MG Motor India is expected to introduce a new mid-size SUV in the Indian market later this year. According to a report from ETAuto, the Chinese-owned British carmaker will launch the petrol version of the ZS SUV by the end of 2021. The company has been testing the upcoming SUV for quite a while and it has been spotted on several occasions performing road tests. MG expects the SUV to be a volume generator for the brand. When launched, it will compete against the likes of the Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos.
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The SUV was showcased at the 2020 Auto Expo
As of now, it's unclear whether the internal combustion engine or ICE version of the SUV will be called ZS or something else. However, the SUV reportedly could be called MG Astor in India. In fact, last year the company had applied for a trademark in India, as per the trademark website, the status of the name has been listed as opposed.
The carmaker reportedly aims to grow by about 70 per cent this year with this new SUV once the COVID-19 situation improves in the country. Rajeev Chaba, MG Motor India President and Managing Director said to ETAuto that the arrival of the SUV has been deferred by a few weeks due to the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the company is also targeting to fully utilise its Halol facility which has an installed capacity to roll out 1 lakh cars per annum.
Rajeev Chaba further said to ETAuto, "We need to look at full utilisation of the Halol facility in Gujarat. Due to the pandemic, our volumes have gone down so our first priority is that the Halol plant is fully utilised in terms of capacity and profitability."
The MG ZS petrol SUV is expected to borrow its styling cues from the UK-spec ZS facelift. Considering the recently leaked spy shots, the SUV is expected to get a new front grille, new LED headlamps with LED DRLs, dual-tone alloy wheels, LED tail lamps, roof-mounted spoiler with stop lamp, and more. The cabin of the ZS petrol will largely remain identical to its electric counterpart, the ZS EV. It is expected to come with a flat-bottom steering wheel, large touchscreen infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as i-Smart connected tech, sunroof, all-digital instrument cluster with a large MID unit, etc.
The MG ZS petrol SUV is likely to be powered by a 1.5-litre petrol engine that currently does duty on the Hector
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Engine options and other specifications of the SUV are still unknown. In the UK, the SUV is offered with a choice of 105 bhp 1.5-litre naturally aspirated motor and 108 bhp 1.0-litre turbocharged hybrid motor. However, the India-spec model could be powered by the same 141 bhp, 1.5-litre petrol engine that currently does duty on the Hector, which also comes with an optional mild hybrid system.
