There was once a time when MG produced some of the most thrilling, compact sports cars on the market but now, it has nothing but an SUV and two bland small cars in its range.
However, speaking to Motoring, the head of MG Motors Australia Zhu Chao revealed that the company is thinking about launching a new sports car in the vein of the iconic MGA, MGB and MGC.
“We have the sort of understanding that MG is sporty and heritage is important and we’re really serious about that,” he said.
Quizzed about a Mazda MX-5 rival, Chao smirked and said “I cannot talk too much today about that, but we will think about it.”
When pushed, Chao said that the company’s existing platforms wouldn’t allow it to make the sports car rear-wheel drive. However, he did reveal that the Chinese-owned brand is planning a concept but failed to say when it may launch.
Would be nice to see MG release a proper sports car. When the le 500's came out I thought they would be using that as a base platform and creating something new but eventually instead we ended up with the 6, 3 (which I think would sell an awful lot better if available as a 3 door) and now the GS.
Performance is lukewarm at best and I have never thought about a 4 door as being a hot hatch. You would have thought a 3 door mg3 with at least a 1.6 turbo or 1.8 would have come along by now to at least try and cash in onto the brands 'sporting heritage' even a 6, with a v6 or something but no. Seems a shame and short sightedness of a brand that is trying to reinvent itself and break back into European markets.
Agree MG now has nothing to do with anything MG was about personally I wouldn't care if they never built any more ever again and to make it worse they don't even make them here cant see why anyone would get a Chinese product like the new ZS when you could get a Nissan who are investigating in the UK factory's etc
My! Of course MG is carrying on the tradition of the affordable sporty* saloon which is where they actually began, and investing hundreds of millions of pounds in the UK for R&D, engineering and design. Do you describe the iPhone (or Android, iPod, laptop etc.) you are reading this on as a Chinese product?
(Doesn't mean MG don't have room to do better lol)
*yes, 3s and GSs are quite sporty compared with the mainstream competition...
My! Of course MG is carrying on the tradition of the affordable sporty* saloon which is where they actually began, and investing hundreds of millions of pounds in the UK for R&D, engineering and design. Do you describe the iPhone (or Android, iPod, laptop etc.) you are reading this on as a Chinese product?
(Doesn't mean MG don't have room to do better lol)
*yes, 3s and GSs are quite sporty compared with the mainstream competition...
SUVs (big and small) and saloons.
Here, where the two-seater open sports car has history and some affection, how many do you routinely see on the road? Our Island population has a population of 27000 and I know of half a dozen roadsters in use over the summer. In winter, just mine, a black MX5 and an orange LE500. There are 4 or 5 more laid up or which never seem to turn a wheel.
Fiat have produced the 124 Spider, which I like a lot. So far I've seen two on the road. MG can barely make the effort for the UK market, so if China doesn't want roadsters there's no way in hell they'll build one.
Maybe America still wants them- seems plenty of MGBs went there back in the day, but I don't think MG have a presence there, do they?
The advantage about MG producing a TF type car is the halo effect it gives the range.
It could partner with GM to produce this and GM could sell it in America.
It may not be a profit-earner in its own right but it gives the average MG a bit more kudos and differentiates it from similar cars.
i wish reliant would bring back their sports cars back on the market, reliant and Bond made some good 2+2 sports cars too,
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