Is MG 3 Finally Coming to Pakistan After 11 Teasers?

Like the boy who cried wolf, Javed Afridi has been crying MG 3 since the company’s launch in Pakistan. Almost two years and eleven teasers later, people have come to the conclusion that Afridi is “all talk and no walk.”

The first teaser for MG 3 came on February 17, 2021, and was met with great appreciation and excitement from the masses. The difference between the feedback in the latest teaser versus the first one is shocking.

People have flooded the post with comments that they have been ready for the past 21 months. They have pointed out that Afridi has been teasing MG3 for years at this point without ever revealing the official launch date for the car, further adding that these teasers are just publicity stunts.

Their frustrations with Afridi are wellfounded for three main reasons:

• The government is trying to encourage the sale and purchase of small and cheap vehicles in Pakistan, while MG has its sights fixed on the premium vehicle market (MG 3 isn’t cheap).
• Afridi’s claims are hollow. He teased several vehicles for Pakistan in recent times, a majority of which never made it to Pakistan.
• MG has yet to sell a single locally assembled car in Pakistan, despite being in the country for almost two years. Chery and Haval — both of which came to Pakistan well after MG — have already started local assembly.

Teaser Timeline

Details

MG 3 is a subcompact family hatchback that competes with the Suzuki Swift, KIA Rio, Toyota Vitz, and other cars in its class.

The MG 3 has two engine configurations worldwide. One is a 1.5-liter four-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine (105 horsepower, 137 Nm torque) with a 5-speed manual transmission while the other is a similar but differently tuned engine (109 hp, 150 Nm torque) with a 4-speed automatic transmission.

The MG 3 comes standard with an eight-inch touch-sensitive infotainment screen, Apple Carplay, Sat-Nav, rear parking sensors, a reverse camera with dynamic guidelines, multi-media controls on the steering wheel, Bluetooth connectivity, cruise control, air conditioning with dust and pollen filters, a four-speaker premium sound system, USB/AUX connectivity, and other standard features.

Price

It is worth noting that the MG 3 is available as a locally produced vehicle in the United Kingdom. Despite this, it has a starting price of Rs. 3.4 million in Pakistani money. Yet, Afridi maintains that it will cost “less than Rs. 2 million.”

With the features and characteristics listed above, the UK price appears more plausible than Afridi’s estimate.

Launch

Earlier this year, a senior MG spokesperson told ProPakistani that while the firm recognizes the MG 3’s potential and popularity in Pakistan, its debut is not in the company’s immediate plans.

He reasoned that MG’s hatchback is not available in many Right-Hand Drive (RHD) markets. As a result, the manufacturing volume is quite low, making it difficult for the company to meet its demand in Pakistan.

He added that the company intends to launch the MG 3 in Pakistan, but only when it makes business sense. He also stated that the company’s priority is to bring crossovers to market first. Once it is completed, the company will concentrate on low-cost vehicles.

According to these comments, MG 3 is not “coming soon,” after all.