MG 6 to be built in the UK

The new MG6 will be built in the UK from 2010

It’s reported that China’s SAIC – makers of MG – are to commence production of the new MG 6 at the Longbridge plant in the UK in 2010.

Now that is a bit of good news.

It’s being reported today with the launch of the MG6 at the Guangzhou Auto Show that SAIC – owners of MG – are going to use its Longbridge plant to launch the MG6 in to Western Markets. Which is great news for the beleaguered workforce at Longbridge who have had a real roller-coaster of a ride in the last few years.

The workforce thought things were looking up earlier this year with new MG TF models announced but that all came to nothing when SAIC announced the plant was to close Longbridge until at least March. We expected the worst outcome with a subsequent announcement that the MG plant would stay closed indefinitely, but it now looks as if the very opposite is the case.

SAICs Chen Hong told reporters at the Guangzhou Auto Show “We want to make the MG 6 in the UK plant at the end of next year” without actually quoting any numbers. But its is SAICs intention to sell 100,000 own-brand cars in 2010, so they obviously have high hopes for UK & European sales of the MG6.

But it’s quite possible that the MG6 will be joined by a saloon version – the MG5 – based on the Roewe 550 which is sold in China. That too is based on the old Rover 75 platform and would be an obvious add-on to production of the MG6.

Who knows, we may even get a new MG sports car.