Suprised at an MG

[TDHFastback]

Not being a great fan of the new MG, I caught sight of this out of the corner of my eye and thought "Thats nice"
Then I saw the badge and was pleasantly suprised. The shop sign is well placed.



Anyone agree

Kate

The RAF theme is interesting.

[Very Tall Brad]

I really like the styling of the MG6. A local GP has one (after a succession of 800s and 75s) and it looks really smart.

The painful part of the MG6 is not the exterior but the awful interior. Dark, hard, shiny cheap looking plastic and very cramped. Not a nice place to be. But at around £5/6000 for a low mileage USED car, I would be happy in one if I was under 5 feet 10" (that's you and me both out then, Kate).

[MG Mal]

Well, I'm not surprised they don't sell many of any of the new cars.

I was at the Bristol balloon festival today, and the local "MG" dealers where in attendance.

Talk about lack of interest and total indifference to their own product!.

I tried to strike up a conversation about the new MG3 they had on display, and was shocked to see a total lack of interest in actually discussing the car with me, it's merits or it's rather nice price. (Top spec MG3 is under 10k!)

Even after mentioning that we have MG's and have had most models up to and including the "Zed" range, they just did not want to know.

In fact, the sales girl complete with MG branded outfit sat back in the display car and shut the door to listen to the radio!.

Such a shame, as I honestly believe this range has great potential if only it was marketed properly.

Mal.

[dollysprint]

Not being a great fan of the new MG, I caught sight of this out of the corner of my eye and thought "Thats nice"
Then I saw the badge and was pleasantly suprised. The shop sign is well placed.



Anyone agree

Kate

The RAF theme is interesting.

Dont quote me but I think I read somewhere that the "RAF" theme is something to do with celebrating MG's successful return to the BTCC last season

Dave

[Very Tall Brad]

I think the name/dealers/website/colours/promotions are all wrong with the MG cars. The MG6, though, is a fine car overall.

The new MG3 will struggle. It looks flimsy. So near and yet so far...For under £10000, I'd go for a Kia, Hyundai, Renault Twingo...or for £2000-3000 more, an Audi A1, Polo, Fiesta blah blah blah...

I think dropping the MG name, lowering the price a touch, improving the warranty, changing pretty well all the colours, offering something other than black as an interior colour on the MG6, dropping those ghastly wheels (as in Kate's picture above), promoting the car properly usng BTCC publicity as a great help and jazzing up the idea of a British styled, engineered and assembled car would surely work. Whoever is in charge at MG in Birmingham should be jettisoned and replaced. I reckon all of that would cost around £10 million to acheive (payouts/payoffs/publicity/adverts/changing colours etc). The brochure and website is also very clumsy and lacking in appeal. Look at Citroen, Lexus, Fiat, Ford websites - they are leagues ahead.

MG is dead as a brand building new cars. MG means 55 year old Uncle Bob (the one you never sit next to at the Christmas party) who drives a restored BRG MGBGT. I would suggest a new name, Cofton Cars. I can see the TV advert now..."How often do you see a Cofton?" Just a thought...

[Very Tall Brad]

And stick Jason Plato's mugshot on the face of all this promotion. He's well known, drives for MG in the BTCC and would influence quite a few potential car buyers to take notice.

[Very Tall Brad]

Come on Lord Sterlingshirefulness. What's your thought on the MG6? You've driven a couple. I haven't (couldn't fit).

[Very Tall Brad]

I'm on a roll...click on the MG website, Home page...Quentin bleedin Willson extolling the virtues of the MG6. Need I say more? Who IS in charge???

[Lord Sterling]

Yo Brad! Soz man, just been chattin' to someone special, seeing a few mates, nicking my Dads car etc.....

Er..yes, I did test drive a few of these not long after they came out (early last year sometime). I tested the MG6 GT and Magnette saloon. Have some pics (cuz I iz generus lyke dat)








I loved the cars, I got to take them out on my own. Very responsive in acceleration but quite a rev-happy engine, not much in the way of torque. Pulls well, but bias for sport handling (that should please those in the Turdbo and big wheels/hard suspension camps) corners ok but nowt to write home about.

Exteriir-wise, the Magnette looks like some random Lexus model (NOT LS, dont worry Brad) the GT doesnt photo well but looks great on the road. Interior is OK, a bit Germanic in looks, Korean in feel. Strange how the GT doesnt photo well yet in the metal/on the move it looks great.

Would I buy one? Yes, I'd probably go for the high-spec Magnette with fake leather and no wood. But I reckon I'd buy one due to my inward reverse snobiness against Jap/Euro cars, I still believe in British, even if most of it aint British.

I agree with the sentiments that the marketing of these cars is utterly useless. But I can't belp thinking if its almost intended. If the Chinese wanted it to be a success here, they woukd have gone to town on advertising/understanding and building what the public want, but they seem rather reluctant to do so.

VERDICT: I'll have a LWB Rover 75 V8 to take away please....

[rovercoup]

Wow the 5th picture makes the 75 looks like a dinky toy. I'm not convinced with any of this. Rover,MG,BL sadly died as a brand and although I know many of the design team engineering have been employed to bring this car to life the gap years are painfully evident. The MG6 is not a Rover nor is it a MG it is a car that has been designed with a thought of what are the others doing so lets let the mouse (pencil) follow but just waiver a bit. The Rover 800 is all that we ask and want it to be. Yes the reliability could be better, but for styling no one apart from Jaguar or Aston martin in my book come close. The link between the 75 and the MG6 is too far apart. One sometimes need's to look backward to see forward. Not an awful car but I don't see myself buying one now or in 20 years time

[Very Tall Brad]

It could be that the cars are called MG, there are a few built here and that it was designed here for one reason...to sell more in China where these facts would improve the car's image.

[Richard Moss]

It could be that the cars are called MG, there are a few built here and that it was designed here for one reason...to sell more in China where these facts would improve the car's image.

That's it

[TDHFastback]

AAArh Bradders oh wise one. So thats why they are doing it.

Sat in one yesterday at Hull. That mock carbon fibre centre consol/ hand brake cover look really naff. You can buy sheets of that for motorcycles to stick on stuff.

Wheres the leather and walnut?

Kate

[Very Tall Brad]

Wheres the leather and walnut?

Kate

Wrapped round your backside, most days, and in my head.

[Charles827si]

I've already vented my frustration about the Chinese owned MG Motor Company on AR online. It was my understanding that the new MG3 was not to come euroNCAP tested, but I think this has since changed – somebody with better knowledge might put me right?