I was driving up the M6 from Cheshire into Lancashire when I came across an attractive, large, five door hatchback that had the look of the old Rover 800 hatch - but far more modern. It was badged up as an MG on an 10 plate.
Is this the first sign of the Chinese actually doing something at Longbridge?
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I'd never buy one - I've watched too many clips on You Tube of chinese car crash tests. They fold up like paper.
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The design is actually based on the Rover 75. It will be a lot better quality than much of the typical chineese crap but the price tag will also be higher too.
The version on sale in the UK is very much aimed at the European market.
I can never see it competing with the likes of Ford but what they will be is comfortable fast saloons/fastbacks at a Focus money.
Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Thu 27 Jan 11 at 12:54
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...I've watched too many clips on You Tube of chinese car crash tests. They fold up like paper...
That was my first thought.
If this new car is different, the biggest job for the manufacturer will be to convince the public that is so.
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That's the one. Not sure what it will offer over existing offerings other than price and name.
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Why not wait for the Euro NCAP results before judging?
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There might not be any NCAP testing done.
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If that were the case, I wouldn't buy one either. But I'm prepared to give the benefit of the doubt, and wait and see. The car isn't even due on sale until November, according to that Currant Bun link.
In the meantime, I think it's a handsome vehicle, and I wish them luck in their efforts to create jobs here in the UK, however few it is compared to the days of BL. I seem to remember the last British owners of MG Rover were less than reliable, so let's give these chaps a chance before burying them in prejudiced opinions, shall we?
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It wont be given a chance because its even more foreign than a Japanese car.
It could be the safest, most technically perfect car on the planet but still there would be huge prejudice.
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I am sure I read some where in Auto Express a year back that it would be designed to be 5 star NCAP complient. It will be NCAP tested if they expect to sell any.
It will be built in the UK and it will have a UK badge on it, that should certainly help some sales. This is not a Shaic Shungai Poopoo, it has an English sounding name and it is bolted together by brummies.
Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Thu 27 Jan 11 at 13:52
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Im not sure assembling it in Birmingham is going to add to its image...
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I'm sure if it was detrimental, Jaguar and Landrover production would by now be based in India.
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>>It will be built in the UK and it will have a UK badge on it, that should certainly help some sales. This is not a Shaic Shungai Poopoo, it has an English sounding name and it is bolted together by brummies<<
I'm with Rattle & Fumes on that one!
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>> it is bolted together by brummies<<
>>
Will they still dispose of their empty beer cans in the body voids ?
Last edited by: Old Navy on Thu 27 Jan 11 at 14:04
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Maybe their quality control procedures include imprisonment without trial and house arrest or being sent to a hard labour camp for 25 years.
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They are still using a reworked version of the K series engine so that means head gaskets that will go kerput.
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I believe they now using a much stronger cooling system and tougher head gaskets.
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>> Maybe their quality control procedures include imprisonment without trial and house arrest or being sent
>> to a hard labour camp for 25 years.
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If that is the case, there can't be many of their motorcycle manufacturers who've seen the light of day for a few years!
The Chinese have an unenviable record of cheap and nasty when it comes to anything on wheels. Their budget-priced lightweight motorcycles can be had on e-bay for considerably less than a thousand pounds on the road, but you rarely see a respectable dealership advertising them, simply because the engines and cycle parts rarely outlast the statutory warranty. They may be advertised as "copies" of Honda and Suzuki engines, but trust me the internals are usually made of cheese.
I am fully aware that a lot of stuff that comes out of China is of reasonable or even good quality, but it's usually stuff that's built for mainstream firms to their exacting quality control specs; when it comes to their "own brand" kit they don't seem to have grasped the significance of consumer confidence.
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I doubt they would have time to even do that, because they will spend more time going on strike than drinking on the job.
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Bear in mind the date of that article... Disregarding the April fool angle, they anticipate it would be on sale in November, presumably 2010?
I haven't seen or heard anything recently that suggests these are now in the uk marketplace.
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I noticed they have got the plural wrong. So before I even see the website it feels too chineese :(.
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I wonder why anyone would buy one? Are they really cheap or something?
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some good looking motors there
all they need to do is set their finance right and the customers will be flowing in
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>>Disregarding the April fool angle, they anticipate it would be on sale in November, presumably 2010?>>
Already past that point...:-)
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Richard Hammond wrote in the Mirror on 12.11.10, that deliveries of the MG6 would commence in March.
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I seem to think I read that on the website - in fairness it's a nice looking motor.
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If they were around £13-£14k and came with all the gizmos (such as sat nav) I might be tempted if I was in the market for such a car. It would have top be about £8k cheaper than a Mondeo to make it worth considering though.
Even at £14k the Mazda 6 is in close range at £16k.
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...I seem to think I read that on the website...
The site certainly mentions 2011.
I see there's a dealer not far from me.
Might have a swing by and see if they've got any cars to sell.
A new TF for the summer?
Perhaps not.
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I believe the dealers don't make money out of selling cars or finances packages, they just make money on the head gasket jobs!.
Sorry I will get my coat.
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>> Sorry I will get my coat.
lol, and don't forget your zimmer frame, tablets and golden memories scrapbook ;)
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Visited the MG dealer nearest to me earlier today.
They are talking about March for the new MG6 Fastback, no prices, but they did have a pre-launch brochure.
The engine is described as a 1.8 turbo 160PS TCI Tech four cylinder petrol, bolted to a five speed manual box
There were a couple of brand new MG TFs in the showroom, both priced at a very reasonable £12,999.
Manual fabric hood, but it does have a glass rear window.
Leather seats, aftermarket stereo, but the rest of the interior looked bespoke and the dash is uncluttered with clear dials and simple looking switchgear.
Power is an N Series 1.8 16v four cylinder producing 135PS at 6,750rpm and 165Nm of torque at 5,000rpm.
Five speed manual gearbox, 0-60mph in 8.4 secs and a top speed of 127mph.
The car seemed as well-made as any other mass-produced vehicle, although I didn't spend very long inspecting it.
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Undercutting the MX5 by a hell of a wedge - hopefully will sell ok -0 if the quality is right.
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sounds a lot of car for low monies
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Not really as its worth about as much as a bar of chocolate as soon as you sign on the dotted line. Doesnt matter how good it is, it has zero credibility.
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...sounds a lot of car for low monies...
Agreed, looked to me like the sort of basic but not too basic British-ish sports car many people say they wish was still available.
Mid-engine, rear wheel drive, wider tyres on the rear, five speed box, official combined 35.8mpg, which is not brilliant.
No power option for the hood, manual is not too bad if you can reach behind from the driver's seat to drag it up.
Bit of a pest having to jump out to put it up and down.
There was one other couple in the showroom who were looking at the non-MG used stock.
The woman was straight over as soon as she saw the TF. ''Look, it's an MG," she told her partner.
Amazing that despite all that's gone on in the last few years, the name MG is still highly regarded by at least some members of the motoring public.
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The wife's MX5 has a manual roof but can be lifted from the seat, although you have to open both doors - brilliantly made roof - lives outside, not a sniff of a leak. But the MX5 is at least 7k more than the MG - for that you get reliability and bullet-proofness and a stonking up to the minute motor.
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I would rather have whatever £12995 buys in terms of a used MX-5 than a new "MG" TF.
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The shame of it is that the TF is a hoot to drive, easy to control on the limit and has that lovely seat of your pants feeling.
I guess for £13k, thats essentially the price of a Fiesta and viewed like that, its a true bargin if you keep it long enough for depreciation not to matter.
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...I would rather have whatever £12995 buys in terms of a used MX-5 than a new "MG" TF....
DP,
I suspect you might find the call a little harder if you had a good look at the TF.
Quality looked more than OK to me, not that you can tell much from ten minutes in the showroom.
It passed the door clunk test, even with the window down.
Stu,
The car has not been out long enough for depreciation to be assessed.
I agree 'high' will be the first thought, but I also remember some unkind remarks about the new MINI when it came out.
I reckon if we knew the trade predictions of residuals on the MINI's launch, they would have been well wide of the mark.
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I think you will find that a Chinese MG will not have the same trade in values as even the original did, people do have quite alot of prejudice towards Chinese products and its association doesnt help the brand tbh.
As a product, I know from working with these cars that dated though it is, it was very accomplished and still stans up to scrutiny today. The 160 version was a cracker.
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....www.summitgarage.co.uk/new-car-sales.php....
Stone me, TFs are fetching 'overs' - it is the new MINI. :)
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Look at the LE500 for sale - with this enticing free extra!
>>"THIS CAR BEARS THE PLAGUE INBETWEEN THE FRONT SEATS"<< !!!!!!!!!!!
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I just read that - very funny !
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A colleague has a well cared for 2002 TF 135 with 60k on the clock that she's owned from nearly new. She reckons its fantastic to drive, but the build quality, durability and reliability are all lamentable. It leaks like a sieve, much of the interior has either fallen off, or rattles loudly, it's lunched two head gaskets, and has suffered constant niggling, daft faults like the handbrake warning light refusing to go out, and the wiper motor burning out. You wouldn't get any of this with an MX-5.
She only keeps it as it's worth a couple of grand at best sell, and she's trying to recoup some of the repair costs of the last few years in usage.
I can't somehow see the Chinese doing the quality thing any better than MG Rover managed.
I don't doubt it's a cracking drive, but with freefall residuals, and at best, questionable reliability, it's one for the brave even at that price.
Last edited by: DP on Mon 31 Jan 11 at 10:14
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Handbrake warning light is usually down to the owner not taking the handbrake fully off - MGFs had this issue aswell as it can be physically off, but the lever needs to go down another few mm.
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...but with freefall residuals, and at best, questionable reliability, it's one for the brave even at that price...
DP,
Residuals yet to be determined, but I agree it's the best guess.
If this is the same car as produced ten years ago, then the rest of your critique will also be true.
But is it the same car?
The Chinese can produce good quality goods when tasked to do so - I'm typing on such an item now.
The British workforce can produce good quality cars - Nissan, Honda, Toyota.
Today's Longbridge is not the Longbridge of Red Robbo, why cannot it be more akin to the plants at Swindon, Sunderland and Derby?
The TF is produced partly in China, partly in Longbridge.
Everyone seems to accept the car's original design was good, verging on brilliant, but was let down by poor production.
If that poor production has been properly addressed, MG could have a winner on their hands.
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if you can buy a new convertable for £12999 then its going to sell
its going to sell on credit
its going to have a 3 year warranty
its going to be new
people have short memories
rover has been dead nearly six years now
bring it on
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Still a 16 year old design though and I don't think much can hide that. The dash for example is still the original 1995 unit.
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...The dash for example is still the original 1995 unit....
I thought that was one of the car's stronger design features.
Simple, clearly laid out, not too cluttered.
Ideal for an open top sports car.
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>> Still a 16 year old design though and I don't think much can hide that.
>> The dash for example is still the original 1995 unit.
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so?
are you saying there should be flashing led's and guisher girls on the mp4?
the dash is the nicest part of those cars its evocative of proper mg
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>> Look at the LE500 for sale - with this enticing free extra!
>>
>> >>"THIS CAR BEARS THE PLAGUE INBETWEEN THE FRONT SEATS"<< !!!!!!!!!!!
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The English really is lamentable isn't it, one can only hope the cars are better quality.
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...The English really is lamentable isn't it, one can only hope the cars are better quality...
Come on Spammers, that's only whoever it was at the dealer who composed the ad copy - nothing to do with the cars or their manufacture.
By the way, the ELO CD hasn't arrived yet.
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>> But the MX5 is at least 7k more than the MG
>> - for that you get reliability and bullet-proofness and a stonking up to the minute
>> motor.
>>
Much better residuals as well I would think.
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Saw a new Chinese MG yesterday? - Stuu
