SAIC Motor, China's largest automotive manufacturer, is at it again. The state-owned behemoth loves playing dress-up with its massive portfolio of brands, making it harder to track which models are truly unique. The British-turned-Chinese MG brand unveiled two new upscale electric cars – the MG 9 sedan and the MG S9 crossover SUV at the Geneva Motor Show. But under the new badges are actually familiar faces. MG, a once-British sports car maker, was gobbled up by the Chinese conglomerate some years back. Now, it seems SAIC is using the brand's lingering notoriety to expand its presence on the global stage. And to do this, SAIC is rebadging cars, yet again, from its lesser-known subsidiary, Rising. The newly minted MG 9 and MG S9 are based on the Rising F7 and R7, models that are already roaming Chinese roads.
There is absolutely no question the sleek
MG 9 sedan draws heavy inspiration from the Nio ET7, with its low-slung,
coupe-like profile. It boasts an impressive drag coefficient of 0.206 Cd and
and stands at 5,000 mm long, 1953 mm wide, and 1494 mm high, with a 3000 mm
wheelbase – slightly bigger than the Tesla Model S and just 60 mm shorter than
the new BMW i5. The MG 9 shares its powertrain with the Rising F7. Expect a
rear-mounted 250 kW motor with battery options ranging from 64 kWh (both LFP
and NMC) to 90 kWh. A dual-motor 400 kW AWD version is also rumored. The range
varies depending on the battery, the smallest pack promises 500 km, while the largest
stretches to 702 km. Those are CLTC estimates and as such are highly
optimistic.
The MG 9 screams “Look at me!” with its Mercedes MBUX-inspired triple-screen
setup. There's also an 8-inch screen just for the rear passengers. Interestingly,
the Rising F7 comes with battery-swapping tech in China, where it ditches the
depleted pack and gets a fresh one in under 90 seconds - 1 minute and a half to
swap the battery. As much as it sounds impressive, don't expect this to be used
outside China, at least not for a few more years.
The MG S9 crossover SUV is a repackaged
Rising R7. While bearing some MG-specific design cues, it undoubtedly has a
family resemblance to its less-famous Chinese sibling. With dimensions of 4900
mm long, 1925 mm wide, and 1655 mm high, the MG S9 confidently targets the
popular Tesla Model Y. Inside, the S9 continues the triple-screen extravaganza,
with an additional augmented reality heads-up display. Power comes from the
same single rear-mounted 250 kW motor, coupled with a 77 kWh NMC battery pack
for a promised range of 570 km. In China, the Rising R7 did come with the 400
kW dual-motor powertrain as well, this time paired with the 90 kWh NMC battery
pack for a 606 km CLTC range. The MG S9 seems to be missing this version, at
least for now - possibly because its Chinese twin was discontinued due to
apparently excessive price.
The Rising F7 and R7 sell for between € 24,590 and € 40,120 in China. However,
there's no word on European pricing for their MG-badged equivalents. If recent
SAIC history is any indication, expect a serious price bump to align these
models with premium EV rivals from the likes of Zeekr, XPeng, and Nio.
