The MG GT was a compact saloon introduced by SAIC in July 2014 as the three-box version of the MG 5 hatchback. It was designed for the Chinese market, where sales began in November 2014, and it stayed in production for five years.
MG GT at a glance
| Maker | SAIC Motor, MG marque |
|---|---|
| Production | 2014–2019 |
| Basis | MG 5 hatchback |
| Body | four-door compact saloon |
| Launch | July 2014, on sale in China from November 2014 |
| Engine at launch | 1.4-litre four-cylinder, 154 hp (115 kW) |
| Added in 2015 | 1.5-litre, 109 hp, and a turbocharged 1.5 with 129 hp |
| Other markets | Thailand from 2015 as the MG 5; Chile from 2016 |
| Equipment | infotainment with 3G, internet and satellite TV |
| End of production | first half of 2019 |
No free photographs of the MG GT were found, so the original picture of the record has been kept.
History of the MG GT
First generation
SAIC extended the MG range in July 2014 with a compact saloon called the GT, developed on the basis of the MG 5 hatchback as its three-box version with separate body styling. The car was given an avant-garde look with aggressively shaped headlights and a gently sloping roofline, finished at the back by a one-piece strip of lights running the full width of the body.
Inside, the design was more subdued than the exterior, led by a massive central console dominated by a multimedia screen. The car was equipped with an infotainment system and connectivity with 3G, the internet and satellite TV, with a button panel as well as screen control.
At first the GT was offered only with a 154 hp 1.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. In 2015 the range was expanded by two larger 1.5-litre units: a 109 hp version and a turbocharged engine developing 129 hp.
Markets and the end of production
The GT was built with the Chinese market in mind, and its sale there began in November 2014. Sales and production from Thailand started in 2015 under the name MG 5, and in 2016 the car was exported to Chile. Production lasted five years and ended in the first half of 2019; the following year MG introduced a new compact saloon in the form of the second-generation MG 5.
The second-generation MG GT, introduced in 2021, is a rebadged second-generation MG 5 sold in the Middle East, Latin America and the Philippines.
Design and features
- Three-box body: a separate saloon shape developed from the MG 5 hatchback.
- Full-width light strip: a one-piece lamp bar across the rear of the car.
- Connected cabin: infotainment with 3G, internet access and satellite TV.
- Turbo option: a 1.5-litre turbocharged engine added in 2015.
MG GT versions
- GT 1.4 (2014): the original 154 hp four-cylinder model.
- GT 1.5 (2015): 109 hp naturally aspirated version.
- GT 1.5 turbo (2015): 129 hp turbocharged version.
- MG 5 in Thailand (2015): the same car sold and built under the MG 5 name.
- Second-generation GT (2021): a rebadged MG 5 for the Middle East, Latin America and the Philippines.
The GT shared its platform with the MG6 family of MG saloons; more cars are in the MG collection.
Sources
- MG GT, English Wikipedia: launch, engines, markets, end of production
