The mainland seems to have inherited a few dramas along with the remains of MG Rover. First designs went to SAIC and the factory to Nanjing Motors, resulting in two competing versions of the Rover 75 badged respectively as the Roewe 750 and the MG7. Then the government forced the reluctant partners into bed and we had the birth (or is that rebirth?) of MG-Roewe.
Due to the difficulty of establishing Roewe's brand internationally, the marque's cars are likely to be sold abroad as MGs. In Chile the Roewe 550 has already been displayed with MG badges. But in the mainland it seems MG will once again return to the sporting heritage of its MG-Rover arrangement. Pictures are circulating in the mainland's motoring press of a more sporty hatchback version of the 550 badged as an MG6.
The MG3 Streetwise is likely to be the last we see of the old-school MG-Rover designs, thanks to the new cars being developed. Essentially a Rover 25 Streetwise with a new badge, the MG3 is nothing terribly new; it has gained LED indicator lights on the wing mirrors and a more modern rear light cluster. The build quality is reasonable, although the front wings don't meet the bonnet evenly.
Sit in the driver's seat and you'll see not much has changed, right down to the interior's iffy quality. The instruments and steering wheel are straight out of the Rover 25, and the control stalks for the lights and windscreen wipers seem flimsy. The buttons for the windows next to the handbrake and on the rear doors are also pretty basic, consisting of unmarked plastic lumps.
With the car's central console, MG has tried to create a funkier, more rounded look. From beneath the clock display jut two huge cylindrical air vents, opened by turning the outer rim clockwise. The rim on one of the vents felt rather loose, however, and one of its blades was already broken. The CD/radio is at the bottom of the console, and there are controls for it on the steering wheel.
The Streetwise is available in Comfort and Luxury models, and the latter boasts plenty of kit. Electric wing mirrors, sunroof and windows are standard across the range, as is air conditioning. The test car is also fitted with Bluetooth and a USB port to connect an MP3 player. The Luxury model has six stereo speakers, two more than the Comfort. A compass display appears on the rear-view mirror, as does a distance indicator for the rear radar sensor.