The MG TF LE 500 - soon to be joined by an entry-level model and Anniversary Edition
Last year MG owners SAIC breathed life back in to the MG marque by launching the MG TF LE 500 in the UK. What’s more, the MG TF is actually being built in the UK, at Longbridge. But it looks like the TF LE 500 is soon going to be joined by a new entry-level model to bump up sales and interest.
The new MG TF will feature the old faithful K-Series engine, delivering around 135bhp, and will come in a fair bit less than the LE500, at around £13.5k. Also expected to arrive soon is an 85th Anniversary Model of the TF, with uprated suspension, styling tweaks and a fresh set of alloys at about £15.5k.
This flurry of activity by MG is designed to make people realise, as much as anything, that MG is back in business and making cars. True, the MG TF is pretty antiquated and is never going to set the world on fire, but it is known and loved by a big chunk of the UK car buying public, so there is mileage in the push.
But this is really about raising awareness of the brand ahead of the new offerings from MG, in the shape of the new MG6, which was revealed at the Shanghai Motor Show recently, and its saloon sibling (likely to be the MG5 in Europe – Roewe 550 in China). These are the future for MG, and pretty promising they look too, even if they are based on the old Rover 75 platform.
Word is that the new MG6 will reach the UK next year, but so far there is no confirmation that they will be built at Longbridge. To be fair, if you were SAIC, would you produce the new MG6 at Longbridge or in China?
Yep, me too!
Chev Chris Galea says
I am quite happy that the MG name is getting stronger and stronger and that it is still being built in Britain.
I always had respect for British made vehicles and I also thought that the Chinese takeover would increase production and worldwide availability. I have just seen the new MG6 and it is really a gem and would be a huge success.
Unfortunately it is not clear why the Rover name, a close relative to MG is not utilized any more.
Compliments and Best Wishes to all !
CarsUK says
SAIC, who make MG, bought the rights to the tooling for Rover but not the name. As far as we can remember, Ford bought the Rover name and it’s now owned by Tata who own Jaguar Land Rover. That’s why the new cars are badged MG in the West and not Rover. Chinese market cars have been badged ‘Roewe’, which if you say it with a Chinese accent does sound a lot like ‘Rover’ would!