SAIC Motor starts selling self-developed MG 6 sedan

Shanghai, December 23 (Gasgoo.com) SAIC Motor Passenger Vehicle Co., an own-brand vehicle subsidiary of SAIC Motor, yesterday started selling its self-developed MG 6 mid-class sedan in the domestic market, Xinhua News reported. The car is priced from 128,800 yuan ($18,800) to 192,800 yuan.

SAIC Motor said the MG 6, available with a 1.8-liter engine and a turbo version, is especially designed for the Asian and European markets. At the 2009 Shanghai auto show in April, the car was unveiled as an own-brand concept of SAIC Motor, which has developed the MG and Roewe brands on the basis of acquired technology.

The company said it would sell the MG 6 sedan in the Chinese market first, to rival the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and Volkswagen Sagitar in the highly competitive mid-class auto segment in China. Next year or later the car will hit the European and other overseas markets.

The 1.8-liter MG 6 hatchback is produced by SAIC Motor at its Lingang plant, Shanghai. SAIC also plans to start producing the MG6 in a UK plant next year as it tries to revive the 85-year history of the British icon globally.

SAIC began to operate MG Rover's Longbridge plant in Birmingham, central England after a merger in late 2007 with Nanjing Auto that acquired the UK brand four years ago. SAIC will use the UK facility to tap the European market.

Styled at SAIC's UK headquarters in Warwickshire, the MG 6 represents a clear departure from earlier MG models, with a fresh looking exterior and modern interior, all aimed at appealing to much younger buyers.