Taking your MG Sports Car for a spin in the country is seen as a quintessentially British activity (credit: britainonview)

　　The MG Rover plant in Longbridge is back in business after China's Nanjing Automobile Corporation (NAC) completed its takeover of MG Rover.

　　The factory, in England's West Midlands, officially re-opened its doors in May and is expected to bring a new lease of life to the area's car manufacturing industry.

　　UK motor industry’s spiritual home

　　Now the plant has re-opened after its two-year closure, the wheels are now set in motion for the production of the MG TF sports car in the "spiritual home of the UK's motor industry".

　　Key UK and Chinese business leaders attended the launch ceremony, with Solicitor General Mike O'Brien MP handing over a letter of support from Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, on behalf of the British Government.

　　NAC has already invested ?250m into MG, both in the UK and in China, and has pledged further investment in future. The re-opening of the plant will create additional jobs in the West Midlands.

　　International stage

　　The deal to bring NAC to Longbridge was brokered between Birmingham City Council and NAC UK. NAC UK Chairman, Wang Hang Biao, said: "We are excited about the prospect of manufacturing the new MG TF in the UK and are extremely grateful for all the support the leadership of the City Council have given us.

　　"We are looking forward to working in Birmingham to make the MG brand highly regarded once more."

　　Quintessential British motors

　　For almost 100 years, the Longbridge plant in Birmingham has been one of the largest manufacturing homes to quintessential British motors such as Austin and Morris.

　　NAC bought MG Rover in 2005 after the Group went into receivership. NAC then made strategic steps to re-start the production at Longbridge announcing the production of MG TF sport cars at the factory in July 2006.  (Source: British Consulate-General in Chongqing)