#SAIC

The name MG is not new to the United States, but the brand hasn’t sold cars here for some time, though that might be set to change. 

It’s a far cry from the 1960s and 1970s when in Britain, you couldn’t throw a rock without hitting a MGB or Midget. It was almost a similar story in the United States, which for much of the postwar period was Britain’s largest single vehicle export market.

It’s quite impressive when you think about it; VW’s China operations have grown to such an extent (sales of some 1.9 million cars annually) that the company now needs to add a 10th manufacturing facility in the country to keep up with demand.

It’s no secret that the Chinese have been eyeing up General Motors‘ technological expertise when it comes to vehicles like the Chevy Volt (pictured above).

MG Rover may have been able to retain much of its British character after being acquired by Chinese automaker SAIC, the company’s tie-in with General Motors may see the next generation MG Rover products use GM technologies, including platforms.

China’s largest carmaker, Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC), is among a bunch of Chinese automakers looking to expand into the American market.

Consider this little disappearance an “extended vacation.” After shutting down operations in Longbridge back in 2005, MG has now returned to the UK, by way of China, with the British-built MG 6.

General Motors upcoming IPO is attracting a lot of attention, not least from Chinese car manufacturer SAIC. A long time partner of the General, SAIC is looking to buy a significant portion of GM’s IPO, and with nearly $6 billion in cash reserves, the company is in a good position to do so.

It’s a well-known fact that the Buick is a dominant force (and growing) in the Chinese marketplace, so it’s no surprise that the traditionally traditional brand used the Shanghai Auto Show to debut an important new concept. The real surprise is that this crossover is anything but traditional.