Beijing concept previews MG’s first SUV

MG has revealed sketches of a concept said to preview a production SUV.

The concept, called the Icon, will be unveiled by the Chinese-owned brand at next week’s Beijing Motor Show.

The car is believed to point the way to a production model that will launch in China in 2014. There is no hint as to whether it will come to the UK.

The car, expected to rival the likes of Nissan’s Juke, takes as its styling inspiration the MGB GT, last built in 1980 and today a popular classic car.

It will be built on the same platform as the MG 5, a car yet to launch in the UK, and is likely to be powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine of 135bhp.

MG launched its UK comeback with the MG 6 last year, designing and assembling the car at the former home of MG Rover in Longbridge, Birmingham.

Awareness of the revived brand has jumped this year with a surprise manufacturer entry into the British Touring Car Championship, the UK’s biggest motor sport series.

Despite only starting work on its race car in January, the MG team scored a shock victory in the first meeting of the series at Brands Hatch on 1st April.

Words by: Andrew Charman