[TusharK]

MG Motor India is gearing up to launch its first SUV in 2019. While the carmaker hasn't confirmed the exact model, rumours suggest that it is likely to be the ZS or GS. Further, it has been reported that MG's first SUV could be powered by the same 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel engine that is offered on the Jeep Compass.



The upcoming SUV will be built at MG Motor India's Halol plant. The 2.0-litre diesel engine will be sourced from Fiat Chrysler Automobile's (FCA) Pune factory. In the Jeep Compass, the 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder turbocharged diesel unit makes 171 BHP and 350 Nm of peak torque. The same engine is expected to be offered on the upcoming Tata H5X SUV. Besides, a 1.5-litre or 1.8-litre petrol engine that will be built in-house will reportedly power the petrol version of the MG SUV.

MG Motor India hasn't made any official announcement confirming these reports. However, the company recently announced that it plans to increase its investment to Rs. 5,000 crore by 2025. The SAIC-owned brand is also considering electric vehicles for India.

Source: Times of India

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[SmartCat]

Looks like we will have another national engine from Fiat's stable!

[Amit_breakfree]

Originally Posted by smartcat

Looks like we will have another national engine from Fiat's stable!

Probably one of the reasons why they are not interested in selling cars.

They must be thinking - heart is ours, who cares about the body.

[mathuranuj]

Hi BHPians

Just saw the advert in the ToI today, for Morris Garages. Looks like the Indian scene is setting up for more competition. As per MG, they will come up with a SUV as their first car and it will not be a sub 4 meter.

Please share your thoughts on this new entrant.

URLs from youtube on MG

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phFoKqakgII

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iX0x5pTgTeo

Mod - Please move the post if it is in the wrong section.

[arunrajk81]

I went through MG motors wiki.
I can see a lot of similarity between their cars and Toyota Designs like Rav4, Camry, Yaris , Corolla etc atleast at the front end..

[AccordSport]

This looks like a rip off of previous gen Mazdas.(Nothing new that Chinese cars are copycats) :P

[FIAT3031]

The biggest threat to MG Motors will be to get over the "Chinese" brand imagery.

Also while Auto Giants like VW, Toyota, GM... etc. have not been able to crack the Indian market... guess what chance does MG have to crack it.

[i74js]

Its too early to talk about how they will play in the Indian market; nonetheless, I expect availability of lot of parts for modifications at a cheaper rate with entry of players from China.

This is certainly going to be advantageous for end user, as such companies can give other players a tough time.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by TusharK

it has been reported that MG's first SUV could be powered by the same 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel engine that is offered on the Jeep Compass.

That engine is a superb all-rounder. If FCA is going to let others use it, the company is giving up a competitive advantage. But I guess old habits die hard and the 'engine revenue' department must be rubbing their hands with glee. Tata is also poised to use this excellent 2.0L diesel and I wouldn't rule out Maruti taking it for some future big car.

Originally Posted by FIAT3031

The biggest threat to MG Motors will be to get over the "Chinese" brand imagery.

That's why they branded it as 'MG Motors' (UK) and not 'SAIC' (China). They're pushing all the right buttons to make the masses perceive the brand as entirely British - see this (MG India reaches out to owners of classic MGs. EDIT: Pics of parade added).

Very similar to how Jaguar-Land Rover market their cars. They don't exactly brag about the Indian ownership.

SAIC is very strong financially. Among the new entrants, it's going to be a fight between SAIC & Kia (an equally formidable competitor). The weaklings of today will only get smaller with newer, more aggressive competition.

[rajshenoy]

Suddenly everyone is noticing the market created by Jeep compass and wants a pie !!
This one looks of the size of Tucson and the engine was one of the grey areas i had about this car(hidden chinese engine) If they indeed go with this proven beast, the car might actually sell !!

[TusharK]

Originally Posted by AccordSport

This looks like a rip off of previous gen Mazdas.(Nothing new that Chinese cars are copycats) :P

Indeed, the MG ZS does look like the Mazda CX-3.

That said, the move to use FCA's proven 2.0L diesel unit seems like a wise move IMO. It may not give them an edge over their rivals but it certainly looks more feasible than producing a brand new engine locally. MG seems to have decided to be less adventurous and play it safe with its first product in India.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

The SUV has been spotted testing now -

https://www.autocarindia.com/car-new...mpression=true



Will be a rebranded version of this Chinese SUV -

[//M]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

The SUV has been spotted testing now -

https://www.autocarindia.com/car-new...mpression=true

Some bhpians spotted a couple of test mules in last one week around Pune. Going by their description, it seems that the test mule is a MG RX5.

[TusharK]

More images: Baojun 530 caught testing in India

Thanks to Kaushal Chavda for sending these images in. Heartfelt gratitude for sharing it with other enthusiasts via this Team-BHP page!

The Baojun 530 has been spotted near MG Motor India's plant in Halol, Gujarat. The new spy images reveal a few more exterior details of the SUV.



The spy images indicate that the Baojun 530 could get a front grille with a horizontal slat and LED turn-indicators. The main headlamp cluster appears to be positioned below the indicators. The rear features wraparound tail lights and the car has a gently sloping roofline with roof rails. The test mule is riding on dual-tone alloy wheels and has ORVMs with integrated turn-indicators.



The Baojun 530 was first showcased at the 2017 Guangzhou Auto Show. It measures 4,655 mm in length, 1,835 mm in width and 1,760 mm in height.



In China, the SUV is offered with a 1.8-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine and a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol unit. The India-spec Baojun 530 is likely to get a Fiat-sourced 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder diesel engine.



Link to Team-BHP News

[TusharK]

Interior of MG India's first SUV spied

A spy image of MG's first SUV for the Indian market has surfaced online. The image gives us a peek into the SUV's dual-tone interior and dashboard layout.



The spy image suggests that the SUV's interior will be similar to the Baojun 560. The dashboard has a layered look with silver trim around the air-conditioning vents. The controls for the climate control are positioned below the vents on the beige portion of the dashboard. The centre console also has provision for an infotainment screen.

A 3-spoke steering wheel can also be seen in the image. The instrument cluster consists of a twin-dial setup with a central MID. This particular test mule appears to be equipped with an automatic transmission. The door pads have matching beige upholstery and silver trim. Reports suggest that the test vehicle had an engine start/stop button, electrically adjustable front seats, electronic parking brake, panoramic sunroof, reverse camera and front and rear parking sensors.

It has been reported that the test mule was powered by a 1.5-litre, turbocharged petrol engine mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT). However, MG is likely to offer a Fiat-sourced 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder diesel engine in India. It is expected to compete with SUVs in the sub Rs. 20 lakh segment in India.

Source: Autocar India

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