The marketing of MG has been criticised on this forum, as well as elements of the MG 6, so I thought it might be useful to discuss and throw a few ideas around. Things that could be done cheaply or at no cost to get MG extra exposure and see the sales figures go through the roof.

Some of the ideas might even help John Newey - our friendly MG dealer - to get some more sales on the board.

It's obvious that the diesel versions of the MG6, the MG3 and MG5 will make a difference, so I'm thinking of ways that won't cost MG any money, as we all know that their marketing budget is non existent.

Any ideas?

It has already been mentioned about the BTCC and I think that would give great exposure.


Are MG doing anything to tie in with the Olympics?

Is it too early to launch a limited edition MG 6? Take a standard car, add a rear lip spoiler, lower the price a little and market it as a great value special edition. How about the MG 6 Olympic Edition, available in red, white or blue?

Depending on margins - I think there should be £500 in the car, after the 5, 4, 3, 2 1 offer, so advertise them for sale at £14,995, and get below the £15k barrier for the first time.

Are MG doing anything to tie in with the Olympics?

Great minds think alike Mr Roverman :rofl:

Great minds think alike Mr Roverman :rofl:

Cheers Mr. Ian :broon:


I'm sure if MG supplied a couple of free cars to EON Productions, we could have seen them in the latest Bond film.

After all it worked after Colin Chapman parked a Lotus Esprit outside their offices.

Give me a car with MG vinyls on, with leaflets so I can drive round advertising for them :broon:.

give me a car with mg vinyls on, with leaflets so i can drive round advertising for them :broon:.

+ 1

+ 1

+2

That was gonna be my idea too :happy:

The problem is no one knows MG exists again, how much would it cost to put a massive MG6 logo with a web address on bus stops.

With their red logo on the side of one, people arn't going to not see them, even people in their own cars driving past will see them.

Or how about parking a few plastered up with details on the side and bonnet through out town centres or in shopping centres, people really don't know MG is back.

For example in Newcastle MG is just along the road from the metro centre - one of the biggest shopping centres in the UK but no one up here knows MG is back, why not stick one of the cars in the display areas, or hang one from a wall.

Or offer people 48 hour test drives, just so more and more people are seen driving them around, they must have loads of demos sitting around most of the mid week doing nothing, give them to the public to rag around in, it'll prove relaibility, give MG feedback and let the public see the cars out on the road.

have a trio,,, red/white/blue doing constant tours of all the car shows.. and i mean the club ones.. aka santa pod/maxpower tours etc...

thankfully the new mg's arnt as bland looking as most production cars nowadays and with the sub 20k price tag for a high spec model should generate interest...

plus a few quarter mile run times wouldnt hurt )))

For example in Newcastle MG is just along the road from the metro centre - one of the biggest shopping centres in the UK but no one up here knows MG is back, why not stick one of the cars in the display areas, or hang one from a wall.

Or offer people 48 hour test drives, just so more and more people are seen driving them around, they must have loads of demos sitting around most of the mid week doing nothing, give them to the public to rag around in, it'll prove relaibility, give MG feedback and let the public see the cars out on the road.

I've been waiting for months for Silverlink MG or whatever they are called to sort out a test drive - I'm still waiting.

They cant return a phone call or answer their on-line query system to sort out a test drive let alone anything else.

If they are this bad pre-sale can you imagine their afterservice?

If MG want to sell some more cars they would make a good start getting rid of dealers like this - useless is being kind!!

give em away as prizes

the local shopping center in weston has a kia sat in the middle of it as a prize. everyone who goes in and out sees it.

repeat that in a few stores... cribbs and cabot circus, and the other cities equivelents

Hows about asking for suggestions on MacDroitwich. There are at least two contributors over there who've bought one with their own money.

The problem is no one knows MG exists again, how much would it cost to put a massive MG6 logo with a web address on bus stops.

With their red logo on the side of one, people arn't going to not see them, even people in their own cars driving past will see them.

Or how about parking a few plastered up with details on the side and bonnet through out town centres or in shopping centres, people really don't know MG is back.

For example in Newcastle MG is just along the road from the metro centre - one of the biggest shopping centres in the UK but no one up here knows MG is back, why not stick one of the cars in the display areas, or hang one from a wall.

Or offer people 48 hour test drives, just so more and more people are seen driving them around, they must have loads of demos sitting around most of the mid week doing nothing, give them to the public to rag around in, it'll prove relaibility, give MG feedback and let the public see the cars out on the road.

even I didn't know MG had a dealership in the NE! and im a massive MG nerd!



BTCC is probably a waste of time... highly competitive... you aren't going to win in a MG6, no big names will want to drive for you and nobody watches it anyway (as in joe bloggs who knows nothing about cars)

you could park them on street corners covered in stickers but people often as not would think it was a mazda 6



it comes down to advertising i guess :( promote the british heritage it can't hurt... even though we tend to put ourselves down (half the reason MG/R died) but still... it works well for aston

I would say the only ad i have seen for the MG6 was in top gear mag a few months ago

i bet that ad cost a fortune and didn't inform anyone who didn't know MG were back that the new MG6 was out

lets face it... if you read Top Gear Mag your going to be a bit of a petrol head who will know what its all about

surly a newspaper is a better place to spend that money?

once the dervs are out then hopefully fleets will be an option

stick it on various NHS car salary sacrifice schemes at a competitive price... they will be well looked after and driven by District nurses for the most part and only trundle around town

do the same with disability schemes

in 2004 i was 17 and looking for my first disability car... i wanted a ZR... the 1.4 105 with windy windows, a tape player and matrix seats needed a £500 payout

i got a 1.8 nissan almera Sport XSE with half leather seats, 6 disk CD player, DVD player, Satnav, Electric windows, Black metallic paint and a rear spoiler/stainless back box and 18" alloys for only £250 towards the car (the list price of that car btw was over 16k)

i WANTED the ZR... i got the nissan at less cost and with every option under the sun

i bet there is a huge market in motability ready to be tapped by a car with a big boot, comfy suspension and a good (if not powerful) engine with lots of options as standard? ditto fleet cars/NHS

done correctly it costs no marketing budget... it just needs to be competitive

and best of all it's hire purchase so warrantees and stuff can then be brought back into the dealership ready for sale at the end of the 3 years

unless i know even less about the Car market than i think (and i dont think i know anything)



Edit: Silverlink MG? that's not really a dealership... its a used car lot with a MG sign bolted on the side..... oh and last time i drove past on the A19 (a VERY busy road that often has standing traffic) I saw no large bill board or anything saying "MG dealership... come drive the MG6"

give me a job MG i'll sort muppets like that out... you'd think they dont want to make money!

they need to get a couple on a regular family type british drama/sitcom or as mentioned a low budget film4 type movie, everyone of a certain age remembers ford capri s in profesionals and minder,ford granada s in the sweeny,but they probably dont remember as much the dolly sprint getting ragged about in early profesionals before they went with ford,even volvo p1800 in the saint after jaguar turned them down on an e type,even the new avengers purdy in tr7 steed in that wild v12 jag, even rita sue and bob too in the sd1,point being i suppose tv shows even low budget or obscure comedys and sitcoms get products noticed as they become background wallpaper on our screens night in night out,an mg6 parked in front of the woolpack 5 nights a week couldnt fail to get noticed,volvo really got one over on jag by quickly offering up their not widely known company low volume sport coupe .sound familiar?

I'm going to the BTCC at Oulton next Summer mate, beats ITV2 !

Police cars - give one / several to the local PD for testing and appraisal.

Crazy viral vid with Russ Swift donuting one.

Reliability tests. Do an insane drive at Mira at full throttle to show how tough the new cars are. Breaks some class records perhaps.

Give a couple to some tuners and let them bling them up. Ford did that with the new Mustang then held a show. Stand at the NEC when one if the car shows us on and get some mag piccies.

If they got a limited budget it's about value for money so what they do has to be underground and spread by mouth. I had a series of mini films Guy Richie etc did for BMW as online videos perhaps something along those lines ??

The list is endless.

In the short term MG have got to address the main issues.

Poor mpg - free fuel
Expensive Tax - free tax
Dodgy residuals - low interest low deposit loans

Why not have a by back scheme after 12 months where you can upgrade to a new car for a minimal payment. Worked for Daewoo and it'll get some cheap advertising.

Its hardly in the same class as a Lotus!!!British families don,t want to buy sod all british never mind a cheaply made chinese car with an MG badge stuck on.Only the diehard fans like you lot know it exists and the chinee don,t seem to want to push it at all going by the 7 that were sold in november!I have said this before but the brand should have died in 2005 and just remember the good days.These new models are an insult to the MG brand and deserve to fail.

Social media (such as Facebook, Twitter and even forums like this) is a great way to improve communication and build brand recognition. MGR had a very public demise so the company needs to do all it can to let Joe Public know they are back in business and create a buzz about the new models.

For example pages and groups on Facebook can be set up for free and as long as they are updated regularly with interesting content will continue to get hits and create a chain reaction with friends of those using the pages seeing what they are doing on their wall feed.

Advertising can also be very targeted (for example those who are members of car forums or a certain location, job or demographic) and is charged 'per click' so only those who actually look at the advert properly incur a cost to the advertiser.

Basically loads that can be done for very little money IMO!

But what's the point of a giant marketing campaign to get noticed when they have nothing to sell yet?
A one model, one (thirsty petrol) engine range will never sell in any number in a market that wants small derv powered cars.
Launch a full range with proper competative finance and low deposits, then start with the advertising...
Assuming they care about the UK market.

They have a fairly active facebook page http://www.facebook.com/MGmotor

They didn't market the 5,4,3,2,1 offer very actively in November. No local press advertising, for example. So, apart from the difficulties of marketing a (relatively) thirsty and RFL tax-inefficient car from a brand with a troubled history and confused demographic profile into a sector with some very strong and well-established players, the relative invisibility and tiny dealer network hamstring any prospect of sales success. It's a good car and a great deal but hardly anyone in the marketplace knows about it.

But what's the point of a giant marketing campaign to get noticed when they have nothing to sell yet?
A one model, one (thirsty petrol) engine range will never sell in any number in a market that wants small derv powered cars.
Launch a full range with proper competative finance and low deposits, then start with the advertising...
Assuming they care about the UK market.

Strange how everybody isn't driving small derv cars then and that manufacturers such as Ford with their Mondeo, Vauxhall with the Insignia and JLR sell any cars then.

But they are the fleet sector, and MG has said it isn't targeting fleet.
And no buyer of a JLR product is looking in the same sector as the 6.
That leaves private buyers, who want derv mainly because they look at MPG and road tax, rightly or wrongly, that's what sells cars along with finance or PCP monthly payments and the deposit size.

What they've got right:
Handling

What they've got wrong
Placement against competitors and Pricing Structure (overambitious)
Marketing
Car (arguably)
Marketing
Engines (no diesel)
Marketing
Transmissions (no Auto)
Marketing
Warranties (uncompetitive)
Marketing
Fleet sales - "Not a target". This is a huge mistake.

Isn't the purpose of this thread to make MG great again and say which things could be done at no cost or cheaply to expose MG?

Yes it is. Ergo, putting right the things I consider they got wrong would be a good start. It hardly matters though, I don't reckon SAIC are serious about the UK anyway.

Yes it is. Ergo, putting right the things I consider they got wrong would be a good start. It hardly matters though, I don't reckon SAIC are serious about the UK anyway.

Trade your Porsche in for one. ;)

I need to change that profile thing, my missus now has the Porker. If I sold it she'd never speak to me again. Actually......

Jesus die hards won't buy them, so what chance have they got?

There properly properly ugly. So as someone has already mentioned give one to a tuning company. The tein 6 is the one everyone remembers build on that and you may get somewhere.

Hurry the diesal on. IMHO they should have never realised the car till it had the option

How about offering huge trade in value for old mg's?

Jesus die hards won't buy them, so what chance have they got?

There properly properly ugly. So as someone has already mentioned give one to a tuning company. The tein 6 is the one everyone remembers build on that and you may get somewhere.

Hurry the diesal on. IMHO they should have never realised the car till it had the option

Can't disagree with you on the last point John, problem is, its still 12 months away :( Bit of a catch 22. Don't launch the MG6 and get critism for not doing it or launch it and then get critised for slow sales.

Promoting and selling a 1 model range is a tall order - especially given the cost of the advertising required to get the exposure most people on here seem to think they should have.

Save the expense for when they have a range of cars, not just 1.

As for the looks - its subjective John. I for one don't mind the GT, but prefer the look of the Saloon.

Isn't the purpose of this thread to make MG great again and say which things could be done at no cost or cheaply to expose MG?

Why does it have to be done cheaply? The SAIC fans keep telling us how much money they have so why are MG being run on a shoestring?

Evo mag says the MG6 has brilliant handling... great but the people who read that mag want a car that looks as good as it goes so it's very simple...

- tuned engine with power increase (replacement engine?)
- further tweaked handling to make it top of the "hot" models
- restyled bodywork with kit, better wheels, lowered etc... basically make it more aggressive and less Oriental (aka boring)
- only sell it in the saloon form as it looks 10x better than the hatch imo
- market as TEIN, XPower etc to launch as a halo model range

Keep price to around 18-20k, get it a major car mag feature et voila MG catapulted into the bigtime. The cars need to be exciting and shake off the dull Chinese image they're swiftly getting at present...

With all due respect to the brand but they've done sweet fa launching the brand as is. The brand is still dead in all but petrolheads. I really want to see this derv, if it's as good as they say!

Who has the rights to the t series?

Why does it have to be done cheaply? The SAIC fans keep telling us how much money they have so why are MG being run on a shoestring?

Evo mag says the MG6 has brilliant handling... great but the people who read that mag want a car that looks as good as it goes so it's very simple...

- tuned engine with power increase (replacement engine?)
- further tweaked handling to make it top of the "hot" models
- restyled bodywork with kit, better wheels, lowered etc... basically make it more aggressive and less Oriental (aka boring)
- only sell it in the saloon form as it looks 10x better than the hatch imo

Keep price to around 18-20k, get it a major car mag feature et voila MG catapulted into the bigtime. The cars need to be exciting and shake off the dull Chinese image they're swiftly getting at present...

Right, and given how many they sell of the normal model, how many do you think they'd sell of a niche enthusiasts' model?

You do know the ZR160, ZS180 and ZT190 / 260s were all outsold by the volume sellers in each of their ranges don't you?

Enthusiast models will come, but they need to get the bread and butter first.
You talk of sheet metal changes as if they're easy & cheap to do? They're not - that's why the Zeds shared all the panels with the Rover versions and why the MG6 panels are the same here and in China.

Yes SAIC are rich, but they're not stupid and what you're suggesting would simply cost hundreds of thousands, which they wouldn't see again.

We'll quite simply need to judge them in 5 years or so, once they have a range on sale in the UK vs what they have now.

As for 'dull Chinese image' - I can't say the MG6 looks Chinese at all actually.... If anything it looks European.

What good would the T Series be?

MG Rover didn't think it was worth development to continue it's use.

What good would the T Series be?

MG Rover didn't think it was worth development to continue it's use.

LOL, that made me laugh - whenever more power was suggested in the MGR days, people always seem to be quick to suggest the T Series.

Geez, and the K Series / TCi engine gets accused of being long in the tooth! :lol:

Not sure how else to get power, I was spit balling tbh

New engine John, simple as. Which they have in development.

Oh come on! Again what's the wait! I agree with you looks are subjective. The back end is not that bad, and in fairness how do you follow the mk2 zeds. But they haven't put any money into the launch so why rush it out with the just the k? The k's rep isn't the best as it is, it might even damage the 6's chances. I think there leading us the garden path tbh

To produce a new engine takes years.

To produce a new engine takes years.

Granted, but a bad image takes longer to shake off

To produce a new engine takes years.

Quite correct, and additional bit to that, produce a new 'reliable' engine takes years.

Has it been through NCap yet? Renult had a very successful campaign based on there 5* ratings

Has it been through NCap yet? Renult had a very successful campaign based on there 5* ratings

Yes, 4 stars which you'll probably moan about no doubt.

Wasn't the zt 5* with the additional curtain airbags?

Wasn't the zt 5* with the additional curtain airbags?

What's that got to do with anything?

The 75/ZT was a 4*




I said you'd moan.

It would of been in the old testing yes, the NCAP has got more strict compared to the 75 days so the cars are not like for like, the MG6 would probably get 5 star with the old system.

What's that got to do with anything?

The 75/ZT was a 4*

Ok then let's hear your opinion! Why havnt you bought one? Instead of having a pop at my opinion lets hear yours

It would of been in the old testing yes, the NCAP has got more strict compared to the 75 days so the cars are not like for like, the MG6 would probably get 5 star with the old system.

4 isn't a terrible result to be honest. Not enough to put you off at least. Kinda takes my idea away though

4 isn't a terrible result to be honest. Not enough to put you off at least. Kinda takes my idea away though

Well no exactly, the Jaguar XF got 4 star again in its retest and that is a much more expensive car.

Well no exactly, the Jaguar XF got 4 star again in its retest and that is a much more expensive car.

Lol you've just been on the same site as me! Notice all the 5's though. Like I said 4 wouldn't put you off. It just ruins my idea of heavy promo on saftey

Quote removed as the original post was removed

Not really. You could have summed that up with. I'm not in the market for a new car. Hey ho. So come on what's your suggestion. How could mg sell more cars?

Lol you've just been on the same site as me! Notice all the 5's though. Like I said 4 wouldn't put you off. It just ruins my idea of heavy promo on saftey

Yeah I seen it on their website the other week, 4 star, 5 star doesn't really matter at 70MPH, you're likely to die or be seriously injured anyway. NCAP isn't a thing I look at when buying a car to be honest, simple don't crash :lol:.

They couldn't. Not yet anyway, not without something worth making a big song nd dance about with marketing and advertising anyway.

I know put the car in a porno, that will soon get some 'exposure' :lol::rofl:.

Yeah I seen it on their website the other week, 4 star, 5 star doesn't really matter at 70MPH, you're likely to die or be seriously injured anyway. NCAP isn't a thing I look at when buying a car to be honest, simple don't crash :lol:.

Haha your completly right! And yeah im with you saftey doesn't appear high on my list either, but renult shifted a fair old lump of units on that campain alone. Steves also right a sports version would probably only appeal to the die hards. There quite well equipped, it can only be the thirsty engines that lets them down.

However that doesnt really answer the orginal question. How do you promote a car in today's market with no money.

Another suggestion. How about making a big fuss on the spec. You can buy a Kia ceed for X amount but with the same money you can buy a 6 with all that and this?

My old ZR survived a 70MPH+ impact and that was a 3*car.

My old ZR survived a 70MPH+ impact and that was a 3*car.

Lovely. Any ideas on the campain?

I've already given suggestions on page 1.

Btcc cost an absolute fortune. No doubt the chassis could take it far too.

It's far far to late for the Olympics, those deals would have tied up months ago.

We can all shoot down others suggestions can't we ;)
Shall we leave the snippy comments now?

Btcc cost an absolute fortune. No doubt the chassis could take it far too.


They did it with the ZS, it looks like it will probably happen anyway.

They did it with the ZS, it looks like it will probably happen anyway.

Yeah because the last management were really careful with the funds wernt they. There's plenty of scope in the tci if it's similar to the old zt 1.8t lump

They did it with the ZS, it looks like it will probably happen anyway.

They do have a BTCC package for anyone who wants it. Problem is I suspect the MG6 platform may be a bit heavy though compared to the competition.

Also, is the BTCC as good as it was a few years ago?

Btcc peaked in the 90's IMHO. Weight is a odd one, has anyone really stripped one down yet? The Intiour could weigh a ton

There properly properly ugly.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. IMHO the MG6 is the most attractive car to wear the MG badge in 40 years.

In fact the MG6 Magnette is a near carbon copy appearance-wise to the very very sexy and much much more expensive Lexus IS250.

Maybe they should do a series of ads comparing the expensive and sexy Lexus IS250 with the equally sexy MG6 Magnette at a quarter the price.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/00/2005-2008_Lexus_IS_250_%28GSE20R%29_Sports_Luxury_sedan _04.jpg/800px-2005-2008_Lexus_IS_250_%28GSE20R%29_Sports_Luxury_sedan _04.jpg

http://www.jaybee.co.uk/frontpage/MG6%20Magnette%20Launch%20Invitation-1.jpg

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. IMHO the MG6 is the most attractive car to wear the MG badge in 40 years.

In fact the MG6 Magnette is a near carbon copy appearance-wise to the very very sexy and much much more expensive Lexus IS250.

Maybe they should do a series of ads comparing the expensive and sexy Lexus IS250 with the equally sexy MG6 Magnette at a quarter the price.

Really?! It doesn't hold a candle to any of the Peter Stevens mg's IMHO. But yes beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

I wasn't even aware BTCC was still going? If they do go racing, they have to be sure they are properly competitive. Running around at the back of the pack will be no use whatsoever.
Do they have a engine that is suitable for the class?

Give ten away in the following competition..

The ten people who generate the most column inches by doing crazy stunts to promote the MG6 will win one.

Now of course this will go horribly wrong, some guy will tattoo MG on his baby, then someone will die jumping off tower bridge with an MG flag.

But importantly, there is not such this as bad publicity :broon:

Some very good ideas here on this thread.

Give me a car with MG vinyls on, with leaflets so I can drive round advertising for them :broon:.

Like your style Steven211. You'll go far with an approach like that. Please ensure you do so in an MG or Rover.... ;)

.. :rofl:

Hows about asking for suggestions on MacDroitwich. There are at least two contributors over there who've bought one with their own money.

The word from the North! what a splendid idea.

Haha! That's a cracker. Lord Greengrass would be proud .. ;)
.

I need to change that profile thing, my missus now has the Porker. If I sold it she'd never speak to me again. Actually......

I saw what you did there ... :)

What good would the T Series be?

MG Rover didn't think it was worth development to continue it's use.

I think you'll find that the Bavarian outfit stopped T-Series production before asset stripping and running leaving the remnant MG-Rover to be set up.

Eleven, nay over twelve years, yes it's that long ago when the 75 appeared, the T-Series in a 75, ZT or even the ZS would have been an attractive car for me and no doubt many others had it been available and folks took one for a test drive.

A dozen years on, the T-Series is still seen as a good UPGRADE in the 25, 45, ZRs and ZSs as there are now many such conversions. In the larger 75s and ZTs I would have bought a new one like a shot. Instead I bought a ZS.
.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. IMHO the MG6 is the most attractive car to wear the MG badge in 40 years.


:yikes: Oh come on Patrick, it'll always be the 2nd most attractive to the ZS, which was the most attractive MG badged car in history:beer::beer::beer::beer::beer: :beer::beer::beer::beer::beer::beer::beer:

They do have a BTCC package for anyone who wants it. Problem is I suspect the MG6 platform may be a bit heavy though compared to the competition.

Also, is the BTCC as good as it was a few years ago?

How many brands are still competing in the BTTC ? Ford and Honda ??

Other than that it's only shown on ITV3 and who watches that ??

How many brands are still competing in the BTTC ? Ford and Honda ??

Other than that it's only shown on ITV3 and who watches that ??

ITV4.

http://www.touring-cars.net/teams/index.php

I think you'll find that the Bavarian outfit stopped T-Series production before asset stripping and running leaving the remnant MG-Rover to be set up.

Eleven, nay over twelve years, yes it's that long ago when the 75 appeared, the T-Series in a 75, ZT or even the ZS would have been an attractive car for me and no doubt many others had it been available and folks took one for a test drive.

A dozen years on, the T-Series is still seen as a good UPGRADE in the 25, 45, ZRs and ZSs as there are now many such conversions. In the larger 75s and ZTs I would have bought a new one like a shot. Instead I bought a ZS.
.

Can't believe I'm going to say this

I...... Agree........ With........ Mgjohn.

I always fancied a mk2 zs 180 with a firebreathing t series

Can't believe I'm going to say this

I...... Agree........ With........ Mgjohn.

I always fancied a mk2 zs 180 with a firebreathing t series

Hah!

You poor lad... go and have a lie down in a darkened room and report to the MO first thing Monday morning if your condition has not improved.

:rofl:
.

How many brands are still competing in the BTTC ? Ford and Honda ??

Other than that it's only shown on ITV3 and who watches that ??

Chevrolet ( Who ? ) are well represented in the BTCC and pretty high profile too. My next door neighbour of forty years, after Maxis, Morrises, Wedge Princesses, Montegos and Rovers, now has a newish Chevrolet ...

They are now a frequent sight on the roads of the former.

Chevrolet... good grief! Who knew ~ I for one had no idea but even a close relative, my neice on my wife's side, has one of those from new like was used in Top Gear's SIARPC ...

Yes, a frequent sight on our roads like Austins and Morrises once were.

Still not seen a 6 and the pictures I have seen from all the various angles shows a car styled remarkably like many others now seen on our roads. That styling used by a whole wide range of manufacturers maybe with the safe option in mind.

Consider this :~

Talking of similar styling, does anyone else sometimes need to differentiate between a Jaguar and some of the higher spec Vauxhall Insignias when seen from most angles except the front?

Please dont ever compare the stunning jags to those bile worthy vauxhalls

Please dont ever compare the stunning jags to those bile worthy vauxhalls

Bile worthy doesn't stop alien product selling shed loads in the former ...

ITV4.

http://www.touring-cars.net/teams/index.php

Shows how much notice I take of it these days.

Ive seen SD1 Vitesse and BMW 635CSi s live at Donnington. Watched RS500 scream round all the big BTTC circuits on the telly. Been to Sutton Park to watch the 6R4 and Quattro Sports flying round like maniacs.

Why on earth would I want to watch Chevrolet Cruz pottering round a circuit being chased by a bug ugly 2.0L Turbo Focus....

Spend the money on some real publicity not playing vroom vroom competing in a sport no one watches...

Produce a viral vid of an MG6 doing a loop the loop and get 10,000,000 hits on YouTube.

There you go advertising done :)

Just because you have no interest in something doesn't mean that the rest of the population doesn't have an interest.

Or are you life guru for the UK population?

Bit like queer eye for the straight guy. ;)

Can't believe I'm going to say this

I...... Agree........ With........ Mgjohn.

I always fancied a mk2 zs 180 with a firebreathing t series

+1 I always wondered why no one ever did it.

They stick wonderful Tomcat Turbo engines in the absolute WORST car to ever wear an MG badge ie ZR/25 and they dont fit it into THE BEST chassis to come out of Longbridge in 20 years.

Surely someone out there has got a dead ZS180 and swapped in a Turbo T. Its gotta be easier than playing with the bumper car ahem Rover 25 ;)

And no I dont like Rover 25s ...

Just because you have no interest in something doesn't mean that the rest of the population doesn't have an interest.

Or are you life guru for the UK population?

Bit like queer eye for the straight guy. ;)

Look at the avatar Im ALWAYS right :)

I was going to, but I measured the garage and it just wouldn't fit :(

I've agreed with mgjohn and forehead on this thread. I feel violently ill :lol:

Look at the avatar Im ALWAYS right :)


Best to be half left or suffer from severe right-overbalanceness disease. No known cure... :(

Have lay down in that dark room with young John.... ;)

I've agreed with mgjohn and forehead on this thread. I feel violently ill :lol:

I feel a severe :grouphug: coming up ~ :yikes: I do not like same sex hugging... I'm funny like that.

I'm ooot.

I've agreed with mgjohn and forehead on this thread. I feel violently ill :lol:

Slippery slope mate. We'll have you in a cloth cap and slippers before long ;)

not allot of help this thread really is it? lol

Honestly the best thing right now is to wait till the Derv is ready then market

33mpg is a bit erm, "expensive" shall we say

I mostly agree with all of Johns comments but

T-Series? are ya serious old boy?

Chuck one of them in a new car and if you can stop it leaking long enough it wont top 30 mpg... it wont have much in the way of performance (its only 20 bhp on the current K series engine) and if you want a saloon that does less than 30 mpg for a smidge under 20k you could go out and buy a 5 year old M5!... http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2935844.htm

and i bet it will still be more reliable than a brand new T series

Ask your average joe about MG and they will tell you 1 and only 1 thing

"the head gaskets always go on them"

even if the N series has fixed that issue it's still very very risky of them to have any link between the dreaded HGF and the new MG brand

and all they need is a 2.0Turbo engine thats really underpowered and a relic even compared to the K series


could they not have just licensed some engines from other manufacturers?

if they were really in that much of a rush to get out into the market?

I feel a severe :grouphug: coming up ~ :yikes: I do not like same sex hugging... I'm funny like that.

I'm ooot.

I just thought you were funny ... period ;)

Whats wrong with same sex hugging if youre confident in your own sexuality?

Im sure Rovie and Windy wouldnt mind getting in on a group hug :)

not allot of help this thread really is it? lol

Honestly the best thing right now is to wait till the Derv is ready then market

33mpg is a bit erm, "expensive" shall we say

I mostly agree with all of Johns comments but

T-Series? are ya serious old boy?

Chuck one of them in a new car and if you can stop it leaking long enough it wont top 30 mpg... it wont have much in the way of performance (its only 20 bhp on the current K series engine) and if you want a saloon that does less than 30 mpg for a smidge under 20k you could go out and buy a 5 year old M5!... http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2935844.htm

and i bet it will still be more reliable than a brand new T series

Ask your average joe about MG and they will tell you 1 and only 1 thing

"the head gaskets always go on them"

even if the N series has fixed that issue it's still very very risky of them to have any link between the dreaded HGF and the new MG brand

and all they need is a 2.0Turbo engine thats really underpowered and a relic even compared to the K series


could they not have just licensed some engines from other manufacturers?

if they were really in that much of a rush to get out into the market?

Or even fit the G series that was developed to fit in the 75.

Buy the licence back of Yang Shan Po Industries and no more waiting.

Ready to go no mods or nuttin - problem solved :)

Or even fit the G series that was developed to fit in the 75.

Buy the licence back of Yang Shan Po Industries and no more waiting.

Ready to go no mods or nuttin - problem solved :)

The only so called G Series to exist is no better than an L Series.

http://www.icml.co.in/spec3.gif

If they had finished development on the 16V version things might have been better.

not allot of help this thread really is it? lol

Honestly the best thing right now is to wait till the Derv is ready then market

33mpg is a bit erm, "expensive" shall we say

I mostly agree with all of Johns comments but

T-Series? are ya serious old boy?

Chuck one of them in a new car and if you can stop it leaking long enough it wont top 30 mpg... it wont have much in the way of performance (its only 20 bhp on the current K series engine) and if you want a saloon that does less than 30 mpg for a smidge under 20k you could go out and buy a 5 year old M5!... http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2935844.htm

and i bet it will still be more reliable than a brand new T series

Ask your average joe about MG and they will tell you 1 and only 1 thing

"the head gaskets always go on them"

even if the N series has fixed that issue it's still very very risky of them to have any link between the dreaded HGF and the new MG brand

and all they need is a 2.0Turbo engine thats really underpowered and a relic even compared to the K series


could they not have just licensed some engines from other manufacturers?

if they were really in that much of a rush to get out into the market?

No N Series in MG6.

not allot of help this thread really is it? lol

Honestly the best thing right now is to wait till the Derv is ready then market

33mpg is a bit erm, "expensive" shall we say

I mostly agree with all of Johns comments but

T-Series? are ya serious old boy?

Chuck one of them in a new car and if you can stop it leaking long enough it wont top 30 mpg... it wont have much in the way of performance (its only 20 bhp on the current K series engine) and if you want a saloon that does less than 30 mpg for a smidge under 20k you could go out and buy a 5 year old M5!... http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2935844.htm

and i bet it will still be more reliable than a brand new T series

Ask your average joe about MG and they will tell you 1 and only 1 thing

"the head gaskets always go on them"

even if the N series has fixed that issue it's still very very risky of them to have any link between the dreaded HGF and the new MG brand

and all they need is a 2.0Turbo engine thats really underpowered and a relic even compared to the K series


could they not have just licensed some engines from other manufacturers?

if they were really in that much of a rush to get out into the market?

You cannot be serious ... young boy!

Now there's a terminal case of BRAINWASHING ~ with copious amounts premium grade diseasal ~ from one with V-TEC MG-F Yo! in his avataar... Good gweef ..:rolleyes:

Next you'll be telling us, just like Clarkson, Honda engines never have reliability issues. Try telling that to my "Always buys foreign" brother.

Only.

T-Series :~

Who said anything about 'chucking one in a new car' NOW ? ~ Too bluddy late now by at least a decade!

Not a lot of help you say. Some say in the land of the self-inflicted they are all now too far beyond help. They really have a point there unfortunately.

Far too bluddy late now in a multitude of ways and at all levels.

Consider this, as the progession towards universal diesel cars becomes complete in the former g, p and previoulsy relatively particulate free UK . What of the resulting massive shortfall of fuel taxes with everyone creeping and clucking about sipping diesel oil in ever more efficient lower quantities? That shortfall will have to be made up in other ways, correction, one way.

Guess what that will be.

Only one guess mind...
.

The only so called G Series to exist is no better than an L Series.

http://www.icml.co.in/spec3.gif

If they had finished development on the 16V version things might have been better.

Actually the suggestion was that theyd already got a 16v version Euro 4 compliant making 160hp.

That would be more than enough for the first off launch of the 6 to avoid the no diesel no other engine complaint.

Actually the suggestion was that theyd already got a 16v version Euro 4 compliant making 160hp.

That would be more than enough for the first off launch of the 6 to avoid the no diesel no other engine complaint.

It was built and tested as a prototype with hand built parts but that's as far as it got.

Probably all binned now.

No N Series in MG6.

Indeed Adam.

N series is the NAC engine produced from Powertrain tooling and designs

The Kaviachi or TCi-Tech is the SAIC version of it reverse engineered from a 25 bought off Evans Halshaw at Longbridge ;)

.
Whats wrong with same sex hugging if youre confident in your own sexuality?
.


I'm 100% confident in my own sexuality. It's the unknown 'quantity' of the other geezers which will always be a cause for concern.

Unknown quantities.

Who knew?

As a very famous North American once clearly stated...

There are many known unknowns which remain unknown knowns and unknown knowns which are known. Just how many known unknowns are known or unknown ... who knows?

...or, something like that.

Look it up. Not many people know that.
.

Surely the Insignia is heavier? That is in BTCC next year as NGTC car.

It was built and tested as a prototype with hand built parts but that's as far as it got.

Probably all binned now.

http://www.aronline.co.uk/blogs/2011/08/28/engines-powertrain-2000-2005/

And please note the comment


"....In terms of power output, the engine came in four states of tune – 84PS, 105PS, 115PS and 130PS, although development on a 16V version had just commenced, which would have topped out at an impressive 160PS."

"...Nic Fasci recalled: “It was quieter than BMW’s M47, amazingly punchy and rather frugal too. One of the MG ZRs I drove with it in was a flying machine. There was so much grunt available that we had restricted it in third gear, instead of first and second, like the L-Series. The turbo was a full electronic Garrett unit that was variable in boost and one of the guys, who took one of the Rover 75s out to Sweden to do the sign-off work on the new brake control system and stability program, ran the 135bhp unit at full-chat all the way there – and he said it was fantastic. It flew and never missed a beat."

Even if the more basic 135hp engine had been available that would have matched the VAG 2.0TDi on power with the 16v version for later to compete with the 170hp version.

Missed opportunity :(

Surely the Insignia is heavier? That is in BTCC next year as NGTC car.

Exactly, as has the Vectra this year, BMW 3, Toyota Avensis and Audi A4.

.
Missed opportunity :(
.


In the land of missed opportunities.

There's the whole problem in a nutshell.

Don't forget the BBC 2 TV programme @ 1900 hrs ~ that will cheer us all up no end. Then the Snooker which has been excellent all week.

I've had a couple of bets on the snooker placed earlier in the week when the odds were better too in such a way that whoever wins, I'll show a few quid profit.

May the best man win... Bring it on... ;)
.

What good would the T Series be?

MG Rover didn't think it was worth development to continue it's use.

Not MG Rover - it was long dead by then. The T series was put to sleep under Rover Group.

Really?! It doesn't hold a candle to any of the Peter Stevens mg's IMHO. But yes beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Peter Stevens couldn't design an attractive dunny door!

And in any case Peter Steven never actually designed any complete MGs. The SV is as close as he got to designing a full car, and that was a reskin of an existing vehicle.

ZR, ZS, ZT, TF - all just new bumpers and pointless chav-style spoilers and shark gills.

http://www.aronline.co.uk/blogs/2011/08/28/engines-powertrain-2000-2005/

And please note the comment


"....In terms of power output, the engine came in four states of tune – 84PS, 105PS, 115PS and 130PS, although development on a 16V version had just commenced, which would have topped out at an impressive 160PS."

"...Nic Fasci recalled: “It was quieter than BMW’s M47, amazingly punchy and rather frugal too. One of the MG ZRs I drove with it in was a flying machine. There was so much grunt available that we had restricted it in third gear, instead of first and second, like the L-Series. The turbo was a full electronic Garrett unit that was variable in boost and one of the guys, who took one of the Rover 75s out to Sweden to do the sign-off work on the new brake control system and stability program, ran the 135bhp unit at full-chat all the way there – and he said it was fantastic. It flew and never missed a beat."

Even if the more basic 135hp engine had been available that would have matched the VAG 2.0TDi on power with the 16v version for later to compete with the 170hp version.

Missed opportunity :(



Having owned an L Series car I've read that before.

:yikes: Oh come on Patrick, it'll always be the 2nd most attractive to the ZS, which was the most attractive MG badged car in history:beer::beer::beer::beer::beer: :beer::beer::beer::beer::beer::beer::beer:

Sorry - looks like a Honda to me.

Peter Stevens couldn't design an attractive dunny door!

And in any case Peter Steven never actually designed any complete MGs. The SV is as close as he got to designing a full car, and that was a reskin of an existing vehicle.

ZR, ZS, ZT, TF - all just new bumpers and pointless chav-style spoilers and shark gills.

All he designed on the MK1 ZR was the rear bib, the rest was available since the 25's launch.

Just how many Impreza's did he cock up?

Sorry - looks like a Honda to me.

A very old Honda at that.

99% Japanese design yet fully accepted as a proper MG.

A very old Honda at that.

99% Japanese design yet fully accepted as a proper MG.

... and far easier on the eye than many Hondas since.

Am I the only one who sincerely believes Rover made a better job of Honda's worldwide best seller, their Accord with the Rover 600?

Accords since do not have the same visual appeal as those earlier efforts. Colleague at work parked his new Accord along side my 600 and this really brought it home to me how big and bulky is also the new black. What about the latest Mondeos ... Yuk visually.

What puzzles me is when folks say some Rovers are just Hondas. Even if that is true, Hondas make a good product as far as I know so why do the many who use that fact as a negative when discussing Rovers and MGs. Prior to the Bavarian mob sticking their oars in, Honda and Rover group were in partnership so obviously, there would be a lot of cross-fertilisation involved with designs.

New = must be better ... er, not always ... and there's no such thing as a really new car. They are mostly rearranged tinware like all those before them with four wheels .. check ... doors ... check ... petrol or oil fired engine ... check ... so, what else is new in the getting about stakes? Oh yes, rearranged tin and cup holders. Talking of the latter, it was several years before I realised that my MG ZS had cup holders under the centre armrest... :rofl: ... I kid you not. I knew everything which existed under the bonnet but not in the cabin .. :)

Not for the first time, must be something wrong with me as now with far too many 'new' cars, Ugly seems to be the new black with so many so called 'new' cars. Some are a Joke. Nay, an assault on the eyes of this driver who appreciates elegance of design sadly completely lacking in many cars today.

Whilst I have not seen a 6 in the flesh yet, pictures I have seen suggest that whilst it does possess a tad of the bloated, inelegant fat arsed look of so many other so called modern car designs, it does so to a much lesser extent. No idea what the inside of the 6 is like but again, with many modern cars' interiors, BLING overkill is the thing and is in, so I'm out.

Finally, regarding the thread title, MGs have always been "Great" to me since I first saw one well over sixty years ago as a small boy taking his first steps in the world. A few years later a close neighbour had a new MG ZA Magnette and rides in that for me aged twelve were a real treat. That MG more than the more sporty versions sewed the seeds of a lifetime's enthusiasm for these great cars.
..

I love the 600 but wouldn't have looked twice at the Honda variant.

I disagree about the MG brand should die, I have always loved the brand;

I have owned an MG F, at present I own an MG RV8 as an investment and an MG TF for everyday use.

I do agree with you that the MG 6 was the wrong car to relaunch the MG brand and am not keen on it at all.

It should have been an MG TF replacement, something that has class, looks ,performance and would like great on any mans drive.

Incorporate new engine technology, returning good MPG, low tax it would have been enough to reinvigorate MG and be the launchpad for many car sales, just as the RV8 did back in the day.

I love the 600 but wouldn't have looked twice at the Honda variant.
I think the 600 suited the UK market better. I owned two Accords though :lol: