Chinese auto giant SAIC Motor is looking to set up shop in Thailand, eyeing our northern neighbour as a production hub for right-hand drive cars for export to RHD countries in ASEAN and beyond. SAIC is working with Thailand's CP Group on this, Bangkok Post reported.

According to CP vice-chairman Thanakorn Seriburi, both parties will complete feasibility studies for the project by the fourth quarter this year.

"The study will include the cost of investment for making at least 50,000 passenger cars a year. The entry of the company would mean not only Chinese investment in the assembly plant, but also in auto parts," Seriburi added.

SAIC, for Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation, may be a faceless name to many, but the company is China's number one automaker, with a mammoth 3.64 million vehicles made last year.

It is the owner of the classic British MG brand, and makes premium cars under its own brand Roewe. SAIC is also the local partner for Volkswagen and GM, the top two foreign automakers in China.

The grey hatch above is the MG5 and the orange notchback is the MG6. Click here to see a gallery of the supermini sized MG3 and here to view MG's latest concept for the Beijing show. The "new MG" could be coming, anyone interested?