Ford will end manufacturing operations in India and will be focusing on CBU imports.

Earlier this month, Ford announced its exit from the Indian market. The carmaker will stop manufacturing cars in India and is slowly winding down its operations. At the same time, Ford is in search of buyers for its Sanand and Chennai factories.

Now, according to a recent report, MG Motor India might be interested in buying Ford India's assets. The China-based carmaker is said to be in talks with Ford to take over both manufacturing units.

Earlier, MG and Ford had tried to work out a contract manufacturing deal, which would've helped Ford fully utilize the production capacity of its manufacturing plants. As per the report, the option of an outright sale is also on the table, this time around.

Source: ET Auto

The Roewe Marvel X electric SUV has been spotted in India ahead of the 2020 Auto Expo. It could be showcased under the MG badge.

The Roewe Marvel X features flush-fitting chrome door handles, dual-tone alloy wheels and chrome trim on the door sill, front fenders and around the windows.

In the international market, the Roewe Marvel X is available in two variants - rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive. Both variants are powered by two electric motors. The RWD version has 183 BHP and 410 Nm and the AWD version has 297 BHP and 665 Nm.

The SUV comes with a 52.5 kWh battery pack. The RWD version has a claimed maximum range of 403 km (NEDC), while the AWD version has a range of 370 km. Recharging the battery to 80% of its capacity using a DC charger takes 40 minutes. It can be recharged to 100% using an AC charger in 8.5 hours.

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The MG Hector SUV will be launched and the price will be unveiled on June 27, 2019.

The Hector is MG Motor's first product for the Indian market. It will be available in four variants - Style, Super, Smart and Sharp. The SUV features a split headlamp design with LED daytime running lights and dual-tone alloy wheels. It comes equipped with a 10.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system that has Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity options. Other features include a panoramic sunroof, 360-degree camera, cruise control, electrically adjustable front seats and heated ORVMs.

The MG Hector will be powered by a 1.5-litre petrol engine that produces 141 BHP and 250 Nm of torque and a 2.0-litre diesel producing 168 BHP and 350 Nm of torque. A 6-speed manual transmission will be offered as standard, while the petrol version gets a dual-clutch automatic option. MG will also offer a mild-hybrid variant.

MG Motor has inaugurated its first showroom in India. It is located at Milestone Experian Centre, Sector-15, Gurugram. 

MG has incorporated British cultural icons like the Big Ben, the Union Jack, telephone booths and street lamps in its showroom design. In addition to MG memorabilia, the showroom also houses a 1965 MG Midget. The showroom has an LED video wall that uses a 36 connected TVs and an 'Engineering Corner' where the company's 48V hybrid powertrain is on display. The MG showroom also has a live vehicle configurator.

MG is set to launch the Hector - its first car, in India later this month and has already started accepting bookings for it. The SUV will be offered in four variants with two engine options including a 1.5-litre petrol engine producing 141 BHP and 250 Nm of torque and a 2.0-litre diesel developing 168 BHP and 350 Nm of torque. A petrol-hybrid version will also be on offer. Transmission options will include a 6-speed manual and dual-clutch automatic.

The carmaker aims to open a network of 250 centres across India by September this year. Customers can schedule test drives for the MG Hector from June 15 onwards.

MG Motor's first SUV for the Indian market has been named the Hector. According to the company, the name draws inspiration from the Royal Hector biplane used by the British in the 1930s.

The MG Hector shares its underpinnings with the Baojun 530 and the Wuling Almaz. Spy images indicate that the SUV has similar proportions to the Baojun 530. It has a hexagonal grille with the MG logo in the centre. The grille is flanked by slim LED DRLs, while the headlamps are placed lower down. The car features flared wheel arches, ORVMs with integrated turn signals, roof rails and wraparound tail lamps. 

MG hasn't revealed technical details about the SUV. However, it is expected to come with a BS-VI compliant 1.5-litre, turbocharged petrol engine and a Fiat-sourced 2.0-litre, turbocharged diesel unit. It is likely to get optional automatic transmission.

The SUV is expected to get safety features like ABS, traction control, tyre pressure monitoring system and a 360-degree camera.

The MG Hector is likely to be launched by mid-2019 and is expected to rival the Jeep Compass.

MG Motor India will be showcasing its products in 10 cities in India starting December 14, 2018.

MG's multi-city product showcase kicks off in Gurgaon. MG will also display its cars in Noida, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Delhi. 

MG Motor India plans to launch its first SUV in the second quarter of 2019. The cars will be built at its Halol facility. The carmaker has already finalized 45 dealer partners and will operate around 100 sales and service facilities across the country.

Following is the city-wise schedule:

Gurgaon 
December 14-16, 2018- Ambience Mall
December 21-15, 2018 - Cyber Hub

Noida 
January 4-6, 2019 - Mall of India

Chandigarh 
January 11-13, 2019 - Elante Mall

Mumbai 
January 25-27, 2019 - Infinity Mall 
February 2-3, 2019 - High Street Phoenix Mall

Pune 
February 8-10, 2019 - Amanora Mall

Bangalore 
February 15-17, 2019 - Phoenix Market City  

Chennai 
February 22-24, 2019 - Forum Vijaya Mall

Hyderabad 
March 1-3, 2019 - Inorbit Mall

Kolkata 
March 8-10, 2019 - South City Mall

Delhi 
March 15-17, 2019 - Pacific Mall

MG has confirmed that the brand's second product for the Indian market will be an electric SUV, but hasn't provided any specific information about the said model. The electric vehicle (EV) will be launched within one year of its first car launch. 

Earlier this year, the Roewe ERX5 electric SUV was spotted testing in India, which suggests that MG might be evaluating it for the Indian market. The ERX5 is a mid-size SUV that is powered by an electric motor that puts out 114 BHP and 225 Nm of torque. It comes equipped with a 48.3 kWh lithium-ion battery which offers a maximum range of 425 km on a single charge.

The brand plans to expand its footprint in India by appointing 45 authorized dealers with around 100 touchpoints across the country in the first phase. The production capacity of the Halol plant might also be expanded from 80,000 to 2,00,000 units per annum. The company has said that its products will be designed and engineered in the UK and China with the support of Indian engineers and will be heavily localized to make them cost-effective.

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

MG Motor India has partnered with IIT Delhi to develop in-car child safety technologies. The project is called 'Geofencing for child safety through ECU control' and was announced at the silver jubilee function of the Foundation of Innovation and Technology Transfer (FITT) held on July 28, 2018.

As part of the project, the team at IIT Delhi is developing an application for MG owners in India to track the whereabouts of their children and provide alerts. The application will keep track of their entry, exit and seating position inside the vehicle. It will also alert the user if the car veers off a pre-defined route.

MG Motor India is planning to launch its first product in India in Q2 of 2019. The carmaker also has plans to launch electric vehicles (EVs) in the Indian market.

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

The first camouflaged test mule of the MG ZS has been spotted in Gujarat. The SUV was earlier showcased at dealer road shows but the carmaker never confirmed that it would be launched in India.

According to the spy images, the MG ZS has a raked rear windshield with a roof spoiler on top and wraparound tail lights. The test mule has roof rails and a shark fin antenna and can be seen sporting 5-spoke alloy wheels. Further, it is equipped with disc brakes on all four wheels.

The MG ZS is currently sold in the UK, where it is offered with two engine options - 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder petrol with 105 BHP and 141 Nm of torque and a 1.0-litre, 3-cylinder turbocharged petrol unit which makes 110 BHP and 160 Nm of peak torque. Transmission options include a 5-speed manual and a 6-speed automatic. In India, the MG ZS is likely to use a Fiat-sourced 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder diesel engine.

Meanwhile, MG is also evaluating the RX5, ERX5 electric SUV and Baojun 530 for India.