Saved by the Chinese automaker SAIC, the MG octagon is back in the UK car market and will also soon return to international motorsport.

MG (Morris Garages) became known in the 1930s by marketing a line of compact cars, powered by four cylinder in-line engines. The idea of the lightweight British sports car was born. Seven decades later, the manufacturer came to Le Mans with a 690kg prototype with a 500hp 4-cylinder turbocharged engine. After a remarkable debut in 2001, the English underdog surprised everyone the following year by challenging Audi, but the 2-litre engine developed by AER expired in smoke during the night, but the British squad demonstrated the value of downsizing even before the green revolution ...

Today, MG wants to be involved again in endurance racing. Following the successful launch of the MG6, the company will resume its sporting heritage by becoming an official sponsor of the RLR team this year in the Le Mans Series with an MG Lola EX265 prototype. The announcement will be made this Wednesday (July 27) at MG headquarters in Birmingham, in the presence of drivers and RLR team managers.

Julien Hergault

Photo: 2001. With only 690 kg to 500 hp, the 257 EX has a better power/weight ratio than the Audi R8 (900 kg/610 hp).