Granted, still a mule/preproduction model, but I'm really impressed with this. The Chinese could potentially turn rover/mg around.
http://www.chinacartimes.com/2008/01/25/roewe-550-interior-shots/
Potentially turn Rover/MG around? Buddy, Rover and MG are GONE. They're dead, they're not coming back. There is no 'turning them around'.
This rehash is a slap in the face to what little credibility Rover and MG had left.
Thing is, if rover would have done this, they'd still be here today.
(http://www.carspin.net/forums/Themes/rt_smf_versatility/images/english/new_topic.gif)
Stop pushing this button.
Quote from: 93JC on January 25, 2008, 06:32:09 PM
Potentially turn Rover/MG around? Buddy, Rover and MG are GONE. They're dead, they're not coming back. There is no 'turning them around'.
MG's still around, under Chinese ownership.
Yep. All you need is ownership of the name. That's where the value lies. Look at Bugatti and Maybach. They were once "dead" as well.
All those years ago, was Maybach owned by Mercedes then too?
Quote from: Raza on January 25, 2008, 08:58:35 PM
MG's still around, under Chinese ownership.
I meant in spirit. In spirit Jaguar has never ceased to exist, even hough they went through multiple owners.
MG? MG is gone, it's just some crappy Chinese outfit's piece of property.
Quote from: 93JC on January 25, 2008, 09:20:12 PM
I meant in spirit. In spirit Jaguar has never ceased to exist, even hough they went through multiple owners.
MG? MG is gone, it's just some crappy Chinese outfit's piece of property.
How? Right now, they seem to be turning it around....
MG is dead.
Quote from: 93JC on January 25, 2008, 09:20:12 PM
I meant in spirit. In spirit Jaguar has never ceased to exist, even hough they went through multiple owners.
MG? MG is gone, it's just some crappy Chinese outfit's piece of property.
Well, like MG, they're selling the same old shit. Isn't that just like MG's spirit?
Quote from: CJ on January 25, 2008, 10:56:07 PM
MG is dead.
It's SAIC owned.
----------------
SAIC/(and other company I can't think of) seem to be doing a great job. They're not luxury cars anymore, they know this. The 550 is more or less going to be competing with the camry. I think these rehashes of MG/Rover will end when SAIC sees that Roewe is profitable and then they'll start new development.
The gear selector looks horrible. The rest of the interior isn't much better either.
WHY IS THIS IN LUXURY?
Quote from: CJ on January 26, 2008, 05:22:12 PM
WHY IS THIS IN LUXURY?
Roewe is trying to be a semi-premium marque. (At least in china)
Semi-premium in China != luxury here.
Quote from: TheIntrepid on January 25, 2008, 09:02:31 PM
All those years ago, was Maybach owned by Mercedes then too?
I think so but I'm not positive.
Quote from: 2o6 on January 26, 2008, 07:15:05 PM
Roewe is trying to be a semi-premium marque. (At least in china)
The key word being Semi. If most WVs don't belong in LT, Roewe sure as hell doesn't.
Quote from: thecarnut on January 26, 2008, 04:09:44 PM
The gear selector looks horrible. The rest of the interior isn't much better either.
+1
Interior looks nothing special too me. The materials try to look "fancy" but they just FAIL to impress.
What a frightful mess. What a shame that Rover was beaten, raped, and had its lunch money stolen in its final years.
I saw an article that they were going to build a plant in Oklahoma City to build the new roadster...
The last of the great Rovers was the P6 series. I've long wanted a 3500 - a crisp little tourer if ever there was one. The SD1 series was unfortunately strangled by emissions laws introduced to Australia in 1976, and the shocking reliability of early cars tarnished the brand beyond repair. Not only that, magazine reports of the era called the new for '78 Holden Commodore a better-handling, better-riding and better-value car for half the price of an SD1.
A shame.
I dunno about you guys but this is by far the best chinese interior i've ever seen. By a long shot too. I wouldn't mind having this interior :huh:
Quote from: M_power on January 28, 2008, 09:34:08 AM
I dunno about you guys but this is by far the best chinese interior i've ever seen. By a long shot too. I wouldn't mind having this interior :huh:
Racial bias
Quote from: TheIntrepid on January 28, 2008, 12:18:32 PM
Racial bias
Would Ed be masturbating to a pic of a Hyundai interior then? :huh:
They're all the same. Aznz, yo.
More Pics. It seems to be a great Lexus ES competitor.
(http://www.chinacartimes.com/wp-content/550-upclose2.jpg)
(http://www.chinacartimes.com/wp-content/red-roewe.jpg)
(http://www.chinacartimes.com/wp-content/red-roewe.jpg)
(http://www.chinacartimes.com/wp-content/550-upclose4.jpg)
Wow the front is so fugly.
Quote from: thecarnut on March 05, 2008, 07:30:04 PM
Wow the front is so fugly.
It's IMO better looking than the ES.
Quote from: 2o6 on March 05, 2008, 07:30:51 PM
It's IMO better looking than the ES.
No it isn't.
Quote from: TheIntrepid on January 25, 2008, 09:02:31 PM
All those years ago, was Maybach owned by Mercedes then too?
No.
Wilhelm Maybach was the designer of many of the first cars built by Mercedes, however he left that firm in 1907.
Maybach entered into an agreement with Graf Zepellin (yes, the exploding balloon man) in 1921, and that company produced the Maybach car.
Seen that tail lamp design before?
(http://www.chinacartimes.com/wp-content/550-upclose4.jpg)
(http://www.diseno-art.com/images_2/Citroen_C5_Airscape_concept_rear.jpg)
Oh my goodness; that car is hideous.
Quote from: Raza on January 25, 2008, 11:48:14 PM
Well, like MG, they're selling the same old shit. Isn't that just like MG's spirit?
Yep.
I've always felt that the MGB was a piece of shit.
Quote from: 280Z Turbo on March 06, 2008, 01:23:32 AM
Yep.
I've always felt that the MGB was a piece of shit.
You sods gave it the ground clearance of a Bronco and bumpers as elegant as Zsa Zsa Gabor in the morning.
Quote from: omicron on January 28, 2008, 08:20:51 AM
The last of the great Rovers was the P6 series.
I think the Rover 75 was a nice car.
Quote from: nickdrinkwater on March 06, 2008, 01:01:46 AM
Seen that tail lamp design before?
(http://www.chinacartimes.com/wp-content/550-upclose4.jpg)
(http://www.diseno-art.com/images_2/Citroen_C5_Airscape_concept_rear.jpg)
The Roewe 550 was concieved before the C-Metissse. (C5)
You sure about that? The C5 is already on the road. You said this car is a preproduction model/mule (do you know which?)
I doubt the similarity is a coincidence.
Quote from: Galaxy on March 06, 2008, 02:53:02 AM
I think the Rover 75 was a nice car.
Nice, yes, but not great.
That is one ugly car.
It looks like it could be made by Hyundai or Saturn.
Which I guess is an improvement over all the other Chinese cars anyways.
Quote from: TheIntrepid on January 25, 2008, 09:02:31 PM
All those years ago, was Maybach owned by Mercedes then too?
No. Maybach was an independent luxury manufacturer that actually competed against Mercedes-Benz in the 1930s and early 1940s. The only connection Mercedes has with Maybach is that the founder of Maybach, Wilhelm Maybach, once worked for Daimler-Benz where he perfected the carburator. :ohyeah:
I suppose for the Maybach project MB bought the name and rights. Not sure about that...
Quote from: nickdrinkwater on March 06, 2008, 07:49:08 AM
You sure about that? The C5 is already on the road. You said this car is a preproduction model/mule (do you know which?)
I doubt the similarity is a coincidence.
The Roewe 550 Mules/Spy Shots came before pics of the C5 even surfaced. This is actually a Preproduction Model with some tape and badgeless. The Roewe is actually an Interpretation of the Roewe W2 Concept.
(http://www.chinacartimes.com/wp-content/another_roewe.jpg)
Quote from: cawimmer430 on March 07, 2008, 12:44:54 AM
... Wilhelm Maybach, once worked for Daimler-Benz where he perfected the carburator... :ohyeah:
Silly kraut.
Quadrajet.
Quote from: 280Z Turbo on March 06, 2008, 01:23:32 AM
Yep.
I've always felt that the MGB was a piece of shit.
On this note, I think we need to clarify that it was the British who killed MG. I present the following evidence:
The MG Metro
(http://www.philseed.com/images/mgmetro01.JPG)
The MG Montego-
(http://www.mgcars.org.uk/cambs.mgoc/images4/turbox2.jpg)
The MG Maestro- and why the fuck does British car advertising always featuring architects in their marketing material? This is like the third ad from Britain I've seen with an architect in it. Why should we care what an architect drives?
(http://www.philseed.com/images/mgmaestro02.jpg)
What makes him an architect?
Quote from: Soup DeVille on March 07, 2008, 06:40:43 PM
What makes him an architect?
Maybe I jumped to conclusions. I assumed those were plan drawings in his hand. Sorry, I've just been too traumatized by too many other British car ads featuring architects in them. :tounge:
Quote from: akuma_supreme on March 07, 2008, 06:42:54 PM
Maybe I jumped to conclusions. I assumed those were plan drawings in his hand. Sorry, I've just been too traumatized by too many other British car ads featuring architects in them. :tounge:
S'oK. I was wondering if there was some sort of universal architectural dress code I was unaware of.
Quote from: Soup DeVille on March 07, 2008, 06:43:52 PM
S'oK. I was wondering if there was some sort of universal architectural dress code I was unaware of.
(http://www.philseed.com/images/mgmaestro02.jpg)
Metro! :rockon:
We had two those. Not MGs though.
I wonder if MG's new owners has any plans to resurrect any of these "heritage" models. :tounge:
Quote from: nickdrinkwater on March 06, 2008, 01:01:46 AM
Seen that tail lamp design before?
(http://www.chinacartimes.com/wp-content/550-upclose4.jpg)
What I first thought of was this.
(http://www.vicky.in/straightfrmtheheart/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/rear3.jpg)
Quote from: Shift507 on March 09, 2008, 12:14:35 AM
What I first thought of was this.
(http://www.vicky.in/straightfrmtheheart/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/rear3.jpg)
Me too...
General Roewe Thread.
New Roewe 550 Interior Shots
(http://www.chinacartimes.com/wp-content/roewe-550-int-renda.jpg)
(http://www.chinacartimes.com/wp-content/roewe-550-int-rend.jpg)
(http://www.chinacartimes.com/wp-content/roewe-550-int-rendb.jpg)
(http://www.chinacartimes.com/wp-content/red-roewe11.jpg)
(http://www.chinacartimes.com/wp-content/red-roewe2.jpg)
Interior isn't bad, at least visually. The Exterior is bland and boring, and that key looks like it's too thick to fit in a jeans pocket.
Well it is a step (not leap) in the right direction in terms of exterior and interior design but that instrumentation panel has to go.
Quote from: Galaxy on April 15, 2008, 02:53:20 PM
Well it is a step (not leap) in the right direction in terms of ecterior and interior design but that instrumentation panel has to go.
+1
Quote from: 2o6 on April 15, 2008, 02:42:22 PM
General Roewe Thread.
New Roewe 550 Interior Shots
(http://www.chinacartimes.com/wp-content/roewe-550-int-renda.jpg)
(http://www.chinacartimes.com/wp-content/roewe-550-int-rend.jpg)
(http://www.chinacartimes.com/wp-content/roewe-550-int-rendb.jpg)
(http://www.chinacartimes.com/wp-content/red-roewe11.jpg)
(http://www.chinacartimes.com/wp-content/red-roewe2.jpg)
Key = VW
C-pillar = Lexus IS
Rear lights = Citroen
Instrumental panel = awful
The 550, is kinda bland. Then interior doesn't look bad, but the instrument panel looks a little off.
I simply could not drive around in a car with that grille and those headlights, but the rest of the exterior isn't bad at all. I might have some kind of epileptic fit every time I attempted to check my speed or see what had set off a cavalcade of bing-binging, but the rest of the interior appears quite nice.
Official Photos
(http://www.chinacartimes.com/wp-content/roewe550-bodya.jpg)
(http://www.chinacartimes.com/wp-content/roewe550-bodyb.jpg)
(http://www.chinacartimes.com/wp-content/roewe550-body.jpg)
(http://www.chinacartimes.com/wp-content/roewe550-body-int.jpg)
(http://www.chinacartimes.com/wp-content/roewe550-body-inta.jpg)
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/17/beijing-08-preview-roewe-550-unveiled-and-its-impressive/
http://www.chinacartimes.com/2008/04/17/the-roewe-550-unmasked-uncovered-inside-and-out/
The interior looks very nice.
Will they sell this in Europe?
The headlights bother me and the instrument cluster bothers me, other then that this it probably the most competent chinese offering to date.
If the front is made to resemble more the older Laguna and if they get rid of the Honda Civic-esque instrumentation (just IMO). But I'm still sad that MG now means Modern Gentleman instead of Morris Garages :(
July 19, The 550 Will be on sale.
Is it bad to say I want this car?
(http://www.chinacartimes.com/wp-content/550-ext.jpg)
http://www.chinacartimes.com/2008/06/11/roewe-550-july-19th-on-the-market/
Pics from the 2008 Beijing Auto Show.
(http://www.chinacartimes.com/wp-content/roewe550bj-l.jpg)
(http://www.chinacartimes.com/wp-content/roewe550-interiore.jpg)
(http://www.chinacartimes.com/wp-content/roewe550-interiorf.jpg)
(http://www.chinacartimes.com/wp-content/roewe550-interior.jpg)
It actually looks pretty decent to me. The interior is pretty heavily BMW influenced, and the exterior has a lot of many other cars in it, but over all, not bad. Exterior doesn't look like a copy of anything else. The instrument panel is a little odd, but is is unique at least. The interior materials, at least by the pictures, don't look bad. They look ok, really. By the pics, looks similar to most mainstream US vehicles (especially some of the newer GM interiors).
I have to wonder what the crash tests are like though, and what kind of power it has. Chinese cars definitely haven't done well with crash tests in the past.
That interior is straight out of a 3-Series, which is why it looks nice. Exterior is a mix of IS, Passat, C5 and maybe a few other things. I'd drive one, though.