SAIC will be the first Chinese automaker to step into Indian market; could manufacture cars locally at GM’s Halol plant
Chinese automobile group SAIC Motor has confirmed its India entry and the company is planning to enter the market with its subsidiary British band MG in 2019. With this, SAIC is going to be the first Chinese automaker to step into the country market. It has been planning to enter the Indian market for quite some time and now it has already registered the company as MG Motor India.
The MG Motor India is headed by former General Motors India CEO Rajeev Chaba. Interestingly, this makes the Chinese brand one of the few companies that appointed an Indian CEO from the beginning. The company has already signed a deal with its global partner General Motors to acquire the latter’s Halol manufacturing plant in Gujarat.
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Expect the MG Motor India to locally product its cars that will give the brand a chance to keep the pricing competitive. SAIC will sell its products in India with the MG badge and it is likely to bring models from the other subsidiaries like Maxus and Roewe as well.
As there are several brands under SAIC, we can expect to see a range of cars being launched in the country market within a couple of years in various segments like hatchback, sedan, SUV, MPV. Apart from the fully conventional fuel powered models, SAIC could also launch some hybrid cars as well. But, initially, it is expected to focus on SUVs and crossovers as these cars draw the most sales figures here.
Also read: 10+ Upcoming Cars Priced From Rs. 7 to 10 Lakh in India
Speaking about SAIC’s local production in the country it is yet to be confirmed. But, we can expect the Halol plant to be the production base for the brand. Also, it aims to invest around Rs. 3,000 initially to grab a good share in the highly competitive and fast growing Indian market. So far, it targets to make India a strong base for the brand.
2017 MG SC Concept SUV Gallery
Source: Autocar India