MG5 Magnette?

http://www.carnewschina.com/2013/06/21/mg5-sedan-will-hit-the-chinese-car-market-in-2014/

This is interesting. The 350 saloon begat the MG5 which has now evolved back into a saloon. They kept this quiet ; it's the first I've seen of it. It doesn't look too bad - I wonder if the MG6 will get a facelift at the same time to make it less 'Roewe' and more 'MG'? I like this trend - the two brands are definitely separate and that is a refreshing change from the MGR-era method of fitting different bumpers as that fools nobody (BMC taught us that in the 60s). It's also interesting as it shows that the Chinese aren't just going to launch it onto the market and leave it, despite the low sales and sniffy reviews. I wonder if they've tackled the chassis/drivetrain criticisms?

Presumably this is a purely Chinese development and has no Longbridge input? And also, presumably, it won't be coming here?

Morris Motors wrote:They kept this quiet ; it's the first I've seen of it.

 

I beat you to it by, err, quite a few days!

http://www.mguk.org/t815-mg5-magnette

Morris Motors wrote:Presumably this is a purely Chinese development and has no Longbridge input? And also, presumably, it won't be coming here?

I think they will try to make it distinct from the 350 as they are trying to separate the brands including using separate dealers etc in China.

I also think it will be aimed as a global design to sit along side the MG3 in the markets that is doing well such as Chile and Peru, although in other markets the 350 is doing rather well which must complicate things!

They will probably bring it to Europe after the MG CS, otherwise they will have a big hole in their line up that potential dealers wont like.

Hope they do bring it to Europe, although, UK don't really like saloons do they? Maybe MG need to bring the five door to cater for us!

Windy wrote:

Morris Motors wrote:They kept this quiet ; it's the first I've seen of it.

 

I beat you to it by, err, quite a few days!

http://www.mguk.org/t815-mg5-magnette

I didn't see that! But this is the first link with a picture surely?

As for the 350, I really like it; pretty little thing. I do keep saying that...

Anyway, is this car less of a revised MG5 hatch and more a reskinned 350? I know it's all the same underneath but I'm trying to plot the evolution of it; whether the saloon has been in development for as long as the hatchback. And can you tell if the MG5 saloon shares the same glass area as the 350? It would make sense and would show just how 'different' they are. Or not!

But it's another mystery isn't it - we know the Chinese and Ssanyong took over the lions share of MG5 direction/development after it was passed over from Longbridge, so why did the saloon come second? I'd have thought, with a Chinese launch first, there would have been a push for that first.

Morris Motors wrote:But it's another mystery isn't it - we know the Chinese and Ssanyong took over the lions share of MG5 direction/development after it was passed over from Longbridge, so why did the saloon come second? I'd have thought, with a Chinese launch first, there would have been a push for that first.

I suspect SsangYong had left the project before the MG5 was started, they can't have done much after going bankrupt!

The MG5 was a hatch because they were trying to separate the two brands and a hatch was seen as more European but it has resulted in lower sales than they could have expected. They are now separating the brands on other things, including styling so I'm expecting some surprises when it appears, although that image does look like a real computer generated one. I'm guessing it will arrive in Europe the year after (2015) fitted with the new SGE engines at which point it should be quite competitive over here although it may need to arrive here in hatch form (an updated MG5 hatch).

Windy wrote:

Morris Motors wrote:But it's another mystery isn't it - we know the Chinese and Ssanyong took over the lions share of MG5 direction/development after it was passed over from Longbridge, so why did the saloon come second? I'd have thought, with a Chinese launch first, there would have been a push for that first.

I suspect SsangYong had left the project before the MG5 was started, they can't have done much after going bankrupt!

The MG5 was a hatch because they were trying to separate the two brands and a hatch was seen as more European but it has resulted in lower sales than they could have expected.  They are now separating the brands on other things, including styling so I'm expecting some surprises when it appears, although that image does look like a real computer generated one.  I'm guessing it will arrive in Europe the year after (2015) fitted with the new SGE engines at which point it should be quite competitive over here although it may need to arrive here in hatch form (an updated MG5 hatch).

Definitely needs to be a hatch. They'll have a conventional range when it arrives. Then it'll be time for a sports car? Maybe....?

Goodness - 2015? How old will it be by that point? It'll need more than just a tweaked front bumper and spoiler like the MG3 to avoid being pulled apart by nay-sayers.

Morris Motors wrote:Goodness - 2015? How old will it be by that point? It'll need more than just a tweaked front bumper and spoiler like the MG3 to avoid being pulled apart by nay-sayers.

True, given the amount of time it's taking for the saloon to appear, it seems reasonable to assume that it will be the next generation and not just a current generation 350 with some MG bumpers.

There are stories of it getting a wet (oil cooled) dual clutch auto box, originally it was to be a dry dual clutch, not sure if the stories are true or if the problems with VW's small dual clutch autos have changed the plans.