Roewe MG6 Image Surfaces

Ever heard of Roewe? Well you might someday if you haven't already. Roewe has impressed me with it's new models, showing an high-level of sophistication and advancement in comparison to it's Chinese competitors. I don't know about the quality levels, but I know in design they've produced vehicles that stand on their own not as "me too" copies like so many Chinese manufacturers have made.

See what I'm talking about?  That's a stylish, modern car. No, not just nice for a Chinese car, nice for any car. I particularly like the fastback-like roofline. This could be the much-vaunted Rover mid-size car that was under development at the company before things went south. 

I really liked Rover's vehicles, they were unique and offered something different. I thought it as cool that there was still one independent, British owned, branded and produced car company. If only they would've held on for just a few more years they probably could have gotten bailed out! Oh well though I digress, what's done is done.

Getting back to the point, the Roewe brand is produced by Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC), also GM's Chinese partner. SAIC acquired the tooling and plants for the Rover lineup from the bankrupt company. The name Rover wasn't included in the deal though, something to do with BMW (Rover's former owner) and Ford's ownership of Land Rover.

The first vehicle they came out with was the 750, which was nearly identical to the Rover 75. The next model was the 550.

That's the interior of the 550, which is based on a shortened version of the BMW-developed Rover 75 platform. In design at least I'm willing to say that blows away nearly every mid-size sedan interior on the market. It looks high end, modern and has a BMW-like feel. This is what Rover could have done if it ever had the money it needed. So I can't wait to see the MG6's interior. If the 550 is anything to go by, it should be top notch.

SAIC plans to launch the 550 and MG6 in the UK under the MG brand (they acquired competitor Nanjing that owned the MG name). They might even be produced at the Longbridge plant, where the MG TF sportcar is currently produced.

Time will tell what they do exactly; they do have plans to enter the U.S market though sometime in the future. We don't know but I expect a lot more export details will be forthcoming at the MG6's official launch at the Shanghai Auto Show.

They'll be branded as MGs for export markets; SAIC is counting on the MG name to help them gain a foothold in developed markets, rather then trying to build up a whole new brand with Roewe. Definitely the way to do it! Look out everyone, the Chinese are coming!