> I'm not sure what piece of backwards US legislation is keeping MG
Rover out
> of the US market proper, but the MG TF would be a Miata killer, and
I'd
> love to have one.
>Same thing that kept the MGF out -- Fed crash standards. If they had
>intended the car for the US market from the start, they could have
built in
>compliance. But they didn't, so there's no use complaining. Blame
MG-Rover,
>not pre-existing regulations.
It's not legislation that directly was to blame. Don't blame MGR, blame
BMW if anyone. The factory was prohibited from marketing in or even
designing for the US, for fear of competition with the Z3. Then when BMW
sold off MGR, there wasn't enough money or time left to reengineer the
car to meet US regulations. However, I have been assured by the factory
execs that the next generation of car WILL be engineered from the
beginning to be a "world" car. There is no doubt that MGR wants to
return to this market. But it will be done with a car which is designed
to meet our standards, our perceived value, and the competition in the
North American market - and WIN!
Cheers,
Lew Palmer
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