Automotive News is reporting that one of the crop of new non-US-Legal MG GS SUVs was recently spotted up in the northlands.
Is MG edging closer to a return to North America? An MG GS crossover wearing Michigan manufacturer’s tags was spotted recently undergoing winter testing in Brighton, Mich., outside Detroit. The vehicle wore no camouflage, and the famous MG octagon badges were in plain view. Not long after a photo appeared on Facebook, the comments started rolling in, and they were stinging. Two examples: “homely” and “ugly.”
Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp., the Chinese automaker that owns the brand, is preparing to launch the Ford Escape-size GS in the U.K. in early May. If there are plans for sales in North America, the company is not saying. A call to SAIC’s U.S. office was not returned. The MG is powered by a 1.5-liter, GM-designed engine, which may explain why the vehicle was near Detroit.
When SAIC USA opened its North American headquarters in 2012, vehicle testing was not on its mission statement. The Chinese automaker’s plan was to use its office, just north of Detroit, for purchasing, logistics and technology and engineering.
The full report can be viewed on Automotive News.
