MG’s latest electric vehicle proves to be a supercar beater. Ian Lamming reports
THERE’S a disconsolate BMW driver heading back to his dealer any time now because he has just been shown a clean pair of heels by an MG4.
It’s the school run and of course we are running late. There’s an i4 up front and he’s not quite matching my pace so I overtake. Being a BMW driver of course he’s unhappy with the manoeuvre, especially as it has been completed by a modestly priced hatchback with an MG badge.
Thing is, there’s nothing he can do about it even when the road goes dual carriageway up a very steep hill.
He’s as flummoxed as I was when I got into the MG4 and felt its power for the first time. The BMW i4 is a fine car, a very powerful car, an extremely swift car, so what went wrong?
Well, you’d have to be a super car nerd to notice that this isn’t the ordinary MG4, particularly in innocuous maroon/red. The BM driver obviously hadn’t noticed a couple of Xs on the top of the rear spoiler but then they do only light up at night. He probably also missed the fact that the alloys are a smidgen bigger and the larger brake callipers are painted dayglo orange, which clash a bit with the livery, though would look fine on the orange version of the MG4. Inside, the seats are suede. That’s it. That is all there is to differentiate the normal model from this, the MG4 XPower.
What happens next is astonishing as the XPower reveals its true colours. A glance as the spec sheet reveals what makes this MG4 so special – 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds, though we have heard that one of the car magazines got this figure down to 3.6; maximum power 435PS.
This thing is a missile. It must be the closest thing on four wheels to riding a motorbike. It hits the legal limits in seconds, without even trying. From the traffic lights it leaves everything for dead in the space of the second or two it takes it to get to 30mph. It is phenomenal and all the more astonishing for its meagre price tag of just over £36,000.
Normal MG4 is to be highly recommended; it is just a cracking hatchback for under £26K, but XPower takes it to another level. I did notice in the lower powered model a propensity to aquaplane in heavy rain but the XPower also feels utterly planted thanks to four wheel drive.
An all-new Dynamic Cornering Control System is available too featuring a locking electronic differential and Intelligent Motor Control to allow torque vectoring between all four wheels. That’s basically sending the power to the wheels with the most grip.
That combination of power and handling makes motorway driving pointless. This thing relishes A roads and uses much less charge because the constant lifting off and braking that occurs going cross-country effectively regenerates power for the battery.
I can hear you all tutting in disapproval but there is nothing reckless about the way the MG4 XPower traverses the road. It’s all done within the speed limits but having that amount of power and control helps you maximise progress because nothing stands in your way. Overtakes are completed in a flash allowing you to get back on your side of the road quickly and safely and on your way at sensible speeds.
But it is exhilarating, as is the handling which allows you to carry more speed through the bends, again in complete safety. And it does all this while maintaining a decent range of around 230 miles between charges making XPower a brilliant car to live with.
Like its lower powered cousin, inside remains minimalist with simple digital displays for the clocks and infotainment. It is clean-cut and simple but well dressed in quality trim and with excellent ergonomics. Swathes of glass make it light and airy and boost visibility all round.
The rotary drive selector sits on a floating console with useful storage space in front, behind and below. It’s cleverly thought out and very functional and all the tech is there you’ll need to keep informed.
I head through life generally having a favourite car, a vehicle that I can’t stop talking about and in the past, of course, that has tended to be the more luxurious models. Not anymore. The car I’m talking about at the moment is definitely the MG4 XPower – it’s stunning.
Fact File
Engine: MG4 XPower
Power: 435PS, 600Nm of torque
0-62mph: 3.8secs
Top speed: 124mph
Range: 230 miles
Transmission: automatic
CO2 g/km: 0
Price: from £36,495.00
