Exclusive: MG ZS Petrol Spotted Testing Ahead of Launch

Published On: 9 March 2021
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First showcased at the 2020 Auto Expo, the SUV could be retailed under the name of Astor

MG ZS petrol has been spotted testing ahead of the launch in India later this year. One of our readers have got exclusive images of the MG ZS petrol being tested in heavily camouflaged form. First showcased at the 2020 Auto Expo, the SUV would be retailed under a different name. MG Motor India had patented the name ‘Astor’ which indicates this would be the name of the upcoming ZS petrol SUV in India. This would be the fourth product from MG after Hector, Gloster and ZS EV in the Indian market.

Once launched, MG ZS petrol would compete against rivals like Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos and Nissan Kicks among others. The reason behind giving Astor name to the upcoming SUV is to differentiate it from the ZS EV which is currently on sale in the country. Positioned below MG Hector, it is expected to retail around Rs 10 Lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi).

The spied images reveal much about the MG ZS petrol in terms of design. One can spot slimmer LED headlamps flanked by LED DRLs, roof rails, chunky bumpers at the front. On the rear side, the buyers can look forward to sharper LED taillamps, all-new bumpers and aluminium skid plates. The alloy wheels are identical to the one found in the model showcased at the Auto Expo 2020. In the previous spy shots surfacing, the SUV was spotted with a honeycomb grille. More details regarding the forthcoming SUV will be out in the coming days as we inch closer to the launch.

Nothing much has been gleaned from the spied images in regards to the interior. Indian buyers can look forward to a completely new dashboard layout, 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with support for Android Auto & Apple CarPlay and automatic climate control amongst other features. Internationally, the SUV comes loaded with a digital instrument cluster but there is no report of it coming in the Indian spec model.

In the International market, the SUV comes with 2 turbo petrol engine options apart from the 1.5-litre naturally aspirated motor. In India, MG ZS petrol will be powered by a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated motor and a 1.3-litre turbocharged unit. The former will deliver 104 bhp of maximum power output and 141Nm of peak torque while the latter will churn out 162 bhp of top power and 230Nm of highest torque. Both engines are expected to offer transmission options of a five-speed manual and a six-speed automatic unit.