Nanjing Auto Announces Deal To Revive Austin Healey & Healey Brands

In a surprise move, Nanjing Auto announced that it has reached an agreement with Healey Automobile Consultants Ltd and HFI Automotive Ltd to join forces for the future development of the Healey and Austin-Healey brands and sports cars bearing their name. The Chinese car manufacture, which acquired the assets of MG Rover in July 2005, said in a statement that the deal with the Anglo-American consortium would put an end to long-standing issues about ownership of the brands and trade marks and expand opportunities for joint trade between the companies.

Last year, HFI had announced its plans to present a high performance sportscar with the DNA of a Healey 3000 - in convertible and coupe derivatives, as well as a modern affordable replacement for the Healey Sprite. However, apart from a promising sketch (picture above) we hadn't seen or heard anything since up until now. Judging from Nanjing’s latest moves and especially with the re-opening of the MG’s Longbridge plant in May, we’d say that an all-new Austin Healey 3000 could very well be round the corner.

Nanjing Restarts MG Production In The U.K.

A couple of months after Nanjing presented the first Chinese built MG sport cars and sedans back in March and the British carmaker’s new owner announced that it’ll end the Longbridge plant's two-year production hiatus with the assembly of the first MG TFs on May 29. It should be noted that Nanjing Auto doesn’t specify whether they’ll fully build the TFs in Longbridge or just assemble the roadster with kits from China. We remind you that, in 2005, MG Rover was split in half, with Nanjing Auto taking control of MG and rival SAIC acquiring the rights to build (but not to name), Rover models. Sales of MG models are expected to start in Europe in the second half of the year. Via: Reuters