The Brits are back in town
THE BRITISH Empire may have ruled much of the old world through its spread of colonial empires. But after taking a nasty beating during the recent recession, it’s lost a lot of the clout it once had and in the meantime, it’s also lost a lot of its automotive brands.
For instance, Jaguar is now owned by Tata Motors. The British automotive marque, Mini, is owned by BMW and the latest victim? Morris Garages or MG as its fondly known was consumed by the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation Group (SAIC).
But truth be told, it was either this, or these icons disappear into the pages of time. And I for one would rather drive a Chinese MG than no MG - and that’s exactly what I did.
Return of MG
MG returned to South Africa in a rather low-key affair and I’m sure a lot of you are saying: “What? MG’s back?” The answer to that is: “Yes!” And it has been for a few months now, with about ten dealerships countrywide and countless promises that this time MG is here to stay.
It didn’t take long before I found myself behind the wheel of different MG6 derivative, courtesy of MG East Rand. Currently the MG6 is the only vehicle on offer in the MG stable but it does come in fastback and sedan styling with a host of different spec levels.
Admittedly, at first glance, the design of the sedan may not appeal to everyone, but there is something alluring about the fastback.
Power
All MG6s are fitted with the same steroid-bursting 1.8-litre turbo powertrain with 118kW of power and 225Nm of torque. But surprisingly, this Chinese-born Brit is slow out the gates and it’s only once the turbo kicks in that the car develops a personality. And the more you wind it up the livelier it becomes. Here’s the “British Racing Heritage” everyone talks about.
Handling
Whipping it through apexes and corners, the fastback felt sportier with more control and driver feedback. That’s not taking anything away from the sedan, which also cruised like a guided missile.
The fuel consumption is a respectable 7.9 litres/100km and with a claimed top speed of 205km/h it’s no slouch, capable of going from standstill to 100km/h in about 8.4 seconds. Depending on the spec level, it also houses an impressive array of creature comforts.
A few concerns about the MG6 would be the car’s delivery of power lowdown, particularly when nestled in early morning traffic. You really have to work the revs and the clutch to prevent stalling on take-off.
Another area of concern is the finishes on the vehicle. We know the MG brand is now owned by the Chinese and I get the feeling that some of that craftsmanship may have reared its ugly head.
However, the heritage surrounding the brand will always resonate with many motoring enthusiasts in South Africa and with an exciting line-up of models expected in the future, MG is hopefully here to stay this time.
