I have a soft spot for MG, having had many T-Types, started racing in an MGA, and finally built the fastest MGB in the world (well, that is what was claimed by British Leyland in 1981).
The MG company has been through the mill since those days and is now part of the SAIC Chinese conglomerate with a manufacturing presence in Thailand (in association with the CP group).
Support Pattaya Mail – Click Here
The world automotive industry has changed a lot since those early days. I doubt if my MGA would pass race scrutineering with its wooden floor boards, let alone the independent Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) looking just how safe or otherwise new cars are.
MG has become the first Chinese brand to score a five-star safety rating from ANCAP (the top category). Newsworthy, as previously Chinese brands have previously not done well, unfortunately tarring all Chinese cars with the same brush.
MG introduced a running upgrade of safety items such as intelligent rear seatbelt reminders on its 2017 model-year GS medium SUV to seal a successful shot at a side pole impact test and subsequent lift it from four stars to five stars from ANCAP.
SAIC says it is committed to five-star safety for its export vehicles after witnessing numerous flops in Europe, Australia and elsewhere by rival Chinese brands such as Chery, Geely and Great Wall.
MG – the former British brand that was absorbed along with Rover and LDV by SAIC after the global financial crisis – has been a cut above most of its rivals to date, winning commendable four-star ratings for its mid-sized MG6 and MG6 Plus in both Australia and Europe.
ANCAP chief executive James Goodwin praised SAIC for going back to the drawing board to raise the bar on safety for GS.
“We initially assessed this model earlier this year and saw that while structurally it offered sound levels of occupant protection, its safety specification did not meet what is now expected as a minimum for a five-star car,” he said.
“MG must be commended for upgrading this model and this achievement raises the bar for other similar brands entering the very competitive Australian new-vehicle fleet.”
Under the ANCAP system, vehicles must pass in frontal, side and pedestrian crash testing and equipment standards before they can proceed to the side pole crash test that is essential for a top rating.
Originally, the MG GS arrived without items such as autonomous emergency braking (AEB), lane support systems and intelligent seatbelt reminders, which were not available from the Chinese factory.
Once they became available in GS, the SUV was cleared to have the pole test, which it passed with flying colors – two points out of two.
The GS also gained three points for the inclusion of rear seatbelt reminders, lifting it to an overall score of 34.47 out of 37 – sufficient for five stars.
Korean manufacturers, which also were once derided for their safety performances, were also to the fore in the latest tests with Kia’s new Rio hatchback getting five stars as well.
“There is healthy competition within the light-car segment, and the five star rating for all variants of the Rio adds to this,” Mr Goodwin said.
