UPDATE: The current distributor, Morris Garages Philippines responds to this report (7/7).

The Ayala Group is keen on expanding its brand portfolio to include a Chinese brand, if a report from The Philippine STAR is to be believed. In its report yesterday, the STAR says that the Ayala Group is in talks with the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) to bring in the MG brand.

A storied British brand, Morris Garage or MG has a history stretching back to 1924. After filing for bankruptcy in 2005 though, its assets were bought by the Nanjing Automobile Group who, in turn, merged with the SAIC Group in 2007.

Currently, MG offers 2 models: the MG3 compact sedan and the GS compact crossover. It will be joined by a new crossover, the XS by the end of this year. These models are exclusively built and assembled in China after SAIC closed the MG factory in the UK last year.

The Ayala Group, through its automotive business unit, AC Industrial Technology Holdings, Inc., manufacturers and/or distributes the Honda, Isuzu, Volkswagen, and KTM brands.

Meanwhile, MG is being distributed by Morris Garages Philippines, the same group that also sells the Morgan brand through another company, White Knight Automobiles.

Source: The Philippine STAR