In 2005 MG Rover was struggling to stay afloat. With talks between MG Rover and the

Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation continuing into the final stages, the British government

stepped in with a £6.5 million loan that would cover the  production staff wages for just one week.

Unfortunately on the afternoon of April the 7th 2005,  MG Rover ceased production and thousands of jobs were lost without notice. The following day MG Rover called in the administrators.

From 2005-2008 the car factory lay unused apart from Nanjing Automotive Company who

transferred production to China.

In 2008, production returned on a small scale to Longbridge who produced t

he new MG TF sports car.