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With the U9 ute in showrooms, nearly all the pieces are in place for MG Australia to accelerate towards its Top Three goals over the next five years.
MG Australia’s bold plans to become a Top Three automotive brand vying for leadership against Toyota and Ford will be underpinned heavily by its recently-launched U9 ute and related, yet-to-be-revealed, off-road SUV model.
Speaking to media at the launch of the U9 last month, MG Australia boss Peter Ciao said the new ute will be a major factor in growing the Chinese brand’s local-market share.
“My ambition is [by the end of] 2027, top five, [by the end of] 2030, top three – that’s my goal,” Ciao said.
“When I spoke about these goals, this car [U9] was already in my plans.
“[In] Australia’s top segments, if I am short of product, how do to achieve the top three?
“My plan is for my product range to cover each [major vehicle] segment in Australia.”
Already a Top 10 brand, MG Australia has amassed a 28,609 sales total to the end of August this year, firmly ahead of Nissan (25,897) and knocking on the door of Isuzu (29,092) and BYD (32,839).
To achieve its next stated goal of breaking into the Top Five, MG Australia will need to shift about 75,000 units in a single calendar year, and encroaching on brands like Hyundai, Mitsubishi, and Kia.
In the next few years, MG Australia is expected to roll out a plug-in hybrid version of the U9, as well as a rugged SUV built on the same underpinnings of the ute to combat the likes of the Toyota Prado and Ford Everest.
Ciao said plans are already underway for such a model, giving it another competitor in the large SUV segment alongside the QS and geared more towards adventure buyers.
“I am discussing the topic [U9-based SUV] with my boss,” Ciao said.
“I told my boss, [U9] is such a beautiful platform, we can’t waste this platform.
“This platform we should build one ute, one SUV – perfect.”
Outside these models, Ciao also indicated MG’s breadth of product offerings as a strength, ranging from entry-level hatchbacks to electric vehicles (EVs), and even premium products sold under its IM brand and halo models such as the Cyberster.
“When I talk about each segment, even for the premium segment, I don’t want to miss [out].
“MG, this brand, we have the ability to achieve the premium level because MG has been around for 100 years,” Ciao said.
“When I started at MG, many people still love MG B, this brand resource, not everyone has it.
“Maybe you are Top 10, but you are an economic brand, I am different.
“Even if we offer a cheaper car or a more affordable car, [the MG] badge is here.
“So that’s why we launched Cyberster.
“Cyberster is not a volume [model], it’s to show who we are, who is MG, what do we have, where should our brand head.
“So that’s why I also launched IM by MG.”
When asked by Drive what else MG Australia needs to hit its target of being a Top Three player, Ciao said the next steps would be about building on what is already available rather than introducing new model lines.
“I think other cars I mostly have, too small of a segment I don’t care, right? I only care about bigger segments.”
At present, MG fields the MG3, MG5, ZS, HS, QS in its mainstream range; the MG4, S5 EVs; U9 ute; and IM5, IM6, and Cyberster at the premium-leaning side of the market.
Next year, it is also expected to introduce the MG4 Urban, a front-drive, more affordable EV, while a larger S6 all-electric SUV is also likely to materialise.
Tung Nguyen has been in the automotive journalism industry for over a decade, cutting his teeth at various publications before finding himself at Drive in 2024. With experience in news, feature, review, and advice writing, as well as video presentation skills, Tung is a do-it-all content creator. Tung’s love of cars first started as a child watching Transformers on Saturday mornings, as well as countless hours on PlayStation’s Gran Turismo, meaning his dream car is a Nissan GT-R, with a Liberty Walk widebody kit, of course.
