Here are a couple of photos of the new MG 3 Xross on show at the Shanghai Show.

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http://www.mygraffiti.co.uk
This is my web site with photos and videos of events around the UK and my USA trip with my 2003 MG TF.

Roger R-S.
Enjoying MG's since 1980 with a 1973 B GT and a 2003 TF135 since 2007. I have been a member of the national club since 1980 and a regional secretary for the UK National MGOC east midland's area since 1994, and my local club is the Northants MGOC that I joined in 1980 as soon as I got the GT.
I am also a member of the MGCC of Toronto, NAMGBR, MG Drivers Club and the
CMMGRCC (Canadian Modern MG Rover Car Club)

http://www.cmmgrcc.org
http://www.mgnorthants.org/
http://www.mgtoronto.com/



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/27/2011 11:12AM by mgbgttf.

And here is a photo of a standard MG 3 on the road.

Very much a modern looking car as they all are at this time (computer designed) but it has the MG badge no it so its at least keeping the name out there.

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http://www.mygraffiti.co.uk
This is my web site with photos and videos of events around the UK and my USA trip with my 2003 MG TF.

Roger R-S.
Enjoying MG's since 1980 with a 1973 B GT and a 2003 TF135 since 2007. I have been a member of the national club since 1980 and a regional secretary for the UK National MGOC east midland's area since 1994, and my local club is the Northants MGOC that I joined in 1980 as soon as I got the GT.
I am also a member of the MGCC of Toronto, NAMGBR, MG Drivers Club and the
CMMGRCC (Canadian Modern MG Rover Car Club)

http://www.cmmgrcc.org
http://www.mgnorthants.org/
http://www.mgtoronto.com/



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/27/2011 11:25AM by mgbgttf.

Xross? Who is Ross and why did they name a car after his ex?

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Modern MGs aren't just Transportation, They're a Hobby!

Was thinking something similar. How does one even pronounce that?

Looks alright for an econobox. The silver accents don't do much for the look but the blue one is okay.

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"Speed costs........how fast you want to spend?"

I think it is pronounced X cross and is a link to the UK's MG X-Power factory racing team, as they did a range of tuned road going ZR - ZS and ZT cars with the team decals.

photo of a the MG ZR XPower (Rover 25) with decals.

---

http://www.mygraffiti.co.uk
This is my web site with photos and videos of events around the UK and my USA trip with my 2003 MG TF.

Roger R-S.
Enjoying MG's since 1980 with a 1973 B GT and a 2003 TF135 since 2007. I have been a member of the national club since 1980 and a regional secretary for the UK National MGOC east midland's area since 1994, and my local club is the Northants MGOC that I joined in 1980 as soon as I got the GT.
I am also a member of the MGCC of Toronto, NAMGBR, MG Drivers Club and the
CMMGRCC (Canadian Modern MG Rover Car Club)

http://www.cmmgrcc.org
http://www.mgnorthants.org/
http://www.mgtoronto.com/



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/27/2011 05:07PM by mgbgttf.

I can't see a car by that name being marketed here.
The name sounds Chinglish.

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Modern MGs aren't just Transportation, They're a Hobby!

An MG-badged econobox? Hmmm... not sure how I feel about that.

hmmmm anybody know what engines are going in? i cant say im all that overwelmed by the look of the new cars, the blue one looks OK the yelow one looks like it might have come out of an x-mass cracker

The story behind these photos is that I visited Shanghai and along with a fellow MGOC member, Anthony Allen (who works in Shaoxing and who took these photos) we visited the MGCC China offices and then went along to the local dealership. Later that week I also managed to visit the engine plant in Lingang where the 1.8 in-line 4 turbo and V6 2.5L engines are made.

I was there on business so too the opportunity to meet local enthusiasts and I would encourage anyone to do the same if your travels take you to China. It must be remembered that cars are relatively new to the average Chinese family and they want practical cars that suit their roads. Classic MGs do not exist for them but they have a hunger to learn about the history of the marque. You cannot fault their enthusiasm for the brand with all its British conotations that inspires them to want these new MGs. Joining the MGCC China costs about £10 or $16 per year. At the dealership we found that they had a lot of visual displays of heritage models dating right back to 1924, and right next to the MG3 was a 1966 MG 1100 MkI. This is part of a number of classic MGs that were bought up by NAC originally here in the UK.

The MG 3 pictured (the blue one) was designed in the UK and features either a 1.3 or 1.5 engine (known as the NSE or New Small Engine) which utilises the K Series cylinder head. The blue car, as you might be able to make out, has a Union flag decal on the roof, and belongs to a young lady who works as a marketing executive and she bought it for the British heritage which SAIC use to sell these cars. The new MG3 replaces what was effectively the old MG ZR which was still made and sold as the MG3 in China until this year. There was also an MG3 SW which was effectively the Rover Streetwise that was introduced in the UK in 2003 with a faux urban-roader styling that then inspired the VW Polo Dune and Citroen C2 models. MG Rover created the Streetwise concept, and the Streetwise was aimed at younger UK buyers that did not want the MG ZR but felt that the Rover 25 was too old fashioned for them. The Chinese found that the MG3 SW was popular for owners coping with rougher country roads and so naturally the new MG3 included a variant of the SW in the form of the new Xross (the yellow car) which I gather is pronounced either as Cross or X ross.

In both cases the interior design is aimed at the younger buyer with Apple inspired white plastic inserts on the dash and an iPOD connection. This is a car desperately needed to boost sales in the UK as it will be cheaper than the current MG6 on sale, and will target a younger buyer than the MG6 currently does.

Until SAIC more sales of the volume models such as this there probably won't be a business case for a replacement TF sports car, although Longbridge continue to make the TF in small batches. However, I would not discount the fact that Longbridge are probably working on a new sports car right now. Given SAIC's links with GM there is ample scope for the platforms to be shared as will be the case with the new MG7 due out in China next year.

One last point, don't judge these cars by these photos, as I have found with the MG6, it looks better in the flesh than it does in 2D.

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Martin W
Moderns: 2011 MG6 GT TSE & 2010 MG TF LE500
Old'erns: 1966 MGB GT, 1968 MG 1300 MkII (4dr) & 1968 MkII MG 1300 (2dr)
www.upgrades4mgs.co.uk, www.oils4mgs.co.uk, www.austinapache.co.uk, www.minisa.co.uk

Roger/Martin
Thanks for the insight. Jury is still out.
Ron

Thanks guys. Good info, Martin. I did not know SAIC had any ties to GM. A twinkle of hope for a potential North American dealer network but I'm not holding my breath just yet.

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"Speed costs........how fast you want to spend?"

I can just see it now, 'The New GM MG'!!!