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MG MGB Technical - Chinese MG's

I just heard a report on NPR radio that the first Chinese made MG's are rolling of the assembly line at the Nanjing plant. The report also said the Oklahoma plant is dead and the new MG's are not likely to come to the US any time soon. The report said Nanjing moved the entire British factory's equipment and set up shop within 12 months. Impressive.
Luis

Sorry, I meant to post on MGB general.
Luis

according to this article

http://www.kotv.com/news/local/story/?id=123732

the OK plant is still on.

Ronald
RJS Stanis

Nope. An MG spokesman in China clearly said the OK deal is dead. He said they're hoping to build a plant in the US someday, but that Oklahoma is off the table.

R.
Rick Stevens

Here is an article on the first ones to roll off the assembly line in China. Click on the pictures link for a couple more pictures.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6497959.stm
BEC Cunha

Leave it to the Chinese to finally figure out what MG stood for.
Henry

According to Ann M.G. Writer's post, Marc Nuttle, who either owns or represents the owners and heads the company in Oklahoma, re-iterated their intent to build the TF coupe and to distribute the UK and Chinese built sports cars and sedans. He was just in Nanjing to sort things out.

I have not seen the story about cancellation, but it preceded the corrections. I do know that the CEO, Duke Hall, was sacked and some of his team. The cancellation story was probably based on some sour grapes.

Nanjing is very small OEM and the US part of the business is something they are quite keen about, but they're having to go the distributor route. As things are being done on the proverbial shoe string, we'll have to see how thing work out.

Still, the ball is rolling down hill towards us in States, MG's adoptive home, in some form or another.
John Z

With all respect, John, the protestations of the owners' group in OK sounds suspiciously like "Victory is just around the corner." I personally think it would be a very, very good thing if the OK plant were built but the NPR interview didn't leave much room for doubt.

NPR didn't get the story wrong, they replayed the recording of the Chinese spokesman saying specifically that the OK site was dead. It did sound like they want to build a plant somewhere here.

R.
Rick Stevens

With all the downsizing Detroit is doing, I would think personnel and facilites would not be an issue, but then the Chinese have to deal with UAW and the rest of that baggage. They have to build a good car and sell it lower than others. I still do not see the hook they will have to get the youth to buy the car. With the current competition in the $20,000 to $28,000-+ area they are going to have to have a hook.
BEC Cunha

Agreed. And "Modern Gentleman" ain't it. I can tell you from experience that most under-30 Americans today don't have a clue what an MG is (or was). Some do, and it's a real treat to meet one of them, but the vast majority are rightfully clueless about them.

The new roadster looks okay, but there other sexy 2-seaters on the market going for a lot less money. And these cars have familiar names and catchy marketing. Hopefully the folks in China will get a good ad agency.

R.
Rick Stevens

Rick -
1) The under-30 market is largely not relevant to any MG discussion. Most buyers are 40+, for sports cars, even higher. The 50+ market is the heart of both the MG and sports car market. By the time the under 30 crowd make it to the counter, the marque should be (I hope) well established.

2)Let's not forget the "Modern Gentleman" formulation is for the Chinese market - where the writing "MG" is hopleless scribble.

3) Building cars in OK seems far-fetched, but I don't think one report, thus far not confirmed, from NPR is anything but a rumor to be watched.

4) Regardless, the US assembly was only for the TF coupe - the rest of the cars from the UK and China should still be coming our way.

5) What "less money"? I would expect that the MG would be quite price competitive here with Miata and Solstice. And is a better car than either, to boot.

Bruce
1) Except for the Mazda/Ford Plant in Michigan, there are no UAW transplants. Everyone growing in this country - Japanese, Koreans and Germans, all manufacture and assemble here.
John Z

"Most buyers are 40+"

Maybe in the US, there are a lot of much younger owners in the UK of both the ZR and MGF/TF. The MGF/TF was the most popular sports convertible in the UK all the time it was available.
Paul Hunt 2

"I would expect that the MG would be quite price competitive here with Miata and Solstice. And is a better car than either, to boot."

Why?!
Carl Floyd

Paul - You're right, I'm speaking of the US. This isn't to say that younger buyers don't buy the cars either - but the average age of a sports car buyer was over 45 last time I had access to the data. If the average age is 45, it means that 1/2 the buyers, using 45 as the median, would be younger than that, conforming with your observation.

Sports cars have a youthful image, to be sure, but those who buy the cars are often buying the image as well as the car.

Carl - Which way do you think the price will break - higher (due to the image, prestige, rarity) or lower (due to the high Chinese content)? In fact, an OEM will price at competitive rates. If they have a cost advantage, they'll pocket the savings in profit, if they have a cost disadvantage, they will try to hit the "high side" of the sweet spot. Unless they are Ford or GM - where they'll drive the price down through rebates when they have a cost disadvantage - but that's "off topic". The Chinese tendency would be to price at a lower price point - but with partners, etc., all looking for a cut, you will probably see a Miata price, maybe a tad higher ($100 or less).

Better car? Of course it is! It's an MG! (In the competitive UK market, it more than held its own.)
John Z

This thread was discussed between 28/03/2007 and 01/04/2007

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