These are the clearest spy images yet of the MG 3, a new supermini that will go on sale in China next year and could make it to the UK in 2012.
The small five-door hatch has neat, inoffensive styling - although it falls some way short of the racy Zero concept that was shown at the Beijing show.
See the interior and exterior pictures of the MG 3
The MG 3 will offer a choice of four-cylinder petrol engines: a 1.3 producing 67bhp, and a 107bhp 1.5. The standard gearbox is a five-speed manual, although the 1.5 will be offered — in China, at least — with an automatic option.
There will also be a diesel; MG owner SAIC is in discussions with a number of potential suppliers. The firm also has a turbocharged version of the 1.5 petrol; with 156bhp on tap, it could form the basis of a performance variant.
The interior looks rugged but spacious. The test car’s fascia keeps branding to a minimum, although an MG 3 logo is visible at the bottom of the steering wheel.
This car is a top-spec model; the giveaway is the CD player slot, because more lowly trim levels will get a solid-state memory-based MP3 player only. The car is aimed at buyers between 18 and 28 years of age; the iPod-like controls on the steering wheel reflect this.
Later next year SAIC will launch an MG 3 ‘cross’ - a version with extra body cladding. It will be a successor to the MG 3SW (Streetwise), a Rover 25-based model that is a big seller in China.
Leon Zhang
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Re: Production MG 3: first pics
First They have not always had cheap interiors, thae cheap interiors were basically down to no money in the Phoenix era. All car makers are now making smaller petrol engines, the small diesel you see in similar cars cost around £950 more to produce per unit than a similar sized petrol engine.
A Micra more sporty ? no i don't think so!
A VW TSI engine? 6 speed gearbox from......Renault maybe? or maybe from GM ? well Toyota then?
As irt stands the car is a comouflaged pre production car which will, even in full production for the Chinese market be improved upon before it comes to the UK.
If you like it's a development hack for the Chinese market which will have better suspension, better plastics and options for better engines before it comes to or is assembled in the UK
Why do you feel the need th rubbish things when it's simply uncalled for
Re: Production MG 3: first pics
You can't really see it in this set of pics, but the dashboard reminds me of the original Ford Fusion
Re: Production MG 3: first pics
Never mind the styling and quality of the plastic interiors, MG's have always been cheap and crude so this will be no different. What this car needs is a decent engine and gearbox which so far the details tell us it will be lubered with an underpowered engine and auto box. A Micra will be more sporty which is a real shame.
As SAIC who build this MG are also within an alliance with VW in China, maybe they could licence the TSI engine from the new Polo GTI and add a decent 6 speed manual to make a proper hot hatch. As it stands, this car has a similar spec to a 1983 Metro.