SAIC Motor to launch 2024 MG Marvel R, MG ZS EV, MG4 EV in PH

For a few months now we’ve been keeping an eye out on new developments regarding a new player in the auto industry: SAIC Motor Philippines, Inc.

As the official name makes clear, this is not an independent distributor but rather a full subsidiary that is owned by SAIC Motor. That means they will be a Chinese auto brand that is officially operating in the Philippines as part of the international organization as a national sales company for MG.

Yes, MG Philippines is changing hands this year to SAIC Motor, though as we understand it the dealership network will largely remain the same.

More importantly, the arrival of SAIC brings up a very interesting and promising prospect for the brand: more direct access to its model range. Unlike a distributor or independent importer, an NSC has more access to the model range for introduction in the Philippines, and that means we can expect more advanced technology too.

SAIC is holding a special dealer and bankers-only event today, but we were able to get some information as to the models they plan to introduce. And crucially, the photos.

SAIC Motor Philippines will introduce three new models by the fourth quarter of this year, and they’re not waiting because they are going electric right away. The three models will be the MG Marvel R, the MG ZS EV, and the MG4 EV.

The MG Marvel R will be an entirely new nameplate in the Philippines. The Marvel R is a futuristic compact all-wheel drive crossover that has 288 PS. It can do 0-100 km/h in just 4.9 seconds and achieve a range of 412 kilometers on a single charge (WLTP).

The MG ZS is already a familiar name in the Philippines; actually, it’s the best seller here. But SAIC will revitalize the line with the EV version. It’s not as quick as the Marvel R because peak power is at 177 PS and torque is at 280 Nm, but it does have more range at about 440 km on a single charge (WLTP) for the long-range version and up to 320 km for the standard range.

The third model is interesting too: it’s the MG4 EV. This isn’t a crossover; this is a hatchback, and it could have up to 204 PS depending on the variant they go with. The maximum range based on the WLTP cycle is 350 km, but perhaps what’s most exciting is the fact that it’s rear-wheel drive.

While the actual specs, figures, and variants are still not finalized, what we know is that SAIC Motor Philippines is targeting to launch the three vehicles in Q4 of this year. If all goes well, we could see these models launched by October.

The target price is somewhere in the PHP 2 million range for all three models.