MG Motor launches Toyota Fortuner-rival Gloster SUV
MG Gloster will rival popular full-size SUVs such as the Toyota Fortuner and Ford Endeavour. In FY20, Toyota sold close to 1,100 units of Fortuner SUV while Ford had sold 550 units of Endeavour on an average per month
MUMBAI: Expanding its product portfolio with a fourth model, MG Motor India Pvt Ltd on Thursday launched premium sport utility vehicle Gloster with a starting price range of ₹28.98-35.38 lakh, ex-showroom, Delhi.
These prices are valid until 31 October or for the first 2,000 customers, the company said. It plans to begin deliveries from Navratri later this month.
The company, which had launched its first product – Hector SUV – in June last year, also sells a six-seater version of the same called Hector Plus and ZS EV – an electric SUV.
First showcased at the New Delhi Auto Expo in February, the MG Gloster will rival popular full-size SUVs such as the Toyota Fortuner and Ford Endeavour.
In FY20, Toyota sold close to 1,100 units of its Fortuner SUV while Ford sold 550 units of Endeavour on an average per month.
Rajeev Chaba, president and managing director, MG Motor India had earlier told Mint that the company views strategic opportunity in the ₹30-50 lakh price bracket wherein the brand could be positioned as a bridge between mass market car manufacturers such as Hyundai Motor India Pvt. Ltd, Tata Motors Ltd, Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd and luxury carmakers such as BMW, Audi, and Mercedes-Benz India Pvt. Ltd.
With its latest offering, MG Motor, a subsidiary of China’s SAIC Motor Corp., attempts to offer feature-packed D-segment SUV that can appeal to customers looking for premium cars in the ₹25-50 lakh.
D-segment vehicles have a length of 4.5 to 4.7 metres, powered by at least a 2-litre engine and cost on an average a minimum ₹28 lakh.
Available in five models across four variants – Super, Smart, Sharp and Savvy – the Gloster will come in six- and seven-seat arrangements, two engine options including twin-turbocharged 2-litre diesel, over 70 connected car features, 64-colour ambient lighting, panoramic sunroof, driver seat massager, electronically adjustable driver seat, among several other high-tech features.
With the top-end variant – Savvy – MG Motor has become the first carmaker in the domestic market to offer level-one autonomy or self-drive features enabled by advanced driver assistance systems (Adas). The high-tech features include forward collision warning system, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, automatic parking assist, adaptive cruise control, among others.
The company said Gloster SUV will also come with a standard warranty of three years or 100,000 kilometers, three years roadside assistance and three labour-free periodic services.
Talking about Gloster, Chaba ad recently said, "We have planned this product almost 1.5 years back and our expectations are realistic. Annually, there are 40,000 customers in India who buy cars in the range of ₹30 lakh to 50 lakh, and we expect to get around 6,000 of them (per year). Hopefully, we will be able to do that and this segment is also not that price sensitive."
Chaba said connected, electric and autonomous vehicles would drive the future of mobility.
"We have brought all the three technologies to India. We will also introduce the Level 2 autonomous technology in the coming years," he had told Mint recently. The company also plans to launch its fifth offering in 2021, through which it expects to generate volumes and improve profitability.
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