A Pity, Really.
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6th Gear
Joined: Jul 2002
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From: Cincinnati, Ohio
A Pity, Really.
MG Rover is no more . 
It seems that the last major independent British manufacturer is in receivership (administration in Britspeak.) The factory production lines are officially closed, with little hope of reopening. MG Rover was the "left over" bit when BMW sold Land Rover to Ford, and kept MINI for itself, back in 2000. I understand that it was practically given away for free by BMW (10 quid actually!). Unfortunately the Crown Jewel, MINI, was the savior that the Rover Group needed to stay solvent. BMW's seven year ownership of Rover/Austin/Land Rover saw many highs(relaunching MG sports cars, the BMW powered Range Rover, and of course our beloved new Mini), and just as many lows, this being the worst of all.
As an owner of several older Abingdon made MGs, this is deja vu all over again (the Abingdon facility was closed in 1981, ending MGB production). How many times can MG arise from the ashes?
MGC
It seems that the last major independent British manufacturer is in receivership (administration in Britspeak.) The factory production lines are officially closed, with little hope of reopening. MG Rover was the "left over" bit when BMW sold Land Rover to Ford, and kept MINI for itself, back in 2000. I understand that it was practically given away for free by BMW (10 quid actually!). Unfortunately the Crown Jewel, MINI, was the savior that the Rover Group needed to stay solvent. BMW's seven year ownership of Rover/Austin/Land Rover saw many highs(relaunching MG sports cars, the BMW powered Range Rover, and of course our beloved new Mini), and just as many lows, this being the worst of all.As an owner of several older Abingdon made MGs, this is deja vu all over again (the Abingdon facility was closed in 1981, ending MGB production). How many times can MG arise from the ashes?
MGC
6th Gear
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,268
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From: Left Coast
A couple on NAM mentioned in another thread about the demise of MG that they had driven the MGF. Will we ever know how it would have performed in the USA? I got my brother's MGB in 1967 and it was a delight. It was my first real "sports" car and behaved well enough to not get me killed despite my own stupidity. Unfortunately USA "safety" regulations compromised its original jauntiness. The MGBGT seemed a useful variant. And I had been hoping for the reintroduction of the Magnette sedan.
I think MG will return because its name must be too valuable to waste (however I have been out of touch with young society). Imagine if MG had invented the Miata (except it would have been called MG). What a perfect reincarnation that would have made. If success from that were even remotely possible then why did the MGF, technically a more interesting car, not succeed?
Sorry to ramble so, although it's my normal tendancy, but I downed a 20 oz. bottle of Diet Coke this afternoon and so remain very wide awake. I thought its flavor would complement the pork adobo I ordered as a main course. It did. Then I was too cheap to leave an almost full bottle and so it accompanied me throughout my post prandial routine. Then I noticed within the bottle cap that Coke shall bestow upon me a free liter of such. Perhaps that might compensate for my missing a day of work on Friday.
Happy motoring despite this sad loss.
I think MG will return because its name must be too valuable to waste (however I have been out of touch with young society). Imagine if MG had invented the Miata (except it would have been called MG). What a perfect reincarnation that would have made. If success from that were even remotely possible then why did the MGF, technically a more interesting car, not succeed?
Sorry to ramble so, although it's my normal tendancy, but I downed a 20 oz. bottle of Diet Coke this afternoon and so remain very wide awake. I thought its flavor would complement the pork adobo I ordered as a main course. It did. Then I was too cheap to leave an almost full bottle and so it accompanied me throughout my post prandial routine. Then I noticed within the bottle cap that Coke shall bestow upon me a free liter of such. Perhaps that might compensate for my missing a day of work on Friday.
Happy motoring despite this sad loss.
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