• The new MG GT gets a bit of speed up. All photos: MG
    The new MG GT gets a bit of speed up. All photos: MG
  • The MG GT shows off a 'digital flaming grille'
    The MG GT shows off a 'digital flaming grille'
  • The MG GT has been designed to look distinctly sporty
    The MG GT has been designed to look distinctly sporty
  • The sedan sits on a drifting track
    The sedan sits on a drifting track
  • And there's the ducktail
    And there's the ducktail
  • Inside the cabin, there are contrasting red or black upholstery options
    Inside the cabin, there are contrasting red or black upholstery options
  • The MG GT is inspired by the brand's classic MGB sports car model
    The MG GT is inspired by the brand's classic MGB sports car model
  • Plush leather interiors
    Plush leather interiors
  • The MG GT is an all-new creation by the carmaker
    The MG GT is an all-new creation by the carmaker
  • A 10-inch touchscreen comes as standard
    A 10-inch touchscreen comes as standard
  • A version in red
    A version in red
  • The MG GT also comes with a range of driver aids
    The MG GT also comes with a range of driver aids
  • MG is targeting younger buyers for the GT
    MG is targeting younger buyers for the GT
  • The driver says he didn't do any of that graffiti
    The driver says he didn't do any of that graffiti

Sporty and a steal: MG GT storms into the Middle East


Simon Wilgress-Pipe
  • English
  • Arabic

MG continues its assault on the budget end of the car market with the addition of a new sedan, which the manufacturer has rather confidently named the GT.

It’s not the first car in history to be referred to by that moniker, but it’s a name that hasn’t traditionally been applied to anything that doesn’t fairly rip along with zest and gusto. MG describes the vehicle as a “rebellious sports sedan”, so it isn’t underselling the capabilities of the new arrival.

It is also, the carmaker says, inspired by the classic MGB sports car, which should get a few punters who are into their classic motoring salivating a little.

Back to the price though – a base model MG GT starts at $13,310, while a turbocharged option comes in at $15,440.

The quickest glance online will reveal a whole host of cars with similar specifications which have a price tag with at least 50 per cent added onto it. And that could easily double or treble if we’re talking sedans produced by well-established manufacturers whose models dip their toes into what might be described as the luxury end of the spectrum.

So, what do you get for your money with MG?

Well, the MG GT is powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine, which will get the vehicle to 100 kilometres per hour in eight seconds.

The new MG GT is not pricey
The new MG GT is not pricey

Its most notable external feature is what MG refers to as a “digital flaming grille”, while the rear features a slightly upturned ducktail, which adds to an already generally sporty look.

An end-to-end chrome line runs along the shoulder of the car, and customers can choose flashy tomahawk alloy wheels, complete with Michelin tyres, as an add-on.

Inside, there are contrasting red or black upholstery options, and you get a 10-inch touchscreen included as standard. The MG GT also comes with a range of driver aids, including stability control, rear reversing radar, and a 360º monitoring system.

The car is in MG showrooms now.

Countdown to Zero exhibition will show how disease can be beaten

Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, an international multimedia exhibition created by the American Museum of National History in collaboration with The Carter Center, will open in Abu Dhabi a  month before Reaching the Last Mile.

Opening on October 15 and running until November 15, the free exhibition opens at The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island, and has already been seen at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

 

The Bio

Name: Lynn Davison

Profession: History teacher at Al Yasmina Academy, Abu Dhabi

Children: She has one son, Casey, 28

Hometown: Pontefract, West Yorkshire in the UK

Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Favourite Author: CJ Sansom

Favourite holiday destination: Bali

Favourite food: A Sunday roast

Updated: October 25, 2021, 1:55 PM