News : MG posts three-figure sales; claims fastest growing status

MG3 Euro (1)

According to figures announced by the SMMT, MG is currently the fastest growing car company in the UK sales charts for both March and the year to date. However, before we start popping too many Champagne corks, it’s worth bearing in mind that in March, 361 MGs were sold, in comparison with 25,753 Ford Fiestas and 8136 Fiat 500s, the car that MG probably seeks to emulate, more than any other.

That said, sales for MG are heading in the right direction now, even if they are from a low base. It’s good news for the marque, which is celebrating its 90th anniversary year in 2014 – MG Motor UK has recorded a year-to-date sales increase by 574 per cent. The rise in sales is down to the arrival of the MG3, which is being sold through an expanding dealer network in the UK.

The new range of MGs are designed and engineered at the European Design and Technical Centre and assembled in the factory both of which are both located at the MG site in Longbridge, Birmingham.

Click through to download the full March 2014 new car registrations news release and data table.

MG3_06

Keith Adams
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122 Comments

  1. When it says “assembled” at Longbridge, what exactly does that mean?

    Is it proper final assembly or is it just bolting on the required alloy wheels and sticking on the badges?

  2. I saw one last week for the first time, it looked quite nice.

    You can probably count the number of MG6s I have seen on one hand though, hopefully this will do better.

  3. This should at least enable them to sustain the current (small) number of dealers. The only 3 I have seen on the road was in Birmingham, and decorated with “dazzle tape”.

  4. Several vile comments from the usual suspects already. Shame.

    Well done MG, sales are heading in the right direction and are much better than the 9-10 a month that we were seeing a couple of yeaes ago.

    Can’t wait to collect my ‘3!!

  5. Posts 8 and 9 are about right post 3 do you think your user name is in anyway funny? I would ask that you are removed from the site.

    As for the MG3, I have seen 2 and was very impressed with them. If I was in the market for a new car I would have a look / test drive. MG keep up the good work.

  6. Is it me or could it be the love child of a Skoda Fabia and Toyota Yaris?

    Not sire how the depreciation values will compare to either of the two afore mentioned….

  7. Great news for MG and Longbridge.
    Now, LHD MG3s and MG6s must be exported to continental Europe as soon as possible at very low prices to break the markets.

  8. Referring to comments as ‘vile’ and calling people ‘c£nts’ because somebody is less than impressed with them selling 300 cars? I think some people need to gain a sense of perspective. I mean we’ve not had a ‘Chinese ****’ comment yet which might justify such abuse.

    Back on subject, I think there is very little wrong with the ‘3 for its price. It is certainly massively increasing MG’s sales from the past couple of years.

  9. @Craig England: “Sales are heading in the right direction”? They could hardly have headed any further in their previous direction.

    Any other manufacturer would have been ashamed of that sales performance, not trying to spin it as something it manifestly isn’t. They’re embarrassing themselves with this cobblers.

    Really, if that’s the very best they can do in a new registration month, with all-new metal to shift, they might as well pack it in as far as the UK’s concerned. If these figures prove anything, it’s not “fastest growing status”, it’s that there’s no love for the brand left here.

  10. It is a meaningless statistic when sales are coming from a virtual zero base. For all we know MG registered a few dozen cars so it could make this claim. Fact is this car cant be cheap enough. A low tech car from a brand considered by most to be dead selling cars from China. It doesn’t stand a chance. Like it or not the UK is a relatively affluent car market. Buyers have access to all sorts of finance schemes that allow them to drive a car from a proper mainstream manufacturer and for a few quid more a premium brand. They simply don’t need to fish at this end of the market. Even relatively established budget brands like Dacia are struggling to make headway in the UK whilst the likes of Hyundai, Skoda and Kia have all moved up-market to increase volumes.

  11. 361 cars in March. How many 3’s have been sold in total – there was a figure of 1,000 some time ago? Is there now a waiting list, if so how long?

    Local dealer has a nice display of 3’s and 6’s but I haven’t seen a 3 on the road in private hands yet.

  12. @14: I agree with you up to a point. On one hand I think that such a sales performance is actually really positive news, considering that at times MG have been selling in the low teens. On the other, MG themselves have forecasted 4,500 sales for 2014 (see the Interview with Sam Burton thread at the forum for that) so 361 in the biggest month of the year for registrations is performing below the level they want. So I’d say the improvement should be celebrated but I’m not sure how much of a success it is.

    @17: MG Sales figures since the MG3 became available:

    Nov: 75
    Dec: 120
    Jan: 138
    Feb: 47
    Mar: 361

    Obviously that includes some MG6s.

  13. nice to these sell well, even though the nearest dealer is 100 miles away and I haven’t seen one locally. All that is really needed is some aggressive advertising on television and more dealers. I’m sure MG with the right promotion could break the 5000 barrier this year.

  14. True, but Rome wasn’t built with 361 bricks in it’s best month after 3 years of construction……

  15. With its crucial first March out of the way, I think the MG3 can be considered another failure sadly. Precious few have put their money with their mouth is and these sound-bite states hide a sorry tale.

    Does anyone on this forum actually own one? Certainly I’ve never seen one.

  16. Such hatred and spite hidden between the words of so many of my fellow respondents. Sure the figures are less that encouraging but why the glee? What depressing people I am forced to share my planet with !!

  17. Glee? I think it’s a crying shame that a Chinese company has failed to crack the UK market. It will be the shot in the arm the Euro-Car makers need to kick start innovation and sales. Hell it will even have spin off benefits for mechanics and garages here too. But I tell you what, if they can continue to maintain (not even grow these figures) until the petrol 6 goes off the order books in the near future and there after I’ll tip my car to MG management as it’ll be the first time they’ve proved me wrong.

  18. Not sure about the reference to champagne – MG is still a great brand that used to make wonderful cars (found myself behind a B, RV8 and B GT yesterday, if only you could still buy cars with that sort of character and class).

    Presumably the interest on here is about the possibility of ‘MG’ becoming a major UK employer again if they sell significant numbers in Europe? This isn’t impossible (look at how many people still buy Corsas!) but its a long way off happening, and I have to question whether SAIC have aspirations for a major manufacturing presence (in the UK or in Europe) and in that context whether the constant attention their products get here is merited….

  19. It isn’t about glee.
    It’s about the embarrassment felt when a tier of management at Longbridge, who have so far proven clearly inept, see hyperbole as the route upwards from sales failure.

    It’s indefensible, they’re fooling no-one, actions speak louder than words.

  20. Nothing like an MG or MINI article to stir opinion…..
    Personally, I wish MG well, if only for the sake of UK jobs.
    There’s a dealer close to me and I have test driven a 3 .
    I found it to be actually pretty good, priced well too..
    The only reason I didn’t go for it, was because I’m 44 and the car is clearly aimed at the younger market..

  21. 32. above

    I have just purchased an MG3 , 2 friends of mine have each purchased one and we are all older than you !

  22. To quote 574% seems a bit keen.

    361 about par for the course based on what is being predicted over at mg forums. Be interesting to see if the momentum is sustained or tails away as it has done in the past…

  23. @Darren (32). I know what you mean.. I’m 45 and drive a Renault Twingo RS Gordini which is aimed at someone a lot younger than me. But what the heck, little cars with punch engines like the 3 are fun to drive. Not ready for my Zafira yet.

  24. MG don’t have many dealerships in Britain and people think they aren’t around anymore. They need to advertise more like Dacia. Dacia’s advertising pays off as they have sold over 20,000 cars in the UK in just over a year. The MG 3 and MG 6 are very nice cars.

  25. Regardless of where they are made or assembled and ignoring the arguments over the badge, the MG6 is a bloody nice car and drives extremely well. I haven’t driven an MG3 but I will say that the two I have seen and sat in are high quality and fantastic value if it is a new car you seek. Yes, the lack of dealerships is an issue but even where there is one sales are stil poor. I drive around South Birmingham daily and never see either of these cars on the road despite the HQ and main Sales Dept for MG being sited there. As more hit the road, they will be spotted by other drivers and the ball will start rolling, assuming the UK operation can bank roll itself that long. I hope so as I know how much work has gone into all of this. Good luck MG, whoever owns you.

  26. @ 33 & 36

    Fair comment 🙂 maybe its just me..

    Looking forward to seeing the MG5 when it finally arrives here.

  27. @38. I don’t think the MG5 is scheduled to come to the UK. The next MG will be the MG CS. The next SAIC vehicle here is likely to be the Maxus V80 van formerly made by LDV.

  28. @Jude.Currie

    I still maintain that they should offer the franchise to many ex-Chevrolet dealers.

    The nearest dealer to me has been derelict for the past 3 years, but the MG signage is still up on the empty premises (Subaru, the other franchise, were swift to remove their signage).

  29. The problem isn’t in offering the franchise but more to do with persuading dealers to take it – particularly after the shabby way they were treated when MGUK dumped stock of the 6 onto the market.

  30. I think the biggest trouble MG has at the moment is anonymity. There really isn’t much to get people into showrooms and looking at their cars. Even if they are up to scratch, no-one will know that they are.

    So, what they need is a new MGB. Something to get people actually interested in the marque. Something that a lukewarm small hatch and a family saloon won’t do.

    They might not sell many MX-5 competitors, but at least they would get someone somewhere talking about them.

  31. Some overreaction from the fanbois up there. As I said though – are we still caring about this, because the message should have been received loud and clear by now that no-one else does, neither the buying public nor the bigwigs at SAIC.

    This car is over here to justify a marketing exercise in its home market. No more, no less. Price it below everything else on the market and sell it with free insurance and it would clear up. The fact that the powers that be are not doing this tells you everything.

  32. Several comments, most recently 28 –

    What is the need for such a user name?! Vile, disgusting….. and many other negative adjectives. Just what are you thinking in using such a name?

    Anyway, to the latest sales figures. Yes, they are still very small. However, in terms of growth, the sales since the 3 came on stream are very encouraging. Just shows what could be achieved with intense promotion, more dealers and widespread public awareness of MG UK and its products.

    I was surprised at many of the earlier negative comments. Such people can’t have any desire to see MG UK, Longbridge succeed. Not really part of this club then…

  33. The evidence is that MGUK sales and marketing have no desire to see Longbridge succeed.

    The cars aren’t the problem, the top tier of management at Longbridge clearly is.

  34. @46 – you can have any car for ‘less than a good night on the piss a month’ if you are stupid enough.

    PS. No wonder this country is hocked up to its eyeballs with ignorant statements like that….

  35. I simply cannot understand, as I’ve said before, why this otherwise excellent website is championing a Chinese plastic MG.

    SAIC is cynically exploiting the UK and a few fanbois pining for an MG octagon on a tin box in order to gain street cred back home in China.

    300 people “designing and engineering” MGs in a shed in Birmingham or wherever. I say it’s all rubbish. Where is the proof that these people are doing anything productive? Beyond updating their Facebook pages? You know, any more than than the blokes adding alloy wheels on Chinese-made vehicles so SAIC can pretend some manufacturing presence in the UK.

    It’s like claiming the Qasquai is all British design, when the same vehicle is sold here, 6 inches longer as the Nissan Rogue, made in the USA, or that up until recently the BMW Hams Hall plant “made” MINI engines, when the bits were made by Peugeot in France, and assembled in the UK.

    It’s like the site believes any PR guff a car company hands out as the truth if even one Briton has a weekly pay packet from the company involved. It’s like a perverted form of patriotism.

    I just don’t get it. The site bares all the dirty linen of BMC, BLMC etc, etc. Then roasts BMW for putting in several Billion pounds trying to revive a moribund Rover in the late ’90s.

    But anything in the car industry today that provides the daily crust for even a single UK citizen is automatically wonderful, feted like the second coming, and promoted like a free three week contest win in a fancy villa in Majorca.

    Why? The power of any form of criticism appears to be subverted to glowing reports of MG’s ridiculously small sales numbers. It simply makes no sense at all. None whatsoever. Not even a little bit.

    In fact, it is ridiculous.

  36. To 9/10 above #50;
    Eat that!

    @50; It’s actually Mallorca, but I still owe you a beer!
    Couldn’t have said it better.
    And now duck for the upcoming sh¡te-storm.

  37. @Bill Malcolm

    To be fair, the site’s primary remit is a source of information on the BMC/BLMC companies onwards, including the remaining offshoots such as MINI and MG.

    Any PR news from the likes of MINI and MG gets aired as, well, news.

    I think there is an acknowledgement from most that the car industry today is global, a car can be owned, financed, designed, manufactured and sold in different countries at each stage.

    “I just don’t get it. The site bares all the dirty linen of BMC, BLMC etc, etc. Then roasts BMW for putting in several Billion pounds trying to revive a moribund Rover in the late ’90s.”

    There are a fair few articles which actually suggest that BMW tried their best, for example:

    http://www.aronline.co.uk/blogs/facts-and-figures/essays/essay-why-did-bmw-buy-rover-the-counterpoint/

    I’ve been on Saab sites and forums, where there is much anger against GM. If you have an enthusiastic following, of course there is going to be some anger at what is perceived at corporations discarding the smaller company.

  38. I’d love to see the MG3 succeed where the 6 has floundered but it’s going to take a long time… if ever. Looking at the SMMT sales figures just goes to show the market dominance that the other big manufacturers have. very interesting statistics.

  39. @51

    There is a ‘Chinese MG’ sitting on my drive right now – and let me assure you, it is every bit an MG. Ive had some real fun in it today, it made me feel the same way that any of the older MGs have in the past.

    I think comments like yours are ridiculous and vile.

    You clearly have never driven one and have no intention of looking at them with an open mind.

  40. Why so abusive, Brett?

    England will be taking you to task for being “vile” if you keep carrying on like that.

  41. @62, Please don’t, muddy the waters with lazy comments.

    Vile? Abusive? Lets just excavate those two comments, but in the context of your childishly impudent moniker, Peter Sutcliffe’s younger brother. Funny eh? a measure of latent malevolence? Heralding a killer and butcher or just had a bad experience? Or trying to be funny and failing? Like girlfriend repellent.

    A few mild retorts here and there, and you have the temerity to complain with a name like that-why not change it to Roy Whitings masseuse and have done?

    Let him take me to task, I enjoy swapping loquacious jibes.

  42. What is a British car?

    Lets compare the Nissan Qashqai with the MG 3. Most people would assume the MG is more British. In reality the Qashqai is styled in London, engineered in Bedfordshire and produced in Sunderland. Many of the parts are imported, but much of the car is built with UK supplied parts.

    Now much of the design work on the MG3 was done here, which is good, but you can’t get around the fact that the MG3 is largely made in China and shipped here for final assembly.

    It is less British than the Nissan, and that is my point. I am all for waving the flag and supporting a British car company, but that shouldn’t blind posters to the reality of modern day MG.

    As for the sales performance, they need a massive improvement, I can’t see MG been viable with those numbers.

  43. “There is a ‘Chinese MG’ sitting on my drive right now – and let me assure you, it is every bit an MG. Ive had some real fun in it today, it made me feel the same way that any of the older MGs have in the past.”

    You got cold because the heaters rubbish, wet cus the roof leaked, then had to spend the day fixing it because it broke down?

  44. Francis, your personal comments here, are undermining your argument, have you considered playing the ball and not the man?

  45. WOW, the comments here are just the norm now I see, as long as everyone is slagging everyone else of t is acceptable,

    KEITH, why have you not removed that pratt with the vile name, or are you happy that he uses such a hated name on your site ?

    Why cant ANY good news be met with acceptance and enjoy the fact that the company is growing, albeit slowly, rather than rip it shreds.

    Some of the comments here are disgusting, and I dont understand why they have not be removed, Keith is obviously happy that ARO is becoming the same an MGR.org.

    My visits to both are now very few an far between,

  46. Isn’t there some new MINI news, Keith?
    We’re in desperate need of more insults in another post.
    Not!

    Anyway, your excellent site lost another follower.

    Paul the Van – out!

  47. And when you do visit, JagBoy, you come to tell me how crap the site now is, and how you rarely come here any more. Other British car websites are available – as indeed is your own.

    In terms of this thread and the comments therein – I tend to remove comments once they descend into personal name-calling, or cross the line legally, and I’m not in the habit of suppressing free speech for the sake of it.

    I’m sorry to anyone who does not like the comments, and the posters, but I think most people are grown up to realise that in between the tuggers (and we know who they are), there are some very valid points being raised (on both sides) in this thread.

  48. @Paul the Van

    Very sorry to see you go. All I’d say is that you’ll be missed, and if the commentators offend you, maybe don’t read their posts.

    For what it’s worth, I think a certain group of people have come for a stirring session. Ignore them, and they do go away…

  49. It’s disappointing that Keith has had to intervene in the way he has, but totally necessary.

    There are obviously some posting for the purposes of effectively starting a fight, and no doubt they are doing it elsewhere. The same happened/happens on MGRover.org, which is why I no longer go there.

    I think ignoring and not rising to the bait is the best tactic. I have seen it work before, it can happen again 🙂

  50. Keith, can I just ask, since you seem to have just taken sides…. Are we allowed to criticise amd comment in a less than glowing way on MG UK anymore or not?
    The ‘Certain Group’ as you put it, were polite, reasonable and made their point politely.
    Some of the ones on the positive side used name calling and veiled nastiness, along with calls to ban and moderate.
    THIS is what killed off .Org and will do the same here.
    By all means delete the nasty stuff, but being biased does not suit you or this site.
    And banning the ‘Certain Group’ is a shabby practice.

  51. Glad to see MG improving sales, albeit slowly. 300/400 jobs is better than none!

    When I replaced my 75 recently I came close to buying a 6, but a diesel example was out of my budget.

    I saw three 6’s today, two on my way home and another parked up locally.

    The Chinese are sticking with it, 6 years of production (or finishing in truth) so far. Lets hope the numbers continue rise and UK/Euro content with it, thereby increasing jobs over time

  52. I think a change in perceptions would help too, I don’t think the fact that it has an MG octagon is the problem but merely the fact these are Chinese cars and are treated with suspicion.

    The argument that it is no proper MG-not since the B also rings hollow, never mind Metros and Maestros but what About the Z cars that injected life and sales into the Marque?

    Fair enough concerns arise regarding dealers and such like but car dealers do a healthy business online and people will travel for a car and dealers can and do deliver.

    Would anyone bat an eye that their car may have a Chinese made starter motor fitted or infotainment system?

    If either of these cars had a Dacia badge and came from Romania would anyone still criticise these cars- you can say Dacia sell a bread and butter car, but whats wrong with MG selling a fully loaded decent car for bread and butter money also?

  53. Goodness, what’s being going on?

    As a SAAB enthusisast I would love to see such sales figures, regardless of who, or which nationality, owns the factories and name. The brand belongs to the enthusiasts, as they buy it, show it, and very often preserve it. This is why so many brands live on long after car production ceases.

    The fact that MG are back, and beginning to gain momentum, will ultimately be celebrates by enthusiasts – and these are the people that count. However, as sales increase it will start to appeal to a wider audience, and thus increasing the number of brand enthusiasts.

    In the past I was certainly sceptical of the product, following a viewein a an early 6. However, after a more recent test drive, I was completely converted. The 3 is a well built and fantastic value car, and I am very tempted for our next city car.

    This is great news, and I am pleased to see that there are still a lot of supporters out there.

  54. I guess a large proportion of these cars are pre-registered?,what is normally forgotten when the motor trade/manufacturer has had a bumper month or year is the inflated non retail number of cars registered where many are stuffed into hire company’s or driving schools or other fleets like body shop courtesy cars at normally a higher discounted rate or cost. Sadly in the long run this can have an adverse effect on the product with low residual values and some pretty horrible second hand cars ending up giving the brand a bad name by the some times unfortunate owner.

  55. @70

    Well the Chinese do own Saab as NEVS, and have restarted production of the 9-3 on a very small scale, for local and Chinese markets. They couldn’t do volume until they have a new model, as while the 9-3 got 5 star on the previous EuroNCAP test, the pedestrian test didn’t fare as well on the big solid bonnet.

    But yes, I look forward to the day when Saab are back on their feet. It is a bit disconcerting going to the local dealer for parts, as they are now mostly Porsche franchise now. In between the 911 Carreras and GT3s is a solitary desk selling smartslot cupholders….

  56. @Derek

    Great point about second hand cars.

    Manufacturers should cotton on that, while they don’t make any money directly on second hand cars, that those drivers may wish to make a new purchase in the future, and that they will draw on memories of cars they’ve owned for reference.

    I think some are trying, offering cut price dealer servicing on older models, to get the cars back into the system and looked after properly.

  57. It would be interesting to know if those who bought the cars so far were just fulfilling a small pent-up demand – friends of the brand, loyal British buyers and so forth who wanted a car of this size.

    Can they reach beyond those initial registrations and get much of a foot into the market? I still have not seen one on the road (except curiously a disguised prototype in Essex on my travels some months back) – with that and the limited advertising, brand exposure seems limited at best.

  58. @Coln D S

    Good point about advertising.

    If anything the Germans have taught us, is that marketing sells branding and branding sells cars.

    In the tech world, Apple cottoned on to this in the late 90s, and went from a quirky almost-dead computer maker to a trendy, fashionable brand.

    Audi’s transformation is textbook, just over 20 years ago it was a quirky part of the VW group that had some rallying success but was otherwise seen as a bit staid. The push with the facelift 80, then the aspirational A4, followed by the trendy TT and they’re now top of the company car list.

    Rover were always just not quite there, I can remember a 75 advert with a bomb disposal expert, highlighting the fact that it is a relaxing car to drive. Relaxing is nice, but it isn’t trendy. The R8 Tomcat was close, but the tagline was “No, it’s a Rover!”. Almost as if the brand had such a lack of self confidence that a nice car should be a seen as a surprise. Could you imagine a brand such as Audi advertising a TT with the line “No, it’s an Audi”?

  59. Just wondering – how do people think MG should raise brand awareness?

    They are currently running double page adverts in a range of magazines from motoring to lifestyle and even in The Sun newspaper. They also sponsor British Athletics and compete in the BTCC.

    Yet still, people dont know they are back.

    What do they need to do?

  60. @76 Simple. Make a new B/B GT. Make it stylish, fun to drive and at least reasonably well built. A little bit quick wouldn’t hurt either.

    It doesn’t need to scare Evos and WRXs, but being able to keep up with the latest MX-5 would definitely get people talking about MG again.

  61. This is excellent news. All that MG need to do now is expand the model range and keep them under our reviewers backsides to keep the MG column inches growing.

  62. #75. In fact, Mercedes advertised the 1990s SL with the slogan ” it’s not as bad as it looks ” . It’s called German humour !

  63. @80, Or they take as gospel what is wrote in the car mags.
    Take the Pug 208,not acclaimed to any high degree in the press but we have around 20 of them as courtesy cars separate from the hire fleet and they are a terrific little car- never thought I would ever say that!

  64. @85,Show me a current Fiesta with the storage cubby under the light switch that does not break. Even in a £17k ecoboost? And the interior door handles quality on a MG3 for less than £9k is a unpardonable crime?

    Has the MG3 been pitched as a Fiesta competitor or an alternative?

  65. My daughter has a 1.0 63 Plate Fiesta, it is an excellent car, but it is way more expensive than a 3. I have seen the 3 close up, at the factory, and for the money the quality is good

  66. Hi Craig, I haven’t come across anyone else with my username but I do have a friend Craig from England. I see you too are using his username. Or possibly the internet has more than one Craig from England.

  67. you have got to admit they should offer it with a bigger choice of engines not everybody wants a thirsty 1.5

  68. yes I know but a 1.6 would have proper performance that the engine in 3 at the moment just doesn’t have a 1.6 turbo would have the figures to put the 3 against the big boys the hot Clio, 208 and fiesta. If the 1.5 could do more mpg or a few more BHP then it would be a good engine.

  69. performance trumps mpg any day but the engine in 3 at the moment doesn’t have either so either have a frugal 1.0 or a fast 1.6 turbo and a 1.3 in the middle for the best of both worlds

  70. I don’t understand why this car gets such a kicking from people that haven’t seen one, let alone test driven one.

    Having bought our “Hello Yellow” 3 in December I have nothing but praise for this car.

    Sure, I knew the ride might be a bit rough on our pot-hole ridden roads in South Wales and the engine might be a bit thirsty but, at such a great price and extras-packed to the hilt, how bad could this be for my wife who drives less than 5,000 a year?

    On reflection, with 2,000 miles under our belt, I can only say it’s a cracking little package. The handling is superb, the engine has loosened up a treat and we’re now getting an average of nearly 40 MPG.

    It’s comfy (except when you hit a pot-hole), it’s nippy, the sound system is excellent and everywhere we go, people give it the eye and want to know more about the car.

    I know it’s Chinese and Longbridge just add the final bits and bobs to complete your order but, in the great scheme of things in this global market, who gives a damn. If my £9k has helped keep the marque alive and employed a few people in the West Midlands then I’m pretty happy about that.

    All I’d say is give the 3 a chance; if they develop it to a point where it’s a bit more of a “hot” hatch with a 2.0 litre engine you never know, they might be getting a second order in the next year or two.

  71. @96 Have you?

    @94, Ryan, MG have been clear with this car, if they shift 3-4000 cars they will have done well, I agree its not for everyone, but its insurance group is in the cellar and kids buying this probably don’t give a toss what the MPG is anymore than what the CO2 is.

    Who wants to rice the bollocks off a 1.0 engine and get nowhere? The stated mpg of cars is bollocks too- it says M+S on sides of buses, don’t mean its a shop.

  72. Francis @ 98
    ” Who wants to rice the bollocks off a 1.0 engine and get nowhere? The stated mpg of cars is bollocks too- it says M+S on sides of buses, don’t mean its a shop. ”

    I like it !!

    • Yeh a 1.0 does not work in a supermini no more. The bodies are heavier because of crash impact standards and emissions requirements have starved small engines of their torque. A 1982 1.0 A+ Metro could pull away pretty well and times have changed.

      Renault got it right with the 1.2 Clio engine, sure they are not a GTi but are economical and as torquey as you can get in a small engined supermini.
      A great example of stated vs actual MPG is a year 2000 or so 1.2 Clio vs a 1.0 Micra. The stated MPG of the Micra looked amazing and in the real world the Clio was easier ran. Then add to this the no-torque whiney 1.0 Micra and you see how the Japanese were not just as clever as we thought.
      The Ren engine would last longer too.

  73. Brett, if they sell “3000 to 4000 cars”, I’ll not only eat my hat, I’ll happily eat the one you talk through.

  74. @ 103

    “…if they sell “3000 to 4000 cars”, I’ll not only eat my hat…”

    With circa 370 sales in March (mainly the 3 I imagine) , 3000 to 4000 does not seem an unrealistic figure.

  75. That was a new registration month, and they had a brand new model on sale. Both of these factors will be absent or diminish across the year. As the Americans say, “do the math”.

  76. @103, Try reading the first line of my post a little slower and you will notice I was not making an assertion merely mentioning a potion of a statement MGUK made which has been subject to coverage on this site previously.

    Try faecal matter instead of an hat………

  77. @107, Mother in law has traded her Jazz for one, she was sick to death of getting the run-around off the dealer regarding a gearbox issue. She is thrilled to bits with it and when she goes on holiday I will be using it. Amazing take a break magazine with its ads eh?

  78. Snifferdog @ 105

    I would have thought the boost to sales from “the new model effect” had yet to peak or was yet over. Surely this will at least last through April, May. Also, there could then be a further surge when there are a few more on the road and Mr Average makes his first sighting and goes “MG!?. I didn’t know they still made cars. Used to think my Dad’s was great”.

    Just trying to be POSITIVE !

    …. and, of course, in circa 6 months I’m seriously considering one.

  79. I think the fact Francis’ Mother In Law, ie family, has bought one is an ultimate “yes”, a vote of confidence.

  80. Had my second MG3 sighting today (out on the road that is as opposed to in the showroom or at PoL. Could well have been a second sighting of the same car though.
    Anyway, it was a case of two enthusiasts – I was exclaiming “there’s a 3!!” and its driver saw me and seemed pleased to have been spotted by me in my ZR.

  81. having now seen a few of these little mg’s i think that they are a good little motor and the mg3 will and is doing better than the mg 6 as the 6 is not a good spec motor for the sector it is in. i like the little mg3 and if i was looking for a new small car i think it would be up there on the list of cars to buy

  82. Still not seen one, or an MG dealer for that matter. Age’s Since I last saw an MG6 either. I read the other day that if the XE is a success Jaguar’s next step will be a 1 series/A series/A3 rival. Cant imagine they will have much space left at existing plants to build a volume model like this. Perhaps they should offer to take the Longbridge lease off St Modwen? Would make far better utilisation of this national manufacturing asset.

  83. I’ve just read in the MG Owners’ Club magazine, “Safety Fast”, that MG UK registrations for 2015 have reached 3000, up by more than 1000 on 2014.

    Here on the Wirral, I ain’t spotted another 3 in six months save for the odd occasion I’ve seen Clive Goldthorp’s. No 6s either apart from an early burnt orange example a few times. Seen none in Liverpool either when I drive through the Mersey Tunnel to work. I can only assume there are sales hot spots near some dealers. Longbridge itself does not seem to be such a hot spot?!

    Still pleased with mine and the exclusivity is a pleasant bonus.

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