The rebirth of the MG brand in Chinese hands has hit no shortage of stumbling blocks over the last four years, but as sales heat up in China, talk of U.S. sales are surfacing.

It's not the first time such plans have arisen. Even before Shanghai Auto (SAIC) bought the brand along with Nanjing Automobile, there were plans to sell the TF roadster in the U.S. as a kit assembled in Oklahoma. Those plans were eventually canceled, but with the MG6 cooking along in its home market, a venture in America--with different cars--is on the table once again.

Exactly what sort of car MG would bring to the U.S. remains unknown, though it would likely be a model also sold in Europe, where crash standards are more similar to ours than China's. A roadster bodystyle is tipped as a favorite for American sales, with a front/rear engine and drive layout. That is, after all, the classic format for the MG range, and the most acceptable to the target enthusiast audience.

Our question isn't so much what MG will do here in the U.S., but rather how we'll perceive it. The MG brand, for those who remember it, isn't exactly spotless in terms of reputation for reliability; will Chinese ownership and possible British construction doom it before it touches rubber to pavement? Give us your view in the comments below.

[InsideLine]