Next-generation MG 3, with influence from Cyberster, is set to go hybrid but remain one of the cheapest cars.
The design for the new MG 3 hatch has been revealed ahead of an expected unveiling in the coming months.
Trademark filings for the exterior of the second-generation model, due on sale in 2024, confirm that it will take heavy design influence from both the larger MG 4 and the new MG Cyberster flagship sports car.
Unlike those cars, though, the new 3 is set to stay true to its affordable billing by sticking with petrol power rather than switching to a pricier all-electric drivetrain – a decision seemingly corroborated by the new car’s lengthy front overhang, sizeable grille and a filler cap at the rear that is clearly too small to accommodate a CCS charger.
MG has not said when it will unwrap the new 3, but recent spy shots of a camouflaged prototype suggested that advanced testing was under way and that the car was approaching production-ready status.
The petrol-powered hatchback is an increasingly rare breed in Australia, following the exits of likes of the Ford Fiesta.
Its successor is tipped to adopt emissions-reducing mild-hybrid technology, which – together with wider inflationary pressures and the introduction of heavily updated interior and driver-assist technology – will make it a more expensive proposition, but bosses are keen that it remains one of the market’s most affordable new cars.
The figures don’t stack up to convert the MG 3 to electric power, hence its continuation as an ICE model.
Additional reporting by Nick Gibbs