Recent years have seen great upheaval for MG, as bankruptcy forced the company into administration and production ceased in 2005. The brand had joined with Rover to form the MG Rover Group in 2000 but struggled to recover from years of losses. Purchase of the company by the Chinese Nanjing Automobile Group appears to have saved it and production is expected to remain in Britain.

MG began in 1924 as an Oxford garage customising Morris cars but by 1928 was fully established as the MG Car Company. That year brought the release of the 18/80 - MG’s first independently designed and manufactured model. Morris bought the brand in 1935, by which time it was focusing on sports car production.

Disruption continued in the 1950s as British manufacturers were repeatedly merged and sold, with MG eventually becoming a part of British Leyland in 1968. Throughout this time production was based in Oxfordshire, but was moved to Birmingham’s Longbridge plant in 1980.

MG’s interest in motor racing continued throughout all these changes and in 2001 it launched a major Touring Car and Rally campaign which was cut short by the brand’s liquidation. Among its popular line of sports cars was the TF, which was the first car of its class to be awarded four stars in the EuroNCAP Safety Ratings.

Nanjing has prioritised the re-release of the TF- MG’s most valuable asset - and along with the ZT it is expected to reverse the brand’s fortunes. Although the MG name originally stood for ‘Morris Garages’ Nanjing have stated it as now meaning ‘Modern Gentleman’ and are marketing the brand as representing grace and style - in keeping with its high class, sporting origins.

EuroNCAP Safety Ratings for MG cars
The European New Car Assessment Programme produces reports on the safety of vehicles based on the results of several crash tests. As well as measuring how the car will hold up in a crash the risk to a pedestrian struck by the car is assessed. The star ratings (maximum 5) of key MG models are shown below.