MG Motor boosts production to meet demand after receiving 80,000 orders in 2020

MG Motor India has received 80,000 bookings for their SUVs in 2020. The number includes the bookings for the Gloster, Hector, Hector Plus and the ZS EV. MG also says that they have got 3,500 bookings for their latest SUV, the Gloster, which competes with the SUV like Toyota Fortuner and Ford Endeavour. Due to this, they have to ramp up the production capacity in order to meet the demands.

This seems like a good sales number for a new manufacturer who does not have a lot of vehicles in their portfolio and two of the vehicles were added very recently to the line-up. The Hector Plus was showcased at the Auto Expo 2020 and then launched in July whereas the Gloster was launched on October 8th 2020. Even after the pandemic, MG Motor was able to sell a good number of SUVs. Even the ZS EV which is an electric vehicle got 200 bookings just in December 2020 whereas the Hector got 5,000 bookings in December despite an update which was supposed to launch in January 2021. They recorded a growth of 77 percent in 2020. The manufacturer sold 15,930 units in 2019 whereas in 2020 the manufacturer clocked 28,162 units. While the overall segment saw a decline of 10.2 percent, it was only MG Hector that saw a growth of 63 percent. MG will be increasing the production facility of Halol Plant. The plant produced 30,000-31,000 vehicles in 2020 but it can produce 80,000 units annually.

MG launched its flagship Gloster, which is the first level 1 autonomy vehicle in India. It comes with features like blind-spot detection, automatic emergency braking, front collision warning, adaptive cruise control, automatic parking assist and lane departure warning. MG calls them ADAS or Advanced Driver Assistance System features. It is powered by a 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine that produces 163 PS and 375 Nm. Then there is the twin-turbo version of the same engine that is capable of producing 218 PS and 480 Nm. This power output makes Gloster the most powerful SUV in its segment. Both the engines are only offered with an 8-speed automatic gearbox. Only the twin-turbocharged version is offered with a four-wheel-drive system. The SUV gets features like panoramic sunroof, PM 2.5 air filter, 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, three-zone climate control, driver electric adjustable seat with memory function and much more. MG Gloster is priced at Rs. 29.98 lakhs ex-showroom.

Also read: MG Hector Facelift to be launched in 2021

More recently MG launched the 2021 Hector and Hector Plus. Both the SUVs got some added features and the Hector got some cosmetic tweaks too. Hector now gets a new more aggressive grille and a skid plate finished in Gunmetal colour. At the rear, the red reflective piece that joined both the tail lamps have been replaced by a gloss black unit. More importantly, both the SUVs now get larger 18-inch dual-tone alloy wheels.

The Hector now also gets a dual-tone cabin with Hinglish commands for the infotainment system, whereas the Hector Plus now comes with a 7-seater option. Both the SUVs now get an auto-dimming interior rearview mirror, wireless charger and front ventilated seats. Powering the SUVs are the same set of 2.0-litre diesel and 1.5-litre turbo petrol engines. The diesel engine produces 170 PS and 350 Nm and the petrol engine produces 143 PS and 250 Nm. MG Hector starts from Rs. 12.89 lakhs ex-showroom whereas the Hector Plus starts from Rs. 13.34 lakhs ex-showroom.

Source: ET Auto

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