Author: Lu Weijia
The car is good. I hope it won’t be affected by low-level marketing.
If MG were not excessively marketed, I would appreciate this car brand. The reason is simple. In the sea of independent brands (MG being a quasi-independent brand), MG stands out because they stick to their principles and do not go with the trend. Not only do they actively participate in WTCR events, but their product lineup has always been centered around sports.
Especially in recent years, with the explosive growth of the SUV market, most car companies have focused on their SUV offerings. However, MG has still insisted on placing the focus on their sedans. In most cases, the sales of MG’s sedans even surpass their SUVs.
It is worth noting that the sedan market has long been dominated by joint venture brands, and it is definitely not easy for independent brands to gain a foothold in this market.
Even amidst the era of electric vehicle transformation, MG still insists on taking the road less traveled of sports.
One year ago, MG announced that they would produce a sports car, the MG Cyberster, through crowdfunding. MG promised that if they reached 5,000 reservations, they would begin mass-producing and selling this all-electric sports car.
What’s even more exciting is that the MG Cyberster is a legitimate roadster sports car. It has a two-door, two-seat layout and an electrically powered folding roof. It boasts a maximum power of 449 horsepower, an acceleration time of just over 3 seconds per 100 kilometers, a range of up to 800 kilometers, and a price of around RMB 200,000.
As of now, although the mass-produced version of the MG Cyberster has not yet been officially announced, the patent application images of the new car were leaked by foreign media a while ago. It is already certain that MG will produce the Cyberster. This means that, aside from the EZS which underwent an “oil-to-electricity” transformation, the MG Cyberster is the turning point for MG’s entry into the electric vehicle era.
Electric Steel Cannons for less than 200,000 RMB.In the rapidly developing Chinese market for electrification, it is not enough for MG Motor to rely solely on a convertible sports car to successfully penetrate the new energy market, especially since the production and delivery of the MG Cyberster is still uncertain. Therefore, at the Chongqing Auto Show, MG Motor unveiled a pure electric vehicle with a relatively wider audience appeal — MULAN.
According to MG Motor, MULAN is defined as the “world’s pure electric cross-border supercar”, a global model created based on SAIC’s NEV-exclusive platform and global market standards, and will be sold to global markets.
As for the meaning of MULAN, it pays homage to the spirit of “Mulan”. MG Motor hopes that MULAN will be as brave and strategic as Mulan, and able to bear the burdens and overcome obstacles.
In my personal understanding, MULAN is actually an “electric era steel cannon.”
Firstly, regarding its body size, MULAN measures 4287/1836/1516mm in length, width and height respectively, with a wheelbase of 2705mm. If we compare MULAN with a standard measurement of compact hatchbacks, its body size and styling are similar to my two-door Audi A3, and it is only at the level of an A-class compact car.
The only difference between MULAN and regular A-class two-door cars is that its front-to-rear weight distribution ratio reaches 50:50.
Secondly, regarding its powertrain, MULAN will adopt rear-wheel drive/four-wheel drive layout, with the four-wheel drive model achieving a maximum output power of 330kW and peak torque of 600N·m, with an acceleration time of only 3.8 seconds from 0-100km/h and a braking distance of only 36.9 meters from 100-0km/h.
Meanwhile, MULAN will be equipped with the “magic cube battery” that holds LBS lying battery technology, with a range of up to 520km on CLTC test cycle. In addition, this magic cube battery with LBS lying battery core will unify its size to the “ONE PACK” platform standard, and in the future, “battery swapping” can be achieved through replacing the battery packs, with a similar logic to NIO’s battery swapping.
It is worth emphasizing that MG MULAN will be the only A-class pure electric car under 200,000 yuan with a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 3.8 seconds, according to the official statement of MG Motors.
In other words, after the official release, the price of MG MULAN will be below 200,000 yuan, and the high-performance strategy will avoid direct competition with all other A-class pure electric cars on the market, making it a dominant player in the car market under 200,000 yuan in terms of power performance.
We hope MG can live up to its promise
Objectively speaking, although I personally have high expectations for MG’s electrified products, good products need good marketing. MG’s excessive marketing behavior always dampens my enthusiasm and brings me back to reality.
From the “High-speed Rail Version” of MG6 racing against the high-speed train, to the water-floating show of MG5, and now, naming the new car MULAN after a Disney character, we can see that MG is always trying too hard but has not found an effective marketing approach that everyone can accept.
If MG can reform its approach to marketing and stay grounded, I believe it can win more popularity in the Chinese market.
At the same time, we hope that MG can live up to its promise and keep the price of MG MULAN below 200,000 yuan, making it a true “electric steel cannon” under 200,000 yuan. Facing the multi-dimensional suppression of first-tier domestic auto brands, MG must pave its own way to achieve success.
In the era of electrification, MG’s Cyberster convertible and electric steel cannon (MULAN) will provide a great opportunity to establish its brand height among young people. Let’s not delay our future with empty promises or excessive marketing.
This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.