Il semble que la MG 7 produite à Pukou reprenne le même design que celui de la 75 MKII . Pour ceux qui attendent une" nouvelle" voiture avec la MG 7 il faudra attendre semble-t-il 2008, notamment pour la production de Longbridge. Un témoignage intéressant a été donné par ROGER PARKER, membre du Club des propriétaires de MG, qui était présent à la cérémonie de lancement de la marque le 30/01/2007. Il a pu s'entretenir avec le boss et il prévient que ceux qui attendent des véritables nouveautés seront déçus cette année. En revanche, l'effort de la NAC portera sur la qualité et une reprise en douceur avec un bas niveau de production. Il confirme que la NAC travaille actuellement sur le renouvellement de la gamme MG, avec de futures MG 7, MG 5 et MG 3. Le programme d'amélioration de la MG TF lui paraît intéressant...
Témoignage en anglais de R. PARKER :
"There is far too much emphasis on 'fact' from 'this' reporter and then it is countered by 'fact' from 'that' reporter. So many comments are off at tangents. I do have to come in and support Steve as what he has said in this thread from the start is the most accurate, and if you stand back and look at the overall picture, logical.
I have only just come back from China and was on the same stage as the NAC and NAC MG senior team for that launch of MG specifically for the Chinese market. Non Western press were specifically discouraged from attending because the massive difference between the Chinese (male) car buyer and the European (male and female ) buyers. With basic differences in the simple fact that Chinese can't say 'MG' and need a wording that they can say should at least wake most up to how different things are out there, and why there are huge differences between styles and content of releases from China and those from UK.
There is a very strong following and appreciation of things British and this is begining to include MG, so it should come as no surprise to see many odd uses of things we may not see as that relevant being used in context to MG out there. Indeed whilst in the Forbidden City on Monday we did seem to be attracting a greater interest than Westerners normally attract from the street sellers and beggers! Later we learnt that Daniel Craig was also visiting there so perhaps we were thought of as being connected. I reckon I could do a Q, but hardly 007!
Back to the presentation it was very slick and seamless and involved a great deal of reference and illustration on MG history including Cecil Kimber, William Morris, Abingdon and explantion and images of a number of previous MG models through the decades. A clear demonstration of understanding of the history surrounding MG, without hijacking it. To them they understand the value of MG heritage but it is the future they are concentrating on and making that a success as well as being very keen to ensure that what they create as MG history is widely regarded as good and positive by exisiting MG enthusiasts.
The presentation was not the only period of contact with the senior team of NAC and NAC MG and many hours were spent with them (and Paul S) with open and actually surprisngly frank discussions on what was happening. Those many conversations (over some fantastic meals) was made in the strictest confidence and I have no intention of breaking that confidence, but most would be delighted if or when told.
However, the tone of some of those conversations can be used to put greater accuracy on the various tangents and too focussed expectations that are portrayed in a number of postings within this thread.
Firstly too many think that restarting the TF is a matter of laying orders for parts (3000 plus per car), getting in a shift of workers, training them and push the start button and see cars start rolling off the line. It has been anything but this simple with around 70% of parts needing new tooling, which has obvioulsy taken time to make, then the parts coming off them need to be validated, tooling or process modified to achieve the right standards before it is available to go into production.
Now with this in mind whilst there is an attraction to look at tooling up with new designs, that takes longer and quite simply takes too much time. It has taken some time once NAC had bought the assets to evaluate what they actually had, and what is the best way forward. So in reality the time actually available between that decision and the first roll off of true production cars is much less than 2 years. It is also the reason why I feel the July start date for production cars may slip. If it doesn't then this is a major achievement and one deserving admiration.
Just think of the praise that the 75 production line shift from Cowley to Longbridge attracted, which was 12 weeks and 70 miles up the M40 and M42 with instructions. Then compare the shift of a body in white plant, an engine factory and a car assembly line around 13,000 miles by sea and land with no instructions of substance, for element to be producing within 12 months. It is impressive before the massive developments of new factory sites is added to the equation.
All of these points are made to illustrate that time is not on the side of NAC, neither is there a bottomless pit of people or finance, although that latter point is so much better than MG Rover had, and I have little doubt that the use of that is far better controlled! There is a need to move quickly and see new cars in the market place as soon as possible, not necessarily new product, but certainly competent product of at least the same quality that was seen in MGR final days. This doesn't lend itself to changes to the previous design, although jobs in progress from MGR days can offer a window of opportunity for minor changes.
So those expecting big changes be dissapointed now and get it out of your system so that when the cars appear you can be level headed enough to view with an open mind. There are going to be many who don't like or who wouldn't buy for a variety of reasons, but there are going to be those who will for an equally wide range of other reasons. The majority in the middle need to be aware of the reasonable expectation so they can judge fairly.
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Initial volume production is not going to be that high at all and this is to ensure that the cars are as right as possible with volumes ramping up over a period of time in tune with demand, the ability to maintain a minimum quality standard and the availability of more substantial changes that are under development as you read this, but won't be available until 2008/9, although priority changes could vary this.
There is a distinct advantage for the first models to return virtually as the very limited 2005 model year TFs (631 examples with the first being made on 19th January 2005, excluding pre production 2004 MY cars upgraded before that date.) as this provides continuity of spares supply in a more complete format and this will have benefits on residuals for all pre April 2005 cars.
Beyond the introduction there are some very interesting plans for the TF and this then extends beyond this to new metal, some of which has its roots in behind closed doors MG Rover work done before the company collapsed.
Initially TF production will be for the UK market only, hence concentration on only RHD and only when all of the hurdles in the UK market are sorted will the European markets be looked at starting probably with Spain.
The period since 8th April 2005 has been a difficult one for all MG (and Rover) enthusiasts and only now are we seeing the first fruits in the form of cars appearing , which will increase with a surge over the next few months. The 60th anniversary of NAC on 27th March and the event in Nanjing on 27th and 28th will be the next date to mark followed by the early April activities moving to Longbridge. However, if things continue to progress from now as I am told they are moving, then the Shanghai Motor Show in late April is probably the one to concentrate upon. The subject surprised me, but I was delighted to hear what was bieng looked at.
I am very aware that talking in these terms is saying very little, but then when told something in confidence by the senior managment of a company I will not betray that confidence. On the other hand I feel that I can at least give some indication that the company is actually working on a wide range of projects, all positive to MG, and that more patience is needed, whether you feel grumpy at me or not.
On one specific vehicle I can say with confidence that anyone looking to see an early return of the MG7 (ZT) or any of the variations on that theme to dealers in the UK (or Europe) will be dissapointed as the vehicle no longer has type approval and needs complete recertification to current standards and that is not achievable without some heavy engineering and engineer/monetary investment. Bearing in mind my earlier comments about resources being stretched over other projects, the return of this model to the UK and European markets is not high enough on the list and will have to wait for some of the current projects to be concluded. I expect the released time scales of 2008 for the relaunch of that model range to be optimistic, and remembering that this is provisional and would only be done IF the market conditions were favourable at THAT time. The only safe assumption is that it will not be back, although personally I feel it will for other reasons I can't expand on. Whilst the capability to assemble the 7 at Longbridge remains, it is likley that it would be Chinese built.
The same expired type approval applies to both the MG3, and at the bottom of the list MG5 and there are more hurdles to be overcome on that latter model than any others, plus no export to the UK is yet in the frame.
Longbridge has finally got the MG Rover identity removed, which whilst sad is firmly a historical aspect as previous Rover or Austin signage was. Now is the era of NAC MG and in looking to the future means that this is what needs to be projected. Other positive developments have been seen there in recent times and this is continuing. As a matter of interest it has been said to me that aside from the quoted investment sums at press conferences there is an ongoing £1m per month running cost which needs to be added to the overall investment and committment of NAC to the UK.
The other interesting point was that the R&D centre is something they want to get up and running ASAP, and it was mentioned that anyone I knew from MG Rover days who was involved in the R&D area who would be interested to ask them to make contact. Those reading this from that background, and it was all aspects of R&D, and having an interest should make that position known to NAC MG, or if they so choose I would gladly forward their contact details. RogerP@mgownersclub.co.uk
Other than the above I note that the recent press viewing of the 'first' two new TFs built in the NAC MG era was not quite accurate as I saw a couple of others built some months ago and another more recent car. The first ones were clearly mainly from existing parts but some were new and clearly needed some fettling to get right for the customer version. As other new parts have come on stream so the build rate has gone up and quality as I see improved culminating in these two, which I haven't yet seen.
I would add a couple of final points. Firstly that added value is being seen as a way to make the initial cars more attractive, perhaps with LE status. Price is yet to be set, although my message was that they had to be more competitive than the competition and go for a realistic level bearing in mind the range of prices in this soft top area and not just the MX5. Warranty is an area where a much longer period is clearly on the cards and this is on the back of engine modifications to eliminate the HGF. These mods being around for some time but internal company politics and a worry of successful legal claims being made by owners over a long period preented them being implimented in the MGR era. A clean sheet and no baggage does have value sometimes.
Rog" [Source : forum anglais MG ROVER-ORG., 01/02/2007]]
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