New Smart-based MG Roadster could see production by early 2007

By TONY LEWIN | AUTOMOTIVE NEWS

AutoWeek | Published 03/20/06, 2:27 pm et

Just because your shirt, which costs $20, was made in China doesn’t mean that China got $20. They got $2. The other $18 likely went to the United States. Either in the cotton, or the design, or the shipping, or the marketing, or the distribution, or the retailing.

Most US companies have abandoned production of small, cheap items, and have instead focused on expensive, high-tech items, or moved out of “items” altogether and produce services and intellectual property.

So while China may be making a lot of shirts, they import a lot of software, medicines, oil, chemicals, metals, airplanes, etc.

You might say “this shirt is made in China” but some Chinese man or woman is saying “this confocal microscope is made in Germany” or “this wide body passenger jet is made in USA” or “this CT scanner is made in France”. China needs to export a LOT of shirts to be able to afford even one of the items they import.

The GDP of the USA has increased, just since 2003, by more than the ENTIRE GDP of China. That means that just in GROWTH, we’ve swallowed the equivalent of China. China may be growing quickly as a percentage, but they are growing at a signifigantly slower rate than the United States is. China does have a proportionally higher amount of exports as a percentage of GDP, but the USA still exports more than China does.

It’s hard to see how Nanjing Automobile Corp could come anywhere close to packaging an appealing successor to MG’s roots in affordable, fun sports cars.

I always thought the MGF was a cool MG, and would have loved to have been able to purchase one in the US.

I’d be interested to know if other MotoringFile readers think the MG badge still appeals? That is, would anyone else buy an MG built in the past 30 years?

btw – if memory serves correct, the MGF (that’s the roadster basis of the MG TF concept hardtop shown in the Autoweek article) was always the top-selling roadster in the UK, outselling the Mazda MX5/Miata.

I always thought the MGF was a cool MG, and would have loved to have been able to purchase one in the US.

Well I’m not an economist, as you can tell, I only know what is on my label or inside about everything I own! Have you looked inside or on what you have around you?

As far as miss info goes.. get a grip.

Oh well, at least I know a BMW engineered British car rocks. Plus, the Rover 75 wasn’t bad, just needed a bit firmer suspension and better engines… hindsight, huh?

Nanjing boss Zhang Xin said: “We want Chinese consumers to know this brand as Modern Gentleman.”

William Morris is rolling in his grave

http://i1.tinypic.com/1zwj38l.jpg

The movie was directed by a certain Ron Howard, one of his earliest ventures. Would you believe, Ron was born in the town of Duncan in the state of Oklahoma about 50 miles from Ardmore, site of the closing GM facility. Now this is freaking me out!

Check out the movie, it’s got it’s moments, the cars used are FIAT Regata’s.

GDP: The total market value of all the goods and services produced within the borders of a nation during a specified period.

That means the USA produces 6 times more goods and services than China. I am no economist but I would think that since the US produces that much more than China and there is currently a huge trade deficit the US not only produces signifigantly more than China and any other country they also consume signifigantly more. Hence the fact that a chinese company wants to buy a bankrupt British carmaker just to try and sell cars in the US and Europe.

I don’t know where you got your information about the power of China’s economy but if you look at the facts it is apparently untrue. This is not to say that they do not have the potential to one day overtake the the US or EU, but for the moment that’s crack you be smokin’.

sorry but we don’t need anymore miss information about the state of international affairs.

We don’t drive them Kias in Muskogee,

and we don’t take long trips in them Hyundees

We don’t burn out, driftin’ touges down Main Street,

‘cause we like living right & makin’ MGs

Chorus:

And I’m proud to be an Okie from Muskogee

A place where makin’ MGs is a ball

We still wave Ol’ Glory down at the courthouse

But workin’ for Nanjing’s the biggest thrill of all.

We don’t make a party out of drivin’,

but we might take a club run in, or two;

Now we’re wearin’ racin’ jackets and stringbacks,

like the yuppies in San Francisco do.

Chorus:

And I’m proud to be an Okie from Muskogee

A place where wearin’ Ivy hat’s for fools.

We still drive our pick-ups to the factory,

But them new TF’s are lookin’ pretty cool.

Puma Speed Cats are the style for footwear,

Dickies and Cat stompers won’t be seen;

Football’s just a mem’ry at the high-school,

and all the kids are learnin’ Mandareen.

Chorus:

And I’m proud to be an Okie from Muskogee

A cars is a car is a car, ‘cept an MGB.

We ain’t a clue where Longbridge or Shanghai is,

But it beats bein’ outta work at GMC.

   BCNU,
 Rob in Dago