Holy Rover! 1980's Metro Ad Featuring Batman and Robin

The Rover, MG Rover, Austin and whatever other brand the Metro was sold under, was a forgettable mini that wasn't taken very seriously, even by the company that made it. This may explain this late 1980s-early 1990s advertisement spoofing the 1966 Adam West-era Batman and Robin TV series.

The one-minute long commercial shows the dynamic duo swapping their funky 1960s Batmobile for the British mini because "it's rush hour in Gotham city and the Batmobile is big"...

The ad ends with the message, "When you got to.... pick up a penguin, Metro gets you going." Holy priceless collection of Etruscan snoods.... Enjoy the video after the break.

MG to Launch Two New Versions of TF Roadster

Ah yes, the MG TF roadster, still fun to drive but let's face it, no makeup can cover its mid-1990s roots. Still, the British firm's Chinese owner is trying to make the best of it by announcing the launch of two new variants of the mid-engined roadster. First up is the new entry-level TF 135 that will go on sale in the UK this spring with an OTR of £13,511 (approx $20k or €15k) or about £2,500 lower than the TF LE500. Later in the summer, the TF 135 will be joined by a special edition model produced to mark the 85th Anniversary of the brand, the MG TF 85th Anniversary.

MG has yet to disclose photos of the anniversary model, but the firm said that it will be available in three special colors overlaid with "striking graphics" (whatever that means), new alloy wheels, specific trim options in the interior and a revised suspension setup with Bilstein shocks, Eibach anti roll system, lower ride height, an all new anti torsion pack and a modified wheel set up.

Prices for the MG TF 85th Anniversary will start at £15,664 on the road or £13,664 with the UK Government's scrappage scheme deduction.

MG to Bring Three New Cars to Europe – U.S. Plans Scrapped

In addition to a revamped version of the current TF LE500 roadster, NAC, the Chinese owner of MG is planning to introduce three new models in Europe according to company’s managing director, Gary Hagen. “We’re planning a four-car range of MGs – first to arrive will be a mid-sized saloon sharing its platform with the Roewe 550. The planned introduction for this car is late 2010 and, looking at today’s marketplace, I see the main opposition as being the Mazda 6,” said Hagen in an interview with the British website Austin Rover Online. -Continued

“After that, there will be a C-segment compact and a B-segment supermini – and, no, that won’t be the MG3 SW, which has been a major success for us in China. Clearly, we have the capacity to build these cars in Longbridge and the Chinese are keen for this to happen,” added Hagen.

NAC MG’s managing director also took the opportunity to shed some light on the company’s ‘on and off’ plans for a return into the North American market. “We’re starting with the UK and Ireland and, once we’re up to speed, we will be pushing to sell in Europe. The USA isn’t on the short-term radar as an anticipated market for us but, with the right product, it would be good to return there,” Hagen told Austin Rover Online. The MG brand disappeared from U.S. dealerships in the early 1980s.

Via: Austin Rover Online

NAC MG TF Pricing Announced – More Expensive Than an MX-5!

Chinese carmaker NAC MG has announced UK pricing for its British built TF LE500. The mid-engined, rwd roadster that's due to arrive in dealerships across Britain this September has been priced at 16,399 GBP (that's $32,700 or EUR 20,600 with the current exchange rates). For that money you get a 136Hp 1.8-liter engine and several standard amenities like air-condition, ABS, leather seats, windstop, 16-inch alloy wheels, a body colored hardtop, parking sensors and a Pioneer MP3 compatible CD / radio.

But we ask; more than 16,000 pounds for a car that's practically a facelifted version of the original MG TF that was introduced in 1995? That's a lot for a car that was already outdated compared to its rivals when it went out of production in 2005, let alone in 2008. For example, prices for the Mazda MX-5 1.8 start from 15,750 pounds while you can get a nicely equipped MX-5 1.8 Icon for 16,825 pounds. We drove the last TF130 back in 2005, and while the MG had its fun side, even then, it showed its age in more ways than one.