MG has two body-on-frame vehicles on its
lineup: the RX8 SUV, which is essentially just a Roewe RX8 in disguise, and the
Extender pickup truck, which is a barely restyled Maxus T70. The latest teaser
pic tells us that some things don’t change.
China-based SAIC Group controls the MG,
Roewe, and Maxus brands. It sells the RX8 in Middle East countries and the
Extender exclusively in Thailand. The new SUV is being announced as an
India-only vehicle that will be fully introduced at the Auto Expo in New Delhi
on February 5, 2020. It remains unnamed to this date.
The original Maxus D90 measures 5,005 mm long and has a wheelbase spanning 2,950 mm. The road
clearance amounts to 210 mm. It comes in five- and seven-seat variants
on its domestic market, but the India will probably only receive the latter,
larger version. Paid options listed include adaptive LED headlights, three-zone
climate control system, panoramic glass roof, massaged/ventilated front seats,
and all-around view cameras.
The Maxus D90 is currently available in
two engine specs in China: pre-facelift and Pro. The old one ships with a
2.0-liter turbocharged V4 rated at 224 hp and 360 Nm,
while the Pro drops the output to 218 hp in compliance with the latest
eco norms. The new D90 Pro is additionally available with a 2.0-liter diesel
turbo unit based on FCA’s Multijet II components. This one churns out the same
218 hp along with superior 480 Nm of torque. The pre-facelift
spec offers a choice between six-speed manual and six-speed automatic gear,
while the latter has eight-speed automatic in all version. The drive can be on
the front axle or both.
By the way, this is not the only clone MG
plans to reveal at the 2020 India Auto Expo. The other two are Hector, a
six-seater SUV based on the Baojun 530, and an unnamed MPV built with the Maxus
G10 as the starting point.
