MG's revived by a firm from China and built in Oklahoma? Talk about a global
economy... I think I'll pass on that first model year, maybe a few bugs in
that one.
MG Rover owner Nanjing reveals plans for US plant
MG Rover cars are to be built not just at the Longbridge plant in central
England and in China but also at a newly constructed factory in the United
States. That announcement had come from Nanjing Automobile, the Chinese
company that bought MG Rover after it went bankrupt.
Longbridge is lined up to make convertible MG sports cars while the US
operation, which is to be in Oaklahoma will produce a coupe sports car.
Reportedly it is a partnership with two US investment funds holding a 51%
stake in the venture. US production is set to begin in two years time. The
MG name and equipment to build MG Rover vehicles were bought by the Chinese
after the last independent British car manufacturer collapsed last year in
the face of plummeting sales. The company had not produced a new model since
1998.
British trade unions said they had not been told beforehand about the new US
factory and they now want talks with Nanjing about the effect this will have
on the number of jobs at Longbridge. More details are expected from the
Chinese state-owned car maker at the UK Motor Show, later this month in
London.
Nanjing has also said it plans to make three different saloon car models at
its facilities in China.
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