Regional dealers in Mumbai and Goa have started accepting bookings for the MG Hector, despite the company making no official announcement for the same.
As reported by Autocar, dealers in the city have been contacting interested customers to take bookings for upcoming 4G-enabled smart SUV. The booking price has been set at Rs 51,000
A spokesperson from MG Motors told THE WEEK that bookings would only open by the first week of June. The spokesperson said: "We have not told the dealers to open the bookings." Expected delivery dates for the first orders would be within the third and fourth weeks of the month, the spokesperson added.
The Hector is billed as India's first "internet car," with smart features ranging from wireless control of car features via a mobile app to the car having a voice assistant and even a 5G-enabled sim allowing constant networked access — all are part of the company's iSmart feature set. According to the company, iSmart features partners like JioSaavn, Cisco, Microsoft, Airtel, AccuWeather, Adobe and other technology and software companies.
The car will be available in three engine configurations: A 143 PS petrol, a 170 PS diesel, and a 48V mild-hybrid version. The hybrid promises to be the most affordable hybrid car in India, with the electric engine contributing torque for the car to compensate for turbo-lag at low speeds.
The first Made-in-India Hector was rolled off production lines on May 6, at the Halol production plant in Gujarat. The company plans to sell the car through its 65 dealers across India.
The Hector competes with the Tata Harrier, Hyundai Tucson and Jeep Compass in the midsize premium SUV segment. The price range is expected to range between Rs 15 to 20 lakh.
