MG Motor, the historic British car brand that has been under the ownership of Chinese automotive giant SAIC since 2007, has officially relaunched in South Africa.
The importer announced late last year that it would enter the market with three products, namely the ZS and HS SUVs as well as the really unique Cyberster electric roadster, which will be offered in limited numbers.
Read more about the MG ZS, HS and Cyberster here
MG Motor South Africa plans to expand its line-up beyond these three initial products, it revealed at the official launch event held in Johannesburg on February 21.
“If we look at the products we’re going to have, in a very short space of time we’re going to cover all of the major passenger car segments within 18 months,” SAIC South Africa’s Network and Strategy Director Ian Nicholls told IOL.
The motor industry stalwart, who previously headed up GM South Africa, explained that the Chinese auto giant only enters car markets where it feels there is the potential to be a key player, with at least 5% to 10% share per segment competed in. When asked of MG’s local sales ambitions Nicholls said:
“I think very shortly the expectation is going to be that we’re at 1,000 units per month, and above.”
Enabling this will be a network of 30 dealers by the end of the first quarter, growing to around 60 by the end of 2025.
The brand’s bread and butter model for the time being is the ZS, which claims to offer a family-friendly package with an auto gearbox for under R300,000.
MG also plans to launch the MG3 hatchback during 2025, a new-generation model that is vastly different from the one briefly offered in South Africa in the previous decade. Launched internationally in 2024, the MG3 utilises a brand new platform and, depending on the market, is available with either a normally aspirated 1.5-litre petrol engine or a powerful hybrid drivetrain, which boasts a combined output of 155kW.
It will be refreshing to see a Chinese carmaker finally offering a hatchback to rival Volkswagen’s Polo, but the compact SUV market will remain a core focus for the brand.
While MG Motor SA is remaining tight-lipped about future products other than the MG3, a dealer source told IOL that the new-generation ZS is expected to debut in South Africa in 2025, where it will slot between the current ZS and the HS.
Interestingly the current ZS has been around internationally since 2017 and has been discontinued in most markets. However it will continue to be offered in South Africa as a budget model, much like Chery’s Tiggo 4 Pro remains alongside its newest iteration, which is badged Tiggo Cross locally.
The new-generation model is likely to be called the MG ZS Pro in South Africa, although we have also heard whisperings about ZX being a potential name. It is larger and more sophisticated than its predecessor, and is likely to be powered by a 1.5-litre turbopetrol engine in South Africa. A hybrid is also available overseas.
Another exciting new addition for South Africa, according to our aforementioned dealer source, is the MG4 electric vehicle (EV).
The battery powered hatchback is aimed at the affordable end of the EV market and, depending on the market, is available with a choice of 51 kWh, 64 kWh and 77 kWh battery packs, with WLTP estimated range figures of between 350km and 530km. Motor outputs range between 125kW and 150kW.
MG Motor SA also has plans to introduce additional B-segment and C-segment SUV models, while a larger D-segment offering also remains under consideration, along with a second EV model.
IOL