http://www.autocar.co.uk/blogs/motoring/what-have-david-beckham-prince-william-princess-kate-and-kate-moss-got-do-british-car
Fairly impressive stuff, but it sort of links into something I posted about the MG3 pricing. I was thinking about the any losses made by MG in the UK (assuming that they do make a loss) which, frankly, must be fairly manageable anyway due to their low UK overheads. But any loss they incur here could surely be absorbed by the Chinese marketing budget as it seems to be that the Longbridge connection is what is selling them in China! Operating in the UK must be seen as a no-brainer to SAIC.
That aspect had always worried me about SAIC after they seemed utterly unconcerned when they lost the MG Rover sell off auction to NAC. Whether their comments at the time about not wanting Longbridge anyway were a bit of bravado or sour grapes or not, I do wonder whether they would have done what NAC did and keep it open building TFs? Anyway, it seems to be working for them now...
As an aside, it would be interesting to know which company actually owns the freehold on the Longbridge site because, if MG Motor UK Ltd own it, they would probably charge a rent to SMTC UK Ltd for their facility. And SMTC UK Ltd would (presumably) charge their design services to the rest of the group. That would be another way of 'subsidising' the UK manufacturing operation. Just thinking like an accountant for a moment )