SAIC to develop A-class models for Roewe, MG

Shanghai, November 4 (Gasgoo.com) SAIC, Chinese leading automaker, will build two A-class car models for Roewe and MG brands after Roewe 750 and 550 went on sale, Beijing Morning Post said today, citing sources from SAIC Institute.

SAIC Institute is now working on two new A-class cars, one hatchback and one sedan. Both models are at around 2600mm in the wheelbase and over 4.3m in length, with one model featuring distinctive sports style, sources said. The MG will be responsible for a sports model, according to the production plan announced earlier by SAIC.

SAIC planned to push its own-brand Roewe and MG into the A-class auto market after having launched Roewe 550 and MG 3SW.

After acquiring Nanjing Auto last year, SAIC re-arranged the Roewe and MG brands, with the two brands owning three production bases and four technical centers in Shanghai, Nanjing, Britain and Korea. SAIC planned to invest 7.352 billion yuan ($1.078 billion) in own-brand products as the capacity of its own-brand cars suddenly increased.

The two noble brands target at the domestic A-class market, and they also will go to the overseas markets. The two new A-class cars designed for Roewe and MG will go on sale in 2009, with the selling price as low as around 100,000 yuan, sources said.