MG’s about to drop something big at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on July 10 – a Tesla Model Y challenger that could shake up the premium electric SUV game. And honestly, it’s about time.
The British-badged, Chinese-owned automaker has been dropping hints left and right on social media, teasing “the beginning of our next chapter.” Sounds dramatic, right? But here’s where it gets interesting – this isn’t just another run-of-the-mill MG. Word on the street is that this upcoming SUV is actually the IM6 crossover, which has already been turning heads in Australia and Thailand under the IM Motors badge.
The IM6: A Wolf in MG’s Clothing
Now, here’s where things get a bit confusing (in a good way). IM Motors isn’t some random brand – it’s actually a premium offshoot of SAIC Motor, MG’s parent company, developed alongside tech giant Alibaba. Think of it as MG trying to go all fancy, like when Toyota created Lexus or Hyundai birthed Genesis.
The IM6 isn’t messing around either. In its Performance avatar, this electric beast pumps out a jaw-dropping 767 horsepower from its dual-motor setup. We’re talking 0-100 kmph in just 3.4 seconds – that’s proper supercar territory wrapped up in a family-friendly SUV package. Mental, really.
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Three Flavors of Electric Excellence
MG’s planning to serve up the IM6 in three different flavors, because why keep things simple?
Premium (Entry-level): Gets a 75 kWh battery with a single rear motor churning out 291 bhp. Range sits at 450 km, and it’ll hit 100 kmph from standstill in 6.8 seconds – not bad for the “base” model.
Platinum: Bumps up to a beefier 100 kWh battery but sticks with the single-motor setup. The payoff? A seriously impressive 555 km range that should keep range anxiety at bay.
Performance: This is where things get spicy. Same 100 kWh battery, but now you get all-wheel drive courtesy of an additional front motor. The result? That bonkers 767 hp figure and a 3.4-second sprint time that’ll pin you to your seat.
Charging at Lightning Speed
Here’s where the IM6 really shows off. The higher-end variants pack an 800V electrical architecture – the same tech you’ll find in premium rides like the Porsche Taycan and Hyundai Ioniq 5. This translates to DC fast charging at up to 396 kW, which means you can juice up from 30-80% in just 15 minutes. That’s barely enough time to grab a chai and stretch your legs at a highway charging station.
The Premium Push
This whole IM6 thing is part of MG’s master plan to climb the automotive ladder. They’ve already dipped their toes in premium waters with the Cyberster sports car and the more upmarket S5 EV. Seems like they’re done being the budget option and want a piece of that premium pie.
The timing’s pretty spot-on too. Tesla’s Model Y has been having a field day in the premium electric SUV space, while European players like the Skoda Enyaq are slowly gaining ground. MG needs something compelling to crash this party, and the IM6 might just be their golden ticket.
What This Means for Indian Buyers
Now, before you start planning your EMI calculations, MG hasn’t said a word about bringing this to India yet. But knowing their track record, there’s a decent chance we might see this SUV cruising our roads eventually. MG’s been pretty aggressive with their EV push in India, and a premium electric SUV would fill a pretty obvious gap in their lineup.
The million-rupee question is: Will this land here as an IM-badged vehicle or just as a premium MG? My money’s on the MG badge – introducing a completely new brand in India is no joke, and MG’s already got decent brand recognition here.
The Goodwood reveal on July 10 should give us more clarity on where MG’s headed with this strategy and whether we’re looking at the start of a proper premium chapter for the brand worldwide.