Chinese auto group SAIC owned MG Motor has launched the Extender pickup truck in Thailand to counter the Japanese brands holding 75% market share
MG Motor, owned by China’s largest automotive conglomerate SAIC Motor has launched a pickup truck called MG Extender in Thailand. SAIC Motor-CP is a joint venture between Thai conglomerate Charoen Pokphand Group and SAIC that operate in the Thai market and launched this truck to counter the growing market share of Japanese automakers like Toyota, Mitsubishi and Isuzu known for offering some good pickup trucks in the South Asian country and hold a combined market share of more than 75 percent.
The MG Extender will be priced relatively lower than the similarly speced models selling in a range of 549,000-1,029,000 baht ($17,800-33,400). In comparison, the highest-selling pickup truck Toyota Hilux Revo is priced between 528,000 and 1,190,000 baht.
The MG Extender is based on the SAIC’s Maxus T70 pickup truck sold in China and following the initial success of the MG brand in passenger cars, the company added the pickup truck to its lineup in Thailand.
The MG Motor was launched in Thailand back in 2013 after SAIC took control of the British brand in 2007. MG managed to sell only 200 units in the first year of launch, and within four years rose to 12,013 units in 2017. Last year, MG sold 23,740 units, surpassing General Motors’ Chevrolet. MG offers SUVs and sedans in the Thai market.
The pickup truck segment is big in Thailand, where 523,770 vehicles were sold in the first half of this year, up 7.1% on the year. Out of these pickup trucks accounted for 225,508 units, 43% of the total sales.
Pongsak Lertruedeewattanavong, vice-president of MG sales has said that given the interest the company has gathered for its passenger cars, they are also hoping for the pickup trucks to replicate the same. “We position MG Extender as a pickup truck developed to suit customers who are looking for a vehicle for both business and daily life,” he said.
MG Motor, the legendary 94-year British brand and now part of the SAIC group recently launched the Hector SUV in India and received and overwhelming bookings, so much so that the company had to stop the pre-bookings to meet the demand. The Hector SUV starts at Rs 12.18 lakh in India.
