Nanjing Automotive has paid its bill to PricewaterhouseCoopers and expects to have the first cars built in its partnership with the GB Sports Car Company on the market next spring.

A source close to the company’s new UK operation has rubbished recent newspaper reports that MG Rover’s administrators were still waiting for payment. “The money’s in and it’s all going ahead,” he told AM. “The plan is to have vehicles ready by early next year.”

Detailed work on preparing a business plan for a viable UK operation is well under way. Nanjing’s objective is to restart production of up to 80,000 cars in the UK, with a long term plan to employ up to 2,000 workers at Longbridge. It is also understood to be planning partnerships with some of the retailers left in the MG Rover dealer network.