…but that may mean nothing
Anyone fancy some spiced cookies? We’re speculating again based on databases, this time from the RDW (Netherlands Vehicle Authority). It appears that the MG QS, a seven-seater SUV, has a European type approval. However, it’s highly questionable whether that means anything.
Brand: Roewe, MG. Trade names: ‘MG QS Plug-in Hybrid, MG RX9 Plug-in Hybrid, MG RX9, MG RX9 PHEV, MG QS AWD, RX9 PHEV, QS Plug-in Hybrid, QS PHEV’. That’s exactly how it appears under the heading ‘General Information’ about the European type approval for a new MG on Kenteken.tv. Jasper Verweij, the man behind that site, pointed it out to us, and MG confirms upon request that this step has been taken. However, the brand denies that this means anything, because according to MG, cars are often offered to the RDW in the exploratory phase.
However, it’s Friday afternoon, so we take that announcement with a grain of salt. After all, we want to speculate about the possible arrival of a large SUV from MG, which already exists as a seven-seater with three rows of seats under different names. The car in question started its life as Roewe RX9, and we’d like to remind you that ‘Roewe’ is the Chinese descendant of the ‘Rover’ that once disappeared to the Far East along with MG.
That Roewe is on the menu as MG RX9 in the Middle East and is called MG QS in Australia. Given the Western character of the Australian market, the latter name seems the most logical for a possible European version, although you never know with MG. After all, this brand is a king at coming up with disjointed names and currently has every form of autoname in its range. Count along: we have a full, written name (Marvel R, Cyberster), two letters (ZS), one number (4, 5), a combination of a letter and a number (S5) and the combination of two letters (HS). Really anything is possible at MG.
Then the powertrain. In Australia and elsewhere, the MG RX9 simply has a turbo-gasoline engine, but given the RDW data, MG is brewing a plug-in hybrid. Truth be told: with the right price, it could be a contender. Seven-seaters for a reasonable price are few and far between, and PHEVs with seven seats are even scarcer. Such a car could be a good competitor for the relatively dirt-cheap DFSK E5, which we have already driven and of which you can expect a test in a few weeks.