MG Motor India has partnered with Reliance Jio for providing internet connected features in their upcoming SUV
MG Motor, currently offering the Hector, Hector Plus, Gloster and ZS EV in India is soon to enter the mid-size SUV segment. This new upcoming SUV from MG, will also be their most affordable model for India. It will rival the likes of Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos.
Considering the huge demand in the Creta/Seltos segment, once can expect this new SUV to increase the company sales by a good margin. Or even double MG sales in India. As of now, the SUV is referred as ZS petrol or Astor. ZS because it is based on the ZS EV, but gets a petrol engine. And the latter because of a leaked trademark filing document, which confirmed that MG has trademarked the name Astor in India.
MG ASTOR and Reliance JIO
Today, MG Motor India announced that they have partnered with JIO to provide digital services in their upcoming SUV. Though MG has not revealed the name of the SUV, we are willing to bet that it is the new Astor.
Rajeev Chaba, President & Managing Director, MG Motor India, said, “Technology and innovation are leading the connected car space in the automobile industry. The current trend focuses increasingly on software-driven devices and our current partnership with a tech-innovator like Jio in the IoT space is a step towards establishing MG Motor as a tech leader in the automobile industry. This partnership will ensure our next mid-sized connected SUV further simplifies the driving experience and ensures safety backed by technology.”
Kiran Thomas, Director & President, Jio said “Jio has been building an ecosystem of cutting-edge technology products and solutions for Indian users. Our partnership with MG Motor India is another important step in that journey. Jio’s eSIM, IOT and Streaming solutions will enable MG users to access real-time connectivity, infotainment, and telematics. It is a commitment to technological evolution in the automobile industry with innovation as its key pillar”
MG Astor Features
MG Astor is expected to launch in India later this year, just ahead of the festive season. It is essentially a petrol-powered version of MG ZS EV in its facelifted format. It was initially slated for launch earlier this year but the ongoing pandemic that led to severe shortage of semi-conductor chip supply has now put launch date to last quarter of this calendar year.
A test model of Astor was spied in a parking lot drawing our attention to some of its exterior and interior features. Based on the updated ZS, Astor gets a new front grille, reprofiled headlamps and new alloy wheel designs. When compared to exterior designs seen on MG ZS EV, the new Astor also gets revised front end with a new hexagonal grille, full LED headlamps and a new bumpers.
Exterior dimensions stand 4,314mm long, 1,809mm wide and 1,644mm tall with a wheelbase of 2,585mm and a ground clearance of 205mm. Design elements to the rear include a sloping roofline, sharper LED tail lamps and new bumpers along with a faux skid plate. Astor rides on 17 inch dual tone diamond cut alloy wheels and receives red coloured brake calipers.
Interiors
MG Astor will receive and clean and clutter free interior in an all-black interiors with silver accents. It will boast of a fully digital instrument cluster and a 10.1 inch infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, angled towards the driver. It will also receive MG iSmart connectivity tech and a panoramic sunroof.
The upcoming model also gets an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) as seen on MG Gloster. This would mean it will most likely receive features such as autonomous emergency braking system, blind spot detection, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, front collision warning and hands-free auto parking.
Engine and Transmission Options
Where its engine and transmission options are concerned, the MG Astor could get its power via a 1.5 liter, 4 cylinder, naturally aspirated petrol engine making 118 hp power and 150 Nm torque. It could get mated to a 6 speed manual or a CVT automatic gearbox. Once launched, MG Astor will take on Hyundai Creta (that currently rules the segment), Kia Seltos, Skoda Kushaq along with soon to be launched Volkswagen Taigun.
Pricing will play a major role in success of the new MG Astor and expected price to be in the Rs 9-15 lakh segment. The new MG Astor will be produced at the company’s Halol manufacturing plant in Gujarat which has installed capacity of 1 lakh units per annum.
