Monday 20th October 2008

MG Octagon Is Back

New MG 550 to feature the iconic badge

---

The MG Octagon badge has resurfaced on its first new model since Chinese car maker Shanghai Automotive took control of MG Rover.

The new MG 550 saloon is based on the Roewe 550, a model developed by Shanghai Automotive from the bones of the Rover 75 saloon.

For reasons not yet clear, the MG 550 has been launched in Chile only, but Autocar maintains that it and its sister car the MG 750 will be both be introduced to the European market, and may yet both be produced at Longbridge with the TF sports model, although there is a certainly cynicism within the automotive industry that such events will ever come to pass.

For what it’s worth, you should be able to pick up an MG 550 in Chile for 10.5 million pesos, which works out at a little under £10,000.

[robert_raw]

Is that this thing?

Looks ok i think, probs still wouldn't buy one though.

http://d.yimg.com/eur.yimg.com/ng/sh/performm/2008...

[skylinecrazy]

robert_raw said:

Is that this thing?

Looks ok i think, probs still wouldn't buy one though.

http://d.yimg.com/eur.yimg.com/ng/sh/performm/2008...

That looks awful, it's a mix of about twenty different cars.

[Mr Gear]

robert_raw said:

Is that this thing?

Looks ok i think, probs still wouldn't buy one though.

http://d.yimg.com/eur.yimg.com/ng/sh/performm/2008...

A quick google came up with this http://image.motortrend.com/f/auto-news/roewe-550-...

Which I think looks quite good. Not the sort of thing I'd buy, but interesting story nonetheless.

[sublimatica]

I'm amused by the name 'Roewe'. In some languages, that might be pronounced like 'rowa', which is how I imagine someone faking an oriental accent might pronounce 'Rover'. Is this coincidence? Am I the last person in the world to realise this?

"This chicken tastes rubbery" etc.

:getscoat:

Edited by sublimatica on Monday 20th October 13:25

[hugoagogo]

sublimatica said:

I'm amused by the name 'Roewe'. In some languages, that might be pronounced like 'rowa', which is how I imagine someone faking an oriental accent might pronounce 'Rover'. Is this coincidence? Am I the last person in the world to think this?

"This chicken tastes rubbery" etc.

:getscoat:

Roewe looks like a German word which would be pronounced like a geordie saying Rover

[New Scot]

sublimatica said:

I'm amused by the name 'Roewe'. In some languages, that might be pronounced like 'rowa', which is how I imagine someone faking an oriental accent might pronounce 'Rover'. Is this coincidence? Am I the last person in the world to realise this?

"This chicken tastes rubbery" etc.

:getscoat:

Edited by sublimatica on Monday 20th October 13:25

You can't be the last, I had not cottoned on either!

Fuzzy link to "chocolate-covered cotton" in Catch-22? Would Yossarian be driving a "Rowwa" - no, I don't think so. More likely an MG TC?

[bazking69]

I know some people will buy any hash if it has that MG badge on it, but even that will struggle in the UK market unless it is as cheap as a Kia...
Hardly a looker is it; at least the ZT was a half decent looking car...

[lionrampant]

The 550 is very... lexusish/passatish. But apparently it's been engineered by ex-MGR folk.

Only time, and a few unbiased test drives, will tell.

Still a damned shame it's not a real MG.

[dublet]

lionrampant said:

Still a damned shame it's not a real MG.

Don't worry, I'm sure it will break down very often.

[B10]

dublet said:

lionrampant said:

Still a damned shame it's not a real MG.

Don't worry, I'm sure it will break down very often.

Twit

[mark3man]

For what it’s worth, you should be able to pick up an MG 550 in Chile for 10.5 million pesos, which works out at a little under £10,000.


I'd imagine Chile is considered far enough off the world automotive radar to use as a test market. Don't think there is an indigenous manufacturer.
However, if it ever got here, no doubt the need for VAT, special car tax, dealer margins etc etc would lift it up mightily - and I think even the octagon isn't enough to make an ordinary saloon a 'must-have'. The 'refined gentleman's saloon' image used by Rover didn't work in the USA - the Sterling was a big flop 20 years ago. Had they tried it then as an MG sports sedan, they may well have done better.

[Carsie]

Keep up at the back!

Here's the link from last week - I had the ZT190- great car, personally I wish them well with it

http://www.aronline.co.uk/index.htm?news20081007f....

[TheDetailDoctor]

Mr Gear said:

robert_raw said:

Which I think looks quite good.

You are blind AICMFP

[B10]

AICMFP = And I Claim My Free Pudding

[TheDetailDoctor]

[redacted]

[Bizzle]

I kinda like the front styling...



I kinda like the rear styling...



However this looks a tad cheap... especially if you compare it to a new Mondeo or similar.

=

Edited by Bizzle on Monday 20th October 14:21

[dingocooke]

Ive seen the Roewe in china and its even uglier than the old base model 75; the ZT looked quite nice in certain colours (red was popular) but really, does every British motor manufacturer have to go through this death by a thousand cuts thing before it dies?? I dont know if Autocar has been to Longbridge lately, but you would have to spend many, many millions to get close to having a plant fit to produce anything; looks like pipe dreams/magazine filling to me and (sadly) I for one will be stunned if new cars ever roll out of there again; all these rumours are just plain cruel to the ex workers there who got stiffed by the company they used to work for.

[qwick]

Looks OK to me, crikey we've seen uglier do better - BMW anyone? I can see a bit of Passat, Lexus and Accord in there. Interior is a bit iffy but maybe it'll hit a price point.

Good luck to them!

[900T-R]

Interior looks like a latter-day BMW (Z4 anyone?), especially around the center console...

[annodomini2]

Front Scirroco rip off.

Rear current Is series rip off.