MG Rover-News

[Micha]

Hallo,

hier der Link zum o.g. Beitrag mit Fotos vom geplanten Roewe/Rover 45!

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoexpressnews/208304/roewe_reveals_reborn_rover_45.html

Gruß

Micha

[Micha]

Erster Fahrbericht MG 7:

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/carreviews/firstdrives/208467/mg_7.html

Das klingt doch sehr gut!!!

[Angus]

During the "Golden Week" holiday in China, a group of German dealers were seen on the MG stand in a local motorshow in Nanjing.

The German auto magazine "Autohaus" lead a group of 40 to 50 German car dealers on a tour to China. The editor of the Autohaus, Ralph M. Meunzel, told the reporter that this tour contains representives of 20 different car dealership franchises, each owning two to three dealerships in Germany. The purpose of their tour to China is to investigate the possiblities of introducing Chinese cars into the German market. The group of 40 already went to Beijing, Chengdu and Chongqing, and they had visited numerous Chinese manufacturers and dealerships on the way. This time, they visited Nanjing because of MG. Their translator Mr Yang found MG exhibiting in a car show in Nanjing around May 1st on the web, and the whole tour was immediately attracted to it.

Ralph M. Meunzel then told the reporter that the MG produced by NAC are very original and well made; he also felt positive about MG's prospect in European market. The German dealers were seen exchanging details and took the contact number for department overseeing MG's oversea market.
One of the German deals said to the reporter that they are very willing to take the Chinese cars to sell in the Europe, bringing a new scene to the market.





yangtse.com

[Angus]

MGs to Move to Kaliningrad

Russia's Avtotor plant is in talks with Chinese Nanjing Automobile to set up an assembly line for MG cars in Kaliningrad in what could be Avtotor's second Chinese export project. The car maker has recently announced that its joint plant with China's Chery would be exporting half of its production to Europe.

A high-placed source of Kommersant in the car industry reported that a delegation of Nanjing Automobile and its president had visited Avtotor's facilities two weeks earlier and signed a memorandum, declaring intentions to set up a joint production in Kaliningrad. Details of the projects are to be settled by this fall when the business plan and market research are ready.

Avtotor's Executive Director Alexander Sorokin confirmed the reports, saying that "Nanjing Automobile is extremely interest in exporting MGs to Europe." The official declined to give further comment.

A Kommersant source familiar with the situation said that the MG assembly at Avtotor would amount to at least 25,000 cars which would include MG7 hardtops. The project would see the CKD assembly.

British MG Rover, which owned MG and Rover trade marks, went bankrupt in 2005. Nanjing Automobile bought the company's production assets for $86 million, keeping the right to use the MG brand and selling the Rover brand to Ford.

The MG deal is not the first Chinese project of Avtotor. The Russian car maker earlier announced that its joint plant with China's Chery would be exporting half of its production to Europe.

Kommersant.com, 14.05.2007


Kurz gesagt:
NAC-MG unterhält sich über den Aufbau einer zusätzlichen Produktionsstraße für MG im russischen Kaliningrad mit den dortigen Besitzern eines Werks.

[Angus]

NAC to announce new MG franchises in time for TF's return

Nanjing Automobile Corporation (NAC) plans to appoint the UK's first MG dealers this month. The company is remaining tight-lipped about their identities.

However Stephen Cox, NAC MG's UK sales/ franchising manager, expects five dealers to have signed franchise contracts by the end of May.

NAC wants a contracted dealer network in place by September, ready for an autumn launch of its re-born MGTF roadster. Cox wouldn't reveal how many sales points he wants, but says 96 franchise information packs have been sent out.

"A lot of interest has come from the old MG network but there's been more from the outside," Cox tells AM. "We're more interested in the quality of dealers than numbers. We won't fill locations with just anyone."

He wants MG's dealers treated equally and says all franchises will receive the same discounts and there will be no bonus structure.

Dealers will not receive monetary support for their marketing, although Cox says they will all benefit from Nanjing's launch promotional activity.

Start-up costs are being kept low as Cox expects the MG franchise to be added to an existing franchise. The new corporate identity will be a subtle alteration of the old style under MG Rover in order to indicate the brand's new ownership. 

AMOnline, 12 May 2007

[Angus]

MG-Homepage geht online

Ein weiterer Meilenstein: Die ehemalige Homepage der MG Rover Group wurde nun überarbeitet und steht in kürze bereit. Die Hauptseite ist bereits verfügbar, ebenso die Möglichkeit sich in einen Online-News-Dienst einzutragen.

http://www.mg-rover.com/

[AC-3EX]

Rover kommt wieder nach Deutschland

"Ab Herbst 2008 wird der Roewe 750 über Ssangyong-Händler verkauft. Derzeit läuft die Erprobung des China-Rover auf dem Nürburgring und auf deutschen Autobahnen

Es gibt keine Zweifel mehr: Die Chinesen kommen! Nachdem schon 1000 für Deutschland bestimmte Brilliance-Limousinen vom Schiff gerollt sind, plant die chinesiche SAIC (Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation) den Sprung in die alte Welt. Ab Herbst 2008 soll der Roewe 750 auch in Deutschland verkauft werden.

Der Roewe 750 wird über Ssangyong verkauft
Importeur und Vertriebspartner für Deutschland sind die koreanische Automarke Ssangyong und die Kroymans Deutschland GmbH. Wie Pressesprecher Werner Röser auf Nachfrage der AUTO ZEITUNG bestätigte, werden die 120 deutschen Ssangyong-Händler ab Herbst 2008 auch die chinesische Marke Roewe verkaufen. ,,Das ist eine gute Ergänzung für die Allradmarke Ssangyong", sagt Röser. Der Preis werde erst wenige Wochen vor der Markteinführung fest stehen, müsste allerdings deutlich unter dem deutscher Mitbewerber liegen, erklärt Röser.

   

Erprobung auf dem Nürburgring
Bis dahin arbeiten die chinesischen Entwickler noch daran, das Auto für den europäischen Markt fit zu machen. Während die Markteinführung in China kurz bevor steht, laufen seit kurzem Versuche auf dem Nürburgring und auf deutschen Autobahnen. Dass die Karosserie der Prototypen sehr stark an den 1998 vorgestellten Rover 75 erinnert, ist kein Zufall. Nach der Rover-Pleite 2005 hat die chinesische SAIC die Rechte am Design und an der Technik der britischen Limousine gekauft. Beides wurde seither verändert, um es an die gewachsenen technischen Anforderungen anzupassen. Weil Ford seit September 2006 die Namensrechte an Rover hält, darf die Mittelklasse-Limousine allerdings nicht unter ihrem ursprünglichen Familiennamen auftreten. Auch das Logo ist leicht verändert, es zeigt zwei Drachen und eine verschnörkeltes "R" statt des bekannten Wikingerschiffs.

Die Basis ist ein verlängerter Rover 75
Erste Prototypen des China-Rover waren auf der Peking Motor Show im Oktober 2006 zu sehen. Die Bilder zeigen einen um zehn Zentimeter in die Länge gestreckten Rover 75 mit neuem Gesicht und geändertem Heck. Bis Herbst 2008 soll am Design noch einmal Hand angelegt werden. Auch das Armaturenbrett wird moderner gestaltet. Vor allem die Anzeigen und Displays sollen laut Kroymans noch auf den Stand der Technik gebracht werden.

Motoren aus dem Rover-Fundus
Mit einer Länge von 4,75 Metern reicht die Limousine schon beinahe an die nächstgrößere Klasse heran. Bürgerlich bleibt hingegen der Antrieb mit Vier- und Sechszylinder-Benzinern aus dem Rover-Fundus. Der kleineren Motor mit 1,8 Liter Hubraum bringt ein Turbolader auf 150 PS. Damit soll die Limousine laut einem chinesischen Datenblatt 205 km/h Spitze erreichen. Der 2,5 Liter-V6 leistete schon im Rover 75 seinen Dienst als Komfortmotor ab, er soll es auf 180 PS und 220 km/h Spitze bringen."

Quelle: http://www.autozeitung.de/online/render.php?render=0056893

[Angus]

MGs to roll off Longbridge production line

JOHN REVELL, icBirmingham

ONE of the most famous marques in British automotive history will be officially reborn in
Birmingham when the production lines restart at Longbridge next week.

Tuesday will be the day which many MG enthusiasts feared they would never see after the
carmaker was plunged into administration two years ago.

A new pre-production MG sports car will be driven off line by new owners, the Nanjing
Automobile Corporation (NAC), at a special ceremony at the once dormant plant. Roche
Bentley, chairman and founder of the MG Owners club, said: "This is something which we
did not think would happen - we are going to see an MG coming off the line at Longbridge
again.

"It's a day of celebration, it is going to be emotional. MG is probably the most famous name
in British automotive history after Rolls Royce, and it will be great to see it back. The
alternatives were unacceptable."

Attended by figures from the council and NAC, as well Liang Bahou, governor of Jiangsu
Province of China, the ceremony will also see the unveiling of new MG models designed for
the European market and set to be produced at Longbridge. The restart is expected to
directly create up to 300 jobs for local people, with future expansion and job creation
dependent upon car sales.

This figure is a mere fraction of the 6500 employed by MG Rover before mounting losses
and falling sales triggered the company's collapse in April 2005. Coun Mike Whitby, leader
of Birmingham council, said: "This is a significant day for Birmingham and the West
Midlands, one that many people thought would never happen.

"Over the last two years we have worked tirelessly behind the scenes with NAC to build
relationships and make this outcome a reality.

"NAC has made their commitment to Birmingham, and I believe it is a commitment that will
last. They have already made us their European headquarters, and a centre for research
and development. "In all my dealings with NAC, I have been impressed with their
commitment to the plant and am confident that Longbridge will once again become
renowned as a by-word for excellence, a real centre of high-class manufacturing."

Nanjing Automobile, which bought the assets of MG Rover for £53 million in July 2005, has
already constructed an 800,000 sq metre factory in China. The plant will eventually employ
4500 people and produce up to 200,000 cars per year. NAC chairman Wang Hang Biao said:
"We are excited about the prospect of manufacturing the new MG TF in the UK and are
extremely grateful for all the support the leadership of the council has given us.

"At the beginning of our time in Birmingham, we were facing great difficulties in proceeding
our business plans and coping with culture differences. However, the encouragement and
support we have received from the city has made us sure that we will succeed. We are
looking forward to working in Birmingham to make the MG brand highly regarded once
more."

25.05.2007

[Tom]

Aus einem Gespräch bei X-Part heute sei nochmal der Unterschied zwischen den MG7 und dem Roewe 750 erklärt:

NAC-MG hat die originalen Pläne und Maschinen, SAIC nur die Rechte am Design.
Mit anderen Worten: SAIC betreibt reverse-engineering, sie bauen das Auto nach. Das hat zur Folge, dass beispielsweise die Scheinwerfer des Roewe 750 nicht mehr für den Rover 75 passen, die Teile vom MG7 dagegen schon.

Bei einem persönlichen Gespräch mit einem X-Part Mitarbeiter in Zentrallager von X-Part heute, in Metz (Frankreich) wurde mir auch bestätigt, dass die zukünftigen MG-Rover-Ersatzteile u.U. auch aus China, von den neuen Produzenten von NAC-MG, kommen können. So wurde beispielsweise das Frontscheinwerferproblem gelöst.

Mit anderen Worten, der MG7 kann als Nachfolger des 75 betrachtet werden, der Roewe 750 ist ein anderes, eigenständiges Auto.

[Angus]

Zur Wiedereröffnung von Longbridge:

[Angus]

MG7 Coupe

Yes, if you cast your minds back to late 2004, when the MG Rover Group unveiled it wearing Rover badges. However, a lot of water has passed under the bridge since then, and in the meantime the sleek concept car has received a brand makeover as it stumbles closer to production reality.

This MG7 Coupe may have been tucked away from prying eyes at the recent re-opening of Longbridge, reserved for management and VIPs' eyes only, but CAR Online managed to get an exclusive close-up view of the car. The re-branding of the Peter Stevens-styled car is a clear indication that NAC MG is considering this car for potential future production.

Yes it is – but the two-door concept looks so right that it could be argued that nothing really needed to be changed. As our pictures reveal, the MG logo sits in a Rover-shaped recess on the grille, and there's a neat new boot spoiler to cover up the badge plinth that formerly resided there, so plainly there's work to do.

More interestingly, this was the first opportunity to take a close look at the beautifully crafted instruments – and the wood 'n' leather laden interior, a traditional Rover styling cue. When the car first appeared, it won plaudits for its balanced styling, despite being conceived purely to demonstrate to the then-potential partner, Shanghai Automotive, that Longbridge could design desirable cars – keeping the upcoming deal on-track.

Although the reborn NAC MG company would not readily confirm anything other than TF roadster production for Longbridge, Nanjing Auto's CEO Yu Jian Wei stated that a new Coupe could be launched, followed by all-new sportscars – assuming that sales for the roadster were satisfactory.

Although it is a good bet this will be the TF GT, unveiled alongside the original Rover 75 Coupe back in 2004, the presence of the MG7 Coupe is certainly interesting. It indicates that the Chinese company is clearly ambitious, and that given the money, could be interested in building this range-topping halo model. There were VIP guests at the re-opening ceremony that could indeed help make this happen.

The chances are pretty slim, but never say never. Much of the tooling to get the MG7 saloon into production at Longbridge is still there, although installing new presses for the coupe-only parts would require significant investment.

However, the newly scaled-down Longbridge would be the perfect place to effectively hand-build the new car, and British assembly would add kudos to the model if it were to go on sale in the status-conscious Chinese market.

Against the 3-Series coupe and Audi A5, it would undoubtedly struggle, but as a bargain-basement baby Bentley, it could certainly work on some markets.

Car Magazine, 06.06.2007








Kurz aus dem Inhalt:
Kommt der Rover 75 Coupe als MG7 coupe auf den Markt? Car Magazine konnte einen Blick auf das Konzept-Modell werfen, das unlängst aus Longbridge weggeschafft wurde. Optisch verbesserungswürdig sei es jedenfalls in keinster Weise. Offenbar plant NAC-MG eine Zukunft mit dem Coupe.

[baueran]

MG7 Coupe

Zu diesem Beitrag sollte auch der Link zu den Bildern vom Designer Peter Stevens nicht fehlen, als das Auto noch mit Rover 75 Coupe bezeichnet wurde. Ehre, wem Ehre gebührt! ;):

http://www.peterstevensdesign.co.uk/Model_gallery/rov75/pages/rover75_01.htm

[Angus]

Nanjing reveals dealer strategy

Instead of recruiting dealers on a piecemeal basis, Nanjing Automobile Corporation (NAC) has stated its intention of making a batch signing.

Stephen Cox, NAC UK sales/franchise manager, said he didn't want dealers to sign when the company had no product to sell.

"We didn't want to sign up dealers before we had a definite date for the start of production," said Cox.

"As it stands we could probably sign up 10 dealers but we want to sign them all up together, otherwise it looks inequitable."

Cox had previously planned to appoint the first five dealers by the end of May. NAC is planning on holding a signing ceremony for the dealers as this is traditional in China.

"Dealers will get a letter of intention from us before all this takes place," said Cox. "We are close to sending these out, it will probably be in the next fortnight."

Cox, who remains tight-lipped about dealers' identities, says NAC is still working around autumn availability for the re-born MGTF roadster. So far NAC has sent out 96 franchise information packs, with 44 applications returned. These are currently being assessed.

"We're continuing to focus on finding the right dealers. We don't mind having open points," he added.

Richard Cort, managing director of Corts Ltd and former MG Rover dealer council chairman, says that he may consider signing up for the franchise himself in the future.

"It's a great product, but first they need to show what their pricing, margins, volumes, marketing strategy, showroom requirements and plans for the future are. How many will be built? Are the cars Euro IV complaint?"

"Customers will be sceptical about investing in what is a new brand. They will want to know what's behind it."

Industry observer Michael Wynn-Williams of AutoCognition believes that the relaunched MGTF will need to be priced at least £2,000 below its core rival Mazda MX-5 if it is to have any chance of successfully re-entering the market.

He said: "Not only is the car little changed from the original model that was launched six years ago but it is now in competition with an MX-5 that is barely two years old. Even then, the TF will not appear until late summer, just when most sports cars are returning from their summer fun for hibernation in a warm garage."

Wynn-Williams described NAC's investment in making Longbridge its global research and development centre as a "vote of confidence in the UK's engineering capabilities".

He added: "Instead of simply adapting Chinese designs to suit local European tastes the Longbridge facility will have the ability to design and develop new models, working in an equal partnership with Nanjing. This kind of global vertical structure can utilise the unique capabilities of both sides and so provide a solid foundation for the long-term future of NAC, with Longbridge as the source of R&D excellence."

AMOnline,18. Juni 2007

[Zoolicious]

BIG MG WEEKEND

New TF to star at Silverstone MG days

The recently re-launched MG TF will make its first public appearance at the MG Car Club's 57th annual international race meeting at Northamptonshire's Silverstone Circuit, during the weekend of Friday 22nd to Sunday 24th June.

Thousands of other MGs - represented by over 14 model registers - will also be present.

Personnel from Nanjing Automobile Corporation – makers of the new TF - will be on hand to answer questions from anyone visiting Silverstone.

Silverstone International is the highlight of the MG racing season, with a full day's practice on Friday and 16 races over Saturday and Sunday on the International circuit, including invitation races for Morgan and Triumph cars.

Among the 550 race entries - a record for this event - are several ex-works MGs and Triumphs, including the Abingdon-prepared Sebring Sprite raced by Stirling Moss.

Plenty of MG racing over the weekend
Plenty of MG racing over the weekend
The headline MG Trophy race, for MG TF and ZR models, will be sponsored for the first time by Nanjing Automobile Corporation (NAC).

"Competition is at the heart of the MG brand," says Richard Jones from the MG Car Club, "so it's great to see that NAC MG really understands what MG is about."

Families and motoring enthusiasts will be entertained by a wide variety of events, including rally car rides, a gymkhana, circuit tours and 'pride of ownership' competitions.

[Angus]

Ford sell-off set to revive Rover?

Could Ford's quest to find a new owner for Jag¬uar and Land Rover kick-start a fresh lease of life for another historic British marque, Rover?

The US giant bought the Rover brand from BMW last September for a reputed £6million, exercising a 'first refusal' deal agreed with the German firm when Ford acquired Land Rover in 2000.

This prevented Rover falling into Chinese hands – but Ford has no plan to reintroduce Rover cars. Its thinking at the time was blunt, with an official statement saying: "It's in the interests of the Land Rover business to own the Rover trademark."

Now, Rover fans are hoping the marque will be included in any deal to sell Land Rover, heralding an eventual showroom return. And a new Rover model could be a lifeline for the Halewood plant on Merseyside, which Jaguar and Land Rover share.

A Ford spokesman fuelled speculation by saying that, although the Rover name is ultimately owned by Ford rather than Land Rover, company bosses were "not ruling anything in or out".

Rover's image was tarnished under previous ownership, but a revival is entirely possible, according to product-naming consultancy Inter¬brand. "As with Jaguar, the name goes back in the annals of British motoring," said boss Rune Gustafson. "While that's its strength and weakness, the Rover badge has many positive historical connotations."

Auto Express, 20th June 2007

Aus dem Inhalt:
Ford übernahm die Rechte an der Marke Rover und nun, kurz danach sollen Land Rover und Jaguar verkauft werden. Das riecht förmlich nach einem Deal, "Rover" zusammen mit den beiden britischen Marken an einen neuen Besitzer zu bringen. Rover habe weiterhin einen positiven historischen Eindruck, hieß es.