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Nanjing MG restart MG production

37K views 38 replies 17 participants last post by  mg-zs 
#1 ·
Moving on after Rover collapse

ONE YEAR ON from the collapse of MG Rover, Northfield MP Richard Burden has called for a thorough regeneration programme in Longbridge area and south Birmingham to create opportunities for local people.
Administrators were called in by MG Rover on April 8 last year which signalled the end of 99 years of car production at the Longbridge firm.
The carmakers assets were sold to Nanjing Auto in July 2006 and The Standard reported last week that production of the MG TF sports car could begin at Longbridge later this year.
Mr Burden said the end of car production felt like a bereavement and had a tremendous impact on the lives of both those who worked there, as well as those who simply lived or worked nearby.
“This was nor simply a car plant, It was part of the identity of the area - everyone knows someone or has had a relative who has worked at the Austin,” he added.
He highlighted the work of the MG Rover Task Force and other agencies which has led to more than 4,000 workers returning to work.
“But for many life remains tough as many are on dramatically lower wages and are struggling to pay mortgages taken out on the assumption that they had a well paid and secure job for the future,” Mr Burden
He hoped everyone connected with MG Rover could turn the page and move on and ensure youngsters are given the skills and ambition to take up the challenges of the future.

“Car making can be a valuable part of the area’s future but none of us should allow the future of South West Birmingham to become dependent on one industry or one company in the future,” he added. Rob Georgehttp://bromsgrove.standardtoday.co.uk
 
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#2 ·
MG given 5 yrs.

Not sure that I agree with this, and the fact that the workforce were let go by the Receivers won't have helped NAC recruit many of these people by the time they actually got hold of the company.

From Autowired:



Nanjing can't go far with aged MG
AUTOMOTIVE RESEARCH firm, Trend tracker, says Nanjing Auto should have secured MG’s expertise, not its aged roadster design.
In a new white paper, entitled NAC-MG: losing heart, Michael Wynn-Williams suggests that MG Rover’s engineering talent would have offered the only short cut to a future as an independent car maker.
But with R&D to be undertaken in China, the spirit of MG, which Nanjing Automobile hopes to revive, won’t spring forth from the physical assets lifted from Longbridge.
Anticipation ran high in the UK regarding the proposed rescue by Nanjing Automotive (NAC) of Britain’s comatose MG sports car brand, but in light of the information offered by NAC on the eve of the last month’s British International Motor Show, hope has given way to pronounced scepticism.
“While the British car industry has spent a generation in stagnation, the Chinese industry has been racing ahead at a breakneck speed,” writes Wynn-Williams.
“However, the Chinese car manufacturers are not driving this phenomenal growth, but getting sucked in behind it. Only a quarter of car sales in China originate from domestic manufacturers, which, NAC included, have only about five to ten years to become fully independent before they face tougher conditions in their home market”.
NAC, says Wynn-Williams, is at heart a truck manufacturer, and its poor record with joint ventures prompted the move on MG Rover.
NAC claim to be buying into the ‘passion’ of MG, but seems to believe that passion is embodied in the physical assets it has acquired ... a second-hand factory bought for a knock-down price from which it can start churning out vehicles of a pensionable ancestry. What NAC needs is a complete range of world-standard models to take on the same global giants that defeated MG Rover first time round, says the report.
The fact that R&D will be conducted in China indicates that NAC has not fully understood what strengths MG Rover had to offer, contends Wynn-Williams.
Second-hand designs are a distraction

NAC has wasted the chance of retaining the engineering teams at Longbridge, and by not exploiting this British human asset, shows that it does not understand that expertise comes from years of team-based experience. MG Rover’s engineering talent was NAC’s only shortcut to the future. NAC and the Chinese automotive industry need to design for the future now: second-hand car designs will prove merely a distraction.
 
#3 ·
The R&D is being done by ARUP in the UK so actually this article is flawed.

In some respects the author is right. Nanjing should have tried to secure the R&D department as it's workforce it was highly talented and was capable of doing a hell of a lot with very little money. In the UK all the car designs are dated. The ZT is sound but needs a reskin. The TF whilst is went out at the top of the sales charts for Sportscars is over 10 years old now. So Nanjing need to spend some money updating the designs.....
 
#4 ·
Nanjing launches MG Rover unit

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Nanjing Automobile Group has set up a 1.8 billion yuan (118 million pounds) unit to oversee the development of its own-brand cars based on technology bought from failed car maker MG Rover, state media said on Tuesday.
Nanjing Auto will hold 22.22 percent of the new subsidiary -- set to roll out its first self-developed car by March next year -- with six other local firms sharing the remainder, the official Shanghai Securities Journal said, citing unnamed sources.
Nanjing Auto, a obscure player based in eastern China, took over MG Rover last year, outbidding larger domestic rival SAIC Motor, the country's top car maker.


It stunned the industry again in July, by announcing plans to build China's first car plant in the United States -- a facility in Oklahoma offering a full range of MG sports cars and sedans, including the TF roadster and the new TF Coupe.


The firm will also assemble vehicles at Rover's now-closed Longbridge assembly plant near Birmingham, and at its home base in China.
SAIC, General Motors Corp.'s and Volkswagen AG's China partner, has committed 1.71 billion yuan to develop its own-brand cars based on the acquired Rover 25 and 75 platforms, with an eye on developed markets, including Europe.
But some industry executives and analysts are sceptical of their capability to revive a failed British car brand on its home turf.
http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/articlenews.aspx?type=motoringSummary&storyID=2006-08-29T084607Z_01_GRI931392_RTRUKOC_0_AUTOS-CHINA-NANJINGAUTO.xml
 
#5 ·
Nanjing ready for own-brand cars

Nanjing ready for own-brand carsAug 30 2006




By John Revill, Manufacturing Editor


Nanjing Automobile Corporation has set up a £120 million holding company to oversee the development of its own-brand cars based on MG Rover technology.

Nanjing Auto will hold 22.22 per cent of the subsidiary - set to roll out its first self-developed car by March - with six other local firms sharing the remainder.

The companies include Jiangsu Province Government Property Management, Jiang Ing, and Nanjing New Technology and Economic Development.

But despite the apparent dilution, sources said NAC would remain in the driving seat.

A source said: "This group has been put together to ensure NAC can raise the money it needs to relaunch MG. It gives the enterprise a bigger scale. But NAC will control the board and management."

http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk...njing-ready-for-own-brand-cars-name_page.html
 
#6 ·
MartinW said:
From Autowired:


NAC claim to be buying into the ‘passion’ of MG, but seems to believe that passion is embodied in the physical assets it has acquired ... a second-hand factory bought for a knock-down price from which it can start churning out vehicles of a pensionable ancestry. What NAC needs is a complete range of world-standard models to take on the same global giants that defeated MG Rover first time round, says the report.
If I were NAC I would have a good look round the various car sales outlets in the UK that still have a fair amount of unresgistered Longbridge built MGs - and think long and hard as to why they are still not sold.
 
#7 ·
Nanjing auto to start producing Rover MG engines

Sep. 28, 2006 (China Knowledge) – Nanjing Automobile Corp. is set to revive the old English Rover marque by starting to produce MG Rover engines this month, reported Shanghai Daily. According to the report, the company plans to manufacture 1.8-liter, 1.8-liter turbo, and 2.5-liter V6 engines on MG assembly lines this month.The engines will be manufactured on assembly lines that were dismantled and.....
http://www.chinaknowledge.com/news/news-detail.aspx?id=4462
 
#8 ·
It's great to see the 2.5 V6 will still be made, I'm a big fan of that - having had one for 4yrs and 130k km - very reliable!

I also hear that the VVC 1.8 has been dropped in favour of the turbo. The VVC was a good engine using Rover's own technology, but it's high revving nature with the cam coming on at 4000rpm meant that it was best suited to the MG TF, whereas the turbo, although not many have been made since 2002, is ideally suited to the larger saloons with more grunt. Like many manufacturers, to meet European emission laws and taxes, MG Rover had to have a turbo 1.8 as the 2.0 and 2.5L V6s were penalised with higher taxes.

One does hope, though, that the 1.8 head gasket issues have been sorted once and for all as this will haunt the car! Unfortunately only time will tell as the improvements made in 2003 have certainly reduced the number of incidents to below average but the mud still sticks in the minds of the buyers.

It doesn't mention the smaller K-series which surprises me as the 1.4 16V is also a very good engine, and as with all the Kseries it is very light at 100kgs and ideally suited to the smaller cars. Even the 1.4 16v offers 105bhp (<80kW) and with the light weight of the ZR is actually very nippy and fast enough for most.
 
#9 · (Edited by Moderator)
MartinW said:
It doesn't mention the smaller K-series which surprises me...
I think its just that the first cars will be the MG TF and the MG 7 (ZT), neither of which will get a 1.1 or 1.4 engine, when the MG 3 (ZR) reaches production the smaller engines will appear. For some reason they keep mentioning a 1.1 which Rover hasn't made for some time.


Some pics of the opening ceremony:

The Leader of Birmingham City Council (UK), Mike Whitby and MG Project Director Zhang Xin (Nanjing) turning the keys:



MG's new logo:


First engines down the production line:
 

Attachments

#10 ·
Nice pictures, and good point, Windy. The 1.1 and 1.4 were the first to be produced in the late 80s and were very reliable - not suffering the HGF problems of the later engines when they enlarged capacity and went to a damp liner. I wonder if they will ever do a production 2.0L which has proved very reliable in the BTCC racing and was a far quicker engine than the 2.0 KV6 used in the first couple of years of BTCC participation in 2002/2003.

I think the last cars to use the 1.1 were some very low cost Rover 200s in the late 90s, but I can not remember if the 1.4 was still available as the 8V 85BHP engine. or were all the engines 16V in the last few years?
 
#13 ·
Good work there, ChinaCarTimes! You should be getting a good few hits, most forums seem to have linked your story.

BTW, where's Puppetland, is he off on a well deserved holiday? Thought he would have had something to say by now!
 
#15 ·
really? I dont really have any troubles now with my site now, and the internet is still partially crippled in China post Dec 25th earthquake.

Good work there, China Car Times! You should be getting a good few hits, most forums seem to have linked your story.
Thanks! You're right, this month has been nuts traffic wise. :cool: :eek: :thumb:
 
#19 ·
From the photo's, I think the cars look great and the interiors look down right gorgeous! My only complaint about the exteriors are the very empty wheel wells on the 7L. I am not a fan 22 inchers' but it looks like they are using designer space saver spare tires rather than regular 17 or 18 in wheels.
Personally, I can not wait to have a look at these when they come here to the states.

auto.sina.com.cn/photo/nqMG7slaunch/165751.shtml
 
#21 ·
Good. I even looked at older MG ZT pics I had. They were still a little "roomy," but nothing like that 7L. It may also have been the angle and the lighting. But if that is my only complaint with what I have seen, I think I will be very please with them in person.
 
#24 ·
And the press release:


Press Release
27th March, 2007

NAC MG celebrates the birth of China’s first international car brand

NAC MG inaugurates new state of the art production facility
First cars roll off line
On 27 March 2007, after a period of huge anticipation, MG - China’s first international car brand - will reveal its strength to an eager public.

This day will symbolise a milestone in Chinese automobile manufacturing. NAC MG is inaugurating its state of the art production line while celebrating the launch of China’s first international car brand which inherits all the British traditions synonymous with MG.

The celebrations to mark the first car off the line have attracted leaders from the JiangSu provincial government, NanJing CCP committee and the NanJing municipal government, while British VIPs including a Member of Parliament will also attend the celebrations. Nearly 1,000 visitors will attend, including MG’s global suppliers, distributors, partners, Chinese and non-Chinese consultants and the world’s media. All have gathered together to enjoy this significant moment which will witness the first Chinese built MG roll off the production line.

The MG plant is the world’s largest single power assembly line making the world’s widest range of associated products. The Chinese built, fully automated welding and assembly line guarantees the simultaneous production of multiple models and also incorporates modern production equipment brought over from the UK. Three new Chinese built MG models will be seen for the first time at the event, witnessed by nearly one thousand guests.

The new MG models include the MG7 series and the MG TF sports car. The luxurious and elegant MG7 series will appeal to China’s middle and high-end car market sectors, while the first Chinese made sports car - the MG TF - incorporates many high technology features. A true sports car, the TF is a high performance model with outstanding handling characteristics and dynamic good looks, very much in keeping with its British sports car heritage. The new MG cars demonstrate world class levels of construction, quality and technology.

The official ‘off the line’ celebration of NAC MG car production not only symbolises the full launch of this new international Chinese brand but also marks a new age of development for the Chinese automobile industry. Chairman HaoLiang Wang says of the event: “The purpose of the MG project is to create a brand-new self-dependent Chinese brand which has the advantage of already being recognised as an internationally well respected brand. From the outset, this was an advanced project that has delivered competitive and technologically advanced products. The project is hugely different from the traditional joint ventures and the purely domestic products of the Chinese automobile industry. NAC has adopted the third development model which in essence brings a truly international brand to the market led by a Chinese enterprise. This is a true innovation. The brand’s core competence is to incorporate international standards of development, production and quality control with world class marketing and know-how.”

In recent years, the Chinese automobile industry has made great improvements and has become the third largest car manufacturing and consumer market in the world. However, compared with world’s top level automobile manufacturers, the Chinese auto industry lacks certain competitive advantages. The auto industry has become the fifth largest industry in China and huge emphasis is now being focused on how the country can further improve its competitiveness and become a major power in the world’s automotive industry.

During “the 11th Five-Year Plan” period, CCP implemented a plan to enhance creativity as one of the key strategies for developing Chinese society and industry. The key strategic decision of “going out” was a change from the established macro economic development of the country. The “third development model” of the Chinese automotive industry, adopted by NAC-MG, clearly demonstrates the proactive implementation of these two great strategies. According to NAC-MG Chairman, Mr Jian Wei Yu, to accomplish this strategic concept, MG will develop two bases; one in Nanjing and the other in Longbridge, Birmingham, UK. The UK will be the centre for R&D and also the base for production of high-end value-adding products, while China will be the production centre and responsible for developing the domestic and overseas markets. In China, NAC MG will focus on achieving cost control and developing core competences for sustainable growth.

Since NAC’s successful acquisition of the assets of MG Rover and Powertrain in July 2005, NAC-MG has mastered MG’s core technologies within only one year and has made a range of accomplishments including the export of the first batch of parts to Europe, production of the first N4 engine as well as the first MG7 and MG TF cars. Following the beginning of the project, NAC MG took an unprecedented and innovative route, creating twelve “firsts” in China: from owning the first ‘world renowned’ car brand to being the first Chinese car company recognised by the international automotive industry. NAC MG is also the first Chinese car manufacturer to introduce European environmental standards, the first enterprise to simultaneously establish production bases domestically and overseas and the first Chinese enterprise to get world class core technologies.

The first MG model ‘off the line’ not only demonstrates the successful implementation of the MG project - renowned as the number one industrial project for NanJing city, but also symbolises a key transformation point for the Chinese automobile industry. Through the brand strength, the assurance of quality and the use of technology and world class manufacturing techniques, MG is entering the international top league and will create the drive for Chinese automobile products to speed up their pace in the international market. NAC MG has created a true high-end international car brand led by the Chinese and will lead the way for the establishment of the truly international automotive firms.
 
#25 ·
About Nanjing Automobile (Group) Corporation (NAC)
In July 2005, NAC successfully purchased parts of MG as part of an international strategy and also established two companies in the UK, Nanjing Automobile Corporation (UK) Limited and NAC MG Limited. After its successful acquisition of MG assets in 2005, NAC has gained a higher status in the automotive industry, and support from Chinese government, the Jiangsu provincial government as well as Nanjing civic government.

NAC’s mission is to “revive, maintain and develop MG” for the benefit of both Chinese and global consumers, and plans to produce and sell MG cars in the UK as well as in China. NAC has undertaken to “carve out, innovate, strive to be the best and create an iconic brand” with MG.

MG Timeline of Events

22 July 2005: NAC acquired the assets of the MG Rover Group and Powertrain Ltd.
10 March 2006: NAC-MG project was approved by China’s National
Development and Reform Commission.
27 March 2006: NAC-MG Project’s grand foundation stone was laid in Nanjing Pukou New & High Technology Industry Development Zone.
6 June 2006: NAC-MG Project’s first batch of car parts was exported to Europe.
22 June 2006: The NAC Institute of Automobile Engineering was established.
23 July 2006: NAC MG UK joined the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Ltd (SMMT), and became the first Chinese member in their one hundred year history.
17 July 2006: NAC held a media event in London UK to announce MG cars’ global strategy.
15 August 2006: MG’s first dealer recruitment event was launched in China.
In August 2006, MG’s second batch of parts was exported to Europe.
22 August 2006: NAC was recognised as one of China’s first car exportation bases by Ministry of Commerce of People’s Republic of China and National Development and Reform Commission.
In August 2006, MG was appraised by Boston Consulting Group as one of the 100 potential companies to be trans-national groups and was granted the title of “New Global Challenger”.
13 September 2006: NAC and the Export-Import Bank of China signed the framework in London for the loan agreement for the NAC MG UK Project, so as to support the growth of MG’s UK business and the implementation of its global strategy.
26 September 2006: MG Powertrain was established, using the same name of the internationally recognised brand established by MG Rover
13 October 2006: NAC-MG project signed a supply agreement with renowned British car parts supplier Stadco. The implementation of a global sourcing plan for MG’s overseas projects, and optimised resource portfolio strategy began to accelerate.
8 December 2006: The Export-Import Bank of China endorsed a 500 million RMB loan to support the MG project. The MG project gained significant support from Chinese government.
28 December 2006: The first MG K V6 2.5L aluminium engines came off the production line at the production facilities in Pukou, Nanjing. The first test was successful and results showed that these engines were superior to those of all the V6 engines made in China. MG now produced world class engines for mid and high grade cars.
8 January 2007: In a¡¡meeting of MG’s suppliers, MG declared that it would produce MG cars to the highest international standards.
26 January 2007: MG Rover signed a contract with NEC, one of the world’s top 500 companies. They will collaborate in building BCS production information control systems, thereby introducing the concepts of production facilitation and cost control.
30 January 2007: MG held a brand event named “Heartbeat from England” to disclose the new MG brand proposition and the brand new slogan “raise your heartbeat”.
12 Febuary 2007:, The British Ambassador to the People's Republic of China (Sir William Ehrman, and British Consul General Shanghai, Carma Elliot OBE, visited NAC-MG’s production base located in the Nanjing New & High Technology Industry Development Zone.
27 March 2007: First MG cars to roll off the production line at the Nanjing Pukou production facility. This signals the important development of the first international car brand in China.
MG Brand Introduction

With an 83 year history, the MG octagon logo is synonymous with tradition, culture and heritage.

This historic British brand was sold worldwide in over 80 countries and earned praise such as the “best-selling sports car in the world”, “manufacturer of the best quality sports car” and became well known for its speed record achievements. During its history, the brand became one of the best respected institutions within the British automobile industry.

MG has produced numerous classic models and boasts the world’s largest fan club. Many loyal fans regard it as a “drivable treasure”. Of all the British car brands, MG enjoys one of the longest and most illustrious histories with an influence that has reached out around the world. Having made a significant contribution to the world’s sports car market, MG not only established the reputation for British cars but also changed the face of the sports car scene in the United States.

In 2005, MG was introduced in China. Its Chinese name “Min Jue” communicates deeper connotations. MG now becomes a brand for the new Chinese elite who enjoy great career achievement and cultural accomplishment, and who combine sophistication with passion. The brand signifies their personality and taste and also represents their values and spirit.

The slogan, “Raise Your Heartbeat” originates from MG’s brand proposition: get in and raise your heartbeat. This phrase perfectly encapsulates the impression that MGs have always made on consumers while also conveying the characteristics and ultimate goal of the products. Meanwhile, MG conveys the common spiritual link between the brand and its consumers.

MG is not only the best ambassador for British cars in the Chinese market, but will also inherit and carry forward the authentic British car culture in China.

The Nanjing MG Automobile Co., Ltd

Nanjing MG Automobile Co., Ltd (NAC MG) was founded in the Pukou High-Tech Development Zone on March 27, 2006. It was established by the Nanjing Automotive Group Corporation (Nanjing Automobile) following the acquisition of the assets of the 100-year old MG Rover company and Powertrain Limited of the UK in order to enhance their capacity and development, and restructure their product offering.

With a total investment of RMB 3.5 billion, NAC MG covers a total area of 1,200 mu, and has a total floor area of 300,000 m2. It owns the world’s largest powertrain factory also boasting one of the largest product ranges. It is China's sole automated welding plant and houses a production line developed in the UK. Future annual production capacity is estimated at 200,000 whole vehicles, 250,000 engines and 100,000 gearboxes.

The development of new models has been undertaken by NAC MG.. Using the advanced foreign R & D and production equipment, MG Automobile plans to achieve advances in development, enhance R&D capability, and establish itself as an international brand with class leading products using the latest technology. The NAC MG has integrated British culture and heritage into its products and has become the first international high-end brand in China. It endeavours to “accelerate people’s heart beats”, and aims to create a brand for the Chinese upper class with products which will demonstrate their success, passion and personality.

NAC MG is initially focusing on the production of the MG7 and MG3 saloons, and the MG TF sports car. Using its extensive R & D and innovation capabilities, MG Automobile will launch one or two new vehicles every year. In addition, its entire range of engine products will also enhance its competitiveness in the powertrain domain, and provide strong support for the development of new products and its drive for higher levels of efficiency and greater economies of scale.

NAC MG has set its international objectives. It plans to exploit the domestic and international markets using the two manufacturing bases in Nanjing and the UK. Therefore, it is estimated that production will reach 200,000 vehicles within five year which is considered to be both competitive and sustainable. In addition, NAC MG will take full advantage of the strength of the former MG brand and former international sales network to promote the first international brand produced in China, allowing rapid entry into the international market. It aims to create a strong Chinese-owned international automobile brand and become a global player.
 
#26 ·
Are they planning a V8 rear drive 7? I was wondering about that after seeing some of the pics (like the 7L desktop wallpaper from the MG site.) They have the back wheel spinning while keeping the front still. It may just be some photo shopping to show off the wheels, but I thought it odd to have them shown that way.
 
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