MG Cars opens in Zambo

WITH THE ease of doing business in Zamboanga City, investors continue to flock here despite the current health crisis due to the coronavirus pandemic.

And one of the latest businesses that opened here recently is MG Philippines or more popularly known in the country as Morris Garages which now has a showroom at Nuñez Extension – MG Motors Zamboanga.

Mayor Beng Climaco led the opening of the British iconic MG Cars together with Vice Mayor Rommel Agan. She thanked local businessman Jaydrick Johnson Yap and his partners for choosing Zamboanga for the MG Cars showroom which also has a service area.

“Congratulations and thank you Jaydrick Yap and partners for your trust and confidence in investing in Zamboanga,” said Climaco.

Yap is one of the directors of MG Motors Zamboanga and is also the president of the Southern Philippine Deep Sea Fishing Association, and vice president at YL Fishing Corporation based in Zamboanga.

“Despite the pandemic, the market for MG Cars is very promising not only in Western Mindanao, but also in Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-tawi and Zamboanga is a major trading hub in the South,” he told the Zamboanga Post.

Eugene Frederick Yap, the president of MG Motors Zamboanga, also said MG Cars are truly a “value for your hard-earned money.”

“When we talk about MG Cars, the first thing that comes to mind is it’s British and Morris Garages has a heritage. It is special and it is MG and we bring here affordable, yet high quality cars as they are known around the world,” he said in a separate interview.

He said MG Motors Zamboanga now offers four models of sports utility vehicles and sedans to choose from - MG 5, MG RX5, MG 6 – which won Best Value for Money Award and Compact Sedan of the Year, and People’s Choice Award in Auto Focus 2019-2020; MG ZS – also won the Best Subcompact SUV in the 15th Annual C Awards. And Top Gear PH also awarded MG as the Breakout Brand of the Year.

History

London-born Cecil Kimber, having outgrown his sales desk job, heads to the garage and begins to tinker around. He joined Morris Cars in 1921 and became General Manager of Morris in 1922. He began producing his own tuned versions of Morris cars to boost sales. These cars took the name from the place they were sold, the Morris Garage. The first MG was the 14/28, based upon the Morris Oxford.

In 1931, MG became the “first record breaker’ after its MG EX120 ‘The Magic Midget’ sets a land speed record, becoming the first 750cc car to exceed 100, hitting a speed of 103.13mph and 2 years later, MG become the first non-italian marque to win the Mille Miglia (1000 Mile) race in Italy. MG’S K3 Magnette took a class win and MG’S place in the world of motorsport was cemented.

But in 1957, EX181, based on the MGA model, was taken to the Bonneville Salts flats in Utah as MG returned to the world of record breaking. The 1489cc engine developed 290bhp and legendary driver Sir Stirling Moss took the car to an incredible 245.64mph. And by 1959, MG returned to the salt two years and set more records. American driver Phil Hill took the MG to 254.91mph. The enlarged 1506cc supercharged, twin cam engine, developed over 300bhp and remains the fastest MG ever.

Zamboanga Mayor Beng Climaco with MG Motors Zamboanga executives.