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The first MG cars to be assembled by their Chinese owners have come off the production line in Nanjing.

Nanjing Automobile (NAC), part-owned by the state, bought many of defunct British carmaker Rover's models, technology and physical assets in July 2005 for £53 million.

It took just six months for the firm to build its 3.5 billion yuan (£230 million) factory in the Pukou area of the eastern Chinese city, with the facility expected to produce more than 200,000 cars every year.

The majority will be sold to China's burgeoning domestic car market.

Coming off the assembly line today were Nanjing Automobile's MG7 saloon and MG-TF sports car, both priced at between 180,000 and 400,000 yuan (£11,800 to £26,300).

Paul Stowe, who having worked at MG Rover for a decade is now the Chinese carmaker's quality director, told the Xinhua news agency: "It's amazing that in just one year's time, NAC has transferred equipment and facilities from the UK and has started producing cars."

Company chairman Wang Haoliang added: "The acquisition of [MG Rover] has put NAC on the shoulder of a giant.

"We are confident we'll be able to revive the valuable MG Rover brand."