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Clive Goldthorp

SAIC Motor's first foray into Europe: MG-badged Roewe 550 now on sale in Belarus

British MG enthusiasts may still be waiting for MG Motor UK Limited to announce whether and, if so, when the Roewe 550-based MG 6 will roll off a Longbridge production line but SAIC Motor has now launched a range of Chinese-built MGs in non-European Union country Belarus.

MG-badged versions of the Roewe 550 and 750 are already on sale at the SsangYong Dealer in Belarus’ capital, Minsk. MG’s Belarusian website indicates that both the MG 3 SW and MG TF will soon be joining them in the showroom.

The most expensive MG 750, the 2.5 litre V6-engined Flagship model, costs US$28,900 and comes with ABD, EBD, integrated SatNav, Xenon headlights and 17in ‘MG Rage’ alloys as standard. We are not too sure, though, about how Land Rover UK will react to the fact that the entry-level MG 750S model’s standard 16in alloys are known as ‘Rover Classics’…

The MG 550, upon which next year’s UK market MG 6 will be based, comes with either a normally aspirated 1.8 litre 135bhp or a turbocharged 1.8 litre 160bhp engine and starts at US$17,900 for the 1.8 Standard version while the 1.8T Grand Delux Auto costs US$25,350. The MG 3 SW 1.4 Luxury seems to be a relative bargain at US$13,900 while the MG TF costs US$24,900.

AROnline reckons that SAIC Motor’s decision to use the MG marque for this first foray into Eastern Europe affirms the company’s intention to restrict the Roewe brand to just the Chinese market. However, we are as keen as everyone else to find out when MG will be relaunched in the rest of the European Union…

MG’s Belarusian website can, in the meantime, be found here.

SAIC Motor MG 3 SW, MG 550, MG 750, MG TF

Graeme Brown, Birmingham Post, 22nd July, 2009

Hundreds of redundant LDV van workers have been warned that a potential sale of the company could now drag on until the end of the summer. Administrator PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) admitted that the holiday period and the complexity of due diligence investigations could delay any potential agreement with a buyer.

The van-maker collapsed amid debts of £75 million in early June with the loss of more than 800 jobs after nearly six months with production at a complete standstill. Up to nine would-be buyers signed confidentiality agreements ahead of further due diligence, with names in the frame said to include Malaysian group Weststar, Indian group Mahindra and Mahindra and Chinese car firm Nanjing.

Administrator Rob Hunt of PwC said: “We are continuing to have conversations with a group of people who are interested in buying some or all of LDV’s assets. We are not able to say who those parties are.  I suspect that this whole sale process is likely to take longer in time, not only because of the holiday period, but also because of the complexities involved.

We are encouraged by the fact that there is still quite a lot of interest but I do not think that we will sell this business by the end of July. We would like to see a transaction in August. Will we get one? I hope so. Can we guarantee it? No. Realistically, if you are trying to do a transaction in August, which is always a holiday period, that will be a challenge.” Rob Hunt  of PwC, Administrator, LDV Group Limited

“We are encouraged by the fact that there is still quite a lot of interest but I do not think that we will sell this business by the end of July. We would like to see a transaction in August. Will we get one? I hope so. Can we guarantee it? No. Realistically, if you are trying to do a transaction in August, which is always a holiday period, that will be a challenge.”

Mr Hunt said potential rescuers were still going through the due diligence process. PwC has not released the names of any prospective buyers, but billionaire Phones 4u founder John Caudwell has been linked, and Malaysian group Weststar announced its interest before LDV went into administration. Mr Hunt said: “For some people this is quite an extensive process – some want to engage with the dealer network, suppliers etc.”

More than 810 workers have already been made redundant whilst administrators have retained a skeleton staff of 35 employees to help maintain the mothballed Washwood Heath factory. The shutdown has had a wider affect on the supply chain, and experts believe that thousands of jobs have been affected by the firm’s collapse.

The Birmingham Post revealed last month that 1,270 jobs at LDV dealers up and down the country had been put at risk, and more than 230 dealers and suppliers were still owed millions of pounds.

[Source: Birmingham Post]

LDV PricewaterhouseCoopers, PwC, Rob Hunt, Washwood Heath, Weststar

Alun Thorne, Birmingham Post, 20th July, 2009

Business Secretary Lord Mandelson yesterday urged the parent company of beleaguered car maker Jaguar Land Rover to respond to an offer of Government assistance. The manufacturer last week announced 300 jobs would be lost at the Halewood plant on Merseyside following the decision to end production of the Jaguar X-Type.

Lord Mandelson urged the firm’s Indian owners, Tata Motors, to “quicken the pace” of negotiations over a package of support for JLR. In April Tata received agreement for a £340 million loan from the European Investment Bank but is in talks with the Government over the terms for guaranteeing this loan, as well as other financial support for the group.

Speaking to Sky, Lord Mandelson said: “Jaguar Land Rover is a good, first rate company with many strengths and a good future. I am waiting for the owners, Tata Motors, to come back and make their response to the offer of financial support the Government has made to them.”

Having been told that there was great urgency in responding to the needs of Jaguar Land Rover, we have made our proposals, we have made our offers and now we are waiting for a response. If this situation is so urgent, Tata need to quicken the pace of their response.” Lord Mandelson, Business Secretary

The Business Secretary continued: “Having been told that there was great urgency in responding to the needs of Jaguar Land Rover, we have made our proposals, we have made our offers and now we are waiting for a response. If this situation is so urgent, Tata need to quicken the pace of their response.”

On Friday Lord Mandelson said that he could not foresee any circumstances where the Government would allow Jaguar Land Rover to fail. “Jaguar Land Rover know that, were they to reach the point where they needed Government assistance, they could say so and we will be there,” he said. “That point has not been reached.

“I hope that as many workers at Jaguar and Vauxhall will be in the same jobs in future years as they are now. But, of course, the car industry is going to undergo a lot of change – not just change of owners, but consolidation. My job is to do whatever the Government can financially, politically and humanely, to maintain that production and those jobs in those plants across the country.”

There needs to be greater dispatch in bringing things to a conclusion, particularly where strategically important companies are involved that are part of the global and regional economies, one example being Jaguar Land Rover in the West Midlands and in the North West.” Richard Burden MP

Last week the Commons Business and Enterprise Committee said in a report that they were “astounded” that it had taken so long to get finance to JLR. Concerns were also raised in the House of Commons by Labour MP Richard Burden (Lab, Northfield). He said: “There needs to be greater dispatch in bringing things to a conclusion, particularly where strategically important companies are involved that are part of the global and regional economies, one example being Jaguar Land Rover in the West Midlands and in the North West.”

Business Minister Pat McFadden said: “Constructive discussions between the Government and Jaguar Land Rover are continuing. The Government are keen to help, but the terms must be right.”

Black Country MP David Winnick (Lab, Walsall North) also called for action as he questioned ministers. He said: “The West Midlands suffered two major recessions in the 1980s… urgent steps are now necessary to help places such as mine in the West Midlands that rely heavily on the manufacturing industry. We do not want the curse of mass unemployment to come back.”

[Source: Birmingham Post]

Jaguar Land Rover Jaguar Land Rover, JLR, Lord Mandelson, Richard Burden MP, Tata Motors

Paul Luti is a professional race driver, racing instructor and MG Rover specialist technician with a passion for motorsport

MG race driver Paul Luti is launching his bid to enter the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) with a new website, ‘racethemg.com’, where would-be sponsors can read about his quest to race an MG ZS in the country’s most popular race series.

The 26 year-old Luti is currently competing in the MG Trophy Championship and is one of the first drivers to race the new MG TF LE500 car since the launch of the re-designed sports car in 2008. He is also a highly skilled MG Rover technician and racing instructor, whose family business, Dreadnought Garage, specialises in MG, TVR and Caterham service and repair. With local sponsors already showing an interest in the project, Paul is keen to extend the invitation to motorsport and MG enthusiasts in the UK and around the globe.

‘I would be thrilled to race an MG car in the British Touring Car Championship and would be delighted to receive support from any companies or individuals with an interest in keeping MG’s rich racing heritage alive,’ Luti said.

‘There are a wide range of sponsorship options available to those interested in supporting my bid, including hospitality at the race track, company names and corporate logos featured on the car, and an in-depth company profile on my website, “racethemg.com”. I’d also be happy to offer my car for display at public and corporate events.’

I would be delighted to take up the challenge of racing an MG ZS in what is arguably one of the UK’s most prestigious championships and would be happy to discuss my team’s plans with any interested parties” Paul Luti, Racing Driver

Sponsors who elect to feature their names on the car will be automatically entered into a prize draw on the ‘racethemg’ website for the chance to win two tickets to a round of the BTCC together complete with hospitality, and will also be offered the opportunity to get involved with the race team and help prepare Luti’s car for racing.

Paul Luti began his career racing Rover Metros and progressed to an MG ZR, his family’s own unique MG ZT520 and is currently racing the new MG TF LE500. He recently made history at Silverstone by becoming the first race driver to win a race in the Chinese-built MG car, winning two rounds of the MG Car Club’s MG Trophy Championship during the internationally acclaimed MGLive! show.

The British Touring Car Championship has been in action since 1958 and currently features 25 drivers and 15 teams. The event draws up to 30,000 spectators per round, with a further 500,000+ viewers tuning in regularly to watch the dedicated ITV4 television coverage. Drivers currently competing in the championships are racing a variety of Super 2000 cars, including BMW 320sis, Vauxhall Vectras and Honda Civics.

‘I would be delighted to take up the challenge of racing an MG ZS in what is arguably one of the UK’s most prestigious championships and would be happy to discuss my team’s plans with any interested parties,’ concludes Luti.

For further information, please visit www.racethemg.com.

MG Rover