MG-branded sedans of the past have always stood for superficial badge-engineering jobs, the most recent of which used ageing Rovers as a base. The practice is not new, tracing is roots as far back as the 1950s.
However, times are changing and MG’s new Chinese owners want to make the most of their acquired brand rights, so they’re going to release a distinctive sedan as the third model in the reborn manufacturer’s range – it’s called the GT and it was recently revealed during an event held Longbridge, in the UK.
At a glance, this car is aimed as a direct rival to the Skoda Rapid, with the hatchback variant that’s believed to follow the sedan battling it out with the practical Spaceback. Power will come from a turbocharged 1.5-liter engine, with as much as 127 hp and 200 Nm (147 lb-ft) of torque – a diesel is needed to grab Europeans’ attention, though, but the 148 hp 1.9-liter that MG’s parent SAIC developed for the larger MG6 may be a bit overkill for this smaller platform.
What’s odd is that as opposed to other manufacturers’ tactic of building hype before showing a model, and letting everybody know when and where that model will be going on sale (at least roughly), MG is showing us a car, yet we don’t know where they will sell it or under what name. We don’t even know for sure if they’re going to have a Spaceback-rivaling hatchback version of it at all…
Even if it is built at the Longbridge factory and bears an MG badge, it will still be thought of as nothing more than a knock-down kit shipped over from China and assembled on UK soil. MG has really got to work towards eliminating that notion from buyers’ minds.
By Andrei Nedelea
Story References: MGUK
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