Two MG dealers were nominated for awards at the prestigious Car Dealer Magazine Awards

Two dealers from MG’s national franchise network have been recognised for their service and sales excellence at the prestigious Car Dealer Magazine Awards. 

Taking place at The Brewery in London on 28 November, the highly-acclaimed event is the highlight of the used car calendar.

Brecon Motors, which has been serving the motorists of Wales since the early 1900s, received nominations for the Service & Repair Outlet and Used Car Sales Team categories. Adding to the celebrations, John Stuart & Warrington MG received a nomination for the Used Car Award 2016 (dealership with more than 100 cars).

All three categories are set to be hotly contested, with leading car dealerships from across the UK vying to take home the sought-after titles.

Jonathan Williams, Managing Director at Brecon Motors, commented: “It’s a real privilege to be nominated for two categories in the Car Dealer Awards. As a showcase of the UK’s best used car dealerships, we’re thrilled to have received these nominations as a representative of the MG brand.”

James Drinkwater, General Manager at John Stuart & Warrington MG, commented: “As a family-owned business, we pride ourselves on delivering expert advice, a friendly welcome and the best possible customer service from start to finish. Being recognised in the Car Dealer Awards is not only testament to our hard work, but also the dedication and commitment of each member of staff.”

Matthew Cheyne, Head of Sales & Marketing at MG Motor UK, added: “Having two dealers nominated in the Car Dealer Awards is a huge achievement. Both Brecon Motors and John Stuart & Warrington MG should be incredibly proud of their accomplishments. Everyone here at Longbridge will have their fingers crossed on 28 November!”

To learn more about the Car Dealer Magazine awards, and the full list of categories, visit the official website here. To discover more about MG Motor UK’s latest models and finance offerings,

MG grows by nearly 100% in September, with the GS taking hold and the MG3 still producing high sales figures.

According to figures released by The Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders (SMMT) earlier today (5 October), MG Motor UK has experienced its best ever month for car sales since the company relaunched.

Registering a total of 1,005 vehicles during September 2016, MG recorded a 97% year-on-year increase for the month of September. Year to date, MG has achieved a 34% increase in registrations over 2015 figures, already selling more vehicles than any full year previously.

Matthew Cheyne, Head of Sales and Marketing at MG Motor UK, said: “Breaking the 1,000 vehicle registration figure for September is a significant achievement. During 2016, our figures have continued to rise, reflecting unprecedented demand and customer affinity towards the brand.

“The continued success of MG in the UK is not only testament to the performance and quality of our model range – which includes the family-favourite GS SUV and MG3 supermini – but also the continued growth of our dealer network.

“Without the hard work, dedication and support of each MG dealer in the UK, we couldn’t have achieved such impressive registration results. As such, I wish to personally extend my thanks to them for a record-breaking month.

“We’re delighted with our performance so far in 2016 and have surpassed our total year 2015 sales already. We look forward to carrying this on in Q4 as we continue to offer our customers competitive, affordable and exciting vehicles.”

According to the SMMT figures, a total of 469,696 new cars were registered in September 2016, with year-to-date performance remaining positive, up 2.5% to 2,096,886 million units

MG Motor's and Triple Eight driver Ashley Sutton takes the jack Sears trophy at the final race at Brands Hatch.

Staff at MG Motor are celebrating this week, after British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) driver Ashley Sutton took home the coveted Jack Sears Trophy in his MG6 at Brands Hatch (Sunday 2 October 2016). The award, which recognises the highest scoring rookie driver in the championship, was especially poignant this year given the fact that Sears, who was the first ever winner of the BTCC Trophy, died in August aged 86.

The battle for the Jack Sears Trophy went down to the wire this year, with the Essex-born racer still unsure of clinching the title until the finish line. 

While he just had to complete the final race of the season to secure the title, with three laps to go Sutton experienced unexpected vibration issues. 

Taking no chances, the Triple Eight Racing team called the Number 116 MG6 back to the pits for a set of new tyres, allowing Sutton to re-join the race and complete the remaining laps more comfortably, before celebrations began.

Sutton commented: “I'm absolutely delighted. At the start of the season we set ourselves four goals - a first Pole Position, a first BTCC podium, a first race win and to win the Jack Shears trophy.

“We managed to achieve the first Pole Position second time out at Donington Park, which was amazing. The first podium and the win were ticked off at Croft and I'm so pleased to finish the season on a high with the Jack Sears Trophy. It took all 30 races to finally get it done and to do it in MG & 888's 150th race together was very special. Obviously trophies always mean a lot but to accept this one, named after the great Jack Shears, from his son David, in the year he passed away was very moving.

“I can't thank Triple Eight enough for making me feel at home in my debut year! I’d also like to thank MG and RICB for believing in me and giving me this chance to live and fulfil my dream. It has been a pleasure this year, and despite the bad luck I have still loved every minute of it!

“As always I'd like to thank my sponsors, family and friends as without their support then none of this would be possible. It's been a great first season for me in the BTCC - I just can't wait to get going again! Roll on 2017'"

Matthew Cheyne, Head of Sales and Marketing at MG Motor, added: "We're thrilled with the season's results and the success achieved by both Ash and Josh. We viewed BTCC 2016 as a bedding in season for both the cars and drivers, however, they delivered above and beyond expectations and achieved hugely impressive results.

"On behalf of MG Motor, I'd like to personally congratulate Ash on taking home the Jack Sears Trophy this weekend and look forward to watching both his - and Josh's - continued success in 2017.”

Demonstrating his fighting spirit and racing skill, 22-year old Sutton was the only rookie driver to finish on the main podium during the season. He stormed to his first ever Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship victory after producing an outstanding performance in the final encounter at Croft on 19^th June.

Ashley Sutton finished the Jack Sears Trophy competition with a final score of 442. His nearest rival was Michael Epps, who scored 424.

The 1st MG CarFest organised by WH Brand, the MG dealership took place last weekend, and nearly 200 cars attended.

Almost 200 automotive aficionados gathered at the WH Brand MG dealership in Lincolnshire last weekend (18 September), to showcase their prized vehicles from the past and present.

The event, which was organised to raise money for the Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance, saw a whole host of MG cars displayed – from classics and customs, to kit builds and brand new models.

In addition to hosting the exhibition, the dealership organised a number of stalls, stands and games, while visitors were also able to test drive MG’s latest models – the all-new MG GS SUV and MG3 supermini. A collection for the Air Ambulance was taken throughout the day, raising money for a hugely worthwhile cause.

Adam Brand, sales manager at WH Brand, commented: “We were delighted to welcome so many MG fans to the dealership last weekend for our enthusiast event. It was a brilliant day that showcased pristine examples of British engineering through the ages.

“We’d like to thank the individuals and car clubs from across the region who helped make the day run so smoothly and hope to build on the its success next year with an even bigger and better event.”

Matthew Cheyne, Head of Sales and Marketing at MG Motor UK, added: “WH Brand’s event was an excellent initiative – bringing together the local community and raising money for a great charity alongside. With MGs, both old and new, on display throughout the day, the event was certainly a must see for enthusiasts!”

For more information about the MG model range, or to find your local dealer, visit www.mg.co.uk. For more information about WH Brand, visit www.whbrand.co.uk.

The last triple race weekend at Rockingham was one of teh best so far this year in the British Touring Car Championships.

Gordon Shedden, Sam Tordoff and Aron Smith scored a win apiece at Rockingham on 28 August, with the latter’s victory making it a record 12 different winners from eight different marques in the 2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.

The title picture was further shaped during the three races with Tordoff leaving the Northamptonshire circuit just five points clear of triple champion Matt Neal in the overall standings.

Halfords Yuasa Racing’s Shedden secured a lights-to-flag victory in the opener, after fending off fellow front-row starter Mat Jackson in the early stages.

Jackson soon fell back into the clutches of the Subarus, however, after both Jason Plato and Colin Turkington blasted by Josh Cook’s MG off the line.

An incident on the opening lap led to a brief safety car period, but reigning champion Shedden produced a stellar restart before gradually pulling away from the chasing pack. The Honda Civic Type R took the chequered flag with Shedden having completed the perfect pole position, fastest lap and race win treble.

Jackson delivered a textbook defensive drive to keep Silverline Subaru BMR Racing duo Plato and Turkington at bay to second, whilst the MGs of Josh Cook and Ashley Sutton recovered from relatively slow starts to finish close behind. Post-race, however, Turkington was penalised and demoted to fifth by officials for gaining an unfair advantage in his tussle with Sutton.

Team JCT600 with GardX driver Tordoff won the second contest with an impressive performance.

Tordoff had earlier fought back from 28th on the race one grid to finish tenth, and he continued his surge through the order by picking his way past several rivals in the early stages of the second bout.

Running in third place by mid-distance, Tordoff then cruised up behind the Motorbase Performance duo of Andrew Jordan and Mat Jackson. He disposed of Jordan with consummate ease before repeating the trick by Jackson on lap nine.

The ballast-laden Ford of Jackson couldn’t hang on to second either as he was first relegated by team-mate Jordan, with West Surrey Racing’s Rob Collard following suit in the closing stages.

Sutton took another top five finish for MG Racing RCIB Insurance, although his stablemate Josh Cook was caught up in unfortunate first lap drama – contact between the MG6 and Plato’s Levorg forcing both cars out of contention.

Neal maintained his consistent championship challenge with sixth, ahead of Aron Smith – the BKR man enjoying one his most competitive meetings of the season.

Smith then made it an incredible 12 different winners in the 2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – a record number in the illustrious 59-season history of the series – after the Irishman soaked up race-long pressure to win the final encounter.

The VW driver had to contend with three safety car periods and two double champions in his rear mirrors, but he dealt with every challenge superbly on his way to a first ever victory for the fledgling Team BKR outfit.

Neal and Jackson initially pressured Smith off the line, but the pair would later succumb to the charging Shedden and Turkington – both running the medium Dunlop SportMaxx compound.

The Team JCT600 with GardX BMW of Collard also looked to be a contender but he couldn’t keep pace with Shedden’s charge, as the Honda man disposed of Sutton, Jackson and team-mate Neal in quick succession.

Turkington was busy scything his Subaru through the order from 16th on the grid and when the dust settled during a third and final safety car period the Ulsterman found himself in a podium position.

The battle between Shedden and Turkington over the final three-lap shootout aided Smith’s cause with the trio eventually crossing the finish line separated by just half a second.

Neal and Jackson held on to fourth and fifth respectively while Collard had to settle for sixth.

Tordoff failed to score in the finale but the Yorkshireman maintained his standings lead, albeit by a reduced five point margin. Honda’s Neal and Shedden are next up in the order with Motorbase’s Jackson also closing in. Collard and Turkington have drifted slightly after mixed results although the top 13 drivers all have a mathematical chance of winning the title.

WSR/BMW remain the leading Manufacturers’ although Halfords Yuasa Racing has returned to the top of the Teams’ table.

Motorbase Performance has surged into an unassailable points lead in the Independent Teams’ standings, with Jordan topping team-mate Jackson in the Independent Drivers’ championship.

Ashley Sutton further extended his advantage over Michael Epps in the Jack Sears Trophy.

Two events remain on the 2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship calendar with the penultimate weekend taking place at Silverstone in three weeks time (17/18 September).

Gordon Shedden said: "I’m dead chuffed with that weekend. I broke the slipstream to the guys behind in race one and then focussed on keeping everything nice and smooth. In race two, I was on a bit of a hiding to nothing on the hard tyres with maximum ballast, and I really had to get my elbows out at the end because I wasn’t going very fast at all by then! It would have been nice to win race three, but Aron (Smith) drove really well and didn’t make any real mistakes and it would have required a fairly monumental lunge to try to get past. Then when Colin (Turkington) caught up during the final safety car period, I had to keep an eye on my mirrors too because he clearly had some good pace. Still, points make prizes as they say and we’ve closed back up to the top of the championship table. We will keep working hard and fighting to the very end."

Sam Tordoff said: "It’s been a fabulous day, and a great recovery from free practice and qualifying. I made a mistake in FP1 which left us unprepared going into qualifying and that was reflected in the result. We took a bit of a gamble with the set-up for race one and it turned out to be an inspired decision that paid dividends. We made the car even better for race two, and I think that was the first time in a long time that we’ve seen the BMW’s true pace. All credit to the WSR guys – for us to only lose a handful of points in the championship having started today 28^th on the grid is incredible."

Aron Smith said: "It was unbelievable. We were down in the dumps a little bit after qualifying in the wet yesterday – we struggled a bit. Hats off to everyone at BKR today. They made it happen. They made it all come alive. The safety cars did give me a bit of a run for my money! Every time I saw a car go off I knew I’d have to be right on it at another restart. Luckily I was. Then, when I saw Colin Turkington at the back of Gordon Shedden, I was happier. I knew he’d have his hands full there. I’m absolutely over the moon, this was what we all needed."

Mat Jackson said: "Race two was a good race for us, obviously. The Subaru didn’t look as if it had the legs through the corners but in traction they definitely had the advantage that comes with the rear-wheel drive. Every lap he (Jason Plato) was within striking distance of going up the inside at turn two but he couldn’t quite make it past. That was a good result for us as a team really and it's certainly been a good weekend for our championship challenge."

Matt Neal said: "Rockingham is always a tough challenge physically, and in truth, we weren’t too sure what to expect coming here but we kept our heads down, plugged away and came away with a solid bagful of points. The first two races were pretty heavy going, but when I got some clear air, the car felt really strong. ‘Flash’ warned me that I would be up against it on the hard tyres in race three, so I was over-the-moon to finish fourth – I really didn’t anticipate being able to hang on as well as that. To come away with both of us firmly in the thick of the title fight is a great outcome. The pressure is mounting in the championship now with just two weekends to go and Silverstone could be a tricky one for us, but believe me, we’ll be giving it everything we’ve got."

2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Round 22 – Rockingham:

1 Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing 26:36.324 (78.75 mph)

2 Mat JACKSON (GBR) Motorbase Performance +2.561s

3 Jason PLATO (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +2.869s

4 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +3.165s

5 Josh COOK (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +8.741s

6 Ash SUTTON (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +12.144s

7 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) Motorbase Performance +14.072s

8 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +18.224s

9 Dave NEWSHAM (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +23.899s

10 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +24.168s

2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Round 23 – Rockingham:

1 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX 22m44.838s (81.87 mph)

2 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) Motorbase Performance +2.886s

3 Robert COLLARD (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +3.085s

4 Mat JACKSON (GBR) Motorbase Performance +6.863s

5 Ash SUTTON (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +15.027s

6 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +18.661s

7 Aron SMITH (IRL) BKR +21.341s

8 Adam MORGAN (GBR) WIX Racing +22.624s

9 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +25.489s

10 Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +28.536s

2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Round 24 – Rockingham:

1 Aron SMITH (IRL) BKR 29m49.905s (74.13 mph)

2 Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.400s

3 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +0.572s

4 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +3.491s

5 Mat JACKSON (GBR) Motorbase Performance +4.519s

6 Robert COLLARD (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +4.936s

7 Adam MORGAN (GBR) WIX Racing +5.686s

8 Jake HILL (GBR) RCIB Insurance Racing +6.227s

9 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +10.578s

10 Jason PLATO (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +10.899s

Family loved the MG3 so much they bought three, and then an MG6 on top of that.

A chance moment hearing an MG advert on the radio led to the Dyer family buying not only one, but three MG3s – and they have just added an MG6 to the collection.

Earlier this year, Danielle Shearing (nee Dyer) was on her way out with her parents, Mark and Kath, to buy a new car. 

Just at that moment, an advert from local dealer Nathaniel Cars came on the radio advertising the MG3. 

After hearing the low price, Danielle headed straight to the MG dealer and took a test drive. After falling head over heels, it wasn’t long before she was signing the paperwork.

Kath Dyer, mum of the family, decided at that moment she wanted one too. Kath, who is a bit of a local hero in South Wales, is a Senior Sister in the A&E department at the Heath Hospital in Cardiff and is a Major in the Army Reserves – touring to Afghanistan in 2008 and 2012.

Opting for something a little comfier than the convoy vehicles she’s been used to, Kath signed the paperwork alongside her daughter for their brand new MG3s.

Danielle said: “I absolutely love my MG3! It’s the first new car I’ve owned and it’s really great. What’s so good about it is the affordability, when Nathan at Nathaniels worked up the quote for me I was shocked but so happy that I could afford it.

“My friends and I are planning a fun day out soon and I’ve already volunteered to drive. Although one of them has literally just bought an MG3 herself, so I think we’ll be fighting over who actually gets to drive!”

Danielle and her mum had barely clocked up any miles in their new cars before Kayleigh Dyer decided she wanted one too – adding a third MG3 to the driveway. Feeling somewhat left out dad, Mark, decided to go out and treat himself to an MG6!

Matthew Cheyne, Head of Sales and Marketing for MG, said: “As far as we’re aware, this is the most new MGs in one household. This fantastic story certainly reinforces our affordable family fun message.”

UK SALES JUNE - MG breaks previous records with the new GS helping to boost sales along with more dealers.

MG Motor UK’s first ever SUV, the MG GS, has given a boost to record sales for the UK brand.

Official half-year figures, released today from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Limited (SMMT) show that MG Motor has had its best start to a year.

Year-to-date figures show it has exceeded last year’s figures with 1,896 units; a 13.53% increase. June alone has pushed the brand up 43.59%, with 336 units.

MG’s new SUV, the MG GS, is blazing the way with more than 70 registrations already; only a little less than two weeks since it officially went on sale. Regional test drives have been taking place across the country, which has paved the way to more sales and fantastic feedback on the new model.

Matthew Cheyne, Head of Sales and Marketing for MG, said: “This year has got off to a fantastic start for us. Launching our new model, the MG GS, has given us the boost we needed and it is clear to see that we are firmly on track to make 2016 a record year.”

To show how strongly MG is growing in the UK, this year’s half-year sales are more than the total sales for the years 2011, 2012 and 2013 combined.

Matthew added: “The MG3 and MG6 took us through to June, and then the MG GS helped give us that extra boost. Our newest addition will definitely help push the brand even further. We are growing rapidly and attracting new customers and new dealerships alike. If ever there was a time for people to look seriously at either buying a new MG or becoming a dealer, it’s got to be now. We are really delighted with the way things are going for MG.”