The Ultimate Insult

[JohnP]

After over 80 years of being an icon in the British motor industry the MG badge is to be used as a springboard to launch a Chinese owned car company in the UK. Chinese car manufacturer SIAC own MG and will build the cars in Birmingham although many of the parts will come from China. Rolls Royce, foreign owned, Aston Martin, foreign owned, Jaguar, foreign owned, Land Rover, foreign owned, in fact I think apart from Morgan and a sprinkling of small kit car manufacturers, the once great British Motor industry now totally gone. What a sad day!

[tinkerbell]

Very sad indeed.

[Deleted]

Sad times indeed, as an ex owner of both an MGB convertible and an MGB GT. At least Aston Martin isn't wholly owned outside the UK, as Dave Richards (owner of Prodrive) has a majority holding I think. However, it's true that the UK motor manufacturing industry has been reduced to a 'niche' sports/super/hypercar market. Morgan, TVR, Noble, McClaren etc.

Don't forget that there is a lot of assembly done in the UK (I'm thinking of Nissan in the NE) which is making use of our skill base and providing some jobs. I agree though, it's not the same as designing, developing and then producing a mass market vehicle, at which which the UK used to excell.

[tomcat333]

was very surprised to find out Aston martin was using Chinese parts on there cars the cars cost enough money to warrant the use of English parts.

www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/05/autos-astonmartin-recall-idUSL2N0LA0O920140205

[meldrew]

Well we Brits have only ourselves to blame for the demise of the car and bike industry in the UK - we had it all and then the likes of Red Robbo and Arthur Scargill thought they could win against the Great British Government - nobody beats the Government (except perhaps the French!!!).

I love old british bikes and cars, I have a 1962 Norton and a 1997 Jag - both made with pride at the time - that before the days of robot made cars and bikes that hardly see the sight less the hand of a apprentice trained mechanic.

Hand built cars like Morgan and bikes like the new Norton sell for huge amounts of money because people who want them appreciate the craft that has gone into their building - long may it continue.