Light the fire!

WHEN a car manufacturer leaves the country or goes bankrupt this leaves little or no faith in the brand, especially if you previously owned one of their models.

Six years after MG went bankrupt, the brand has returned and is optimistic about its future here.

I highly doubt that retail motor giant, Combined Motor Holdings (CMH), would invest millions to bring back the once troubled brand. There is after-all, light at the end of the tunnel. MG is currently owned by Chinese auto giant SAIC (Shanghai Automobile Industry Corporation).

Can the love affair be re-ignited?

I must admit at the outset that the new MG6 Turbo is indeed worth every rand invested. Remove the badge from the equation and you will be pleasantly surprised with what this car has on offer. The new generation MG offers a lot of car for your money and seriously has a future here in SA. With stronger marketing and road presence they can surely go a long way.

The MG6 is available in only one model at the moment, the 118kw 1.8 Turbo engine which is available in either the Comfort, Luxury or Deluxe versions.

MG South Africa's chief operating officer Vernon Beck has confirmed that there are a few models currently under production and the 1.8 Turbo will be the very first batch to hit the SA market with a turbo-diesel to be introduced in the next few months.

You have the choice of either the Fastback (hatch) or the Saloon (sedan) model only available in petrol. The 1.8T Comfor package starts at R229 900 then R10 000 more buys you the Luxury model.

Top of the range is the 1.8T Deluxe retailing at R269 950 which buys you a lot of car for your money – navigation, rear pdc, reverse camera, sunroof, electric and heated seats, leather, etc. When compared to others this brand offers a lot of car for your money.

From an exterior styling point of view the low profile, well designed, colour coded front and rear bumpers just adds so much sportiness to the vehicle and is completed by colour-coded door handles and exterior electric folded mirrors with heating and side indicators.

Adding more style to the exterior is the one large stainless steel trim which houses twin tail pipes. Not much more can be done to the styling as the 17” alloy wheels give it so much more defintion. The interior is refined and well finished. Dashboard layout is well spaced and userfriendly. There is also ample storage space in the form of a centre console which serves as an arm-rest as well.

The 4-spoke steering wheel has a multi-function facility which is so easy to use.

Attention to detail is given to the choice of fabric sports seats and leather sports seats.

Front heated seats will come in handy over the next few months. Ambient lighting does so much for the mood of the driving experience especially over long trips at night.

Comfort features include tilt and telescopic steering column adjustment. Over longer distances cruise control proves useful and I quite like the design of the transponder key with one press engine start button.

The airconditioning system is an automatic control dual-zone. Only one thing did not impress me: if you are not used to the hand-brake expect to injure your thumb if you are not warned or forget – there is no space where you press the release button and the consol.

Road handling is impressive especially around bends and extremely sharp on sudden braking. The MG is immediately responsive and its torque is impressive.

Fuel consumporion is average with a combined reading of 10 litres per 100 kilometres travelled. The Mcpherson strut front suspension and multi rear link suspension completes the driving experience. The car is equipped with all the safety features including ABS and EBD. Dynamic Stability Control with TCS and EBA makes a world of difference on the MG6 Turbo.

The car meets all the international safety requirements with driver’s, passenger and side airbags.

If you take a close look at its competitors, you will see that only one or two are worth considering. The least expensive VW Jetta is priced at R222 000, but why settle for a 1,2 litre turbocharged engine?

The Ford Focus 1,6 Trend priced at R226 400, is probably the most convincing rival.

I will again concede that this model is by far one of the better cars I've driven in a while.

The MG6 has a three-year 90 000 km service plan and a 3year 80 000 km factory warranty. I have to admit that the new MG6 is an interesting and convincing newcomer and will surely make its mark here in SA.

Book your test drive today by calling Dealer Principal Donna Mcintosh on 031-584140 or donnam@cmh.co.za.

Post readers qualify for their on-the-road costs included in the price during the months of March and April.

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