24.11.2009
Abomination or an inevitable consequence of globalisation and the decline of the British car industry? Perhaps it depends on your age – I grew up with the everyday sight of Midgets and MGBs on our roads, so I can’t help looking at these pictures and seeing them as a crude and unwelcome example of badge engineering.
Nevertheless Shanghai Automotive Industries Corporation (SAIC) says that the MG6’s arrival “marks the start of one of the most exciting periods in the 85-year history of the iconic MG brand, as it prepares to expand globally, starting with the world’s largest automotive market in China”.
The MG6 engine line-up will feature two lightly updated versions of the 1.8-litre K-series engines (now called N-series), one of which is turbocharged and the other normally aspirated. The normally aspirated version will most likely produce around 133bhp, while the turbo version is said to produce nearer 158bhp. Despite rumours of a diesel version, we understand there is no immediate likelihood of such a version.
Production of the Roewe 550-based hatchback will commence at the Longbridge plant near Birmingham at the end of 2010, home of MG Rover until its demise in 2005, although sales of Chinese built cars may begin in the UK slightly earlier.
The famous Morris Garages (MG) logo has also received a redesign to accompany the MG6′s launch, with carries the unenviable responsibility of “re-establishing the once highly regarded British marque.”
About Steve Davies
Steve is a media, venture, and technology advisor and a former Partner at KPMG Consulting, PriceWaterhouse Coopers and Managing Partner at EIM - his clients range from global web and media companies to small start-ups. He formed Drivers Republic (DR) in 2007, the UK's first digital automotive magazine, with a team of EVO and Autocar writers before creating SkiddMark, and also writes as a guest contributor on Unruly Media’s Meme Machine blog and for Econsultancy’s digital marketing blog.
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4 Comments
AJ
November 24, 2009Looks like a slightly stretched Prius. Doesn’t look like anything MG used to ‘stand for’.
AJ
November 24, 2009Looks like a slightly stretched Prius. Doesn’t look like anything MG used to ‘stand for’.
will kennedy
November 29, 2009Not happy with the lot ok of it, mg used to stand for somthing special but thats not! its boring and has nothing exciting about it, when mg rover launched the zr zs znd zt i thought it would be and should have been the maers killed themaking of them but poor management and dodgey dealers killed them off… gutted
will kennedy
November 29, 2009Not happy with the lot ok of it, mg used to stand for somthing special but thats not! its boring and has nothing exciting about it, when mg rover launched the zr zs znd zt i thought it would be and should have been the maers killed themaking of them but poor management and dodgey dealers killed them off… gutted