10:11 am, June 15, 2016
MG MOTOR UK has officially launched its first SUV – the MG GS.
Available in three specifications and priced from £14,995 for the entry-level Explore and £19,995 for the range-topping Exclusive, the GS is set to take on the market leaders in its segment, including the Nissan Qashqai, the Mazda CX-5 and Ford Kuga.
Designed and engineered in Longbridge, Birmingham, the GS also debuts the brand’s first seven-speed DCT automatic gearbox, which is available on the top-spec Exclusive and priced at £20,995.
MG told Car Dealer Magazine that the all-new GS is benchmarked to ‘compete with the best.’
Matthew Cheyne, head of sales and marketing at MG, continued: ‘I wanted to keep the range line-up simple. The GS is the best value for money in its class with the highest level of specification as standard. It’s also available with a fantastic new five-year, 80,000-mile warranty as standard.’
Powered by a 1.5-litre petrol unit, the GS will not be available with a diesel engine for the foreseeable future. Cheyne explained: ‘We’ve done market research and manual petrol cars are the strongest in the segment. Our aim is to organically drive sales through the dealer network by appealing to the mainstream buyers.’
The entry-level Explore is equipped with cruise control, automatic headlamps and air conditioning as standard, while the mid-range Excite, priced from £17,495, adds DAB radio, Bluetooth connectivity and rear parking sensors.
Step up to the Exclusive and buyers gain leather sports seats, an iGO navigation system and have the choice of MG’s six-speed manual or first seven-speed DCT gearbox.
Against its rivals, the GS holds its own in a number of areas. It boasts more torque than its two-wheel-drive petrol competitors with 250Nm; it has a competitive CO2 rating of 139g/km for the manual and 141g/km for the DCT and is capable of towing 1750kg.
Cheyne added: ‘This car offers so much for comparatively little, making it the SUV to choose. The specification on these cars is phenomenal and when you add in the five-year warranty it’s a no-brainer.
‘Customers choosing the MG GS will save money over more expensive SUVs. They will have all the specification they could want and still have money left to enjoy holidays or family days out.’
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