SAIC has confirmed it will build its new Roewe 350 hatchback at its Longbridge plant.
SAIC already carries out its R&D at Longbridge and will build the MG6 hatchback at the plant later this year, alongside the MG TF.
The first Roewe 350 models have come down the production line of the firm’s Pukou plant in Nanjing, China, although SAIC’s executive vice president Chen Zhixing didn’t say when 350 production in Britain would begin.
The 350 is 4520mm long, 1780mm wide and 1500 high and has a wheelbase of 2650mm. This makes it roughly the same size as a Ford Focus. It is powered by a 1.5-litre petrol engine, which powers the front wheels through a five-speed manual gearbox.
The Roewe 350 was first seen as the N1 concept at last year’s Shanghai motor show. It is the smallest model in the Roewe range, sitting below 550 and 750 models.
Exact details of how the 350 and MG6 haven’t been confirmed by SAIC, but the firm has previously said it could make complete knocked down kits in China before being shipped to Longbridge for assembly.
The MG6 will be sold in Europe through existing MG Rover dealers.
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Re: Roewe 350 to be built in UK
Don't worry, the only people that buy these things will be the sort that use them to tootle down to the local garden centre/surgery/supermarket. Very little danger of them needing more grunt.
Re: Roewe 350 to be built in UK
this is going to be another MG
Re: Roewe 350 to be built in UK
This looks like a credible attempt if a little slab sided around the area below the 'C' pillar, although this could just be the camera angle. I would like to see pictures of the interior though.
1.5 litre engine was turbo'd in the last script about one of SAIC cars and I think I thought it was a little underpowered.