MG Motors Commence Production Of Hector SUV — First SUV Rolls Off Production Line

MG Motors India rolled out its first production-spec Hector SUV at its Halol facility in Gujarat. The MG Hector SUV is expected to launch in India soon and will be the first product from the SIAC-owned British brand in the market.

MG Motors also confirmed that the company will start shipment of the Hector SUV to its dealerships across India in the next few weeks. MG Motors currently has over 65 showrooms spread across 50 cities in the country.

Rajeev Chaba, President & MD, MG Motor India, stated:

"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."

The MG Motor production facility in Halol, Gujarat has an initial manufacturing capacity of 80,000 units, which is expandable depending on the demand in the market. The MG Hector will officially be unveiled on the 15th May, with bookings beginning from the month of June 2019.

The MG Hector SUV has undergone extensive testing in the country. The SUV has been spied multiple times in India ahead of its launch. According to the company, the SUV has crossed one million kilometres of testing in varied climatic conditions across the country.

The MG Hector will also be one of the first connected-SUVs in the country. It will feature the i-Smart technology integrated with its 10.4-inch vertical infotainment system. MG has also equipped the Hector with a number of other first-in-class and best-in-class features as well, to make the SUV more attractive to the Indian customer.

The MG Hector once launched will be powered by two engines: a 1.5-litre petrol and a 2.0-litre diesel engine. Both engines will come mated to either a six-speed manual gearbox or the optional six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. MG is might also equip the petrol variant of the Hector with a mild-hybrid variant. This is expected to be 12 percent more efficient than the standard petrol model.

Thoughts On The MG Hector Production

MG Hector will look to offer a range of features and equipment to make it more attractive in the market. The MG Hector is also expected to be priced competitively at around Rs 18 - 20 lakh range, ex-showroom. Once launched in India, the MG Hector SUV will rival the likes of the Tata Harrier, Jeep Compass, Hyundai Creta and the Mahindra XUV500.