MG is making its triumphant return to South Africa, following an eight-year absence from the local market.
The British marque, which has been owned and managed by Chinese company SAIC Motor since 2007, has revealed that it will relaunch in South Africa in the near future with the first dealerships opening their doors before the end of 2024.
What we know so far
MG traces its origins all the way back to 1924 when it was established in Oxford in the United Kingdom.
The brand went on to become a mainstay of the UK’s car scene for decades, merging with another British nameplate – Rover – in 2000 to form the MG Rover Group.
However, financial struggles soon after led to the collapse of MG Rover, and the group was ultimately acquired by the Chinese Nanjing Automobile Corporation (NAC) in 2005.
Not long after, NAC merged with the state-owned Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC), which acquired MG while the Rover brand was sold to Ford.
Fast forward to the present day and MG is one of SAIC’s most important assets, given that the badge is more familiar to international audiences than the group’s domestic offerings.
As for its South African comeback, there is currently little information to go on as the automaker has yet to release an official statement regarding its upcoming plans.
In spite of this, the groundwork is evidently already being laid, as the manufacturer is starting to pop up on social media and dealership sites, revealing that it will make its debut in South Africa before the end of the year.
An MG Motor South Africa Facebook page was recently created, listing its office address in Grayston Drive, Sandton, while the Hatfield Motor Group dealership network posted about two new MG showrooms that will open in Rivonia and Midrand in Gauteng on 1 October 2024, as reported by cars.co.za.
It’s worth noting that both of these pages have since been taken down, likely due to the fact that the posts predate any official announcement from the company.
Naturally, this also means that the carmaker’s line-up is still an unknown factor, but we can take a look at its international catalogue to get an idea of what to expect.
MG has a rather extensive collection of models, but many of them are limited to specific markets such as India, Thailand, China, or the Middle East, though other units have made it as far as Europe and Australia.
One such contender is the MG3, which is a B-segment hatchback that is sold globally, including right-hand-drive markets such as the UK.
The third-generation models were showcased earlier this year at the 2024 Geneva Motor Show featuring two different powertrains.
The first is a 1.5-litre petrol mill with 81kW, but there’s also a hybrid version of the drivetrain with an electric motor that raises the system output to 155kW.
Considering that South Africa only has access to two hybrid hatchbacks, the Toyota Corolla and Honda Fit, the MG3 may be able to carve out a niche for itself if it reaches our shores.
MG4
Another option is the larger MG4 C-segment hatch, which is fully electric with two powerplant options and is found in Europe and Australia.
One is a rear-mounted e-motor with 180kW, while the other is an all-wheel-drive setup with dual e-motors providing a combined 320kW.
Battery options range from 49kWh to 77kWh, giving the car a driving distance of anywhere from 350-520km.
There’s also the MG HS midsize SUV, which has a similar market spread to the MG4 and is available with a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol plant good for 125kW.
A plug-in hybrid version of the car called the eHS or HS PHEV is also currently in the works.
More information regarding MG’s return to South Africa, including its model line-up and pricing, will likely be revealed in the near future.
Join the discussion