MG locks in luxury IM Motors brand for Australia

MG has confirmed it will launch a high-end luxury electric car brand that will challenge battery-powered BMW and Mercedes-Benz models, when its initial mid-size sedan and SUV models arrive in MG dealerships later this year.

Announcing that it will import the IM Motors L6 sedan and LS6 SUV already sold in China, in Australia the BMW i5-sized EV will be renamed the IM5, while the big BMW X5-rivalling SUV will be rebadged the IM6 SUV. Both will be marketed here under the ‘IM Presented by MG Motor’ banner.

The IM6 SUV has already been spotted testing in Melbourne, with the sleek mid-size SUV tipped to be positioned as both a rival for the Audi Q6 e-tron and BMW iX3, as well as the cheaper Tesla Model Y Performance.

In China the IM5 has already made headlines, as it is available with a 123.7kWh semi-solid-state battery that provides a range of 1002km on the Chinese CLTC test cycle.

Built using a 900-volt electrical architecture, the IM5 comes with ultra-fast charging technology, with a 12-minute top-up adding as much as 400km of range.

Despite measuring in at 4931mm long, 1960mm wide and standing 1473mm tall, it’s thought that the new luxury EV sedan will be aimed at both mid-size and larger vehicles in its segment.

Featuring smooth fastback styling that slashes drag for the benefit of range, the IM5 gets hidden door handles and petal-shaped alloy wheel covers, plus a subtle ducktail spoiler.

Within, there’s a 26.3-inch widescreen display that is combined with a central 10.5-inch infotainment screen. A weird half-moon-shaped yoke-style steering wheel means the low-mounted screen is not obscured.

While the rear-drive versions produce between 216kW and 300kW, the flagship dual-motor variants come with as much as 579kW of power for an incredible 2.7 second sprint to 100km/h.

The IM6 SUV, meanwhile, is offered with a 400V architecture on the base and mid-spec models, while the most powerful 900V electrical hardware is reserved for the flagship versions, which come with the biggest 100kWh battery and dual-motor powertrains.

In China, the IM6 SUV gets three rear-wheel drive options, offering 231kW/450Nm, 250kW/450Nm and 379kW/500Nm.

Battery capacity starts at 71kWh, while there’s also a mid-spec 90kWh powerpack and a large 100kWh battery for the range-topping versions.

The entry-level model offers a claimed 560km range while the 90kWh RWD bumps this to 680km.

The maximum CLTC claimed range for the rear-wheel drive model with the 100kWh battery is 725km while the flagship claims 702km.

Sharing powertrains, flagship versions get the full 579kW/800Nm, enabling a zero to 100km/h dash in just 3.5 seconds and a 252km/h top speed.

When it comes to its price in China the IM5 sedan is priced from 219,900 to 345,900 Chinese yuan ($A48,000 to $A74,000).

It’s been suggested that in Australia those numbers could translate into a range that starts from around $70,000 and stretches to $95,000, with the IMG SUV costing between $75,000 to $90,000.

Confirming that the IM5 and IM6 SUV will be sold via Australian MG dealerships, exact timings are yet to be announced, although both models will be on display at the Melbourne motor show in April.

“MG is proud to offer an EV for everyone,” said MG Australia CEO, Giles Belcher. “We have our best-selling all-electric MG4, our electric SUV the ZS EV, which will soon be replaced with the MGS5 EV, and our first all-electric roadster, the Cyberster.

“With the introduction of IM Presented by MG Motor, we now bring a new premium range of EVs to the Australian market with the IM5 and IM6.”

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