New ZS-Based MG SUV To Be A Petrol-Only Model; Will Also Be Big On Tech

Morris Garages India is currently gearing up to launch its new compact SUV, which will be based on the Internal Combustion Engine or ICE version of the ZS SUV. Rumoured to be named MG Astor, the new SUV is expected to be launched later this year around the festive season, and the carmaker has now confirmed that it will be a petrol-only SUV. Exclusively speaking with carandbike on the latest episode of Freewheeling with SVP, Rajeev Chaba, President and Managing Director, MG Motor India said, "we are not offering a diesel engine in that car."

Rajeev mentioned this particular detail while talking about the popularity of the compact SUV segment and the challenges the company hopes to face. This, of course, is pertaining to other strong rivals in this space like Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos, which in addition to being feature-rich and connected, also offer both petrol and diesel engine options. However, Chaba says that MG is not in a volume game, the company did chase volumes with the Hector, which sells 3,000 to 4,000 units a month, and the same was the case with ZS EV and Gloster, which account for 300 to 400 units a month, each. Similarly, "Our next car is also not going to be a volume player where we want to sell 7,000, 8,000 or 9,000 cars. We want to manage a good volume but give premium services to consumers," He added.

Having said that, Rajeev did tell us that the new SUV will go big on tech. It will be the first MG vehicle in India to adopt 'Car-as-a-Platform' (CAAP), a concept where MG aims to offer a range of technology-driven services to its customer, with the upcoming SUV serving as a platform. A part of the i-Smart Hub, MG says that going forward, there will be a stronger focus on software and all new vehicles will leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) as well. MG aims to soon launch CAAP service and will offer opportunities to all types of developers to create applications, services, and subscriptions for MG car owners. Chaba says this could open up a lot of possibilities from as simple as customising the infotainment screen to do online shopping using payment gateways via the i-Smart system.

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.

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