The MG name is 100 times old this time, but how important connection is there between the major British manufacturer of affordable sports buses and the brand moment?
The MG brand first appeared in late 1923 as an offshoot of Oxford- grounded auto manufacturer, Morris, modifying standard Morris models for increased performance. By the end of the 1920s, MG was producing its own devoted vehicles from its own plant in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, although still grounded on Morris underpinnings.
Like utmost of the companies in the British auto assiduity, power changed hands multiple times after the Second World War. After about five decades of mismanagement, passing through British Motor Corporation( BMC), British Leyland, British Aerospace, BMW and the ignominious Phoenix Consortium, what was left of the company eventually collapsed in 2005.
Following a protacted and bitter occasion of public wrangling over the company’s means and the future of some 6,000 workers, the MG name and company means were vended to a Chinese company called Nanjing Automobile Group. From this point, the company has basically been revived.
When did MG launch( or relaunch) in the UK?
Technically, moment’s MG retains an unbroken link to the original auto first launched back in 1923. But it’s presumably more to suppose of moment’s company as MG2.0, an entirely new proposition under Chinese power.
The company has basically been rebuilt under SAIC over the last 15 times, and gradationally taking further and further way to come a feasible mainstream brand. The last models under ‘ old MG ’ have all been phased out, with moment’s line- up veritably much a reflection of ‘ new MG ’.
Deals have now reached the point where MG is about the tenth- largest brand in the UK by new auto deals. figures vary each month( as of June 2023 it had dropped back to 11th behind Mercedes- Benz), but it’s likely that we ’ll see MG forcefully cemented in the top ten for new auto deals over the coming couple of times.
What models does MG have and what differently is coming?
In the UK, MG presently offers five model lines – the MG 3, MG 4, MG 5, MG ZS and MG HS. still, in Asia there are plenitude of other vehicles wearing MG colophons that aren’t vended then. These are simply rebadged performances of other SAIC buses , rather than bespoke MG models.
The biggest merchandisers of the range are the MG ZS small SUV( available in petrol or electric performances) and the MG HSmid-size SUV( available with either petrol or draw- in cold-blooded power). A facelifted interpretation of the HS is set to arrive in UK showrooms latterly this time.
In 2024, we should see the launch of the new MG Cyberster roadster, a small electric sports auto that will be pitched as a 21st- century interpretation of the classic MG roadsters of the 1950s and 1960s. But hopefully with better figure quality and trustability
Eventually in the coming time or so, we also anticipate to see a relief for the MG 3 small hatchback. This has been around for nearly a decade, and was n’t all that good when it was first launched. The coming generation of this model is likely to be a massive step forward.
Given that SAIC has plenitude of different brands in its portfolio, and formerly sells numerous different buses as MGs in other Asian requests, it’s entirely possible that we ’ll see some of these vehicles brought to the UK in coming times. But there’s no specific information yet, so you ’ll have to stay tuned.
Summary
We see a fair bit of negativity towards MG on social media, grounded on its Chinese power and the fact that it no longer builds cheap and cheerful sports buses like it did back in the 1960s. But when you take off the rose- tinted specs, the reality is that ‘ old MG ’ was a chaotic, inadequately managed mess for utmost of its history.
The brand suffered greatly under the mismanagement of British Leyland, and indeed BMW gave up on what was also MG Rover, considering it a handbasket case. Given that BMW successfully rehabilitated Mini and Rolls- Royce, as well as reviving Land Rover before dealing it off to Ford, it’s enough ruinous that the Germans were happy to vend it to a shady institute after only six times for the kingly sum of£ 10( as well as financing Phoenix to the tune of nearly£ 500 million).
When MG eventually collapsed in 2005, no- bone
was prepared to buy it as a going concern or cover the company’s thousands of workers in the Midlands. MG had nothing to offer other UK or European auto manufacturers, and the only licit interest came from China. Indeed also, it’s likely that the only real means of interest to Nanjing and SAIC were the MG name itself and the UK R&D installation. The product installations and the buses themselves were basically empty.
Under SAIC’s power, MG has been steadily rebuilt to come a successful – and economically feasible – mainstream auto brand. possessors feel happy with satisfaction situations that are similar to, or better than, other mainstream auto brands.
In terms of safety, the rearmost generation of MG models( MG 4, ZS and HS) all have five- star conditions from independent safety body, Euro NCAP. That’s a much better state of affairs than fellow budget brand, Dacia. trustability data is still patchy, but we ’re not apprehensive of any significant issues that would be worse than other mainstream auto brands.
In short, if you ’re looking for a new or near-new auto on a budget – especially if it’s an electric auto – an MG should be at the top of your list of buses to try.