The mid-engined MG TF roadster will be relaunched in September courtesy of Chinese company owner NAC after a hiatus since 2005 from the U.K. market. The British-built two-seat roadster was MG Rover’s answer to Mazda ’s Miata, although the basic design is aged, having been around since 1995.
Only one trim of the lightly revised TF will be offered, the LE500, priced at an equivalent of about $32,600, or nearly $1,400 more than a base Miata, its main competitor. Back in 2005, a base TF with the same-size engine cost about $35,200. NAC claims it has taken 300 pre-orders for the car, according to Autocar reports, but the platform’s age should restrict buyers to hardcore fans of British sports cars.
Powering the TF will be the same 1.8-liter K-series engine as in years past, tweaked to meet Euro IV emissions standards and producing 134 horsepower. Changes since the last TF included a body-colored hard top, air conditioning, leather interior, parking sensors and a CD player sourced from Pioneer.
The cars will begin production at the Longbridge plant in Birmingham this August. Next year, NAC will unveil less expensive models of the reborn TF. The Chinese owners are also planning to bring out more MG models in the future.
