CHINESE-owned MG Motor has said that assembly of its new MG3 supermini will start at the company’s Longbridge plant in Birmingham in the next few months.

One big proposed draw – the MG3 will join the personalisation trend popularised by models such as the Citroen DS3, Range Rover Evoque and Vauxhall Adam by offering a wide range of trims and colours.

Personalisation programmes are generally considered a challenge in production terms, but offer a way of holding the line on price by giving customers exactly what they want and plenty of boxes to tick on options lists.

So far, since being taken over by China’s SAIC, MG has sold small numbers in the UK of its only existing model, the larger MG6 – a position that has remained unchanged even following the arrival last year of a more convincing and business car friendly diesel version. (Click here to see our car review.)

The MG3, though, won’t initially get a diesel – all cars get MG’s 1.5-litre VTi-TECH petrol engine and a five-speed manual gearbox. Among the pluses being claimed for the MG3 are a roomy interior and plenty of driving fun.

MG has also been investing in facilities at its European Design Centre, which is located at the Longbridge site. Over 400 staff are now employed at Longbridge, with the majority working at the SAIC UK Technical Centre.