MG Motors, which are going to start a fresh innings in India, has confirmed the debut of the new Hector SUV as their first offering in the country. The upcoming SUV will be officially revealed on 15th May, with launch date set for sometime in June this year. Their second offering will be the eZS electric SUV which will launch later this year.
Ahead of debut, manufacturing of the Hector SUV is in full swing, at the company plant in Halol, near Vadodara in Gujarat. This is the same plant which was used by GM India, and was then taken over by MG India. MG has invested about USD 1 billion in India, part of which has gone into overhaul of the manufacturing facility.
Earlier today, MG India revealed the first video, which not only shows their upcoming SUV, but have also detailed their state of the art plant. The plant was commissioned in June 2017, and in a record time, it is now ready to roll out production ready Hector SUV. Watch the video below.
“We are proud to be rolling out the first made in India, feature-rich internet car, the MG Hector, from our all-new assembly line in Gujarat. Adopting the highest quality global manufacturing standards, the Hector has been specially customized to suit Indian customer preferences and road conditions. The MG Hector is poised to become a new benchmark in SUVs,” said Rajeev Chaba, President & Managing Director, MG Motor India.
MG Hector is the first connected car in its segment. It will receive new advanced connectivity system called i-SMART with an M2M SIM making it the company’s first internet car. The new Hector’s i-SMART system is a completely integrated solution with a combination of hardware, software, connectivity, services and applications. This system is developed along with tech partners such as Cisco, Unlimit and Microsoft, offering advanced technology built in Apps, artificial intelligence, voice assist and infotainment.
It gets a vertically mounted 10.4” full HD infotainment system with pre loaded entertainment. It comes in with first machine to machine SIM, Internet Protocol Version 6 which makes it 5G ready and offers features such as real time navigation, remote location, emergency response and geo fencing. The system is secured by Microsoft.
The new MG Hector, a five seater SUV will come in with several segment first features. Its exteriors have been seen with bumper mounted LED headlights and DRLs which are positioned on top and close to the hood, a design feature which has been gaining in importance in global markets. It also gets faux silver skid plates, roof mounted spoiler, dual tone diamond cut alloy wheels and an electrically operated tail gate with LED tail lamps. Where dimensions are concerned, the Hector will be among the largest in its segment. It will measure 4,655mm in length, 1,835mm in width and 1,760 mm in height. These dimensions make it larger than the Tata Harrier.
Engine specifications include a 1.5 liter turbocharged petrol engine offering 143 PS power and 250 Nm torque and a Fiat sourced 2.0 liter Multijet diesel engine giving out 173 PS power and 350 Nm torque. A higher level of localization, to the extent of 70 percent, will allow MG Motors to price the Hector affordably and competitively with prices slated to range between Rs.15-20 lakhs. It will rival the Jeep Compass, Hyundai Tucson, Tata Harrier, Hyundai Creta and upcoming Kia SP once launched in the country.