MG3: Shanghai Motor Show

The European MG3 SuperMini has been revealed at the Shanghai Motor Show ahead of going on sale in the UK this summer at price starting under £10k.

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Even though MG is back in business, they don’t have a huge amount to show for it in the UK and Europe. Yes, there’s the MG6 (which now has a diesel engine option) but the MG5 won’t arrive until the summer and nor will the car we have here – the new European MG3.

The MG3 SuperMini for Europe is a titivated version of the MG3 the Chinese market gets, complete with a decent dose of flair and additional equipment and cosmetic enhancements to make it more appealing to Western tastes.

That means hockey stick shaped LED running lights across the range, black A-pillars, mesh grill (well, mesh slit at the front), dual colour side skirts, dual colour alloys and a rear valance MG say was inspired by generations of MG sports cars.

Although only 4 metres long, MG say the MG3 offer space inside that matches or beats all competition (room for  four six-footers they reckon) and gets a ‘rolled and raised’ dash that accentuates the space on offer and sculpted backs to the front seats to help space in the rear. But we’ll have to take MG’s word for it as they haven’t sent us any interior photos.

MG say they have done “hundreds of thousands of miles of testing on European roads” to make the MG3 nimble and sure-footed on European roads, and the only engine available at launch – a 104bhp four-cylinder MG petrol – should be adequately lively for the urban jungle. Trim levels are TS1, TS2 and TS3.

Guy Jones, MG’s UK marketing boss, said:

This new MG3 is a great package for the increasing number of European customers looking for a stylish small car, that’s affordable and practical to own.

It’s got a distinctive cheeky style and will be fun to buy, own and drive, yet still affordable for a wide range of people. It’s the modern interpretation of a small fun MG and shows how we will take the essence of this iconic brand into the future.

MG haven’t given any indication of price for the MG3 yet, but we reckon it will start at just under £10k when it arrives in the UK in the summer.