Sunday, April 1, 2012

Mao's Garage?

Some Chinese automotive web sites are unbelievably reporting that the iconic MG brand, owned now by China's Shanghai Auto Industry Corporation, is to be recast as "Mao's Garage" in a hat tip to the leader of the Communist revolution there. 

MG enthusiasts around the world know that MG grew out of one of  William Morris' early business concerns named Morris Garage. Cecil Kimber, Manager of the business, developed a line of sports cars based on Morris automobile mechanicals and the new marque grew into world wide fame. 

In SAIC's early days of MG ownership, the MG marque was introduced to the Chinese buying public as the car for the "Modern Gentleman", with a heavy dose of cloying British imagery to go along with it.SAIC is now apparently trying to ride the wave of Mao's revived popularity as a Chinese icon

Reports indicate that the change will take place on or about April 1, 2013.   

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