MGs to roll again at Longbridge

The first new MG sports cars to be made at Longbridge in three years will go on sale in September, it was revealed today.

After more than a year of delays and a string of problems the Chinese owners of MG - Nanjing Automobile Company, or NAC - today unveiled its plans to start production of the TF LE 500 roadster at the beginning of August.

The first cars will be delivered to showrooms in September.

It follows years of intense speculation and rumour since Nanjing Auto bought the collapsed MG Rover for £53 million in the summer of 2005.

Most recently Nanjing was bought by bigger rival Shanghai Automotive, or SAIC. Today's announcement follows a top level visit to Longbridge by senior SAIC executives last month.

In a statement issued by the company today it said: "The commitment planned by MG and the level of investment underwritten by SAIC will persuade doubters that the MG brand is being re-launched with the support to make it successful again.

"The fact is that in 2008, desirable and competitive British-made sports cars will once again be rolling off a production line in Longbridge. A sight that many thought they might never see again."The new car is a modernised version of the old MG TF that was one of the biggest selling open-topped sports cars in the UK.

Since bodyshell maker Stadco pulled out of a working arrangement with NAC at Longbridge last month, pressings and other parts will all be produced in China and brought to Longbridge for final assembly.

The Chinese are convinced there is a healthy market for the revived car, including existing MG owners and enthusiasts, saying they are relaunching "one of the best known and best loved brands in the world".

Gary Hagen, director of sales & marketing, said: "The open top sports car is an iconic image of British motoring and forms the basis of the MG marque's long pedigree. The launch of the TF LE 500 signals our determination to keep this class of car at the heart of the brand as we take it forward."

Whilst production efforts at Longbridge are focussed on the LE 500, designers at the company's SMTC facility in Leamington, Warwickshire, are already planning new MG models "that will capture the essential qualities of the MG brand and extend the range into additional sectors".

At the same time NAC MG UK has announced a new boss at Longbridge - chairman He Xiao Quing.

Mr He said: "I am delighted to be in a position to talk about a launch date for the TF LE 500 following a process of planning, re-organisation, active quality improvements and parts optimisation that we recognise resulted in frustration for our stakeholders.

"We are now fully focussed on bringing our hard work to fruition."

It is a year since Nanjing unveiled a trio of pre-production MG TFs to huge fanfare at the MG factory it operates on on a small corner of the old Longbridge site.

But a series of production problems, such as the supply of parts from China, meant launch dates for the MG TF were put back repeatedly.

West Bromwich East Labour MP and Government minister Tom Watson, and also a member of the original Longbridge task force, said today: "This is very good news for Longbridge, but more importantly it means that suppliers in the Black Country may have a new client in the near future."