South African fans of British sports-car brand MG will have something to look forward to at the Johannesburg International Motor Show in October: the new MG3 hatch, on display just weeks after its world debut in Britain.
It's expected in MG showrooms in South Africa before the end of the year, in four variants, each a five-door hatch with a distinctive LED daytime running lights, wrap-around windscreen - and a punchy, 78kW 1.5-litre engine.
The 1498cc twin-cam petrol four delivers peak power at 6000 revs, backed by 137Nm at 4750rpm, driving the front wheels via a five-speed manual gearbox. It's expected to reach 100km/h in about 10 seconds, with a top speed on the naughty side of 175km/h.
THE FOUR VARIANTS ARE:
The flagship 3STYLE, with 16" alloys and a body kit that includes a spoiler and side sills. Standard kit includes cruise control, automatic headlights and wipers and rear parking sensors.
The mid-range 3FORM has aircon, audio system with Bluetooth and audio streaming, and a leather-trimmed MG-design steering wheel with red contrast stitching and satellite audio controls.
The sporty 3FORM SPORT has all the features of the mid-range trim spec, but with the 3STYLE body kit and 16" alloy rims.
Even the entry-level 3TIME has a radio/CD/MP3 player, multiple airbags and a host of mechanical and electronic safety features.
Final specifications and pricing for the South African market will be announced closer to the local launch in the final quarter of 2013.