RE: MG Design HQ Returns To Longbridge
Wednesday 16th June 2010
MG's return to the motherland continues with the company's announcement that it is to open a new £5m design studio and technical centre at the former Longbridge plant.
"The designing of new cars and the engineering and technical aspects of the cars is all happening here in the UK. SAIC could have gone anywhere in the world for this but they chose Birmingham and Longbridge. It's an important endorsement."
MG Design HQ Returns To Longbridge
£5m design and engineering centre to be built at Midlands site
The MG Motor UK complex near Birmingham will become the company's design headquarters, employing 300 designers and engineers.
Cars designed there will be sold in the UK and China. The firm said it is a "major new investment in UK automotive engineering and design".
The move is the company's biggest investment in the UK since MG collapsed in 2005 and was bought by two Chinese car companies.
"These two centres of excellence sit at the heart of the MG Birmingham plant where a new family of MG models are currently being designed and engineered," an MG spokesman said.
The new MG6 will also be built at the same site and a new supermini, the MG Zero (right), which was revealed at the Beijing motor show in April.
Discussion
MG design coming back to Longbridge is a major plus for the UK car industry and doesn't need whingers posting stylistic comments yet as we haven't seen ANY UK designs for the MG brand since the previous criminal management were siphoning all of the profits into their pension funds, so let's give a hearty cheer for the good news as the component industry needs this welcome potential boost. Hoorah!
pagani1 said:
MG design coming back to Longbridge is a major plus for the UK car industry and doesn't need whingers posting stylistic comments yet as we haven't seen ANY UK designs for the MG brand since the previous criminal management were siphoning all of the profits into their pension funds, so let's give a hearty cheer for the good news as the component industry needs this welcome potential boost. Hoorah!
Agree.Groober is obviously too young to remember the first japanese cars that came loaded with options instead of expensive options like a radio and an oil pressure gauge as extras from british cars and despite the fact the cars weren't pretty look what happened. People appreciate reliability and solid engineering, I can remember the jewel like Lotus that fell apart in the 60's hence the acronym Loads Of Trouble Usually Serious. Let's give the chinese the opportunity to create originality in the Midlands. Don't most saloons look the same these days?
leon9191 said:
I hope the red car is RWD and has a V8, nice looking thing, if a little derivative.
It's FWD with a four pot turbo I'm afraid. Interesting as the MG ZT V8 was, it wasn't ever going to make a profit for MG Rover, they needed to be doing cars like this first. Anyway good luck to them, let's hope they design some more adventurous stuff after they've got these two out there.
Well i saw the new MG6 at MG live a couple of weeks ago when i was competing in an autotest... The 6 looks pretty good, and can i say there is LOADS of room in the engine bay for something bigger... although the 1.8T shouldnt be too bad as a starter for ten. Externally i would say the car looks very good, and they did sprint one or ace one but i didnt see how it did. Would say the interior needs just that little bit more class though, dont know what they are pitching the 6 against like... probably the focus sized cars... a tough sector to break into... we will see what the prices and final build will be like soon then!! i also think they have a good base to make a more agressive looking / high power motor when they have their foot in the door, as MG was always supposed to be a sports car, they should be setting their sites on the sportier side of the market inline with the marques tradition!
Groober said:
That white one looks like a cross between the new polo and that citroen DS3 thing.
The Chinese really don't have any imagination do they.
A hatch that looks EVER SO SLIGHTLY like another hatch, what a fThe Chinese really don't have any imagination do they.
king outrage.
Now that's out the way... This is great news. Perfect for people just graduating to get a foot in the door.
Mr Gear said:
pagani1 said:
MG design coming back to Longbridge is a major plus for the UK car industry and doesn't need whingers posting stylistic comments yet as we haven't seen ANY UK designs for the MG brand since the previous criminal management were siphoning all of the profits into their pension funds, so let's give a hearty cheer for the good news as the component industry needs this welcome potential boost. Hoorah!
Agree.I've been selling TFs since they re-launched in 2008. Chinese have done well with modifying the engine - haven't broken one yet!
MG6 looks great but watch out for the launch price. I'm told its rediculously cheap.
The design centre at Longbridge is the best news. Watch out for the new engines late next year. They might be going cam-less at last.
MG6 looks great but watch out for the launch price. I'm told its rediculously cheap.
The design centre at Longbridge is the best news. Watch out for the new engines late next year. They might be going cam-less at last.
Engineer1 said:
I hope it works the Midlands needs to support its engineering.
Eeerm. Not suggesting investment in engineering is a bad thing or anything here, but I would hardly say the Midlands is exactly short of automotive engineering! If anything it's probably one of the most active areas:Jaguar Land Rover
Aston Martin
Triumph
Zytek
RML
Prodrive
Cosworth
Mercedes HPE
Most of the F1 teams
etc
etc
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