MG’S vital role in success story

SAIC Motor, MG’s parent company, sold a record-shattering 4.49 million vehicles in 2012. The figure is more than double that of the entire new car market in the UK and firmly establishes SAIC Motor as the No 1 car manufacturer in China. Last year’s total of 4.49 million sales was a 12 per cent increase on SAIC’s 2011 figures. And sitting behind the headline figure is a strong success story for MG and SMTC UK – SAIC’s European Technical Centre based at the MG Birmingham site. Engineers and designers at SMTC work on cars within SAIC’s own brand portfolio of Roewe (China-only brand) and MG. Sales of the two brands totalled 200,000 units in 2012, a 23 per cent increase over 2011. This was the biggest percentage growth within the SAIC group’s automotive divisions. Shanghai General Motors, SAIC’s joint venture with GM, had a 13.8 per cent growth and sold 1.39 million cars. Shanghai Volkswagen, the joint venture with VW, saw a 12 per cent increase and sold 1.28 million cars. The SAIC-GM-Wuling joint venture grew by 12 per cent to 1.458 million vehicles. During the last six years SAIC has successfully introduced and developed its own brand identity to establish Roewe and MG as class leaders in China. An independent report has shown that brand awareness in China of Roewe has grown to 93.4 per cent and MG’s has increased to 84.4 per cent. In China Roewe 750, 550, 350 and W5 models have been successfully introduced and the MG7, MG6 and MG3 cars completed the first phase of the establishment of the brands. The second generation of Roewe and MG models was launched in 2012 with the Roewe 950 executive model and the MG5 mid-sized sporting hatchback. From Motorin News