A car based closely on the Rover 75 is set to be the first passenger car to be sold under the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation brand from late next year, reports Auto Asia today.

SAIC is understood to have asked British engineering group Ricardo to recruit a number of ex-MG Rover research and development personnel to help rework the 75 for the Chinese market.

The main changes are expected to be the installation of a sturdier suspension, a remapping of the engine computers and design to cope with lower-grade fuel and reformatting to create more room for rear passengers.