MG Stars at Autosport International Show

January 10 2013

MG stars at Autosport International Show

MG’s new special edition MG6 GT will be one of two key models from the brand at the Autosport International Show this weekend.

Alongside the striking MG6 GT BTCC Edition at the huge event at the NEC will be one of the widely acclaimed new MG6 GT DTi-TECH diesel models. For many people this will be their first opportunity to see the new cars.

And you can even try your hand at ‘racing’ an MG6 as the MG Racing Bug will be at the heart of the action in Hall 19, Stand 240. There will be merchandise signed by MG’s Jason Plato and model MG cars to be won for the top drivers who take the MG Racing Bug challenge.

At the show there will be the opportunity to book test drives in the real MG6 cars as well as the opportunity to sign up to MG’s newsletter with the chance of winning a special 2013 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship weekend.

MG launched the special MG6 BTCC Edition to celebrate its hugely successful return to Britain’s favourite saloon car racing series last year. In what was supposed to be the MG KX Momentum Racing team’s ‘learning year’ MG driver Jason Plato emerged third in the championship overall.

The road-going MG6 BTCC Edition has a distinctive list of standard features including matt black roof and 18-inch alloy wheels with black gloss sills, door mirror covers, lower front air dam, rear bumper and rear spoiler. It is available in Arctic White or Union Blue paint finishes for just £16,995. The front grille proudly sports a BTCC badge and there are distinctive MG KX Momentum Racing team colours decals on the bonnet extension, front doors and wings behind the new chrome wing vent. BTCC Edition graphics are highlighted on the sills and also inside the car on the passenger facia.

Power from the BTCC Edition is from the 1.8-litre turbo petrol engine delivering 160 PS and 0 to 62mph in 8.4 seconds with a top speed electronically limited to 120mph. Yet the car has a Group 14E insurance rating.

Standard equipment includes built-in full colour European satellite navigation (including a lifetime subscription to Trafficmaster), sports driver and front passenger seats, Dunlop Sport 225/45R 18-inch performance tyres, electronic hill hold function, power folding electrically heated exterior mirrors, iTPMS tyre monitoring system, rear parking sensors, front fog lights, cruise control, CD audio with USB and auxiliary inputs for MP3/Ipod connectivity and a leather covered multifunction steering wheel.

Despite its sporting credentials, the BTCC Special Edition is surprisingly practical for everyday use with a huge class-leading boot and rear folding seats to give a massive 1,379 litre cargo capacity.

Diesel versions of the award-winning MG6 have been added to the range and the first demonstrators are in selected UK showrooms now.

The DTi-TECH diesel-powered MG6 GT and MG6 Magnette is the second major development in the modern MG story with both cars using a 1.9-litre turbo unit - the first diesel engine from MG’s parent company, SAIC Motor.

Common rail direct injection and a variable-rate turbocharger mean that the MG6 DTi-TECH diesel has the latest engine technology. And unique to the diesel versions are Stop-Start technology, which improves economy by a further 5%, and Smart Charging. This is a system which saves energy by only supplying power to certain electrical components when it is actually needed. Diesel MG6 DTi-TECH models have E-HPAS – a progressively variable power assistance feature which means that the steering is lighter at parking speeds and firmer at motorway cruising speeds.

Design and engineering development of the new MG6 DTi-TECH diesel, like the petrol versions, was carried out at the MG Birmingham site, home of SAIC’s European Design and Technical Centres. Final assembly also takes place at the Birmingham factory.

The 1.9-litre DTi-TECH variable rate turbocharged diesel engine delivers 150PS. That gives an impressive 0-62mph time of just 8.9 seconds and a maximum speed of 120mph.

Urban driving figures of 46.1mpg are extremely good, allowing the MG6 diesel to perform economically even in town and city driving, which is not normally a strong point of diesel powered cars.

The new MG DTi-TECH diesel has an impressive maximum torque figure of 350NM at 1800 rpm. The torque curve through the six-speed transmission is a particular feature of this new specifically developed power train and offers strong acceleration through the gears with great overtaking ability.

With the MG6’s widely acclaimed chassis and suspension, specially tuned for the diesel, the result is a car offering great, sporty handling dynamics while also being a thoroughly practical five-seater. The huge cargo-carrying boot on MG6 models (498-litres to 1,379 litres on the GT and 472-litres to 1,268 litres on the Magnette with the rear seats folded) is truly class-leading.

Like the petrol version, MG6 DTi-TECH diesels offers tremendous value for money and has one of the highest levels of standard equipment levels of any car on the market.

Even the S model has an extremely high level of standard trim, including anti-lock braking (ABS) with Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), Emergency Brake Assist (EBA), brake pad wear sensor, brake disc wiping, Stability Control System (SCS) and Hill Hold.

In the cabin there is electronically controlled air conditioning, electric windows all round, ICE consisting of radio, RDS, CD player, MP3, USB and aux-in capability. Body coloured mirrors and a rear spoiler are also standard along with fog lamps.

Move up to the SE model and standard kit includes satellite navigation (which covers 27 countries from Albania to the Vatican City), a rear parking aid and cruise control and the front windows have a one-touch operation. For comfort there is a multi-functional leather steering wheel and cruise control.

A class-leading standard specification on the TSE model has leather sports seats, the satellite navigation system is displayed in full colour and the reversing parking aid has a camera with a large display screen. The all-round electric windows feature one one-touch operation and the TSE has automatic electronic dual zone climate control and the ICE system receives the addition of Bluetooth. TSE models run on larger 18- inch alloy wheels.

Fuel figures for the diesel give: Urban 46.1 mpg (6.2 l/km), Extra Urban 59.0 mpg (4.8l/km) and Combined 53.5 mpg (5.3 l/km). The CO2 emissions are 139g/100km.

Insurance group ratings for the diesel cars are: S and SE (14E) and TSE and Magnette (15E).

Seven external colours are offered: Burnt Orange, Pitch Black, Regal Red, Granite Grey, Platinum Silver, Arctic White and a new Sapphire Blue. There are two internal trims: Charcoal Cloth and Graphite Leather.

All MG6 models have a Euro-NCAP 4-Star rating. MG6 was awarded the What Car? 2012 Security Award. Recommended on-the-road prices for MG6 DTi-TECH diesel models:

S - £16,995 SE - £18,195 TSE - £20,195 Magnette - £21,195

Notes to Editors

MG is a wholly owned subsidiary of SAIC Motor, the 8th largest vehicle manufacturer in the world. Last year SAIC sold more than 4-million vehicles. The firm is 130th on the Fortune 500 list of the world’s leading companies. MG’s UK manufacturing plant and sales HQ sits alongside SAIC’s European Technical and European Design Centres in Birmingham.

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MG Motor UK MG Motor UK is based in Birmingham, England along with SAIC Motors European Technical Engineering Centre (SMTC) and they jointly employ 400 people in automotive styling, design, engineering, manufacturing and support services.

MG6 GT and MG6 Magnette The MG6 GT sports fastback and MG6 Magnette sports saloon were both designed and engineered in the UK at MG Birmingham where final assembly also takes place.

Doug Wallace – MG Motor UK +44 (0)121 251 2910 or 07702 368586 [email protected] or e-mail media enquiries to: [email protected]