Chen Hong: MG goes big, goes racing, gets new engines, gets new sports car

SAIC chairman Chen Hong took office and another shot at Roewe and MG separate operations

"MG Not only do big, bigger to do." While at the helm for less than two months, new SAIC chairman Chen Hong of this idea has been proposed many times in the SAIC internal meeting.

Reporters learned that, according to Chen Hong's plan, will operate separately from the Roewe and MG, and MG is likely to introduce an international team to operate.

As the new leader of SAIC, SAIC Chen Hong's task is to make bigger and stronger, and MG brand from England, in fact, holding a baby in my hand SAIC. MG in overseas markets have a good customer base, only MG Club members on more than 40 million, as long as one hundredth able to buy MG again, you can directly make SAIC brand tripled.

However, MG brand again return SAIC also requested the owners and home users Roewe mainly different, MG owners especially international owners, a group of people who understand the car the car, they have their own understanding of the MG brand, the pursuit of speed and passion, let MG return, SAIC addition to the marketing to meet the needs of these consumers, but also a breakthrough products and technologies.

● Copy Universal Volkswagen division mode

In recent years, the rapid development of the SAIC brand is also facing the ceiling. 2013, SAIC own car brand is still growing at a rate of 15%, to 230,000, but the growth rate is relatively slow. Auto companies 200,000 is a threshold, many companies to 200,000 after will enter a period of adjustment, SAIC is no exception.

"SAIC is fully developing the condition again leap, SAIC palm bumped a best hand, but has not yet been out." SAIC insiders told reporters, now this card is just around the corner.

This card is the mouth of the insiders MG. Currently, the ratio between the MG and Roewe is 1:3, ie, MG currently just over 60,000 vehicles sold. The turn over of MG, such sales do not be justified.

While in 2005 because the British ROVER bankruptcy, it will be packaged and sold assets NAC MG, however, MG in British history is indeed a once very brilliant brand.

"Chen mentioned many times, to MG independent." SAIC insiders, the so-called independent, that is, such as Shanghai Volkswagen and Shanghai GM as brand building division, the direct responsibility of the Minister of brand division of the brand.

Currently, SAIC passenger cars have dual brand Roewe and MG-sale terminals only by the respective sales director accountable, from planning and development to the market and the public relations are merged. The main purpose of the operation was to intensive integration of resources and accelerate profitable.

By the end of 2007, SAIC integrated NAC. With the advancement of the integration process, in February 2009, NAC MG brand has been integrated double. MG and Roewe integration time in order to better integrate the two brands. Shanghai Automotive will Roewe and MG passenger MG implement and net sales, a dealer can sell at the same time, MG and Roewe brands models, SAIC's passenger car 4s shop will wrap labeled "Shanghai Automotive + Wal-wing MG LOGO . "

At that time the two brands are not powerful enough resources, operations separately, more dispersed resources, is likely to face two brands do not up the case. The merger is able to reduce administrative costs, improve operational efficiency, promote two independent brands to accelerate profitable process.

● comprehensive rejuvenation law

Make a new brand is not an easy task, especially an independent brand. Since starting from low domestic brands to give consumers the impression left inferior low-cost, independent brand premium is generally low, which also makes SAIC spared difficult. Even SAIC chose to hold high-end high hit start, but profitability is not high, executive vice president, general manager of passenger car company SAIC SAIC brand Chih-Hsin Chen raised several times profit plan and ultimately profitable missed.

"SAIC is guarding Jinshan starving!" SAIC executives also sigh. However, the timing of the revival of MG is needed, one consumer's identity, the past two years, the market environment has changed, after Geely acquired VOLVO, we do not believe that Mr. Li is independent revival VOLVO shifted the road.

In addition, SAIC's own brand of technology to greatly enhance the technical capacity of the MG brand with the recovery movement genes. Two months ago, SAIC issued a new generation called "CUBE-TECH" full-line direct injection engine, which means that SAIC become the Chinese automobile industry, while the capture of the first efficient engines and advanced automatic transmission auto companies. SAIC plans to the end of the year listed MG Chevrolet pioneered the use of the technology, the new 1.4T engine assembly, after which the new powertrain technology will be rolled out on SAIC's full line product.

Currently, SAIC has developed a series of products to revitalize the local market MG program. Gradually introduced in the UK market in the MG6 and MG3 diesel version later, SAIC and especially for the 2015 MG TROPHY Challenge to build a racing version of the MG3, hopes to return to the track version SAIC MG MG fans back to the line of sight . The listing of the upcoming September MG GT, the preliminary investigation is under way into the UK market. In addition, equipped with 1.5T and 2.0T engines MG brand new sports car will be officially unveiled in 2020 and prior to mass production.

"MG British brand will be further strengthened." Insider, while dual-brand Roewe between definition and will also be more clear.

Magnette wrote:Well that's encouraging! MG3 Trophy is all but confirmed, the MG GT possibly for the UK and a sports car in the pipeline.

I think they are realising that they can't just shift cars by osmosis and are actually now going to get aggressive in their expansion. Good news.

rantell wrote:this all seems very exciting does this mean we might get the 5, face lifted 6, 3 diesel, gt and the cs all in a year or two and does this mean the sports car is officially confirmed      .    

Magnette wrote:Surely the UK MG3 being rolled out to all markets shows that they don't keep making 'territory specific' bumper and lamp arrangements?

Windy wrote:

Magnette wrote:Surely the UK MG3 being rolled out to all markets shows that they don't keep making 'territory specific' bumper and lamp arrangements?

True, but if they update the UK MG6 with the latest facelift then it will have to go through EU testing again which will cost so if they don't expect a decent return in increased sales they may wait until the next facelift which like the last may arrive in the UK first...

At the moment, I don't think we know what the plans for the UK MG6 are.

mg-zs wrote:Well from what I heard the petrol MG6 cars are just rotten away outside in Longbridge.
Very poor sight

"...the forthcoming facelift for the MG6, due later this year...will see the new 2.0-litre Direct Injection [petrol] engine fitted under the bonnet along with a number of subtle changes... For the first time in the UK there may also be the option of a new dual-clutch semi-auto transmission alongside SAIC's in-house six-speed manual."

patpending wrote:

mg-zs wrote:Well from what I heard the petrol MG6 cars are just rotten away outside in Longbridge.
Very poor sight

There are a lot of people who like to post negative things about modern MGs, so it is very easy to "hear" bad things from "insiders" who "know". I have even seen a handful of MG3s standing at Longbridge awaiting PDI and delivery shown as "proof" of a car mountain! I even photographed one at PoL which was delivered the following week!

The batch assembly method has seemed to create delivery delays rather than a glut of stock. That said, we are now only a few weeks from the "64" reg change, so dealer stocks are rising...

snifferdog1 wrote:I agree with MG-ZS to an extent.

Being an MG enthusiast is extremely frustrating, we hear rumours of things, we see spy shots of things etc etc and all we really end up with is a one page ad in the paper and 200 sales a month.

Windy wrote:I don't understand why Europe is taking so long when the cars are already to Euro specification so all they need to do is appoint dealers, it's almost as though they don't want to sell too many.

snifferdog1 wrote:.....they may even be waiting for more models to become available to really attack the market?

MG Dynamo and MG CS?!

Would be good to go back into Europe with a full range.

Magnette wrote:
Also if the lamps and bumpers are changing, that's another set of spares a new distribution network needs to carry for a miniscule number of cars.

mg-zs wrote:We can import from East-Europe.
But then its costing to much.

Magnette wrote:X-Part isn't directly associated with MG Motor though is it?

Windy wrote:

mg-zs wrote:We can import from East-Europe.
But then its costing to much.

Isn't it easier to get it from the UK as you then don't have to import it to the EU and pay import tax and don't have to have it tested to make sure it meets EU specification (which it may not).

Not sure if they have to provide LHD cars if you buy it from the UK, if we want to buy a Ford from your Ford dealer then I believe they have to supply Right Hand Drive if requested.

mg-zs wrote:X-parts have most MG stuff.
Like Zr/Zs/Zt

mg-zs wrote:Could be me.
But last time I went to school.
UK is in Europe.
Hungary too.
So that should not be a prob.
Unless I see things wrong