| MG Rover, the UK company sold by BMW last year, has disclosed plans to become the manufacturer of some of the fastest cars in the world as it positions itself as a rival to Porsche and possibly Ferrari.
The plans are likely to provide a springboard for the group’s return to the North American market, from which it has been absent for more than two decades.
The company announced plans to produce a new “supercar” — the MG X80 — following its unexpected acquisition of the Italian sports car operations of Qvale Automotive, the US-Italian group.
Nick Stephenson, Rover’s deputy chairman, said the X80 — with nearly 400 horsepower — would be based on the chassis of Qvale’s Mangusta model but with a body designed by Peter Stevens, MG Rover’s design director, who created the blueprint for the McLaren F1 road car.
Sources said the MG X80 could cost under $70,000. |
