03-23-2006, 06:05 PM
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#1
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Regular User
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Posts: 1,600
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MG returns ?!?!?!?!?
Artist render of what the MG Midget could look like
New Smart-based MG Roadster could see production by early 2007
The UK-based Kimber group has assembled a high-profile set of European industry executives to revive MG sports cars using technology from the Smart car brand.
By 2011, Kimber plans to be building two sports cars at an annual combined volume of 19,000 units.
The first car to come to market would be a small roadster based on the Smart Roadster. Smart stopped building that model last autumn because of slow sales.
The second vehicle would be a larger roadster using some of the components of the MG TF. The MG TF went out of production when MG Rover collapsed last April.
The CEO of Kimber's management team will be Englishman Barrie Wills, a long-standing industry figure who launched the Elan at Lotus and also worked for Jaguar and De Lorean.
Kimber's chairman will be UK businessman David James, a company recovery specialist who helped to revive the Millennium Dome exhibition complex in Greenwich near London.
Executives with auto industry experience will take on key roles, including John Perrott, formerly of McLaren and Lotus, who will be the purchasing director.
Italian Paolo Caccamo will serve as an advisor to the project. He is chairman of design and engineering specialist I.DE.A. Institute of Italy and the former CEO of Italian contract manufacturer Bertone.
Former Freightliner and Mercedes-Benz USA President Peter Keilbach, a German national, is also on the Kimber board.
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- AutoWeek
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03-23-2006, 06:31 PM
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#2
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Regular User
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Athens, Hellas & Edinburgh, Scotland
Posts: 923
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Its almost identical to the Smart Coupe/roadster... What a shame for this legendary car manufacturer...
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03-23-2006, 07:38 PM
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#3
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Regular User
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 3,085
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Oh Noes 
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03-23-2006, 08:20 PM
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#4
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Regular User
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Detroit
Posts: 9,929
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in no way, shape, or form pointing to the companies past, or near presant heritage... no lines remembering the MG SV, or the MG B... or anything in between.
pitty...
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03-26-2006, 05:29 AM
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#5
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Regular User
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Spanish Castle Magic
Posts: 1,452
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The Smart Roadster is a lovely car, I hope they use a manual transmission this time.
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03-28-2006, 04:07 AM
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#6
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Regular User
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: NSW Australia
Posts: 673
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It looks like they spent all the money getting the rights to use the Smart chasis and spent nothing on styling because it sucks!
__________________
People who quote "theres no replacement for displacement" have obviously never heard of power to weight.
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03-28-2006, 04:22 AM
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#7
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Regular User
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Warsaw, Poland
Posts: 3,184
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Originally Posted by dani_d_mas
Well - the Smart Roadster/Coupe is a good starting point IMO - improve the looks, the quality interior... and especially the engine, and you have a VERY good sports car  |
My exact thought. They are doing it the easy way by purchasing the Smart Roadster as the base which is a good handling little car. Efforts should be put into improving the styling.
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03-28-2006, 04:29 AM
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#8
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Regular User
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Leiria, Portugal
Posts: 1,443
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Hey people, that picture is only a Photoshop...
The people involved in this project seem to form a nice team. Let's wait to see...
__________________
CB
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12-21-2006, 06:49 PM
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#9
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Regular User
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Hellaware USA
Posts: 3,865
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^Without lucas would it be the same? No repairs on the side of the road and messing with wiring that looks like bailing twine...
Still.. not the right style in my honest opinion.
__________________
Common Sense- so rare it's a super power.
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