Post -war England. Somewhere out in the countryside, among the rolling meadows and tree-lined roads on a bright sunny day, you hear a little four-cylinder motor singing a song that is typically British.
Soon enough, a flash of British Racing Green in the form of a two-seater roadster comes flying around the bend and whizzes past, embodying everything that is great about 1960’s England.
That is what the MGB was – the quintessential British roadster. Ever since it was founded in 1924, Morris Garages has been responsible for some of the most iconic British automobiles the world has ever seen. MGs have also become a favourite for collectors around the world. Even in India, the MGB remains a staple at any classic car rally or car show. In fact, you can find a lot of them being driven by their loving owners on a Sunday morning in a lot of cities around India.
So it goes without saying that India’s automotive history has a lot of chapters in common with MG’s. MG Motor India has held this spirit of innovation and community very close to its heart, and one only needs to look at the products rolling out of their stables to understand this.
Take the Hector, for example. With over 50 internet enabled connectivity features, you can control everything from your entertainment, to your service schedules, and even air conditioning in the Hector with the car listening to over 100 voice commands from the user. It is also India’s first 48v hybrid, and boasts of over 25 active and passive safety features built in, making it one of the safest cars on the roads.
But it’s not just the Hector that is breaking ground with technological advancements. Every single product that MG is offering in the Indian market has innovation at its heart, like the ZS EV. It is India’s first pure-electric internet SUV. The ZS EV marries aesthetically pleasing design to technological innovation and delivers one of the best-looking electric vehicles to be launched here.
But aside from the sustainable mobility goals that the ZS EV pursues and all the connected technology it comes embedded with, it also promises an engaging driving experience. The ZS EV is capable of hitting 100kph in 8.5 seconds, boasts the biggest battery in the segment at 44.5 KWh, and has three driving modes for a personalised driving experience.
The company is also developing a 5-way charging infrastructure to ease the charging anxieties that are associated with buying EVs in the country, using which the MG ZS EV can be charged up to 80% in 50 minutes. This is available in 26 cities in India already, and underlines MG’s commitment towards e-mobility.
And then there’s the latest of the greats, the Gloster, which brings autonomous level-1 driving to the masses. The Gloster uses ADAS technology such as adaptive cruise control, collision alerts and avoidance systems, automated parking assist, blind spot assistance, and lane departure warning to ensure occupants are cocooned in safety and comfort.
Moreover, it’s 4WD capabilities paired with seven driving modes and one of the most powerful, twin-turbo Diesel engines in the market. All of this, in addition to the connected tech that has become the MG trademark all over the world, makes the Gloster one of the most technologically advanced, multiterrain capable, premium SUVs around.
MG’s product offerings hint at how important technological and digital innovation is to them. For MG Motor India, digital is the way forward for any business or market segment that envisions operating in the future, and it holds true for both near-term market dynamics and the long haul. The company believes that being closer to the customer journey will be a gamechanger for businesses, including automotive players. To better understand the market, MG India emphasises the need to observe a fundamental change that is taking place as of now. There is an ever-increasing influx of technology across all walks of life. MG believes that for the automotive segment, the merits of technology are perhaps very rewarding. It will not only help the industry convert modern concepts such as fully autonomous vehicles into a reality, but will also lead to a more sustainable future. Clean and green technologies can be deployed that not only emulate the performance of conventional approaches, but even exceed them.
The rise of connected mobility, with smart automobile infrastructure interacting with wide-ranging components for superior road safety and efficiency, heralds interesting times ahead for Indian consumers. But it is not just in its products that MG strives to create waves. The services it offers customers – both existing and prospective – are just as groundbreaking.
MG has maintained a digital edge since its launch in India, and is amongst the first automotive players to facilitate online vehicle bookings and even offer doorstep service. The MG GLOSTER, India’s first Autonomous Level 1 SUV, was recently launched via a completely digitized webinar to a very positive reception, a sign of things to come for future launches as well.
This digital first approach can be seen in MG’s response post COVID-19 too. A prime example is the Shield+ initiative, MG’s suite of automated customer experience systems that makes the car buying and ownership experience completely contactless. MG has launched the VPHY system, a voice -guided vehicle demonstration system that allows prospective customers to walk into a showroom and experience vehicles without the need to interact with personnel.
Also noteworthy is the company’s social impact. Through partnerships with major technology companies like Airtel, Cisco, Adobe and several others, MG is creating an ecosystem that is conducive to constant innovation. They have also mentored over 60 start-ups in the automotive and technology space, and have even launched hackathons to come up with innovative and impactful solutions for the industry. MG India is also working with IITs across India to develop courses for knowledge transfer.
This continuous commitment towards innovation and India at large is what make MG a real game-changer. MG’s demonstrated belief towards workplace diversity, embodied in initiatives such as DriveHerBack, which aims to bring women back into the workforce after gap years, has seen the company boast a workforce comprising 31 per cent women – an industry benchmark in itself. MG also works closely with various NGOs to support girl child education, a cause that is dear to the company’s heart.
Further, because the company strives to build real relationships with its customers beyond sales, the brand launched the MG Car Club India, an extension of one of the oldest car clubs in the world, founded 90 years ago in the UK. It is a club of MG owners, by MG owners and for MG owners that brings together people who, above all, share a common passion – their love for their MG.
With such consistent efforts to create lasting relationships and high-quality products, MG has already demonstrated their commitment to the Indian automotive market and innovation in general. This is also the reason why MG remains an automotive brand to watch out for as they seek to move into higher gear and take the industry to previously unforeseen levels.
