MG brand to be revived in Malaysia – Federal Auto enters into MoU with China’s SAIC, CKD possible

MG6-01

The MG brand is a familiar one, having been here since colonial days. More recently, Brooklands, the same people behind SsangYong and Citroen previously, tried their luck with MG and Rover cars before MG Rover went bust. Now owned by the Chinese, the MG brand will be making a comeback in Malaysia.

Federal Auto Holdings Bhd and SAIC Motor Corporation Limited (SAIC), China’s largest listed vehicle manufacturer, have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) as a first step towards reviving the MG brand in Malaysia. SAIC, a partner to market leaders VW and General Motors in China, has owned the MG brand since 2007.

The MoU formalised the intention of Federal Auto and SAIC to conduct further discussions, due diligence and feasibility studies with regard to the reintroduction of MG vehicles in Malaysia. It could also lead to the development of facilities for the assembly of completely knocked down (CKD) MG cars in Malaysia.

Federal Auto, which most will know as a long time Volvo dealer (they also operate VW and Mitsubishi dealerships), is a wholly-owned subsidiary of MBM Resources Berhad, which is also a stakeholder in Perodua.

MG, which current products include the MG 3 supermini and MG 6 fastback, wants to emulate Kia’s design-led approach. The company revealed the wacky MG Icon SUV concept last year, and could be bringing the sharp-looking MG CS SUV to Auto Shanghai later this month.

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Danny Tan

Danny Tan loves driving as much as he loves a certain herbal meat soup, and sweet engine music as much as drum beats. He has been in the auto industry since 2006, previously filling the pages of two motoring magazines before joining this website. Enjoys detailing the experience more than the technical details.

 

Comments

  • john n on Apr 12, 2013 at 7:38 pm

    looks great! and of course…first one to comment here! yayyyay….

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 27
    • jun jun on Apr 13, 2013 at 10:51 am

      nobody care..pity ya monkey

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 2
      • Mat Global on Apr 13, 2013 at 11:22 am

        Never trust the chinaman from China. If they can poison babies and put melamine in the milk and so many babies died, they are capable of doing anything. This former British pride will emit toxins and poison from the steering wheel when it mixes with the sweat from your palms.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 15 Thumb down 24
        • Jimmy on Apr 15, 2013 at 12:49 pm

          Cannot agree more. The Chinese in China just cannot be trusted. Buying LED TVs and mobile phones are one thing but car is the 2nd most expensive thing you’d buy in your life other than your house. Not worth the risk.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 2
  • Ahmadfaris93 on Apr 12, 2013 at 8:09 pm

    Maybe Proton should collaborate with them. Maybe or maybe not.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 12
  • Ahmadfaris93 on Apr 12, 2013 at 8:18 pm

    Maybe if MG is priced like the Japanese/Koreans it would be acceptable.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 20 Thumb down 6
  • so this will be the start of massive penetration of china-made car into our market. brand advantage is already there.

    local manufacturer, wakie wakie, still sleeping? give us something to be proud of

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 24 Thumb down 3
    • alldisc on Apr 13, 2013 at 8:39 am

      chinese make still has yet to make a break into malaysia car market. not Cherry, not Jinbei.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 5
  • D Lokman on Apr 12, 2013 at 10:55 pm

    I am still waiting for the green light from DS Kamil to publish Proton turnaround plan that suppose to be out last month, march

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 18 Thumb down 1
    • tikus on Apr 14, 2013 at 12:07 am

      Nobody care about Proton anymore….Coz the more the brand coming in Bolehland,Proton will die faster.Rakyat start UBAH to other brand already.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 4
  • Katak on Apr 13, 2013 at 1:40 am

    Ha! There was a workshop in a very small alley near where I stay that carries the sign board, “MG Rover Service Center”. Most people doesn’t cross that place other than trying to take a shortcut. So I thought this brand is selling in Malaysia although never really see one before on the road. BTW, the workshop doesn’t really looks like real service center as it’s surrounded by zinc plates, if you really get what my mean.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 3
    • Yong arthur on Aug 09, 2014 at 3:15 pm

      Hi there, May I know Where is the place. Co’s I m now scratching wz my head looking for a mg Rover foreman.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • The car is sold already in Middle East quietly. Seen few MG350 and one MG3 on the road in Jeddah. Price for MG350 starts from SAR43k or RM37k. How much in MY? Expect it to be RM80k at least..I am thinking of getting one since my late father’s first car was a 1964 MG.

    http://www.mgksa.com/

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 0
  • Fagly on Apr 13, 2013 at 9:15 am

    MG = British Proton.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 4
  • _xXx_ on Apr 13, 2013 at 9:53 am

    alamak, british ka…sikit2 takut ada la

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 21
  • just mg??? why not bring opel/vauxhall back into malaysia???

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 1
  • British and china brand and product, more junks for malaysia..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 7
  • Sharfox on Apr 13, 2013 at 2:08 pm

    Mula2 aku tengok gambar tak baca tajuk….aku ingat Neo facelift….Hmmmm…MG punya grill depan tu sangat mengelirukan.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 4
  • darker marker on Apr 13, 2013 at 3:43 pm

    sorry…..not confident with china products…
    I would buy a secondhand car (be it japanese, korean or Malaysia) than this China car…

    Many things from China are highly questionable in quality….

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 16
    • MG is as Chinese, as Lotus is Malaysian.
      Go crawl back into that hole you came from.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 2
    • _xXx_ on Apr 14, 2013 at 1:44 pm

      ARE u using a UK made handphone now?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 1
    • jilbaber on Apr 14, 2013 at 5:38 pm

      go and check again all product used in your house, I bet 60% or them are made in china

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 1
    • Kereta Man on Apr 15, 2013 at 10:48 am

      every damn thing is made in China, from you Man Utd jersey to Iphones and even your fruits and vegetable you buy in tesco.. so think a again when you say you are not confident with China products..

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 1
  • aprilcoco on Apr 15, 2013 at 9:04 am

    A car is more than a product, it’s also a story. Successful car brands have a long history behind them, even Kia and Hyundai have stories of perseverance, innovation and now, reliability. SAIC came in one fine afternoon, made a promise to Longbridge, broke it, and removed all the tooling from the factory. I was a student at that time and I saw how they ripped the factory apart like locusts. I will never get into a SAIC manufactured vehicle ever.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1
  • Checked out the MG350 and test drove it. Didn’t like it because it is a bit sluggish. The accelaration is slow perhaps due to wrong engine 1.5 which churns out 107hp only. The Rio is 1.4 and produces same horsepower. Beside the dashboard is bit bland to me. Nothing exciting to look. Boring. The speedometer though is interesting it is digital beside analog tachometer. That is only plus point.

    Built quality is not bad. The door closes with a solid thunk. But in a C segment market in Saudi where Corolla and Civic are leading i can’t see how MG350 will win customer given it comes with 1.5 engine only. The only advantage it has is the price where is much cheaper than Corola and Civic. The new 2013 Civic starts from SAR69k to SAR86k for full option whereas MG350 is only SAR53k only. Beside there is still issue of service and reliability. The only Chinese maker that is considered successful here is Geely with their Emgrand cars.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Yong arthur on Aug 09, 2014 at 3:18 pm

    Anyone here in Malaysia have any idea Where to get a mg Rover repair experts?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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