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After reading Keith Adams’ excellent blog on AROline, I wanted to give my own slant on the current situation with MG and it’s UK operation.

Now, cards on the table, first things first, I am a HUGE MG fan, my earliest motoring memories were formed by a 1973 MG BGT and I consider my (greatly missed) MG ZS to be on of the best cars I’ve owned. So, understandibly when MG Rover went pop on that dark day back in 2005 I was incredibly sad.

The MG6 with its more successful predecessors

Still, things move on and it seemed SAIC finally had the clout to make MG a force on the World stage once again. The 6 is a car I’ve followed closely, I was amongst the first UK journalists to drive the car, covered the UK launch and later took a 6 GT on a weeks loan. All in all, I was impressed, as were plenty of others, with the likes of CAR, evo and Octane all giving the newest MG a warm welcome. There were a few minor niggles on the interior, but all in all this was a good car, great to drive, spacious (the boot is massive) and boasting acres of kit. This was a car that deserved to sell.

Sadly, so far, it hasn’t and all that optimism from earlier this year has been washed away.

For November, MG Motor sold four MG6s. Four. Perodua, hardly a bigger-hitter in the UK, sold 31.

This surely must be setting alarm bells ringing in Birmingham. Public awareness of MG and the 6 is, to be frank, almost non-existent. The TV campaign came and went in a flash and other forms of advertising on a National basis, seem to have been absent too.

What’s frustrating is when MG manage to get the PR machine running it turns out some impressive stuff, like this Brand film:

But tucked away on Youtube, and on the MG website, you’ve probably not see it. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting staff from MG Birmingham (or Longbridge as I will forever think of it) and I know how hard they are working, so why is there no advertising, no push behind the brand and the car? Surely the answer lies with SAIC itself, and what seems like hesitance to go after the UK market. I could understand this if the product was crap, but it’s not. It might not be perfect, but perfection comes at a considerably higher price than £16k.

The lack of a diesel continues to be a barrier to sales, yet I am led to believe that the diesel is at least another 12 months away. Ditto the MG3 supermini that the dealers are crying out for. The same MG3 that launched in China 12 months ago. A two year wait between Chinese and UK launches is simply too long. The UK operation needs the MG3 in early 2012, not 2013.

The failure to replace the TF is also a big mistake in my opinion, even if the little two seater wasn’t popular in China, it was a huge success in the UK, and was a best seller in its class for most of its lifetime.

MG need to get out there and show Joe Public they’re back and how good their cars are. Not with bridges at Birmingham Airport, but in ways everyone can see.

Like the BTCC, and TV ads, giving cars to a few famous folks, or getting the car in a TV show. Anything to raise the brand’s profile.

If MG is to succeed in the UK market then the toe-in-the-water attitude has to go and some real commitment to the UK must be shown by the firm’s Chinese management before its too late…

An edited version of this article was originally published in the January 2010 issue of MG Enthusiast.

The love for MG in the UK is well known, but what’s it like in mainland Europe?

Windmills, clogs and Edam cheese are three things you might expect to find in Holland. Three things you might not expect, however, are the three subtly modified and well cared for MG ZS’. Having been invited over to the Netherlands to meet Willem Hendrikson, Pete De Jong and Martin Van De Velde, three guys with huge enthusiasm for all things MG and all heavily involved in the Dutch show scene.

With little or no indigenous car industry, Holland was traditionally a strong market for MG Rover, and the love of the marques has seen a strong club scene grow up around these cars. The successful relaunch of MG with the Zed range in 2001 further cemented this enthusiasm, brining in an influx of new, younger MG enthusiasts. They love their cars, and they want to share that with everyone they can. The ZS’ here represent a good mix of what is possible with what is arguably the most under-appreciated of the MG Zed range.

For the photo-shoot we’ve travelled to the town of Kindedijk, a UNESCO world heritage site and home to story of Hans Brinker, the boy who plugged up a hole in the dyke with his finger! Resplendent with windmills and small boats making their way down stream, this is picture-postcard Holland. After a brief chat with a local ice-cream vendor, (and some ice-cream) we’ve soon found the ideal location to get some truly Dutch photographs of the cars.

Willem Hendrikson’s car is the oldest of the three, a 2003 mkI in trophy blue. Willem’s decision to buy the MG was inspired purely by the cars performance in the British Touring Car Championship and the old adage of ‘race on Sunday, sell on Monday’ proved itself to be true once again. It was this exposure on the BTCC circuit that led Willem to a dealer in Rotterdam and his ZS saloon.

Paying a shade over £9000 for his pride and joy back in 2005, Willem’s is arguably the most modified of the trio, with a wide range of external modifications. The front end of the car is made more aggressive thanks the combination of a ‘bad boy’ bonnet and his personalised, one off grille, as well as headlights and clear indicators from the ZS’ sister car, the Rover 45. At the back of the car Willem has removed the badging, something of a tradition in Europe and added a lower bumper extension, adding to an all-round lowered look. On the mechanical front, Willem’s added a full stainless steel exhaust, with an X Power back-box, 52mm throttle body and Pipercross Viper air in take, giving the MG a bassy, deeply impressive exhaust note and enticing induction roar. Willem has further improved the road-holding by lowering the car 20mm with the introduction of Eibach X Power lowering springs, while braking is enhanced courtesy of Mintex brakes and pads. Willem has continued the enhancements inside the car with uprated speakers, head unit and amplifier all improving the in-car entertainment experience.

Pete De Jong’s mark two is the second ZS he has owned, having inherited a Toyota Camry, his original choice was a Rover 75, but was won over by the styling of the MG, the first Zed never quite felt right though, with lots of niggling problems, combined with five hundred mile weekend trips to visit his wife in Germany meant the V6 was just too thirsty for Pete’s pocket.

So a replacement was sought but Pete didn’t take to the initial launch photos of the facelift with it’s MG SV inspired grille and vents, he only came around when he saw one in black. ‘There’s something about the shape that just suits darker colours. I was always going to get one in black, or the blue like this.’ Finished in Royal Blue pearlescent, this newer ZS has undergone a full VVC conversion, more commonly found on the ZR, combined with a powerboost valve, a 52mm throttle body, Pipercross Venom air-box brings the original 120bhp to a more substantial 160. The extra power means beefier brakes are a must, so Pete’s gone for grooved Brembo discs with pads, ensuring his zed stops as well as it goes. Inside Pete has replaced the cars factory fitted in car entertainment, with a Phatt 1200 600W RMS subwoofer and amp, combined with a Pioneer Avic X3-bt in dash navigation and theatre system, with a folding screen, tucking it away when not in use. The picture and sound is great as Pete demonstrates the DVD capabilities of his head-unit. It adds to the overall package of the car, without being over the top. The love for British cars is in Pete’s genes; his father always bought British cars, even owning an Allegro along with a selection of Rovers and Austins. ‘I love the MG, it’s something special-you don’t see one on every street corner. The ZS is probably going to stay with me until it falls apart!’

Martin, Willem & Pete discuss their passion

Having owned a string of Rovers, Martin moved onto MG and the ZS in 2007. The zed is from May 2005, making it one of the last ZS’, and indeed MGs, built under British ownership, rarer still, Martin’s car is one of only six or seven V6′s in the Netherlands, and the only one with red alcantara trim. Martin’s wife Yvonne isn’t immune to the love for MG Rover, herself owning a very high spec late model Rover 25, which she shows along with Martin’s MG.

She admits though she was a tad shocked when she learned the V6 was heading their way. Martin’s work as a heavy goods vehicle driver often takes him across Europe and it was while in Germany he found the ZS, languishing in a breaker’s yard after a bump on the autobahn. For €9000 the car was his and then Martin ‘phoned Yvonne to tell her he’d bought the car, she recalls ‘I said, ‘Don’t we discuss these things? You don’t just buy car without talking to me!’

Clearly though the Zed made a good impression, with Yvonne describing it as ‘a gorgeous car’. She’s smiling as she tells me about the call, so it’s obviously a good memory. ‘For women it is a very fine car to drive, easy to handle, and the visibility is very good.’ The car has new front bumper, rear bumper and wings and Martin says almost all the panels have been repainted. The work has clearly been done to a very high standard, as the car looks factory fresh, the excellent condition paintwork, combined with the 180′s body kit really underline how successful the 2004 facelift was. Martin’s car is the most pampered of the trio, as thanks to Yvonne’s Rover, it only sees use at weekends and during the better weather, keeping the mileage low and the residuals up. The mechanical mods have been kept to a minimum, with only the exhaust being upgraded.

That’s not to say the detailing has been scrimped on, under the bonnet Martin’s added an MG branded stainless steel battery cover, and the V6’s engine cover has been sprayed in black pearl to match the cars exterior paintwork. Keen to keep things in the family, Yvonne and Martin son Suat, 13, is a budding MG enthusiast, and shares his dads love of the V6, ‘The car is cool!’ he says, ‘I’ve like MGs since I was two, I love going out in it with Dad’ he keenly tells me. As someone who spent many a summers days of my own childhood fawning over my Dad’s BGT, I know exactly where Suat is coming from. He’s quick to tell me he intends to make an MG his first car, with the TF tugging at his heart strings. Young men, falling in love with MG sports cars? Some things will never change.

With the serious business of the photo-shoot over with we head back to the campsite for a barbecue and while we break out the beef burgers and beers we settle down to discuss why there is so much love for MG in Holland and the Dutch car scene in general.

The guys are clearly very dedicated to their cars and the talk around the barbeque is non-stop, with MG the key topic of discussion. The MG-R.nl forum boasts over 2000 members, with a hardcore of event attendees that take in shows such as the British Auto jumble at Waalwijk, racing at Zandvoort, the home of Dutch motorsport as well as daytrips around Holland and a big annual run to Germany’s legendary Nurburgring. Martin, in particular enjoys the show scene ‘I would say it’s very cosy, we get a lot of attention from other brands and their owners, especially if you have something like a ZS 180 or a ZT V8 or a fully loaded Rover 45 or 75, for example.’ ‘Yeah’ says Pete, ‘I remember the Dutch New Mini club being quite surprised of the speed of some Rovers, like the VVC engined cars are pretty fast. Though they found my standard ZS 120 slow, which of course she was compared to the supercharged Cooper S before the VVC conversion. Just wait until they see my VVC on track now!’

Picture-postcard Holland (and some MGs...)

‘There’s a lot of variety in the scene, lots leave it like it is with a few little touches, like Martin and Pete. Some, like me go real in depth with modding their car, but you still can see it’s a MG, some go all the way, when its hard to tell what type of car it was!’ says Willem. Pete interjects ‘It’s pretty active. There are quite a few events for modded cars; there are lots of magazines and forums. Very close to where I live is a weekly meeting on Friday evening where all kinds of modded cars gather. It’s pretty diverse as well. External mods, engine mods and sound mods. There are also competitions for these, there’s loads you can do with your car.’

The reason for MG-R’s popularity in Holland soon becomes clear as the sun starts to set on our camp, Martin explains ‘First of all because MGs are that little bit different and they drive really well. It’s not German, it’s British. For the die-hards, it’s a way of life.’ Willem shares Martin’s view, adding ‘People go for MG for its exclusivity, you just don’t see them over here, like my other favourite MG, the Maestro Turbo. Plus they’re great value, you get a lot of car for your money.’ Pete agrees ‘I think the reason why people choose Rovers, is that you get a lot of car for your money. People who don’t know Rovers are a bit distant and prejudiced, Japanese and Germans are pretty popular and the Seat’s have gained quite some popularity over the years, but when they see one that’s kept well and modded they’re most of the time surprised. As for MG, you don’t see them much. People who buy an MG mostly seem to go for ZRs; they look really cool as they are standard. Because of this, they are really looked after well. People fall for the looks of the MG’s, especially the modern Zed range. They look great. When I am on the street washing my car, loads of people comment on the state she’s in and how cool she looks as they’ve never seen one. My wife took the Zed the other day to a family thing and someone said he’d never seen one before. He didn’t even know MG made anything else than the F and TF. The Zeds are real head turners in The Netherlands.’

Yvonne has a similar story, ‘A friend of Martin’s asked me when we bought our Alfa, I said to him ‘This is not an Alfa, this is an MG. This is British!’ Suat is certainly proving that father is like son, adding ‘Everyone you meet who drive British cars loves their car and keep it like new. The people are very friendly at the shows, and I can see a lot of beautiful cars, most people are even kind enough to let me sit in them, and take photos of them.’ Our trio have mixed views regarding MG and its future under its new ownership, with Willem being the most vocal. ‘You only see drawings or models at car shows of what might be a new MG, we’ve yet to see anything in the metal. I’m not sure the new cars, or what we have seen at least, are sporty enough.’ Martin is a bit more positive, but still has some concerns for a brand he has devoted a significant portion of his free time to. ‘The Chinese have taken a very long time to launch in Europe. My personal hopes for MG are a very quick launch of the new MG 6 saloon. I think if they want to succeed, they need a partner in the UK, and of course buyers, which they didn’t have in the crisis days toward the end of MG-R.’ Pete too has some concerns for the future of the octagon. ‘Unfortunately the image of British cars is still prejudiced and I believe the new MG range will have a hard time competing with cars like Honda’s Type R’s, the VW Scirocco’s etc. In my opinion, the old, pre-china Zeds look much more distinctive compared to the new MG’s. Of course I hope they’ll do fine but for now they’re not even for sale yet. Same goes for the Roewe’s. You really got to have a weak spot for the brand. The new TF LE is a great looking car, but the competition is out there, like Mazda’s MX5. Still, the pre-china F’s and TF’s are popular in The Netherlands. I see one quite often. Same goes for the B’s. And if you know what to look for you can spot the 80’s MGs like the Maestro and Metro, especially in summer.’

As my time in Holland draws to close, it’s clear there’s a passion for the cars that many of us over here take for granted, all of the cars I’ve seen here have been nothing less than immaculate, the warmth and openness of my hosts has made the trip a real pleasure.

The quality of the cars, and their modifications to them, are amongst the best I have seen. They have a very tangible passion for all things MG and with the likes of young Suat keen to get an MG of their own, it seems there’s a next generation of enthusiasts ready to take on the famous name for years to come.

With special thanks to:

Willem Hendrikson, Martin, Yvonne and Suat Van De Velde, Pete De Jong and www.zscentral.com