Thursday 22nd November 2012

MG to reinvent sports car

British engineers and designers searching for "new breed" of sports car. Help them find it

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MG is on the hunt for a "new breed of sports car", PistonHeads has learned. The British head of the Longbridge-based engineering centre that develops all the cars for Chinese owners SAIC told us that a sports car is definitely on the product planning timetable, but we just don't know what form that'll take.

“There's a definite understanding from our Chinese owners what [a sports car] will do for our brand," David Lindley told us.

The Icon. Not our idea of a sports car

He reassured us that it doesn't have to mean we're getting a production version of this year's Icon concept - a small SUV coupe wearing the face of an MGB. That's no-one's idea here of a sports car, but it's hard to imagine how they're going to reinvent the classic two-seat, rear-drive roadster set-up.

“The traditional sports car industry is shrinking and shrinking," said Lindley. He also pointed out that China doesn't buy sports cars, a problem when right now the majority of MG sales are over there, although it has big plans for European expansion.

“We want to create something that's seen as the next breed of sports car," Lindley told us.

The last attempt to reinvent an MG sports car didn't go down too well, despite the audacious styling job Peter Stevens did on the 4.6-litre SV. Okay so these guys are somewhat better funded than MG Rover, being the eighth largest car maker in the world and all, but they're not about to pour money into a project that will appeal only to the select few.

So over to you PHers, MG is looking at what'll be the next big thing in sports cars. We don't want them thinking a 'sporty' SUV will do the job, so which direction do you think they should be taking?

[JaguarsportXJR]

No idea.

Not exactly constructive, I know.

[bob1179]

What happened to the MG6, I've only seen a couple on the road?

MG really need to build up their product presence in the UK before they do anything. I know compared to China we are just a backwater, but it would be great to see MGs being sold in large numbers here again.

[suffolk009]

Got to be a new Midget.

Two seats, a little engine, not much too it. Personally I'd want it all stripped out - even the windscreen should be an option.

Not quite as hardcore (with windscreen) as an Ariel or Caterham, not quite as roadster-ish as an MX5.

[kambites]

bob1179 said:

What happened to the MG6, I've only seen a couple on the road?

The biggest problem with the MG6 is that there is still no diesel option available. No-one wants petrol shopping cars these days.

[enroz]

Two seater, RWD, cheap to purchase off the shelf V8 which will keep cost down, so they can sell vehicles undercuting rivals.

Mainly it needs to be a beautiful car which men and women would love to own.

[toppstuff]

"We don't want them thinking a 'sporty' SUV will do the job"....


What is the objective here? Produce a car that will sell to PH purists, who say one thing but in reality tend to do something else. After all, Lotus make proper sports cars and they seem to be doing terribly well....

Or is the plan to produce a "sports car" that will sell around the world in large numbers at a relatively low cost?

Given that large parts of the world do not have perfect road quality, something sporty with ground clearance could actually sell well.

On the other hand, if they are to go the traditional "sports car" route, then Mazda have that covered with MX5. And these days, such cars dont sell as well as they used to....

[HustleRussell]

How about some kind of semi-monocoque chassis, using modern composites and construction methods. Lightweight and simple running gear, LSD and 6-speed as standard. Bring it to market cheap enough and it'll fly out of showrooms.

[Fittster]

Put the right badge on it.

[kambites]

suffolk009 said:

Got to be a new Midget.

Would be nice to see someone try that - something along the lines of the Smart Roadster but cheaper and with a sensible gearbox. The question is, would enough people buy it? I suspect the answer is "no" because it wont have huge blingy wheels and a million horsepower.

[Bill Carr]

A 4-door luxury coupe a-la Merc SLS. Not the answer most here would probably like, but I can imagine it selling well in China. And it has to be better than that utter abomination shown above.

[BoRED S2upid]

New Midget 2 seater RWD small LIGHT! (1l) turbo engine cheap to run cheap to maintain and cheap to buy.

[JackJack]

The Morgan Three Wheeler was quite a big hit, so something like that as the market for classic cars is massive, a car with classic styling like the morgan?

[The Wookie]

A GT86 style affair with retro-MGB styling would fly off the shelves if they managed to somehow avoid building it out of tin and gimcrack

[Oi U]

A mid-engined hybrid should do the business with styling cues coming from the more successful MG models of the past. MG has heritage so those links should not be lost completely.

[350Matt]

re launch the griff

[SMGB]

bob1179 said:

What happened to the MG6, I've only seen a couple on the road?

MG really need to build up their product presence in the UK before they do anything. I know compared to China we are just a backwater, but it would be great to see MGs being sold in large numbers here again.

Most octagonal opinion is that the saloons desperatley need a halo sports car. To be true to the brand it should be a well designed parts bin special thats affordable to buy and run. The 1.8 turbo N series must be a good starting point, fore and aft in a front engine rear wheel drive convertible 2 seater with a 6 speed box would work for me and would differntiate it from the F/TF (I own a lightly modded TF hugely underated car IMHO). Close to 50/50 F/R weight distribution like the MGB and light weight with everything you need and nothing you dont. I could start to forgive SAIC, they would sell shedloads and if BRG suited mine that would be a bonus.

[J4CKO]

kambites said:

bob1179 said:

What happened to the MG6, I've only seen a couple on the road?

The biggest problem with the MG6 is that there is still no diesel option available. No-one wants petrol shopping cars these days.

Diesel option is incoming, it was on the front of my as yet unread Autocar mag with apositive sounding comment.

[kambites]

I don't think they should go front engined RWD - it would push the costs too high. I'd favour mid/rear engined RWD, but FF is probably more likely in practice.

[Captain Muppet]

The Wookie said:

A GT86 style affair with retro-MGB styling would fly off the shelves if they managed to somehow avoid building it out of tin and gimcrack

Can I be the first to say that it's too slow and too expensive?

[/troll]

[Captain Muppet]

kambites said:

I don't think they should go front engined RWD - it would push the costs too high. I'd favour mid/rear engined RWD, but FF is probably more likely in practice.

A mid-engined MG sports car? It'll never happen.






Oh.