Nanjing Automobile has said it has received an overwhelming response from dealers interested in stocking its MG TF sports car which will go on sale later this year.

The Chinese firm, which inaugurated the production line at Longbridge last month, said it had received a "high level of enthusiasm" from the UK and overseas including Greece and South Africa.

The company has already signed up two dealerships and said 13 would be secured by the end of this month.

A spokeswoman for MG said: "By the end of August we will have around 40 and keep going on from there.

"We want to get to 80 or 90. We have been knocked back by the enthusiasm people have shown.

"There has been no cynicism or scepticism about what we are planning to do. These dealers believe they can sell these cars and they are chomping at the bit to get hold of them."

The majority of applicants in the UK, a key market for MG cars, are former MG franchise dealers, Nanjing said.

Further enquiries have also been received from other manufacturer franchises which include Citroen, Lotus, Renault, Mitsubishi, Mercedes and Vauxhall.

Potential UK locations for the newly established dealers span nationwide from Northern Ireland to the Channel Islands.

Stephen Cox, sales and franchising manager for NAC MG (UK), said: "We are delighted by the global interest which we have received and are also very encouraged by the high quality of the applicants.

"This is a true demonstration of the continued appeal of the MG brand, and an illustration of the confidence in a very promising future."

Meanwhile the New NAC MG TF made its first appearance at Silverstone recently when it went on display at the 57th MG International Race.

The Longbridge built sports car took pride of place at the annual MG Car Club celebration, which is the world's largest gathering of MG cars spanning over 80 years of the marque's history.

Gary Hagen, sales & marketing director for NAC MG (UK), said: "The public response to the new TF has been fantastic.

"This car represents a fresh new addition to the UK sports car market, and judging by the reaction at Silverstone over the weekend this car looks set to enjoy a healthy sales success here in the UK."

NAC MG personnel were on hand over the weekend to answer questions from enthusiasts eager to learn more about the new TF.

"This car has undergone extensive reengineering and it is a very different proposition from the previous generation TF," said Mr Hagen.

"From the outset our objective was to produce a highly desirable sports car that offers performance, fun, reliability and value for money in equal measure.

"This is a demanding market and the British public will not be disappointed."

Silverstone International is the highlight of the MG racing season and this year attracted 550 race entries.