MG returns to the BTCC

Nine years have passed since a works MG team last entered the British Touring Car Championship, but now the marque has announced its return to the series.

Of course, MG has been through an awful lot since 2003, going into administration before eventually ending up being owned by the Chinese SAIC Group.

Production has even restarted at the Longbridge plant, albeit from kits imported from China. But the model involved - the MG6 - lacks two important things: firstly, a diesel engine; secondly, customer awareness that MG still exists.

While the new BTCC team isn’t going to solve the former, it’s an excellent way of addressing the latter.

MG 6 GT NGTC 2012 (Rendering) Front Side

And, on paper at least, it looks to be a strong effort. The outfit, to be known as MG KX Momentum Racing, will be run by Triple Eight Race Engineering, a company that has won numerous BTCC drivers’ and teams’ titles in the past.

Equally impressive is the driver line-up for the pair of MG6 GT race cars. Leading the team is two-time champion Jason Plato, who has spent the last three seasons at Chevrolet, and he’s joined by ex-Ford Focus driver Andy Neate.

The opening round of the 2012 British Touring Car Championship is at Brands Hatch on the 1st of April.

Related posts:
2012 BTCC calendar
Škoda entry in 2012 BTCC
2011 BTCC Chevy Cruze
MG Design Centre opens

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