The identical week spy pictures had been revealed of a brand new MG-branded mild hatch, the brand new automobile has been revealed courtesy of a patent submitting.

The submitting on the European Union Mental Property Workplace, revealed on August 3, reveals the outside of the sunshine hatch.

Whereas the submitting doesn’t checklist a reputation or dimensions, this seems to be a light-weight hatch and the presence of an MG badge suggests that is the long-awaited MG 3 alternative.

The entrance finish styling is far more aggressive, aligning it visually with the MG 5 now arriving in Australian showrooms.

There’s considerably of a “shark nostril” impact, with the grille being decrease and wider than that of the present automobile.

The bumper additionally has sportier, extra intricate detailing, whereas the overhang seems longer total than the present automobile.

With the camouflage out of the way in which, we now have a greater have a look at the remainder of the physique, which is far more curvaceous than the present MG 3.

As a substitute of a pointy crease under the belt line that’s equally arrow-straight, the brand new automobile has a crease that arcs up from the headlights after which down on the rear doorways.

There’s a separate crease that then rises up on the rear doorways and connects to the tail lights, which are actually horizontally oriented and extra intently resemble these of the ZS crossover.

There’s additionally a extra sharply detailed rear bumper. The photographs additionally present the brand new MG will likely be provided with a single-pane sunroof.

Whereas the patent photos don’t depict the inside, the just lately spied prototype seems to have extra sharply creased detailing on its door trims, in addition to diamond-patterned fabric upholstery.

Sadly, the prototype’s dashboard was fully shrouded.

Autocar reported late final 12 months a next-generation MG 3 would launch earlier than the tip of 2024 and persist with petrol energy, albeit with the potential for a mild-hybrid or hybrid possibility.

MG presently provides a hybrid in a model of the ZS SUV in Thailand, referred to as the VS.

It combines a 1.5-litre petrol four-cylinder engine with 80kW and 142Nm (much like the bottom ZS offered right here), a 70kW and 200Nm electrical motor, and a 2.1kWh lithium-ion battery.

Most system energy is 130kW, and gas consumption is reportedly as little as 5.8 litres per 100km.

Don’t count on an electrical model of the next-gen MG 3, nevertheless.

“Creating a small electrical automobile is just marginally cheaper than growing an even bigger automobile,” MG UK industrial director Man Pigounakis instructed Autocar.

“Then half the value is battery so it turns into a £25,000 [A$44,000] automobile which is unaffordable”.

MG Motor Australia has beforehand indicated it intends on staying in a section so many rivals – together with Ford and Honda – have vacated.

“Every part is into account however we might primarily take different fashions from our guardian firm, which might then take that [MG 3] nameplate”, stated an organization spokesperson in March.

In different markets, the MG nameplate is utilized to autos from LDV/Maxus and Roewe – which even contains vans – however these manufacturers don’t presently provide mild vehicles.

These photos point out, nevertheless, there’s a new MG hatch coming – and its design language makes it very clear that is no mere Roewe rebadge.

Whereas the MG 3 is one among MG’s lower-volume fashions in Europe and the UK and is not offered in China, it stays extraordinarily fashionable in Australia.

The MG 3 began as a recycled Rover following SAIC Motor’s acquisition of MG Rover belongings.

It was a rebadged model of the Rover Streetwise, successfully a black plastic cladding-covered model of the Rover 25 hatch that was solely ever offered right here in sizzling MG ZR guise.

The present mannequin changed it in 2011, and has obtained two facelifts – the latest being in 2018.

Regardless of its age and the dearth of an ANCAP ranking (solely an expired three-star ranking from Euro NCAP in 2014), the MG 3 has grown in reputation and now holds a whopping 42.4 per cent share of its section.

In base guise, it’s additionally the second least expensive automobile in Australia, behind solely the bottom Kia Picanto.

MG has no plans to cease providing inexpensive fashions just like the MG 3.

“Everyone knows we’re residing in more and more troublesome instances when it comes to affordability, so from our perspective while I talked about worth, we’re not strolling away from worth and nonetheless want to make use of merchandise like that to offer individuals the chance to have a model new automobile with a seven-year guarantee and loads of options”, stated MG’s advertising and marketing boss, Rick Whaite in March.

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