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.
07/03, 9:22 AM
posted by:
xyunya
I can imagine confusion on streets of any Chinatown: is this knock off or real?
07/03, 9:47 AM
posted by:
JohnnyBlazE
The old TF with the 160bhp 1.8 VVC was a good choice:
0-60 in 6.9 seconds, topping out at 137mph with 37mpg combined.
Unfortunately all these had reliability issues and questionable build quality.
Good, fun cars, less feminine than an MX-5 but I don’t think as dynamic.
07/03, 10:00 AM
posted by:
Need4SSpeed
Always liked the MG Roadster. also that was good xyunya. I wonder if these will ever reach the U.S market. Probably not with the way the dollar is and at an equivilent of $32,600 that’s pretty steep…
07/03, 10:13 AM
posted by:
F451
This is NOT an MG—this is a POS.
07/03, 10:14 AM
posted by:
mayer_ray_nagin
When I lived in Germany a friend bought one of the reintroduced models in the latter 90s. After picking it up new, on his way home from the dealership on the first day the rear view mirror fell off the windshield. Things went downhill from there.
Moral of the story: ain’t no way the chinese can build a car as crappy as the brits.
07/03, 10:22 AM
posted by:
jumpoffit
expensive to say the least and the performance i don’t like- would rather buy an S2K / Solstice/Sky or even a base 350Z
07/03, 12:31 PM
posted by:
inline6
Okay, LLN is showing, once again, that their heads are up their backsides.
The car is listing for around 16,000 British Pounds. But LLN says that’s “the equivalent of $32,000US”. Technically, it is. But that has ZERO bearing on what it would cost if sold here.
The VW GTI in England lists for about 22,000 British Pounds. However, it costs only $22,000US on our market.
So get your facts straight, LLN.
I must say, though, that I’m disappointed that the car isn’t getting more than 137hp. If NAC was going to reintroduce the TF, they needed to improve it appreciably in performance, quality, and refinement. Apparently, they’ve already missed one of those goals.
07/03, 3:17 PM
posted by:
S1L1SC
It looks better than the Miata. I guess thats something.
07/04, 12:06 AM
posted by:
Kanucko
Perhaps we could rename it the MG-POS. I wonder if it crumples up like a tin can like the rest of the chinese cars that are manufactured ?
Its really too bad that all the British Marques are all owned by Indian,Chinese & Kuwaiti companies. Is the U.K. so poor that they can’t buy back their own companies ? Talk about sad…
I think those companies should be renamed :
MG BrownCoat
Aston Mohammad
Jagminder & Land Robinder (land rover)
07/04, 7:50 AM
posted by:
JohnnyBlazE
mayer_ray_nagin has a point – look at TVRs and Jags under British rule… we can’t build reliable cars; simple as!
Rovers, TVRs, Jaguars, MGs… they ALL fall apart.
Same goes for Italians… Fiat, Alfa, Ferrari… need I go on?
Kanucko – We’re not poor as such we just know that building cars here would suck. We also can’t be bothered with British brands anymore it seems.
07/11, 12:41 AM
posted by:
deutschetouring1337
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07/11, 12:42 AM
posted by:
deutschetouring1337
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