When China’s Nanjing Auto bought the name and assets of the MG brand in 2005, the deal included the MG TF roadster and the IP for the MG TF GT coupe. Nanjing Auto eventually produced a few thousand TF’s in China, but sadly the TF GT didn’t fare so well.
The MG TF GT debuted as a concept car in 2005, based om a MG TF 160 and repotedly powered by a 2.5 liter Rover KV6 engine. The TF GT was designed by Peter Stevens and there were plans for production. However, due to the bankruptcy of MG Rover and he subsequent sale of the MG brand to Nanjing Auto, it didn’t happen.
But Nanjing Auto liked the little coupe and in 2006 the company announced rather surprising plans to built the MG TF GT in Oklahoma, USA. Sadly, these plans were canned when SAIC (Shanghai Auto) took over Nanjing Auto in 2007. SAIC had bought various Rover assets from MG Rover, which it turned into the Roewe brand. SAIC wasn’t in for an adventure in America…
However, Nanjing Auto was apparently quite serious about producing the MG TF GT. In 2005, the company registered the design at the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). The application was granted the same year.
The images that came with the application are photographs of the concept car, complete with red brake calipers. It is a great looking car and it aged very well. Expiry date of the design is 2025 so there is still time. Perhaps it would work as an MG-branded EV..? They are working on something like that anyway.
Screenshot of the ownership details, listing Nanjing Automobile Group Corporation as the owner.
A locally assembled MG TF in a factory psychedelic paint job. Note the Nanjing MG badge on the back (南京名爵). More on the China-made TF in a later story.
I think MG TF would nowadays look quite dated compared to other cars in the lineau, the styling has moved on in the 15 or so years since the concept was first shown. I think the cabriolet isnt built by MG for like a decade now too? So i see the production as very unlikely, although it is still quite an elegant car.
‘More on the China-made TF in a later story.’ So nothing worth reading here.