SAIC to shutter UK Longbridge factory till 2010

Evidently the UK is set to get the MG6 next year, and SAIC are waiting for the credit crisis to blow over.

Managers at Birmingham's Longbridge plant are understood to be considering plans to shut down car production lines until early 2010, the BBC understands.

Production of a special version of the MGTF is due to end in weeks, BBC Midlands Today's Peter Plisner said.

MG Motor UK Ltd said "no final decision has been made regarding a temporary shutdown of our production facility."

It added: "If such a decision is taken we are likely to make a statement at that time confirming our intentions."

The company added that its Longbridge-based engineering/R&D facility continues to work on future MG products, which "are being specifically developed for the UK & Western European markets".

MG Rover collapsed in 2005 with the loss of 6,500 jobs.

In May 2007 its Chinese owners opened a new car production line at Longbridge as a ceremony marked the official reopening by Nanjing Automobile Corporation.

Shanghai Automotive has since taken over the Longbridge operation.