The joint venture of the Chinese SAIC company and the CP group (including 7-eleven) reports that it will build an MG eco-car from a new factory on the Eastern Seaboard to be finished in 2015.
Board of Investment (BOI) approval was reached during November. Projected output from the new factory is 110,000 cars per year, though the factory can ramp up to 200,000 units annually.
Australia’s fastest “works” MGB in 1971.
The new venture is going to cost 30-40 bullion THB, but there are serious doubts that the MG brand can generate enough sales. The sales target for the MG6 for 2014 was 2,000 units, but to date the number of MG’s delivered is only around 300.
Will the new eco-car MG, be a version of the MG3, which would be the most obvious step forward for the factory. Undoubtedly, MG enthusiasts are cringing at the thought, but it should not be forgotten that Cecil Kimber’s original MG was just a tarted up Morris.
MG’s sell throughout the world on their long and glorious history, but in new markets where the brand is unheard of, SAIC is going to have to work hard to address this problem.
