In other words, dont hold your breath. SAIC are concentrating on mass produced tin tops for China and using the MG name as a badge for their sales in the UK. Still we knew that when NAC failed to get the sports car MG side going and SAIC took over.
Disappointing but no more than expected

 

I just hope the directors at MG Motor allow the engineers to get on and make a decent car.
My concern with the chinese ownership is that they dont really know how to make anything with 'soul', the new roewe for instance just looks so much like a kia. The last thing we need is the MG badge being used on what is basically the motoring equivalent of a fridge-freezer!

 

its from autocar...... so i pay no attention until i hear something concrete from other places.

Best Auto Insurance | Auto Protection Today | FREE Trade-In Quote

 

its from autocar...... so i pay no attention until i hear something concrete from other places.

I see what you mean, didn't they publish pics a couple of years ago of a new MG sportscar that was being launched in 2010!

 

I hope it isnt a pipe dream.

Given the totally lacklustre effort MG Motors put in to selling the reborn MGTF over the last couple of years

A lot of new NAC TFs could have been sold last year!

 

Neil just to under line your point........

I was at Hoptons garage (they specialise in MG) yesterday. A guy came in to have his daughters Micra MOT'd. We were sat in the show room talking.
He did not know that the MGTF was still being made!

 

when we went for a tour at Longbridge, we were told that "engineers are working on a TF replacement as we speak". However, working on one and the actual production of one are two different things.

 

New TF - latest news.

FYI guys.

http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/MG-Motor-TF/247402/

 

Judging by the design of the F, TF and MG6 I bet it will be an absolute stunner :bgrin2:

 

Duplicate thread alert

http://forums.mg-rover.org/showthread.php?t=346564

Long time to wait though -

 

Duplicate thread alert

http://forums.mg-rover.org/showthread.php?p=3634567&posted=1#post3634567

Long time to wait though -

 

>>>MG Motor has started work on an all-new front-engined, rear-drive open-top sports car to replace the TF.<<<

The engine is at the wrong place !!!

 

The original MGF concepts were front engined rwd, but the release of the MX5 made them revise their plans. Look back to the midget, MGB, MGA they were all front engined RWD.

 

It is, but partly its because the work that was or wasn't done under NAC was put on hold by SAIC who then prioritised the saloons higher than a new TF.

 

Yeah, it was only the MGF that was Mid Engined, well, apart from the MR2 I guess.

F-R layout has its benefits really, more space for a larger engine is one :dddc:

 

I've also merged these two threads.

 

Thanks for that Steve. Dan

 

I know the history of MG and their different cars. But I really can't imagine the F/TF being front engined. It's like you would build a new R64 with a front diesel engine.
:getcoat:

 

Phoenix route 2 or "PR2" was a front engine RWD, a family friend Peter Slater of Reliant was involved in the project.

Reliant introduced the Sabre with a 1400 K series engine powering the rear wheels , but after the launch of the MGF it was not long before this was discontinued, on the grounds of price and the MGF being more advanced due to the mid mounted engine!

 

I like that they have a 1.8 engine with "turbo", maybe thats going in a future TF too?

 

This engine was around in the MG Rover days and was fitted to the Rover 75, its power output is the same as the 160 engine so it wouldn't have been of much benefit to install it in the TF and even if they did, further engine cooling would have to be looked at - not an F/TF strong point:lol:

 

So - a new MG sports car in 2014? Discuss...

If Autocar is to be believed, there will be a front engine rear whell drive replacement for the MG TF in 204 - but the TF itself (they suggest) will have been out of production for three years by the time the new one arrives.

This begs a few questions...

- should they wait that long?
- should the TF replacement be FE RWD, ME RWD or FE FWD?
- should they be making a sports car?
- should it be a spiritual successor to the MGB/ Midget?
- what should it look like - subtle and beautiful or in-yer-face and aggressive?
- why didn't we read about this first in Auto Distress (complete wiv an artizdz impreshun)?

What do you think peeps?

 

Should they wait that long? No, but they have other priorities so it's probably inevitable. Look how long it's taking Jaguar to come up with a new E/F type.

Layout? Probably front engine, RWD. Must be RWD, but the engine position is less important. As an MGF owner, I'd like to see the same layout retained, but I expect the engine will move forward.

It should be about the same size as the TF and MGB. smallish and nimble - low cost fun.

It should be sleek and beautiful, not in-yer-face SV like.

 

2014 is fine provided they get it right. I think they should bridge the gap lengthening the TF and dropping the KV6 in. Available in Coupe and soft top. They have the preliminary work for this as it was something MGR were working on, so they should be able to bring it to market relatively cheaply and quickly. Perhaps re body the standard length TF to create a "midget" while they're at it. Team up with Stadco again to get it to market rapidly and cheaply like before.....

 

Should they build a sportscar? er.... yes of course, but making 1 sportscar would be a mistake. They need a range to gain some economies of scale and to excite the public. FWD should be the order of the day. Keep it simple and don't compromise packaging.

SAIC need to think very carefully about how it positions the MG brand and how it makes money selling low volume sportscars, and even whether one brand is enough to cover all bases and truly exploit all the components in a way which will guarantee good returns. Quite simply I would position MG as the working mans sportscar. Cheap, fun, entertaining to drive and pretty with it.

I would see 3 basic models making up the MG sportscar range. They would be:

- New MG Midget starting price £11,000 - simple no nonsense sportscar with a basic but well designed interior.

- New MG 'B' starting price £19,000 - The MG TF's replacement, but a tad upmarket (to give room for the Midget)

- New MG 'B' GT - Coupe version of the above

Now the clever bit! To truly exploit the components and investment in the above cars SAIC should make upmarket premium models based on the same tech. Handily this is where the Austin Healey brand comes in. Austin Healey should be about sportscars with grunt and luxuries. AH should aim to do battle with BMW and Porsche. The cars should be stunning and iconic in their own right. To this end Austin Healey should make:

- A new Austin Healey 3000 (priced at about £35,000) based on the floorpan of the 'new' MG B above, but it should get a totally new body and interior. Brakes and handeling should be upgraded and a V8 should be offered.

- A gull wing AH300 coupe should also sit alongside the standard roadster above

- A new 'Frogeye' sprite price at around £25,000. Based on the 'new' MG Midget but targeting the market that BMW vacated when it dropped the "Z3".

If SAIC are clever they will then have a range of economic to build sportscars and they will have sucessfully refloated the AH brand. The spin off beneift from this could be an entirely new range of luxury cars to go Lexus and BMW hunting with later on!

 

Should they build a sportscar? er.... yes of course, but making 1 sportscar would be a mistake. They need a range to gain some economies of scale and to excite the public. FWD should be the order of the day. Keep it simple and don't compromise packaging.

SAIC need to think very carefully about how it positions the MG brand and how it makes money selling low volume sportscars, and even whether one brand is enough to cover all bases and truly exploit all the components in a way which will guarantee good returns. Quite simply I would position MG as the working mans sportscar. Cheap, fun, entertaining to drive and pretty with it.

I would see 3 basic models making up the MG sportscar range. They would be:

- New MG Midget starting price £11,000 - simple no nonsense sportscar with a basic but well designed interior.

- New MG 'B' starting price £19,000 - The MG TF's replacement, but a tad upmarket (to give room for the Midget)

- New MG 'B' GT - Coupe version of the above

Now the clever bit! To truly exploit the components and investment in the above cars SAIC should make upmarket premium models based on the same tech. Handily this is where the Austin Healey brand comes in. Austin Healey should be about sportscars with grunt and luxuries. AH should aim to do battle with BMW and Porsche. The cars should be stunning and iconic in their own right. To this end Austin Healey should make:

- A new Austin Healey 3000 (priced at about £35,000) based on the floorpan of the 'new' MG B above, but it should get a totally new body and interior. Brakes and handeling should be upgraded and a V8 should be offered.

- A gull wing AH300 coupe should also sit alongside the standard roadster above

- A new 'Frogeye' sprite price at around £25,000. Based on the 'new' MG Midget but targeting the market that BMW vacated when it dropped the "Z3".

If SAIC are clever they will then have a range of economic to build sportscars and they will have sucessfully refloated the AH brand. The spin off beneift from this could be an entirely new range of luxury cars to go Lexus and BMW hunting with later on!

This is a good plan. The use of traditional and reliable names such as the MGB and Midget will attract lots of customers. But i cant help thinking if reusing an old name is right, shouldnt they go with progression as with the MGA, MGB, MGC, MGF, MGTF?

Perhaps an MGZ? A. Sounds cool. B. Nostaligic of the Z aloons.

The idea of re-inventing the Austin Healey marque is a good idea. Although would name ownership problems arise?

 

Hi

i like where you are coming from MGrovernut, however true sportscars tend to be RWD.

i would guess a 'frogeye' type car would be difficult due to the safety side...this is why pop-up lights were taken from MX5's! but i do light the frogeye sprite.

A gullwing would also be expensive to develop...hence not many have tried it.
i owned a delorean till last eyar and the doors worked perfectly, however there are major design issues with body stiffness to overcome (Delorean did it by steel backbone chassis on resin body)

i would agree a AH 3000 was always needed, but i don't think will ever appear unfortunately.
every one these days is too carbon friendly cobblers wanting a 500cc diesel turbo etc etc and munch carrots all day!

when everyone really knows that cars make a fraction of the worlds CO2 output (dirty ships and aircraft!), the trendiness to be green will blow over like the millenium bug that never happened

so i am very glad i drive my V8 with two fingers aloft at Gordon Bennet (sorry forgot is it Brown?) and his cronies while they spend our hardearned on their luxuries.

Steve

 

Sorry I meant engine in the front with RWD. Not front wheel drive. Lazy typo by me.

Gull wing might be tough as you say, but I love the idea of doing something a bit different on a car that could demand a premium...

 

To be honest it does make sense to make a midget out of the current TF platform. Don't quite know how you'd do this though as it would end up being the same size as it is now, unless the chopped off the boot, which would be a mistake, imo.

Not much room at the front to loose either.

That said, if the TF replacement is a bit bigger, and they can chop a few inches off the TF somewhere, it would work.

The TF chassis is still competitive anyway. Sure parts may date back to the Metro, it doesn't mean its no good. It needs to given a thorough redesign inside though and bought up to date, but a new Midget in 1.4 and 1.6 and perhaps supercharged 1.6/1.8 formats could well make for a superb little sportscar.

It would probaly have to be supercharged 1.6 at most though, any faster and it would tread on the toes of the new supersize TF. A charged 1.6 would still be good for 160bhp at least though, so would be more than enough for it.

 

I think for ease of maintenance and possibly not scaring off some buyers, the front engined RWD would be best. It will be interesting to find out what plans SAIC have for their model range - is it just one sports car or more:dunno: Will they make a 4 seater convertible to appeal to the family market.

I hope I am wrong but suspect the new TF will be more of a mainstream product similar to a Tigra - in which case it will probably sell quite well but not to enthusiasts.

 

Well we've all seen what a gigantic flop an agressive looking MG was... Had they taken the Mangusta platform and resurrected the values and concepts in the MG EX-E then they might have had a reasonably successful car. Instead they took a De Tomaso and made a few changes here and there, but despite the new badge the SV is still a De Tomaso.

MG coupes should look like BMW coupes - sleek, sexy and very, very desirable.