MG previews brand's first production SUV with CS concept

MG Motor said its MG CS concept previews a potential compact SUV/crossover that would target young, fashion-conscious people.

The MG CS is similar in size to the Nissan Qashqai. It will debut at the Shanghai auto show on Saturday.

MG said the concept previews the brand's first production SUV and a potential competitor in one of the fastest growing global automotive segments. The concept is the latest investment in the UK brand by Chinese owner, SAIC Motor Corp.

MG Motor's global design director, Anthony Williams-Kenny, oversaw the concept, which the company says "showcases British design flair and the sporting DNA of the MG brand."

MG Motor has previously said it would launch an SUV in China in 2014 with European sales following after. No engines have been revealed but a SAIC source told Automotive News Europe in 2011 that the model would be powered by a 1.4-liter turbo gasoline unit from a new family of small engines developed with General Motors. SAIC Motor's parent, Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp., has a partnership with GM in China.

The same source said the Shanghai car wasn't connected to the smaller, retro-styled Ikon SUV concept unveiled at the 2012 Beijing auto show.

Currently, MG Motor sells the MG6 sedan and hatchback in Europe with sales restricted to the UK, The MG6 is assembled in Longbridge, England, from kits imported from China.

MG sold 81 cars in the UK in the first quarter, down from 446 last year. The introduction of a diesel MG6 is expected to improve sales.

MG will unveil a European version of the MG3 subcompact at the Shanghai show featuring revised styling that updates the Chinese version launched in 2011.