MG 3
Encyclopedia
The MG3 is a supermini
Supermini
A superminicomputer, or supermini, is “a minicomputer with high performance compared to ordinary minicomputers.” The term was an invention used from the mid-1970s mainly to distinguish the emerging 32-bit minis from the classical 16-bit minicomputers...

-class car produced by Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation under the MG marque in two generations from 2008 onwards.

First generation

Production of the first-generation model, sold as the MG3 SW, began in 2008. Essentially a re-badged
Badge engineering
Badge engineering is an ironic term that describes the rebadging of one product as another...

 Rover Streetwise
Rover Streetwise
The Rover Streetwise was a small car made by MG Rover. It was based on the Rover 25, but had an increased ride height and chunkier bumpers. The car was marketed by Rover as an 'urban on-roader'.Production ended in April 2005 due to the bankruptcy of MG Rover....

, which ceased production in April 2005 after the bankruptcy of predecessor organisation MG Rover.

The MG3 SW is produced at the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation's Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

 factory in Pukou, Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...

.

The MG3 SW is only on sale to the Chinese market and cannot be purchased abroad.

Second generation

The second generation MG3 was showcased at the 2010 Beijing Auto Show in the form of the MG Zero concept car
Concept car
A concept vehicle or show vehicle is a car made to showcase new styling and or new technology. They are often shown at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or may not have a chance of being produced....

. The new model uses an all-new automotive platform with a wheelbase
Wheelbase
In both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels.- Road :In automobiles, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the center of the front wheel and the center of the rear wheel...

 of 2.5 m, featuring MacPherson strut
MacPherson strut
The MacPherson strut is a type of car suspension system which uses the axis of a telescopic damper as the upper steering pivot. It is widely used in modern vehicles and named after Earle S. MacPherson, who developed the design.-History:...

 front suspension and a torsion beam rear axle. Engine options are expected to comprise new 1.3 and 1.5-litre petrol engines, rated at 67 bhp and 107 bhp respectively, with either a five-speed manual transmission or an automatic transmission
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...

. The second generation MG 3, officially launched at the Guangzhou Auto Show in December 2010, is aimed at the 18 to 28-year old age group, and is expected to go on sale in the UK in 2011. It may be built for Europe at the Longbridge plant
Longbridge plant
The Longbridge plant is an industrial complex situated in the Longbridge area of Birmingham, United Kingdom. It is currently owned by SAIC Group and is a manufacturing and research and development facility for its MG Motor subsidiary....

 in Birmingham alongside the larger MG6
MG 6
The MG6 is a mid-size car built by Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation, derived from the Roewe 550 and hence distantly related to the Rover 75, sharing its front subframe...

. In China the model is sold as the Roewe 150 alongside the MG version.

The second-generation MG3 is also available in a crossover-style variant (similar to the Rover Streetwise
Rover Streetwise
The Rover Streetwise was a small car made by MG Rover. It was based on the Rover 25, but had an increased ride height and chunkier bumpers. The car was marketed by Rover as an 'urban on-roader'.Production ended in April 2005 due to the bankruptcy of MG Rover....

and MG3 SW), known as the MG3 Xross.
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