RE: MG TF LE500 Prices Announced
RE: MG TF LE500 Prices Announced
Thursday 3rd July 2008

MG TF LE500 Prices Announced

New TF will be more expensive than a Mazda MX-5


A different kind of retro...
A different kind of retro...
Prices have been set for the ‘new’ MG TF LE500 – and it’s more expensive than an MX-5.The car, which is basically an updated version of the old MGF, will cost £16,399 on the road.

This means it is undercut by the excellent little £15,730 1.8 Mazda by nearly 700 pounds. The engine has apparently been updated and there is now a body coloured hardtop, sports styled leather seats and a piano black interior give the car a stylish new look.

The car has around 136bhp (11bhp more than the Mazda) and comes with unique graphics and a Pioneer head unit. Sales and Marketing Director for NAC MG UK Ltd, Gary Hagen, said the package is ‘extremely competitive’.

‘The backing of SAIC, China’s largest car maker, and the fact the LE 500 has been designed, engineered and is being built in the UK, will play a major role in the car’s success,’ he added.

‘When it was last available, the MG was the UK’s best selling small sports car. We are confident that the indicated demand for the return of the marque from dealers, enthusiasts and most importantly new customers will see it reclaim that position.’

Author
Discussion

PompeyM3

Original Poster:

1,847 posts

227 months

Thursday 3rd July 2008
quotequote all
I think if it had been cheaper than the MX-5 (which is among the leaders in the small 2 seater market) then it might of been worth a look. I guess it will sell but not in the volumes it could have done given the price.

RFChris

5 posts

212 months

Thursday 3rd July 2008
quotequote all
Hmmm, nice to see it's being built in Britain, I guess that's good.

Still, what powerplant will it use and will it still be plagued by the reliability issues the TF and F had? I hope not as I do like these little motors.

968CSReading

3,072 posts

240 months

Thursday 3rd July 2008
quotequote all
We had a MGF. It was crap and I have no doubt this one will be the same.

I think it will need a little more than graphics and a special head unit to justify the cost over an MX5 or a decent second hand roadster (Boxster S for example)

Edited by 968CSReading on Thursday 3rd July 12:10

Baffled Spoon

5,256 posts

216 months

Thursday 3rd July 2008
quotequote all
I wonder how much longer they can keep this (extremly) old design going. No amount of new body graphics will help sort the old engine issues and dated packaging and interior styling. The price is far too high imo for what they are offering.

filski666

3,865 posts

214 months

Thursday 3rd July 2008
quotequote all
unfortunately I don't think I am allowed to comment on this, seeing as who I work for!

nono

filski666

3,865 posts

214 months

Thursday 3rd July 2008
quotequote all
RFChris said:
Hmmm, nice to see it's being built in Britain, I guess that's good.

Still, what powerplant will it use and will it still be plagued by the reliability issues the TF and F had? I hope not as I do like these little motors.
K-series

B.J.W

5,859 posts

237 months

Thursday 3rd July 2008
quotequote all
So an outdated car that was comprehensively outclassed by the old MX5 will now be more expensive than the new MX5 that replaced it.

Excellent marketing strategy.

filski666

3,865 posts

214 months

Thursday 3rd July 2008
quotequote all
968CSReading said:
We had a MGF. It was crap and I have no doubt this one will be the same.

I think it will need a little more than graphics and a special head unit to justify the cost over an MX5 or a decent second hand roadster (Boxster S for example)

Edited by 968CSReading on Thursday 3rd July 12:10
you also get a new colour(the orange shown), different wheels, a new grey and black MG badge and several other things.

This is a limtied edition to start the ball rolling before the censored comes out (not sure how much I am allowed to say here......)

edited to add the sarcasm, then edited to take it out again!!

Edited by filski666 on Thursday 3rd July 12:18


Edited by filski666 on Thursday 3rd July 12:18

waynepixel

3,978 posts

246 months

Thursday 3rd July 2008
quotequote all
Important sentence

"Prices have been set for the ‘new’ MG TF LE500 – and it’s more expensive than an MX-5.The car, which is basically an updated version of the old MGF, will cost £16,399 on the road."

It a bloody old car, and you really think people will pay 16k for one. laughlaughlaugh

Nick Young

253 posts

272 months

Thursday 3rd July 2008
quotequote all
Nice to see the usual knocking going on. Some clarifications from my point of view:

It's assembled in Britain. I think all the parts are now made in China.
It's too expensive (13-14k would have made it a winner IMO).
The "old" TF was not unreliable when looked after. (I had one myself which had a hard life on many track days and never let me down).
I had the VVC (no longer available I believe), but mine was faster than the equivalent MX-5 (on track and on road).
It was not "outclassed" by the old MX-5, as was evident in sales figures, outselling the MX-5 at some points by a significant amount.
It probably IS outclassed by the new MX-5 (hence, too expensive)

Mark-C

7,184 posts

227 months

Thursday 3rd July 2008
quotequote all
filski666 said:
968CSReading said:
We had a MGF. It was crap and I have no doubt this one will be the same.

I think it will need a little more than graphics and a special head unit to justify the cost over an MX5 or a decent second hand roadster (Boxster S for example)

Edited by 968CSReading on Thursday 3rd July 12:10
you also get a new colour(the orange shown), different wheels, a new grey and black MG badge and several other things.

This is a limtied edition to start the ball rolling before the censored comes out (not sure how much I am allowed to say here......)

edited to add the sarcasm, then edited to take it out again!!

Edited by filski666 on Thursday 3rd July 12:18


Edited by filski666 on Thursday 3rd July 12:18
Well it worked last time ... wasnt't the MGRV8 released to keep the brand alive whilst waiting for new stuff to be ready. Albeit that was a bigger step from the MGB than this is from the TF.

suffolkpaul

37 posts

212 months

Thursday 3rd July 2008
quotequote all
be interested to see what the hell they can do to a tuned k series to get a decent tax band out of it.

If the chinese had got their arses in gear two years ago before the NEW mx5 was released they might have enjoyed a little success.

im afraid that this is too little too late. However....could be a good option for developing markets, but being built in Britain will reduce their margins significantly!

Edited by suffolkpaul on Thursday 3rd July 12:32

VladD

8,136 posts

287 months

Thursday 3rd July 2008
quotequote all
B.J.W said:
So an outdated car that was comprehensively outclassed by the old MX5 will now be more expensive than the new MX5 that replaced it.

Excellent marketing strategy.
Two things.

1) Regardless of which was the better car (I'd take the MX5), didn't the MG out sell the Mazda in this country?

2) What were the original purchase prices of the old MX5 and MG-F/TF?

Nick Young

253 posts

272 months

Thursday 3rd July 2008
quotequote all
That's a very good question - I paid just over 13k for my TF 160 about 5 years ago or so....

Edited by Nick Young on Thursday 3rd July 12:39

B.J.W

5,859 posts

237 months

Thursday 3rd July 2008
quotequote all
VladD said:
B.J.W said:
So an outdated car that was comprehensively outclassed by the old MX5 will now be more expensive than the new MX5 that replaced it.

Excellent marketing strategy.
Two things.

1) Regardless of which was the better car (I'd take the MX5), didn't the MG out sell the Mazda in this country?

2) What were the original purchase prices of the old MX5 and MG-F/TF?
Not sure what your point is?

jagdpanther

19,633 posts

241 months

Thursday 3rd July 2008
quotequote all
filski666 said:
RFChris said:
Hmmm, nice to see it's being built in Britain, I guess that's good.

Still, what powerplant will it use and will it still be plagued by the reliability issues the TF and F had? I hope not as I do like these little motors.
K-series
rofl


Oh dea oh dear oh dear!

Even Lotus changed for the VVTi so you think the "New" MGF would have something that could challenge the competition

swaterall98

51 posts

243 months

Thursday 3rd July 2008
quotequote all
People will buy them because its an MG after all, even though we all know its not really any more!

kevin ritson

3,423 posts

249 months

Thursday 3rd July 2008
quotequote all
suffolkpaul said:
be interested to see what the hell they can do to a tuned k series to get a decent tax band out of it.
Not a great deal seeing as my VVC'd 111S making 156bhp is in Band D...

As above it needs to be £12-13K to sell. It's a 15 year old design with a 20 year old engine so it should cost peanuts to build.

havoc

32,549 posts

257 months

Thursday 3rd July 2008
quotequote all
kevin ritson said:
It's a 15 year old design with a 20 year old engine so it should cost peanuts to build.
yes

Stu_00

1,529 posts

241 months

Thursday 3rd July 2008
quotequote all
will there be a waiting list,

wonder if there bring out a streetwise with new graphics!

tasty!