The Nanjing Automobile Corporation (NAC) held a grand ceremony
Tuesday to celebrate the restart of production of MG TF sports cars
in England's central city of Birmingham.
After a button was pressed by Liang Baohua, Governor of China's
eastern province of Jiangsu and Mike Whitby, Birmingham City
Councilor, MG TF sports cars rolled off the assembly line in NAC's
Longbridge manufacturing plant in Birmingham.
British Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott sent a
congratulatory letter to the company.
In his speech, Yu Jianwei, CEO of NAC, described the event as
"the next crucial stage in NAC MG's ambitious development
strategy."
"We realized from the outset of this project that retaining a
manufacturing link with the UK is of fundamental importance," he
said.
"Longbridge will play a leading role in our European operation
and the plant is now a position to commence TF production for the
UK market," he added.
Whitby said "two years ago, many people thought this day would
never come." "But as we celebrate a new era for Longbridge, I am
delighted that NAC MG will breathe new life into this famous
marque," he said.
"Longbridge is part of the fabric of Birmingham's heritage and
we are delighted that MG TF sports cars rolled off the production
line once again," he added.
In 2005, NAC outbid China's biggest automaker, Shanghai
Automotive Industrial Corp., to acquire the bankrupt British
carmaker MG Rover Group and its engine producer, Power Train
Ltd.
With that deal, NAC gained a higher status in the automotive
industry, and support from the Chinese government, the Jiangsu
provincial government and the Nanjing municipal government.
NAC's stated mission is to "revive, maintain and develop MG" for
the benefit of both Chinese and global consumers, and it plans to
produce and sell MG cars in the UK as well as in China.
In March, NAC announced it had developed two manufacturing
bases, one in Nanjing and the other in Longbridge.
NAC promised to start production of 13,000 MG7 cars in 2007,
with the model of a five-seat sedan based on a successful but older
Rover 75 design.
It also plans 7,000 MG TF convertible sports cars, with a model
of two seats and a mid-car engine. By the end of 2011, Nanjing
hopes to assemble 85,000 MG 7 and 25,000 MG TF cars a year.
NAC, founded as a military garage 60 years ago, produced China's
first light-duty truck in 1958 and became a joint venture partner
with Italian carmaker Fiat in 1999.
(Xinhua News Agency May 30, 2007)