JULY-AUGUST ?

IMG_5512
9th May 2008
SAIC-Nanjing


Nanjing UK chairman He Xiao Qing said that production of the TF LE500 would start at Longbridge in July, following a process of planning, re-organisation, active quality improvements and parts optimisation that we recognise resulted in frustration for our stakeholders. The re-launch of the car would be in August, this is fifteen months after the launch last year.

Director of Sales and Marketing Gary Hagen said "The open top sportcar is an iconic image of British motoring and forms the basis of the MG marque’s long pedigree. The launch of the TF LE500 signals our determination to keep this class of car at the heart of the brand as we take it forward. Meanwhile, designers are already planning other exciting new models which the Chinese say will capture the essential qualities of the MG brand, extending the range into additional sectors. SAIC/Nanjing said in a statement: The fact is that in 2008, desirable and competitive British made sportscars will once again be rolling off a production line in Longbridge".

_________________


MG - SAIC
26th April 2008

CAB-web
Will the sign above actually mean what it says.

The president of Shanghai Automotive (SAIC) along with senior managers visited the Longbridge factory on Thursday 24th April to reassure the workers that production of the TF would resume in July. This would be achieved mainly by the import of kits from China. There was no guarantee that previous UK suppliers would get work, as the president made it clear that components would be sourced globally in order to get the best deal. With the re-launch in August, which is not the best time in the year to launch a sports car, it will be interesting to see how sales go. If sales are good they may than decide to introduce another model into Longbridge.

It appears that the Conservative MEP for the West Midlands, Malcolm Harbour, had a meeting with SAIC president Chen Hong at the end of March. Mr Harbour stated that "Mr Chen assured me that, following their acquisition of NAC, Longbridge would be part of their long term strategy of developing their own car brands and increasing sales outside China."

If they decide to make Longbridge the European centre for research and development alongside production, then this would make the Longbridge site more viable. I think, however, that as No 2 Paint Shop on the Lickey Road would be surplus to their requirements, SAIC will wish to relinquish this building to the developer, St Modwen.


_________________



A-New-Journey
20th April 2008
Was the Slogan

But are the clouds gathering over Longbridge.


It is just over a week ago that Stadco, who own the body tooling, and had set up the welding jigs for the MG TF bodies, made this statement. Stadco are withdrawing from its contract to supply panels-bodies for the MG TF on commercial reasons. I think that this is a polite way of saying that, having set up the welding jigs at Longbridge over a year ago and made less than 100 bodies, the time has come to call it a day. Up to 30 jobs could be at risk with this move, it has also made other suppliers, about 150 feel very unease’s.

So are we to see just kits coming into Longbridge for assembly, which is not going to employ many people. One interesting point is that SAIC, UK engineers were planning to move from the Leamington base to the Flight Shed Longbridge before Christmas, will this now be put on hold.

A union spokesperson stated that “unless the Chinese come forward with plans in the very near future, nobody can come to anything other than the conclusion that Longbridge will never produce cars again”.

In conclusion, Rachel Eade, programme manager for supplier support agency Accelerate, said she had been told that a Chinese delegation was to visit the plant at the end of April. "I’m led to believe that an investment decision on the future may well be taken," she said. "Considerable time, investment and goodwill has been channelled into restoring some form of manufacturing to Longbridge and we are still hopeful that this will eventually take place.


_________________


MG Lola EX265
14th March

470-rml_silvtest_080208

It all started in 2001 when the MG Rover Group decided to spend a great deal of money and enter a car for the Le Mans 24 hour race. Lola were given the brief and came up with a design called EX257. In the actual race both cars failed to finish mainly because of ignition trouble caused by torrential rain, causing the engines to misfire.

Well seven years on and history is been repeated with SACI now owning the MG brand. Lola has been approached to fly the MG flag with an updated version which has been re-homologated as the MG EX265. One of the main changes is an association with Advanced Engine Research Ltd (AER) using the two-litre turbocharged XP-21 engine.

RML AD Group’s new MG Lola EX265 completed a faultless first shakedown test at the Silverstone circuit in February with the Brazilian driver Thomas Erdos saying that he was thrilled by the responsiveness of the new XP-21 engine, and looking forward to the prospects of defending the LMP2 title in this season’s Le Mans Series.

RML’s team manager Phil Barker stated that he was upbeat about the team’s chances this year. Further testing will take place, and in March the first official Le Mans test will be at the Paul Ricard circuit in France.

The Le Mans race is on the 14th & 15th June. So SAIC feel that they need to keep the MG brand in the public eye by sponsoring this Lola built car.



Chinese Going Streetwise

8th March 2008

streetwise5streetwise8

Nanjing had talked about bring out there own version of the Longbridge Streetwise. Well now in China you will be able to buy one this month. Its called the MG3 SW and comes in two engine sizes, 1.4 litre coupled to a manual gearbox. or you can buy the 1.8 litre version but only available in CVT form. The price starts at £5683, with the top model at £8525. It appears that MG dealers are now taking orders and deposits of just £365, well we are talking Chinese prices. So how will his model compete in the Chinese market, it appears that on price and specification it should do well.

Now that SAIC and Nanjing are in reality one company, it will be interesting to know how the two companies will line up the various brands. Nanjing has in fact the MG mark, with SAIC having the rights to the 25 and 75. the 45 was based on the Honda platform, so was not in the deal. Well SAIC have just announced that they will be using both the MG and Roewe brand names. Just to recap, SAIC could not use the Rover name, which belongs to Ford and may soon be bought by Tata when they take over Land Rover and Jaguar, so SAIC decided to bring out there own brand which they call Roewe. Its likely that the MG badge will go on the more sporting variants including the TF, and for the more luxury upper market models will be called Roewe.

SAIC_01


As early as this month the first of the new models is excepted to arrive, called the Roewe 750 using the 1.8t engine, It will be available in three versions, the lowest specification priced at just £14,200 up to £16,330 for the top model.


roewe750t
Roewe 750t

Both MG and Roewe brands are planning to launch cars this year. Roewe is planning to launch the Roewe 550 and the Roewe 750 1.8t, the t stands for turbo. They may slot in a smaller car in the mid-range, which would be call the 350. With the launch of the MG3 Streetwise, and the MGTF, the next will be the MG7 Automatic, it appears that the Chinese don't like manual gearboxes, probable because of all the congestion on the city roads.

There is even talk of producing a Mini type car in about three years time, now that would be interesting. Will any of these models find there way into Europe, via Longbridge we can only wait and see.

_________________



Factory leased by SAIC-NAC at Longbridge.

3rd March 2008

If you are not familiar with the size of the Longbridge plant, I have attached an aerial view and it also shows what part of the plant is been leased by SAIC-NAC.

Aerial view of Longbridge factory, it does not show what was the Cofton works. The total area of the plant was about 410 acres in red, with SAIC NAC leasing about 100 acres in blue



Longbridge-Map-A

Here we see a better picture of the area leased by SAIC NAC.


Longbridge-Map-B

The following numbered picture are taken from the points shown.

Picture 1
IMG_6841

Picture 2
CAB-2

Picture 3
IMG_6847

Picture 4 'Q' Gate
IMG_6844

Picture 5
IMG_1141





Production at Longbridge Stalls Again
16th Feb 2008

290507nac

It was in May last year that the Press were shown the new MG TF roadster at Longbridge, with the slogan 'A NEW Journey', well now nearly ten months on and still no cars in the dealers showrooms. With the various changes happening at Longbridge and the latest owner Shanghai Automotive (SAIC) starting to review the situation, it has decided to put production on hold because of quality issues with some of the components it imports from China.

SAIC is now hoping to start building the TF at one of its plants in Nanjing, China, by May of this year but it still hasn’t fully overcome the initial quality problems. Once production is finally up and running at Nanjing, officials hope to kick start operations at Longbridge just three months later, SAIC president Chen Hong revealed to the Financial Times. “We want to begin production of cars at Longbridge as soon as possible, but the first priority for us is the quality of the product,” Hong explained. SAIC is wary of China’s reputation of poor quality and doesn’t want to tarnish its image by launching the TF without the quality customers expect.

A SAIC delegation have been meeting Nanjing managers this week at Longbridge and SAIC's vehicle development base at Leamington Spa, said an official close to Nanjing. The executives will then decide on the carmaker's future model policy for Europe and determine which models will be assembled at Longbridge. One executive was optimistic a decision on future models and production volumes would result from the visit.

SAIC president Chen Hong said recently the company aimed to restore production of original MG models at Longbridge soon and planned new MG models for Europe. "The British business will become SAIC's platform for overseas markets and a window for SAIC into Europe, Now is a fairly crucial time in the process," he said. Eleanor de la Haye, Nanjing's Longbridge spokeswoman, said three models could be built at the plant.

With 50 dealers already selected to sell the car in the UK and with officials planning to follow with a U.S. launch within the next one to two years. The carmaker definitely has ambitious plans. Officials are considering launching at least three new models, including a replacement for the TF which it hopes could be produce as early as 2010.


As you can see from the above, it appears that we may have to wait a few months for the dust to settle until the real plans for Longbridge are announced. (Webmaster)

_______________




Will the SAIC-Nanjing Company Deliver ?
27th Jan 2008

There is growing concern now that Nanjing who bought the MG name and all the production equipment, has still not delivered a single car to the dealers.

In fact when the Official Press Launch was made at the end of May 2007 we were told that they would be with the dealers by about September. It is now nearly February 2008, four months on, and still no cars in the showrooms.

The Nanjing UK corporate communications manager stated recently that she was no longer "allowed" to reveal details of Nanjing's plans for Longbridge. She went on to say, "I am not fully briefed about what the short-term or long-term plan is for the plant". When pushed further about the tie up with SAIC, her reply indicated that they were very pleased with the merger, but it was going to take time before all the issues had been resolved.

Unions were pressing the company to try and find out who is now responsible for the running of the Longbridge plant. Dave Osborne the union's car industries organiser said that having contacted the company back in November, he had still not received a reply. "We have grave concerns about the re-launching of the MG brand, but now that SAIC are in the driving seat, perhaps their plans for Longbridge are more positive than Najing have turned out to be".





Report on the Press Day at Longbridge
29th May 2007


Q-Gate-2

Will the rising sun over 'Q' gate, be a new dawn for Longbridge?

CAB E
MG TF Hardtop
The only obvious changes are a new front bumper and instrument pack

This is the scene that greeted the Press on arrival at Longbridge, then it was on to registration in the Elephant House. A collection of MG models throughout the years were on display.

CAB-G

CAB-I-
1925 Super Sports

CAB-J
1928 14/40

Then it was on to the Showroom, sorry Conference Centre which was packed with VIP from both the UK and China along with the press and camera crews

As some of the presentation was in Chinese it was difficult to follow at times, although the VIP etc did have headphones for a translation.

The main theme was that Nanjing wished to build on the long tradition of the MG brand, and welcomed the support that it had received from the MG Clubs and owners. Longbridge would be the International Headquarters with Sales & Marketing along with Product Development.

CAB-H
Exchanging signed banners between MG car clubs & Nanjing


Time now to move to the Assemble Line


CAB-F


CAB-K

MG-B


MG-E


Outside were lined up a number of MGs

CAB-B



Article and pictures by John Baker

If you have any comments to make please contact me via this Link