MG brings some potent X Factor to the EV scene

MG is bringing power to the people and returning to its performance roots with the introduction of its first hot hatch in almost 20 years.

The famed British-heritage brand is renowned for creating some of the most engaging yet affordable sports cars in automotive history, such as the iconic MGB roadster.

And now it has both looked to its past while providing a glimpse into the future with its new MG4 XPOWER, a high-performance hero that utilises the company’s first dedicated electric vehicle platform to deliver supercar levels of performance.

The MG4 XPOWER is MG’s most powerful performance car since the MG XPower SV of 2005, which is also the model from which the MG4 XPOWER draws its moniker. The MG4 XPOWER is scheduled to join the rest of the critically acclaimed MG4 range in Australian showrooms priced from just $59,990 (plus on-roads).

Let’s take a closer look at this thrilling and visceral sports EV…

The MG4 XPOWER promises to bring some X Factor to the EV landscape with a highly talented and thoroughly entertaining driving character. It’s all thanks to the car’s dual-motor configuration, which generates muscle-car levels of performance and supercar-rivalling acceleration.

Fitted with a front-mounted motor that delivers 150kW and another on the rear axle that generates 170kW, the MG4 XPOWER has a combined maximum output of 320kW and up to 600Nm – making it the most powerful MG model ever sold in Australia.

It’s also the fastest, with the ability to sprint from 0-100km/h in just 3.8 seconds – quicker than many conventional sports cars that cost more than twice as much – when using its unique Launch Control function.

To optimise its performance, and deliver maximum driving thrills, the MG4’s chassis has been completely overhauled with revised suspension settings – lowered springs, re-tuned dampers and stiffer anti-roll bars – while the steering is sharper, and its 18-inch alloy wheels are wrapped in sporty Bridgestone Turanza tyres that provide outstanding grip and precision on the road.

It also has uprated brakes – with larger 345mm ventilated discs on all four corners and exclusive XPOWER Performance Sports Calipers painted in contrasting orange – that reduce the stopping distance from 100-0km/h to just 33.9 metres.

Enhancing the mechanical set-up, the XPOWER is the first MG model to introduce the company’s all-new Dynamic Cornering Control System, which uses an electronically controlled limited-slip differential and Intelligent Motor Control to distribute torque effectively between all four wheels. This ensures optimum power is delivered to the wheels with the most grip for maximum traction in all conditions.

The MG4 XPOWER is equipped with a 64kWh lithium-ion battery pack that can receive up to 140kW when recharging, with MG claiming it can be replenished between 10 to 80 per cent in around 26 minutes on a rapid charger and deliver 400km of driving range.

Building on the performance attributes, the MG4 XPOWER features a host of unique exterior and interior changes that make it stand out within the MG4 range. Inside the cabin, occupants are treated to high-quality Alcantara highlights and orange-stitched seat trim while the body features polished accents, a two-tone black roof, a new 18-inch wheel design and the choice of the exclusive new Hunter Green Satin colour option.

This paint finish pays homage to the MG EX-181 driven by Sir Stirling Moss, who broke the land speed record at Bonneville Salt Flats on August 23, 1957, at a whopping 395.31km/h.

This all comes on top of the generous level of standard equipment already offered across the MG4 range. The list includes climate control air conditioning, wireless phone charging, electrically adjustable driver seats with heating for both front passengers, a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster, a 10.25-inch widescreen infotainment display with smartphone mirroring for Apple and Android devices, and a six-speaker audio system.

However, the XPOWER has a special feature for driving enthusiasts within the myriad functions on the main display, with the addition of a Track Mode that offers real-time performance data and timing for both track laps as well as point-to-point ‘stages’.

The model also comes equipped with the complete set of driving assistance functions in the MG Pilot suite, including autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, lane keeping and lane changing assistance, traffic jam assist, blind spot detection, rear cross traffic alert and a 360-degree parking camera view.

Like the MG4 model line-up, the XPOWER has the full suite of MG Pilot Active Safety Technology and is fitted with six airbags. It is also covered by MG’s benchmark seven-year warranty.

With the arrival of the MG4 XPOWER, Australian hot hatch enthusiasts can now enjoy blistering performance in an adrenaline-fuelled electric powertrain – and without the fossil fuel bills. To learn more about the MG4 range, visit the MG website.