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All You Need to Know About MG Motors & Expected Car Line-up for Pakistan

In the past couple of years, the auto industry of Pakistan has received a lot of attention from various automotive companies around the world. The recent success of automakers such as Kia has encouraged a number of car manufacturers around the world to try their luck in the Pakistani market.

In the past few months, a couple of new companies, as well as the pre-existing ones, have announced some new products for the Pakistani market. One of these new companies happens to be Morris Garages (MG).

The History

For the ‘uninitiated’, MG is ‘just some new Chinese kid on the block,’ trying to make a name for itself in the unforgiving Pakistani market. But for those in the know, MG is a ‘once-British’ icon that came back from adversity on multiple occasions and now, thrives in multiple markets with its modern, not-so-expensive, and well-sorted cars across the globe.

“How much of an icon was it?”, you might ask.

Enough that it is still the ride of choice for His Royal Highness (HRH) Prince Charles. However, the one owned by the Prince of Wales is a classic legend from the 1950s, hence judging the automaker’s success based on that would be folly.

The Revival

As mentioned earlier, MG has had its fair share of struggles. The brand has changed hands among 8 major automotive groups over a period of 9 decades owing to various problems such as insolvency or a clash of interest with the major groups.

The story of the modern-day MG begins in July 2005. It was that year when the brand got acquired by Nanjing Automobile Group (NAG). After that, the only car the company made until 2011 was the MG ZS sedan, which was a rebadged version of the Rover 45. The company didn’t get to sell the model much owing to its not-so-spectacular built quality.

However, things took a turn for the better in 2011, when the NAG announced a merger with Shanghai Automobile Industry Corporation (SAIC), following which, the company launched the all-new hatchback and sedan versions of the MG 6. The car rescued the automaker, helping MG to rebuild its name in the global market.

Today, the automaker sells reasonably sought-after family cars across the globe, including markets such as India, Australia, Brunei, China, Chile, Colombia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Thailand, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and now Pakistan. The lineup of the automaker varies from region to region, based on the preference of each market.


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Pakistani Market

As per the latest updates, MG Motor is gearing up to make its debut in the Pakistani market with crossover SUVs, due to their rising popularity in the region. MG is all set to launch 2 compact crossover SUVs, the HS and an all-electric ZS EV, and a full-sized luxurious SUV, the MG Gloster.

The HS is a compact crossover SUV that has 2 common engine options, i.e. the 1.5-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that makes 169 horsepower, and a 2.0 liter 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that makes 231 horsepower. Both engines can be mated to a 6-speed manual, a 6-speed DCT, or a 7-speed sportronic DCT gearbox.

Since it is a compact crossover SUV, it is likely to go up against the likes of Honda Vezel/HR-V, Toyota C-HR, Corolla Cross, BAIC X25, and other similar vehicles in the market. The price of the HS is likely to be between Rs. 4.5 million and Rs. 5 million.

The ZS EV is an all-electric version of the HS that has a 44.5 kWh battery that powers a front-mounted electric motor that makes 105 kW (140 horsepower) and 350 Newton/meters of torque. Even though the ZS EV is a compact crossover SUV, it is going to be in a segment of its own, at least in the beginning given that it is an EV, which implies that the price of this SUV is likely to be priced between Rs. 5.5 million and Rs. 6 million.


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The Gloster is offered with a 2.0 liter turbocharged 4 cylinder petrol engine that makes 211 horsepower and 350 Newton/meters of torque and can be mated to a 6-speed manual or an 8-speed automatic transmission. In Australia and New Zealand, the Gloster is also offered with turbocharged and twin-turbocharged 4 cylinder diesel engines as well as with an all-electric drive-train.

Whether or not the car would be offered as a CBU is yet to be revealed. What we do know is that the said SUV will rival the likes of Toyota Fortuner in the market, which implies that its price would likely be between Rs. 7.5 million and Rs. 9.5 million.

What the Future Holds?

In total, MG Motor has a global lineup of 27 different vehicles that are sold across various regions in the world. The lineup includes various hatchbacks, sedans, station wagons, crossovers, SUVs, minivans, transporter vans, and pickup trucks. Some of the vehicles that could possibly arrive in Pakistan in the near future include:

  • MG 3 Supermini Hatchback
    • Expected Price: Rs. 1.3 million
  • MG 5 Subcompact Sedan
    • Expected Price: Rs. 2.2 million – Rs. 2.9 million
  • MG 6 Compact Sedan
    • Expected Price: Rs. 1.8 million – Rs. 2.6 million
  • MG 5 EV Midsize Station Wagon
    • Expected Price: Rs. 5.3 million
  • MG T60 Light Duty Crew-Cabin Pickup Truck
    • Expected Price: Rs. 4.5 million
  • MG RX5 Compact SUV
    • Expected Price: Rs. 3.6 million – Rs. 4.4 million

The market for the crossover SUVs in Pakistan is on a steep upward trajectory in terms of demand, and MG, given its lineage and prominence worldwide, is a promising new player to grace the Pakistani automotive industry. The interest shown by automakers in the Pakistani market is not only good for the customers but it can also significantly boost the automotive industry and the economy.

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