LONGBRIDGE : September 21, 2008 - The first MG cars to leave Birmingham's Longbridge plant for more than three years have gone on sale to the public.


Dealer open days are being held across the UK to allow people to see the new MGTF LE500 cars.

Shanghai Automotive (SAIC) wants to produce 700 MGTFs by the end of the year. The model is expected to sell in showrooms at about £16,500.

MG Rover collapsed in 2005. It was bought for £53m by Nanjing Automobile Corporation and then SAIC took over.

The LE500 designation will only be given to the first 500 individually-numbered cars to leave the Longbridge production line.

MG TF :

• 1.8 16v 135bhp 4 cylinder DOHC with 5 speed manual gearbox
  
• Front brakes: ventilated front discs and 4-pot calipers
  
• Rear: solid discs and calipers
  
• Electronic anti-lock braking system
  
• mpg (L/100km): Urban: 25.4 (11.1), Extra Urban: 46.3 (6.1), Combined: 35.8 (7.9). CO₂ mass emission (combined) 185 g/km.

[Source : BBC via Gasgoo]