MG U.S. CEO confirms plans for five models

In a July interview by Inside Line published Monday, the president and CEO of MG Motors North America/Europe, Duke Hale, went into considerable detail about Nanjing Automobile's plans for the MG brand, both in the U.S. and in Europe.

Highlights of the interview include:

• the manufacturing/R&D facility in Oklahoma is definitely going ahead
• Nanjing will build three MG sedan models in China
• MG Motors will build a modified version of the MG TF roadster in the U.K., and a coupe variant (artists concept pictured) of the roadster in Oklahoma
• the MG TF roadster will (re-)launch first in the U.K., then Europe, in mid-2007, followed by a U.S. launch in mid-2008
• the MG TF coupe will debut in 2008
• watch for a MINI-like campaign to revive the MG brand image in the U.S.
• MG Motors plans 300-350 dealers in the U.S.

Whether or not a MINI-like buzz can be built around another small sports car in a market segment that is becoming increasingly crowded remains to be seen. Aside from its post-war heritage, MG's products would seem to have few unique attributes, unlike BMW's distinctive MINI.

Read the full interview here.