MG Rover's return to Longbridge

Taking your MG Sports Car for a spin in the country is seen as a quintessentially British activity (credit: britainonview)

The MG Rover plant in Longbridge is back in business after China's Nanjing Automobile Corporation (NAC) completed its takeover of MG Rover.

The factory, in England's West Midlands, officially re-opened its doors in May and is expected to bring a new lease of life to the area's car manufacturing industry.

UK motor industry’s spiritual home

Now the plant has re-opened after its two-year closure, the wheels are now set in motion for the production of the MG TF sports car in the "spiritual home of the UK's motor industry".

Key UK and Chinese business leaders attended the launch ceremony, with Solicitor General Mike O'Brien MP handing over a letter of support from Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, on behalf of the British Government.

NAC has already invested £250m into MG, both in the UK and in China, and has pledged further investment in future. The re-opening of the plant will create additional jobs in the West Midlands.

International stage

The deal to bring NAC to Longbridge was brokered between Birmingham City Council and NAC UK. NAC UK Chairman, Wang Hang Biao, said: "We are excited about the prospect of manufacturing the new MG TF in the UK and are extremely grateful for all the support the leadership of the City Council have given us.

"We are looking forward to working in Birmingham to make the MG brand highly regarded once more."

Quintessential British motors

For almost 100 years, the Longbridge plant in Birmingham has been one of the largest manufacturing homes to quintessential British motors such as Austin and Morris.

NAC bought MG Rover in 2005 after the Group went into receivership. NAC then made strategic steps to re-start the production at Longbridge announcing the production of MG TF sport cars at the factory in July 2006.

MG罗孚重返长桥

在英国驾驶MG运动型汽车兜风被视为典型的英国行为（credit: britainonview）

继中国南京汽车集团（NAC）接管了英国MG罗孚汽车集团之后，位于长桥的MG罗孚汽车集团再次恢复了运营。

位于英格兰西米德兰地区的MG罗孚汽车集团于今年五月正式恢复运营，有望为该地区的汽车制造业注入新的活力。

英国汽车业的精神家园

MG罗孚汽车集团经过两年的歇业，现在又重新开业了。目前，在这片被誉为“英国汽车业的精神家园”的土地上，MG罗孚汽车集团开始生产该集团旗下的MG TF运动型汽车。

中英双方企业的高层领导均出席了MG的揭牌仪式，英国副司法部长下议院议员Mike O'Brien转交了一封来自英国副首相的贺信，信中John Prescott阁下代表英国政府表达了他对此事的支持。

目前，南京汽车集团已经为MG在英国和中国的生产基地投资了2.5亿英镑，并作出了进一步的投资承诺。MG罗孚汽车集团的重新开业将为英格兰西米德兰地区的人民创造更多的就业机会。

迈向国际化

伯明翰市政府和南汽英国公司在南京汽车集团投资长桥的运作中，起到了很好的桥梁作用。南汽英国公司总裁王航标说：“我们对于在英国生产新型MG TF运动型汽车的前景倍感兴奋和期待，并且，对于伯明翰市政府对我们工作的大力支持表示感谢。我们很期待在伯明翰开创事业，并将MG品牌继续发扬光大。”

驰名英国汽车制造商

100年来，伯明翰长桥工厂一直是英国著名汽车制造商如奥斯汀和莫里斯等最大的生产基地之一。

在MG罗孚汽车集团面临破产危急的时候，2005年，南京汽车集团宣布接管该集团。2006年6月，南京汽车集团做出战略性的举措，宣布在MG的生产基地生产MG TF运动车型，从而恢复MG的运营。

滴答网在此感谢英国驻广州总领事馆提供稿件