MG GTS SUV revealed

Chinese-owned British car company MG has confirmed plans to build and sell a brand-new SUV, dubbed the GTS, to revive global interest in the brand.

Several official photos of the new model have been released by MG, showing off a modern design with plenty of sculpted edges and just a hint of Renault Captur when viewed from some angles. The medium-sized SUV blends several of the design cues premiered in the MG CS concept shown at the 2013 Shanghai motor show.

It also retains a subtle resemblance to the MG 6 sedan, which we reviewed mid-2013, with a similar headlight design.

The new MG GTS has been earmarked for sale in China in the first half of 2015, followed by a launch in the UK expected in 2016. This would mean the car will be built in right-hand drive, making it suitable for Australian consumption, but it's not clear whether it's destined for Australia. MG Australia was contacted for comment but is yet to respond.

While the GTS name is usually synonymous with high-performance coupes, MG's five-seat SUV  measures 4500mm bumper to bumper, just 40mm shorter than Australia's top-selling SUV in 2014, the Mazda CX-5.

The Chinese-built SUV is 1855mm wide and measures 1675mm tall, wider and lower than the CX-5.

It's not clear what attention-grabbing features the new MG will be offered with, such as a powered tailgate or autonomous emergency braking system, but SAIC has confirmed the engine type, a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine. This unit generates 164kW and 350Nm of torque, which would make it one of the more potent Asian SUVs in its class.

The engine has been developed in-house by SAIC in China and is mated to a six-speed dual-clutch transmission that powers all four wheels. A two-wheel drive version is also offered.

MG reckons the GTS won't be slow, with a claimed 0-100km/h acceleration time of around eight seconds.

Other engines will reportedly be offered with the medium SUV in the mid-term, including 1.5-litre turbo-petrol and 1.8-litre turbo-diesel engines, the latter a must for European markets such as the UK.

Spied during testing early last year, it was understood the GTS SUV would be based on the Ssangyong Korando platform, but it is in fact underpinned by a new scalable SUV architecture jointly developed by Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) and MG.

MG was founded in 1924 in the UK and the British car maker was famous for its engaging sports cars up until the early 1980s. However the company has been plagued with financial issues over the decades with no less than seven different owners, including BMW and Rover Group. The SAIC acquired MG in 2005.

Although an SUV goes against the iconic brand's sports car ethos somewhat, it could prove to be a savvy business move as global sales of SUVs continue to grow apace.