MG plant gets back into car production after six-year break

The first car off the line – a red MG6 – was driven by the plant’s only female factory worker, Lisa Ponter.

Some of the factory’s 400 workers gathered to watch the car as it emerged from production amid clouds of dry ice and bursts of coloured foil confetti.

MG, now owned by Chinese car company SAIC, is describing the new vehicle as the first all-new MG for 16 years.

The Longbridge plant closed six years ago to the week, leading to the loss of 6,500 jobs.

Miss Ponter, who was one of those who lost her job, said she did not hesitate to return when production at the site resumed.

She said: “It’s very exciting, it is great to see cars coming off the line again. It’s been too long and hopefully more people will be employed here.

“We’ve had our down times when we thought it was never going to happen because we’ve been here a while but we have just been working hard to get to this day and it has finally arrived.

“I think it’s a sign that things are on the up for the car industry.”

Speaking about her role driving the car off the production line she added: “It was very nerve wracking. I was shaking to start with, hoping everything went to plan, which it did.”

It is expected that the 1.8-litre MG6 will compete with the likes of the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus.

Some of the production of the MG6 will be in China, with the engine and electrics, as well as the testing, at Longbridge.

Prices for the four-door car are expected to start at around £15,500.