Reckon it will roughly double sales, i.e. sell in similar numbers to the 3. Depends on the range offered, the marketing and how well it's received by the press, though. However, I guess MGMUK will be quietly hoping for higher figures than that. The worry is that the GS is as poorly received as the 6 has been - sales of 20-odd a month is obviously unacceptable.
I'm thinking slightly less than that. I see it somewhere just below the MG3 in sales performance. Based on the past two years, the MG3 has been good for 2,000-2,500 sales (possibly more again this year) and the MG6 500-700. I would expect the GS to add at least around 1,500-2,000 to that in a full year. Of course this all hinges on what kind of options are offered.
In my opinion they will sell 10-60 GS' per month, it should sell a bit better than MG6 in UK.
For example Thailand is SUV/Jeep country, Top 3 cars are: Isuzu D-Max, Toyota Hilux and Toyota Fortuner, all of them - 36% market share. And MG Thailand sold only 38 GS in it's debut month.
60 per month works out as 720 per year. I'd expect MG would want far higher sales than that but think you might be right about the numbers if you're right about the (lack of) choices.
In all honesty I dont think they will pass 500 sales in the UK in the first year, most of these will be to owners of the current MG brand too I fear.
Its a shame, but the 3 hasn't really been as big as it should have been (its selling much better than the 6 though, but I expect sales to stop in 2017). I cant see the GS doing any better, its another overly popular segment and if the price is not VERY keen then the car wont sell.
From what I know of the UK models to come ive decided against going for one, as it offers nothing.
I shall reserve judgement until I get to see one in my local showroom. If the quality is what we hope for it could do well. If they use the same interior plastics that blighted the MG6 then it could do as badly as the MG6 has done.
Typical SAIC really. Its the right car that should have been launched at least 18months ago, its already looking long in the tooth compared to the RX5 from Roewe and a few other domestic brands in China.
The shelf life of the styling is probably two years max. Given most manufacturers are eaking out 5-6 years per model something needs to change at SAIC and quickly.
If its Duster money it will shift a few but I fear the asking price is still in no mans land. Not cheap enough to attract the Duster crowd... too cheap to attract the Duke/Mokka crowd.
How many? Very few, until they have many more dealers. I live in one of the most populous areas in the UK and the nearest dealer is at least 30 miles away in a usually grid-locked direction.
MG Motor say the car is featured at the London Motor Show, or whatever it's called. The blurb they sent me today mentions a petrol auto (which is what I would want), but they don't mention a diesel, perhaps because the things are poisonous, and the regulations impractical, so that the manufacturers try to circumvent them.
I agree with others here in the speculation that it won't do too well in its first year. With MG's previous experience in launches, I don't think that they'll advertise it too widely or enough for it to make an impact on sales. When it comes to things such as interior quality, MG are lacking. Class leaders such as the Vauxhall Mokka & Nissan Juke have quite good quality interior. My mother currently has a Mokka, and the whole top of the interior and door cards are littered with soft touch plastics. I'm doubtful that the GS will have this, and things like that sell cars. Quality & low running costs. Seems like the engine provided with be low emissions, seeing as it's a GM - SAIC developed one. Should help sales though (hopefully)...
MG still appears to be a toxic brand to most people. The bankruptcy issues and the K series for starters. Coupled to limited dealer network and crap advertising. I predict more poor sales.
The Duster appeals to me as a budget 4X4 due to it's straight forward simplicity and PRICE!
Nearly 70 dealers in the UK now though, based on the MG Motor UK website (April 2016), so at least 20 more than when they launched the '3.. and some open points being covered at last.
I agree it will sell slowly to start with unless the road test reports are really 4 stars or above..and the 'lack of a diesel' I am sure will attract criticism from many .. but as I have said before Matthew Cheyne is quoted last year as saying they are aiming for 10,000 annual sales by 2020
So if by 2017/18 the GS is doing 3000 sales a year they will probably be on target and I don't think they will need to fit another tractor engine to do that .. a 168 bhp Turbo petrol will push the CS along well enough - and meet it's modest sales targets just fine.
Lack of advertising has harmed the marque, not just the 6. MG must get this right if they are to make a success of the GS. The 'in house' team don't seem able to get things right, maybe time to bring in an outside team of advertising specialists.
Interesting that Autocar online today quoted MG saying they are targeting 700- 800 GS sales in the UK for it's first year and 1,000 the following year - very modest.
Autocar also mention a future diesel - and the 'Juke rival' appearing (presumably in China first) in 2017 and based on the same 'scaleable' platform as the GS (that is probably related to the SsangYong Korando 3 , not the Rexton as Autocar say).
Putting all this information/speculation together I'm thinking they will not have a diesel for the GS until when the Juke rival will be ready for the UK (probably 2018) and then both cars will have the same diesel, which may well be a new engine of smaller capacity (1.6?) so it also fits the smaller car.
The 1.85 L diesel from the '6 is apparently soon to be found in new versions of LDV vans (also owned by SAIC) and featured at last months CV show in Brum.. so it will have a life after the '6
from mainland Europe, it would be so interesting that the GS could perform well, as giving a reliable size to the showrooms, doing then posible an arrival abroad....
i can not stop guessing what would happen if this 3rd car in the range doesn't perform well, as time is running out for a maker as small as that in the UK market ....
i can not stop guessing what would happen if this 3rd car in the range doesn't perform well, as time is running out for a maker as small as that in the UK market ....
"Time is running out" - wut? MG is now regularly outselling long-established marque Subaru and MG sales are still continuing to rise. Alfa Romeo is within catching distance.
from mainland Europe, it would be so interesting that the GS could perform well, as giving a reliable size to the showrooms, doing then posible an arrival abroad....
Subaru have their following but their products aren't really what the UK market wants. They all have comparatively thirsty engines and the AWD (they all have) worsens that. In the UK market everything comes down to brand image, cheap finance and whether it has cheap tax.
I'm just amazed anyone buys a Tivoli - it looks just awful. And yet there are quite a few truly ugly cars that people buy lots of, e.g. Kia Soul, BMW Z4, Nissan Juke, and some of the big BMWs. I'm afraid the GS isn't very good looking, especially the interior, so it'll probably sell well. At least it might, if there were actually a useful number of dealers.
I see MG Motor are taking the GS around the country to various centres so we can have a drive and a look-see. Does this mean they only have one?
Surely they have more than one available. The white one (that was parked round the back of the sales centre for some time) has been seen at various events but they really do need more to showcase the different options, trim levels etc.
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