THE NEW MG

Here is a drawing, [attachment], of what the new MG is supposed to look like. It's to be built in Ardmore, Oklahoma, [at the Ardmore Air Park], just outside of Oklahoma City. Also built in the UK and China. PJ

That's the car that won the MG GT contest that MG did a year or so ago.

Looks like reart engine to me from the louvers on the rear deck

Its based on the TF platform and body, so it's mid engine. Be interesting to see what engine is used.

IMHO the car looks too "fat". The MGB has a "lean" look and so did the RV8 but when the new MGF came out it lost that lean look, and the MG TF (the later one not the original 54/55TF) was even more "obese". This new one follows that same design trend. Personally I would have preferred to see the car a little leaner looking. As I have said previously the Jaguar and Aston Martin still have a modern look but have retained their identity and sleek lean look without sacrificing style. Only FWIW.

George Herschell

Personally, I would like to see the new MG look more like an MG than a doorstop. I think George Herschell is dead on. AL Bradley

I'm wondering what the price range on these things will be? Will they be in the New MINI range ($17,000 -$21,000) or BMW range ($30,000-$40,000 or more?). Hopefull the former.

DrStrangelove Wrote:

Fugly, give me the RV8 anyday.Now that had some style!

醜惡... (chinese for fugly)


well the cut and paste part didn't work...

I kind of like it, but I don't think the new MG will ever win over most of the legacy MG crowd. I also liked the F and TF, but only because they were MG's, probably would not buy one even if available. I own my old MGs as a hobby car, someting to tinker around with, not for a real world car and daily transportation for trips through rain and snow.

I don't get it. Could be a Mazda or a Toyota or whatever. Whatever you think of the modern Mini, it managed to keep the lineage and translate it anew and that's why it's been successful. This doesn't do that at all. Just another modern blob car. It doesn't ahve one discernible MG design cue that I can see, and the whole mid-engine thing is a mystery...(must be because the TR-7 was such a raging success ;-) ).

The bigger problem for this company is that if they don't get some of the nostalgia crowd, they'll be dead in the water I would think.

no official US site yet, i guess. i'll probably lease one.

I'd like to add one more thought to my previous comment. I had a chance to drive
an MGF in the Uk shortly after it came out. It was a nice car but it did not say to me "I'm an MG". The mid engine also has me a bit concerned. I know it may be more practical for weight distribution but it takes away so much space from the trunk (sorry boot) that there is no place for luggage. I was told that there is room for two golf bags but I explained to the salesman in the UK that we do not pack our clothes in golf bags. We can travel in our B for two weeks and still have the room to carry two suitcases, 2 two carry on bags, plus all the other necessities for two weeks on the road and still not feel crowded. (Without using a trunk luggage rack) There is no other modern Sports Car in that price range that affords the owner that luxury. We've been doing this for many years and very happily so I might add. I looked at the Miata, (nice car and nice successor to what the MG should have been) and found the trunk extremely small with no room behind the seats and not able to carry what we do in the B. I then looked at the Pontiac Solstice and the Saturn Skye and found their trunks even smaller. They were like T Series windshield wipers. "lightly less than innadequate". The B is a car we can travel in and carry enough luggage for two where none of the newer sports cars can match that. So I would say that China has a real opportunity to put together a new MG that will pick up where the MGB left off and afford us something that is not available in any other car on the market. If this is any indication I don't think so. But then again what do I know. I've only been playing with MG's for 47 years.

George Herschell

Just my opinion, but I would like to see an MG in a more classic British roadster/GT form... I guess more of a Miata and less the mid engined Toyota look.
I really think if Mazda had purchased the MG name, and badged the Miata as an MG, we'd really all be pretty satisfied with MG's evolution. Of course there would have been a lot of "no soul" and "no character" comments from lots of folks. In there day though, Bs were pretty common, kind of like Miatas.
I know guys that drive both and love them both.

i say they should go with a 'New MIDGET' and market it just like the 'New MINI' has been. sell it for $15,000-$18,000 with a turbo option. better yet, make it hybrid optional.

I do like it.....but not in the way that I like my MG...It is better than many new cars but I haven't seen a new car, except the Mini, that I actually like. I would be happy if they would give us an MG that looks like the old MG.....kind of like Jeep with the Wrangler...it still has styling cues of the old MB and CJ lines but is modern. MG maybe screwing themselves by not throwing in a few styling cues that make all those people that have owned LBC's in the past get a little nostalgic.

I guess time will tell....

Looks like a nice, modern-looking car -- but really nothing too special, in my opinion. Kind of MR2 / Honda Civic Coupe . .. but it has a few nice design elements. I like the way the windows curve in along the rear side. Nice touch. The side view is handsome--nothing all that special, but good.

The rear, however, is butt ugly. Just way too massive. That bottom skirt with the exhaust coming out of it should have been blacked out (like on a Mazda RX-8) so it's not noticed. The rear window is yet another slit window. I bet it has a terrible "blind spot" on the rear quarters, too.

It has absolutely nothing to do with old MGB roadsters. I'm wondering why they are trying to use the MG name on this car? Are they trying to create a two-seat roadster? Doesn't look like it. I think they would have done better to make a Miata-Solstice sort of roadster than yet another 2-seat coupe like this.

And are they planning to spin off a roadster from this? How do you lower a ragtop on top of the mid-engine? And why a mid-engine car at all? What's wrong with a front engine design? I don't get it. It sure makes working on it a PITA? See Porsche 914 engines, if you want to see the "black hole" approach to engines.

Another electric shaver. But i'm glad that it looks Japanese. Makes me feel better about my own car. I didn't want the competition.

Here's some chinese, FUGLY, freakin' ugly ass, ricer lookin', most non MG I've ever seen. You Buyee, you dumb american, wait! were all dumb americans...

DrStrangelove Wrote:

i actually like it. but i would like to see it made a little bigger, like all other us cars, or should I say like all other cars sold in the us.

i'd forgotten how small our mgbs really are compared to "other" cars on our highways.

we are enamored with BIG!

I was also stunned when i found out that the camry that WE GET HERE IN THE US is actually 18" bigger than the rest of the world.

we love big stuff, i guess!

brian

I really can't believe a design has been actually decided on . Its still to early in my opinion . I think the MG design might be hard to "update" ie the Bug or Mini . I think the new MG should be something out of the ordinary with a low enough price the average Joe could buy . There are enough overpriced sportscars out on the market already , the new MG should be different .

I have always liked the Dodge Razor concept , granted its not for everyone but it sure did cause a stir when it was revealed a few years ago. When it was revealed in 02' the price was targeted to be 14K , thats about 18K in todays money , I think thats the direction the new MG needs to go in , of course I don't speak Chinese so I seriously doubt they will ask for my opinion. :)


<http://www.compcamps.com/camps2003/tleigh/pics-cars/Dodge-Razor.jpg>
<http://www.seriouswheels.com/pics-2000-2003/2002-Dodge-Razor-Side-Strip-1024x768.jpg>

MGs were always "everymans" sports car ... couldn't afford something exotic, or a Jag, maybe not a AH, but you could get an MG. Simple good looks, good sports car performance, reliable and great to drive every day.

I think it just looks like every other new car, no identity! As George said Jags and Astons still are identifiable as such. It seems the retro craze is getting more crowded with the Mustangs doing well and the Camaros and Chargers are getting tooled up. People, especially from the 60's and 70's want the older look with modern drivetrains. They would get some of us to buy them if they made them look more like a B and put in some Lucas smoke just for fun and to give it soul. LOL

Hey strangelove, that doorstop mobile looks to have the cramped quarters of a midget. How about a new model with the room our B models had or better?

In my opinion, the "new" MGTF Coupe needs to be competitive with the Miata and other similar two seaters currently available in the Unites States if the marque is to succeed and prosper.

An initial offering of a "retro" MGB would certainly satisfy our tastes and desires...but the Company also needs to look at how they can attract NEW customers...those who would be purchasing the Miata, RX 8, etc. They needs sales. How many of us (most with more than one MG already in the stable) would honestly go out and buy a new MG, even if it was more retro-looking?

Let's get the marque selling and into the hands of a new generation of MG enthusiast...then perhaps the Company can expand into the retro market for us "old fogeys".

FWIW - YOMV

What features would you want to see in a modern B that are lacking in the zillions of other two seaters on the market? What could MG possibly have to offer to give them any sort of advantage...beyond price...?

I'm with mowog1 on this one . The new company can't set out to satisfy the current/former B owners , it needs to look ahead . If everything goes good for a few years maybe then it can go the retro route but to do it right off , I think it would be a bad idea.

I'm with Rick and Eric. If all us old B owners dashed out and bought a new "B", they would have about one days worth of production. Any new MG must appeal to a far wider audience. The MGF is a great car. It competes directly with the MR2, will outperform a Miata and hold its own against a Lotus Elise. Isn't that what MG is about - performance? Sure they could build a retro MGB - it would look like a Miata, and it would handle like one too - not exactly "cutting edge".

I say good luck to the Chinese. Lets face it, they were willing to try to do something with the old marque. Without them all that would be left would be rotting factories and memories. However, I wouldn't expect to see US built MGs for a few years. The "agreement" in Oklahoma was verbal, non-binding and very non-specific. Don't hold your breath!

I don't think MGs were ever cutting edge, in styling or performance. What they were was a simple option, basically starting the 2 place sports car thing in this country... Post war, guys with money in their pockets, the cars they were introduced to in GB, etc.... Great cars, they could be hotrodded, raced, left stock, whatever you want them to be. Pick up some items from "MG Kitten", wood steering wheel, stylized chrome door levers & window cranks to match, shift knobs, cocoa mats, sheepskin seat covers, driving lights, grill badges.... add some performance items, maybe an Abarth exhaust system ... Great cars

I *think* it was "MG Mitten"???

I totally concur regarding "cutting edge, etc"......and if the new MGs are "cutting edge"...what will that do to price?

Look at the sales of the Miata....which was brought out as an "affordable" two seater...and look what happend to the Mazda sales!

MG should be so lucky!.....and just perhaps, they will!

I hear ya - but up to the MGF (and including to a certain extent), MG's were really "compilation" vehicles. They were built up from the parts bin with a different body on them. Any new MG does not have that luxury, there is no parts bin to get parts from so the MGF will have to be the basis for anything "new". I don't think that is a bad thing. It is a proven vehicle that has good performance. It is better than a Miata in many ways, and if sold in the same price range, it "could" do well. I think it would be a mistake to try to build an MGB replacement - it would compete directly with the Miata and would probably lose out - too many people with bad MGB memories!

MG Mitten.... Kitten .... I knew something was wrong there!
I just don't want a new MG to be a Supra or something. Nothing against a Supra.