Birmingham serves up Chinese cars

When I was a weird student, I lived just down the road from the Longbridge car plant in Birmingham.  It was the tailend days of Red Robbo when strikes were more common than car production. 

Having subsequently spent my career in automotive public relations - including visiting several times what was once the world’s largest manufacturing facility - I am interested to see Chinese company Nanjing Automobile Corporation announcing the return of car production to Birmingham.

I think the company faces quite a challenge to establish its reputation in Britain, not least since the MG took quite a battering with serious brand misuse in the later Rover years.  However, if they can capture some of the fun and glamour of the MG BGT that I once had the pleasure of owning, the Brummies could well swap their reputation for excellent balti cooking for making Chinese cars.