THE Rover 75 has just gone on sale in China, where it is being sold as the MG 7 with prices from £12,600.
The car is made at what the Chinese call a state-of-the-art factory in Nanjing and in addition to the standard saloon there is a long wheelbase version to cater for the extra comfort demands of the Chinese aristocracy.
Based on the MG ZT version of the former Rover 75, the mainstream model uses a turbocharged 1.8-litre petrol engine that has been tweaked by British specialist Lotus to generate 160bhp whilst conforming to European legislation.
The long wheelbase version is stretched by 20cm and is powered by a 2.5-litre V6 engine generating 240bhp.
Nanjing MG's sales director Yang Junhu says: "This version features a higher level of specification, offering a greater level of comfort and increased legroom for passengers.
'We are bringing British automotive culture to our country. Until now no other car from a British marque has been manufactured and sold in China.
"Today customers are becoming more demanding in terms of their requirements which we will be able to satisfy thanks to the different variants of the MG7.'
In China the equivalent price of the MG7 ranges from £12,600 to £22,260. Prices for the many other markets to which the car will be exported will be announced in due course.
When the newcomer eventually arrives here it will be seen as the ultimate "coals to Newcastle" operation, with Rover and MG having been a part of the UK's largest manufacturing company, which also used to encompass the ionic names of Austin, Morris, Triumph, Riley, Wolseley and several others.