UK NEWS

THE ROVER'S RETURN

Wednesday May 30,2007

By Padraic Flanagan

Comment Speech Bubble Have your say(0)

WHEELS were turning again at Longbridge yesterday – two years after MG Rover collapsed with the loss of 6,000 jobs.

Three new MG TF Roadster sports models paraded around the plant.

The cars were the stars of an opening ceremony to mark the rebirth of the famous West Midlands mass car producer.
MG staff and executives from the company’s new Chinese owners, Nanjing Automobile Corporation, were joined by car fans from around the country.

As ministers and politicians welcomed the return of MGs to Longbridge, NAC said it had already invested £250million in MG, both in the UK and China, and pledged to invest more.

“We feel confident and resolute in restoring MG’s former fame,” said NAC chief executive Yu Juan Wei.

NAC is now making MG TF sports cars in China on production lines shipped out from the Longbridge site. The firm plans to produce the car at Longbridge, initially employing up to 200 people, and will expand the operation if the car is a success.

But the cars unveiled yesterday were merely assembled at Longbridge – they did not pass through full production services.

Critics have doubts about the viability of full-scale production, not set to begin until later this year. NAC could not say how many cars would be produced in the first year but said sales would also begin “later this year”.

Chief executive Yu Juan Wei vowed that the Longbridge plant would have an “irreplaceable role in the MG project”.

Union representatives said they would press NAC to honour its pledge to create 1,200 new jobs at Longbridge.

No Government minister was present at the ceremony but Industry Minister Margaret Hodge said: “This is good news for the Midlands, and good news for UK car manufacturing.”

Solicitor General Mike O’Brien visited Longbridge beforehand to hand over a letter of support from Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott on behalf of the Government.