China’s SAIC to Build MG Cars in India

Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. says it will launch local production of MG-branded cars in India in 2019.

The location of SAIC’s Indian factory—its first in the country and the first Indian facility owned by a Chinese carmaker—hasn’t been announced. Nor has the carmaker indicated which models it will assemble in India.

SAIC acquired the iconic British brand MG in 2007. It builds MG sedans in China. Until last year, the company operated a small facility in Longbridge, England, that assembled 80% complete MG6 midsize sedans imported from China. SAIC also builds cars in China under the Maxus and Roewe brands.

In April SAIC unveiled the MG E-Motion concept, a racy 2+2 electric coupe (pictured) with scissor doors, at the Shanghai auto show. The company signaled at the time it would produce the car if public reaction is strong enough.

Operations at the new plant will be handled by MG Motor India Pvt. Ltd., a recently formed subsidiary. The unit is headed by Rajeev Chaba. He held several sales, marketing and managing director positions with General Motors Co. in India, Japan, Africa and China between 1995 and 2013. Most recently he was chief operating officer for London-based Man Capital LLC.