MG Motor India recently released its retail sales data for the month of September 2023. The firm reported that it sold 5,003 units in September, which is an increase of 31 per cent in comparison to the sales figure for September 2022. Moreover, the company claimed that electric vehicles comprised about 25 per cent of its overall sales. In August this year, the brand sold 4,185 passenger vehicles, registering a YoY gain of 19.55 per cent. Meanwhile, for prospective and current customers, MG Motor India has rolled out special offers and exclusive anniversary prices as part of its centennial year celebrations. The current MG line-up in India includes models such as the Comet EV, Astor, Hector SUV, ZS EV, and Gloster.
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Recently, MG launched revised iterations of the ZS EV and Astor in India. In terms of new updates, Level 2 ADAS features were added to the former, while the latter received a limited-edition Black Storm version with aesthetic improvements over the standard Astor. Although both cars share the same platform, the Astor is powered by petrol engines, whereas the ZS is a battery-powered electric vehicle.
MG Astor Blackstorm Edition
Launched last month, the brand-new Astor Blackstorm edition’s prices start at Rs 14.48 lakh and go all the way to Rs 15.77 lakh. Both figures are ex-showroom. The exterior of the new special edition has been completely blackened out, featuring a honeycomb grille, black finished headlamps, alloy wheels, roof rails, door handles, and front and back bumpers. Also, there is a ‘Blackstorm’ badge on the front fender. The bodywork remains unchanged, but a new Starry Black colour option is now available.
The cabin of the MG Astor Black Storm Edition continues to sport the all-black theme with red accents on the dashboard, Tuxedo Black upholstery, steering wheel, and door trimmings. Other features include an all-black floor console, JBL speakers, and AC vents with Sangria Red accents. Coming to the features, the model is equipped with a panoramic sunroof, an electronic driver seat, a large 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, a digital instrument cluster, a digital key with Bluetooth, electronic power steering with three modes, and heated ORVMs.
A CVT or a 5-speed manual transmission is available for the 1.5-litre petrol engine, which powers the Astor Blackstorm edition. This unit is good enough to churn out 110bhp of maximum power and 144Nm of peak torque. Notably, the powertrain meets the BS6 Phase II or RDE standards.
Also Read: MG Hector Plus Prices Slashed by up to Rs 1.37 lakh in India, Check New Prices
2023 MG ZS EV
The ZS EV with Level-2 ADAS was released in India by MG in July this year. The EV currently retails at a starting price of Rs 23.38 lakh, while the recently launched Exclusive Pro trim costs Rs 27.89 lakh. All prices are ex-showroom. Following this, the EV can now be had in a total of three trims – Excite, Exclusive, and Exclusive Pro.
The Level 2 ADAS system in the MG ZS EV has three sensitivity levels – low, medium, and high – and three warning levels – haptic, audio, and visual. Other features include adaptive cruise control, bend cruise assistance, traffic jam assistance, lane departure warning, emergency lane keep, lane keep assist, front collision warning, automatic emergency braking, automatic emergency braking - pedestrian, intelligent hydraulic braking assistance, intelligent headlamp control, a blind spot detection system, rear cross-traffic alert, and lane change assistance.
Mechanically, the ZS EV is powered by a 50.3kWh battery coupled to an electric motor, which produces 174bhp and 280Nm. The battery, as stated by MG, meets both the UL2580 Safety Management System and the ASIL-D Enhanced Safety Integrity Level standards and has been designed to comply with IP69K for better dust and water resistance. In terms of market competition, the ZS EV locks horns with the BYD Atto 3, and the Hyundai Kona Electric, among others.
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