renamed to BL Ltd. in 1979), split into …[/li][li]Austin Morris and Jaguar Rover Triumph (1977)…[/li][li]MGBs stopped production in 1980[/li][li]Austin Rover Group took over car production from BL Ltd in 1981 or 1982 and continued to sell badge-engineered Austins as MGs (e.g., Maestro, Metro)[/li][li]Austin Rover remaned to Rover Group PLC (1986)[/li][li]Remaining MGs become Rovers (1987)[/li][li]Rover Group bought by British Aerospace (1988)[/li][li]Rover Group brings out the MG-RV8 (1992)[/li][li]BMW takes over (1994)[/li][li]MGF (1995)[/li][li]Groups not already sold to Ford (2000) or kept my BMW (MINI) sold to Phoenix Consortium and renamed MG Rover Group (2000)[/li][li]MG Rover Group sold to Nanjing Automobile Group (2005)[/li][li]Ford buys Rover name, leaving the MG marque to NAG (2006)[/li][li]NAG plans to restart MG TF production (2007)[/ul][/li]… Or something like that.

[Johnny_L.A]

@Pushkin

but there were plans for a new Midget a few years back that might have been more of a money spinner and possible half saviour for the company with a new mid-sized hatchback.

One would think that with the popularity of the Miata, Rover Group might have brought the MG-F and MG-TF here. Whether it’s the TF or a ‘New Midget’ I can imagine Rover’s thinking: ‘The Americans really want an inexpensive two-seat roadster. Too bad Mazda’s selling as many as they can make, else we could be making them too.’ Of course this is the same company-stream (company essence? company continuation?) that replaced one of their most popular cars with a less-powerful, non-convertible successor at the expense of their largest-selling one. And snuffed the MGB’s O-series engine when it showed promise.

Question: Is a Chinese MG built in the U.S. still an MG?

[Pushkin]

Ah, the malaise of BL/Rover. My 1997 Honda Civic was written off about a month or so ago, the car I’m borrowing to drive now is a 1st face lift Rover 45, pretty much the same car underneath despite the years of difference. Look at the new Civic to contrast and compare the differences in R&D between the two companies, little wonder good ideas got short thrift in the company.