Stunning all-electric MG E-motion coupe is coming to Britain by 2021

MG’S dramatic E-motion concept is being lined up to join the brand’s UK range as a ‘halo’ product by 2021, it has emerged.

The four-wheel-drive, twin-motor, pure-electric coupé was unveiled at the Shanghai Motor Show back in 2017. It’s said to sit on a modular electric vehicle platform created by MG’s owner, Chinese firm SAIC, and the concept had a claimed 0-62mph time of less than four seconds, with 310 miles of range between charges.

MG UK’s head of product and planning, Matthew Stevens, told us: “The E-motion is coming. That car is real and it’s a couple of years away. We think it is in almost a unique segment, especially in Western Europe, because there’s no other car doing what it does in that class. It’ll be a real statement of intent, a ‘halo’ car.”

MG’s sales and marketing boss Daniel Gregorious added: “The E-motion has some incredible tech, and it taps into our heritage as a sports car manufacturer.”

Some of the show car’s features are likely to be dropped for production – including the scissor doors and the curved glass roof. But the powertrain may well be retained, delivering around 250 miles of range, even under the tougher WLTP test regime.

Insiders had previously suggested the car could start at less than £30,000.

As well as signalling MG’s return to the sports car market, the E-Motion also previews a new design language for the brand aimed to help attract young buyers. Matrix LED headlamps are inspired by the look of the London Eye, while they also feature innovative ‘covers’ which slide open to give the E-Motion the trademark round headlamps from classic MG sports cars.

A retractable rear spoiler, carbon fibre rear diffuser and completely glass canopy extends the full length of the car. MG’s chief designer Jingfeng also said that the E-Motion would form part of MG’s plan to help push the brand more upmarket and away from its budget roots.

Proportionally, the E-Motion is slightly larger than a Toyota GT86 and like that model has a 2+2 seating arrangement. The concept also features butterfly doors and a new interpretation of the MG badge also feature. Inside, a central spine running through the car features two large digital displays and give access to the cars on board functions. There’s also a digital instrument cluster.

Quilted leather trims the seats and doors, while small digital panels have been installed in the doors to replace the physical buttons used to operate the windows and adjust the door mirrors.

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Zhang Liang, MG Product portfolio planning director, told Auto Express that the company is now ready to develop a sportscar. “This time I want to do it different. From an architecture perspective we are prepared and we have a new energy system available.

“A lot of work and research has been done. The next step is to gather audience and customer feedback,” Liang added. “In another word we plan to make it; we are prepared for production.”

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