SAIC to release first MG SUV in 2014

Gasgoo.com (Shanghai June 20) - SAIC Group has just announced that, although there will be no new MG models this year, it will be releasing two models, one SUV and one hatchback, for the brand in 2014, auto.qq.com reported today. According to representatives from the manufacturer, the new SUV will be different from the currently available W5, which is sold in China under MG's sister brand Roewe.

The upcoming MG SUV, which is internally codenamed AS21, will reportedly be based off the MG CS urban SUV concept (pictured) which was displayed at April's Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition. The CS is designed to be powered by a 2.0 L turbocharged engine producing up to 150 kW and 280 Nm of torque. It can drive the SUV from a standing start to 100 km/h in 7.8 seconds and up to a maximum speed of 220 km/h. Meanwhile, the hatchback, codenamed AP13, will be built on the same platform as the MG5. The two models will help bring more diversity to the MG product line up, which currently is made up of the MG3, MG5 and MG6 sedans.

SUVs remain one of the fastest growing segments in the Chinese automobile market, with several own brand manufacturers releasing new models. China Association of Automobile Manufacturers statistics show that over 1.08 million SUVs were sold in the country over the first five months of 2013, up 43.4 percent from the previous year. At the moment, SAIC Motor is only offering a single traditional SUV model–the Roewe W5, which is based off of the Korean SsangYong Kyron. The new MG SUV, which is aimed squarely at the compact urban SUV model, will help raise SAIC's competitiveness in the segment.