The Chinese-owned MG announced it will enter the 2012 BTCC Series with a dream team led by Jason Plato.

The all-new MG KX Momentum Racing team will run two MG6 GT racing cars in the series driven by double BTCC champion and TV star Jason Plato, and BTCC rising star Andy Neate.

The racing MGs will be prepared by Triple Eight Race Engineering, one of the most successful constructors in touring car racing, and are sponsored by Momentum 99 brand and KX energy drink.

So despite the Chinese connection that made it all possible, you could say it’s an all-British affair. The car is made at MG Motor UK’s plant in Birmingham, after all.

MG has committed to building its new BTCC car – the MG6 GT model – to the Next Generation Touring Car regulations. These are leading to a greater number of bigger, faster, turbocharged machines on the BTCC grid. That’s great news for fans and spectators, who in recent years were used to Vauxhalls and Seats. The newcomers can spice things a bit.

MG is finally back on track with its Chinese owner SAIC. With car business going smoothly, MG is now returning to international motorsport.

Granted, they are not making great cars, but they’ve managed to found good markets in some parts of the world, mainly Asia and south America, and now want to blow up the cash they made on motorsport! MG Motor UK has teamed up with Team RLR, which runs an MG Lola EX265 sports prototype in the Le Mans Series of endurance races throughout Europe.

The car’s first outing will be at Silverstone Le Mans Series race on September 11. They hope to take part in the Le Mans 24-hour race next year and look at the 2011 season as a warm up.

NickReynolds, Team RLR team principal, said: “We have one of the best prepared teams in the Le Mans Series, and the support from MG will ensure that we can be even more competitive both on and off the track throughout the 2011 Le Mans Series season and beyond.

“The deal is a great fit for both parties due to the heritage and provenance of the MG Lola EX265, and we are excited to be working closely with such a famous and much loved car manufacturer.  We look forward to repaying MG for its confidence in us by providing many exciting moments for the company and its huge number of followers in the races ahead.”

Guy Jones, MG Motor UK Sales and Marketing Director, said: “MG is delighted to be supporting Team RLR and the MG Lola EX265, which is such a famous car.

“The MG brand is synonymous with motorsport and with the new MG6 GT and Magnette models now in the market place we need to raise the profile of the brand. Supporting team RLR with the MG Lola in the exciting, high profile, Le Mans endurance series is a perfect fit for the brand and the team.”

This is the first British-built MG that rolls off the final assembly line at the firm’s Birmingham plant. They say this is the start of a new era for MG, again!

The first customer car was celebrated during a ceremony at the assemely line n the Car Assembly Building at the firm’s plant at MG Birmingham in presence of some of most loyal MG fans. It probably wasn’t a very fun event. I mean you know they are struggling to find something interesting about it when they say: ” The car was driven off the line by Lisa Ponter, currently the only woman working on the production line.” Wow!

As for the car itself, it’s a fastabck four-door car designed and engineered in UK, which tries to combine the traditional MG styling cues with modern lines of contemporary design. Three trim models of the 1.8-litre turbocharged petrol MG6 are available with prices ranging from £15,495 to £18,995 for the top-of-the-range highly-equipped TSE model.

MG points out that the car has a particularly low levels of insurance. The entry model MG6 S is rated 13E while the SE and TSE are 14E.

We really hope this time around things work out for MG. We would also love to see their sporty models back.

So MG is at it again, giving it another shot with the new MG6. They just confirmed the the production of the MG6 will begin on April 13 at the MG Birmingham site.

This is the first all-new MG to come out of the Birmingham plant after sixteen years, and MG is inviting you to see the very first customer car rolling off the production line. Not sure what’s exactly so interesting about that, but sure MG club members would greatly appreciate the opportunity!

Please arrive at MG Motor’s Main Entrance in Lowhill Lane, Longbridge, Birmingham B31 2BQ at 10.00 for a short briefing in the Visitor Centre before we then move across to the Car Assembly Building. There will be a 20 minute slot for photographers to set up picture angles before Customer Car No1 comes off line.

We wish MG better luck this time around.

MG has revealed the new concept model called Zero at the 2010 Auto China, which is relevant because the British company which is constantly struggling to stay alive, is owned by the Chinese these days. They say that the Zero hints at the features of the future small-segment vehicles by the company. In that case we have to say Oh Dear!

They have not released much details on the Zero yet, we only know that it’s fairly compact with a length of around 4 meters, has a very odd face and a very high-tech interior. As a tradition, all the good things like the fancy cabin won’t make it into the production models, but the bad parts like that hideous grille will!

Honestly with cars like this MG might be able to survive in the Chinese market, but in Europe… not so sure!

Commenting on the exterior style, Design Director Tony Williams said ” This concept shows a bold, individual soul. The bonnet is formed around the famous octagonal badge, the graphics flow into striking lamps and the large lower grille completes the confident, sporty character. The body-side has a strong shoulder, a dynamic scalloped feature in the doors and flared arches to give a wide stance and strong road presence. The feature lines have been designed to give a strong relationship to the wheel arch demonstrating the fun nature of the cars dynamics.”

MG Motor today launched the new MG6 at the Guangzhou Auto show in China where its sale swill begin as soon as January 2010. The MG6 Fastback is designed and engineered in Britain and they count on it to extend the range of MG cars worldwide! The production for Chinese market will begin this December at the new factory in Lingang, while the UK-spec models will be built in Birmingham plant before the end of 2010.

2010 MG6 is a five-seat fastback which is 4651 mm long, 1826 mm wide (without mirrors) and  1480 mm high. And it will have a new modernised version of the famous MG octagon badge! That is all the detail the company has released so far! But they promise to release more data, specially on the European model at a later date, Classic MG!