Roewe 550

The Roewe 550 is a large family car built by Roewe in China and launched at the 2008 Beijing Motor Show. It was reported to derive from the MG Rover RDX60 project, itself based on the platform of the Rover 75, and was developed as a joint Anglo Chinese effort between the consultancy Ricardo 2010, staffed by former Rover engineers, and SAIC's own development team, under the codename W261. The Roewe W2 concept previewed it at the 2007 Shanghai Auto Show. The main engine was a 1.8 litre unit of 160 bhp based on the Rover K engine, with a five speed manual or automatic gearbox, and the interior carried digital instruments and the Roewe Multimedia Interface. A plug-in hybrid version, the e550, went on sale in China in November 2013 with an 11.8 kWh battery giving 58 km of electric range. Rebadged as the MG 550 it was sold in Chile, Iran and Gulf markets, and a restyled hatchback became the MG 6.