On 5/11/97 9:41 pm mgs-owner@autox.team.net said
>You have a good point, one I have tried to figure out myself. The only
>explanation that I can offer is that the target market for all of the
>new "roadsters" is the US. I would bet that BMW, Mercedes, and Porsche
>get almost all of their sales from the US market. Maybe the market
>share in Europe is small enough that BMW does not have to worry too much
>about the MG taking the Z-3's sales. Also, do you think it might be
>possible that the MGF exists mainly to wet the American apetite for the
>new MG that is rumored to hit the US market in the next few years?
The Z3 was certainly designed for the US market - and it shows!. However,
the Boxster is very much a world car. The USA is probably not the
largest market for such vehicles; come to Britain or Europe and you'll
see many more Porsches than are found on US roads. I suspect one reason
for this is the high cost of European cars in the States compared with
Japanese and home-grown products.
One of the many reasons that the MGF was not developed for sale in the US
was that Rover does not, at present, have a dealer network. However, that
will all change with the launch of the new Land Rover Freelander which
will be sold out there. Although it the MGF will not be imported to the
US, it is possible that future MGs will. In the meantime, you can make a
personal import.
>
>On a different note, I have just found out that I will be in Europe in
>December, specifically Paris and London. I am going to make every
>effort to put my butt behind the wheel of an MGF while I am there. I
>will report if I am successful!
I guarantee that you'll enjoy it. Make sure that you get the faster VVC
version!
Philip Raby
Editor, MG World
PO Box 163, Bicester OX6 3YS, UK
Tel: 01869 340061 Fax: 01869 340063 Mobile 0467 767361
www.chp.ltd.uk
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