MG sales more than double

MG Sales Thailand Co is confident of hitting its sales target of 30,000 units across all Thai-made vehicles in 2018 after a strong first-half performance.

MG cars sold 12,028 units from January to June, up 111.4% year-on-year and an alltime high since entering the Thai market in mid-2014.

Moreover, MG moved up in the sales rankings from 11th at the end of 2017 to ninth in June, passing Chevrolet and Mercedes-Benz.

MG’s market share rose by 1.14 percentage points to 2.5% in the first half.

Vice-president Pongsak Lertrudeewattanawong said most MG sales were of two SUV models: the MG ZS with 7,565 units and the MG GS with 1,297 units.

MG climbed into the second spot in the SUV segment, excluding pickup passenger vehicles. Honda remained on top.

Other sales included sedan and hatchback models like the MG3 (2,415 units), the MG5 (544) and the MG6 (207).

“MG’s continuous sales growth is testament to our commitment and determination to delivering the best for our customers in terms of quality, safety and innovative technology,” Mr Pongsak said. “The MG ZS combines an intelligent i-SMART system with the world’s first Thai language-enabled voice command and affordable pricing, making a hit among Thai consumers.”

MG last month launched the all-new MG3 hatchback, also equipped with the i-SMART system.

Mr Pongsak said MG continually strives to improve after-sale services, with plans to expand the current base of 83 showrooms and service centres to 120 soon.

MG cars are under SAIC Motor-CP, a joint venture of Shanghai-based SAIC Motor and Thai conglomerate CP Group.

SAIC Motor-CP is in charge of car manufacturing and distribution locally, and MG Sales Thailand is the company’s subsidiary.

A 9-billion-baht plant in Rayong began operations in June 2014, but SAIC MotorCP later decided to close it and move assembly to a new site.

Last December saw the open of a 10-billion-baht production plant occupying 437 rai of land at Hemaraj Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate 2 in Chon Buri.

The new plant has a maximum production capacity of 100,000 vehicles a year and is expected to become a global production hub for right-hand-drive MG vehicles.