British-heritage automotive brand owned by SAIC Motor, a Chinese state-owned enterprise, since 2007.
MG began as Morris Garages, a car dealership and coachbuilder founded in Oxford in 1924 by William Morris. It became one of Britain's defining sports car marques through the mid-twentieth century. Following the collapse of MG Rover Group in 2005, the MG brand and Longbridge manufacturing assets were acquired by Nanjing Automobile Corporation (NAC), a Chinese state enterprise.
In 2007, SAIC Motor Corporation absorbed NAC, consolidating ownership of the MG brand under SAIC's state-controlled structure. SAIC subsequently repositioned MG as a mass-market vehicle brand, launching a range of EVs and hybrids under the MG nameplate from Chinese factories — while retaining the brand's British identity for marketing purposes.
MG is a division of SAIC Motor Corporation Limited, one of China's four largest state-owned automobile manufacturers — alongside FAW Group, Dongfeng Motor, and BAIC Group. SAIC is headquartered in Anting, Shanghai, and was founded in 1955. The Shanghai municipal government — through state assets — holds a controlling interest in SAIC, which is itself listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. SAIC is subject to oversight by SASAC (China's State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission — the central government body that supervises and manages state-owned enterprises on behalf of the State Council).
MG operates no independent ownership structure; it functions as a brand within the SAIC group. MG Motor India, an exception, operates under a joint venture (JSW MG Motor India) in which SAIC holds a minority stake following a 2023 restructuring to satisfy Indian FDI regulations — but the global MG brand outside India remains wholly SAIC-controlled.
EU anti-subsidy tariffs. The European Commission imposed anti-subsidy tariffs of up to 35.3% on SAIC-produced electric vehicles — the highest rate applied to any Chinese manufacturer in the 2024 EU EV investigation. SAIC's rate was set higher than other Chinese OEMs partly because the company did not cooperate with the EU investigation. SAIC announced it would challenge the tariffs in court, calling the process "unfair." MG EVs remain the primary affected product line in Europe.
European factory stalled. MG explored building a European production facility — northern Spain was a reported candidate — to avoid tariffs. However, the project stalled after the Chinese government signalled domestic manufacturers should not invest in EU member states that voted for the anti-subsidy measures. As of mid-2026, no European factory has been announced.
Brand origin transparency. MG is marketed in the UK, Europe, and Australia with significant emphasis on its British heritage — including the Morris Garages name and British bulldog imagery. Consumer research has found that a substantial share of buyers are unaware that the brand is owned by a Chinese state enterprise. Regulatory bodies in the UK and EU have not required additional ownership disclosure at point-of-sale.
UK financial restatements. MG Motor UK Limited restated prior-year accounts in 2024, revising a previously reported profit to a loss. The issue matters because dealers, fleet buyers, and press covering MG's UK trajectory made decisions based on figures that were later corrected. Restating a profit as a loss is a significant accounting event that raises questions about the reliability of MG UK's financial controls. The 2024 financial year subsequently returned to a pre-tax profit of £6.9 million — but the episode highlighted a transparency gap that sits uncomfortably alongside MG's already opaque ownership positioning in its marketing.
Other automotive brands with no verified Chinese ownership or control.