Despite the industry-wide semiconductor crisis, MG India has said it aims to deliver the first 5,000 units of the Hector this year. It has also offered protection from price hike to this first batch of customers, in the event of any delay.
“We are working to deliver our first batch of 5,000 cars by the year end. But just in case there is a spillover, we assure you that all the first batch customers will be protected at the launch price,” Gaurav Gupta, chief commercial officer, MG Motor India, has said.
MG started accepting bookings for the Astor from October 21, 2021 and reported that it had sold out its first batch of 5,000 cars. Subsequent orders, which will be fulfilled only in 2022, are set to carry a price tag higher than the launch price.
Furthermore, a higher demand for certain variants has also contributed to the company’s woes. “We have also seen a very high demand for certain variants, which is different from our original plan, but we have recalibrated our entire work at the back-end to be able to support our customer base,” said Gupta.
According to Gupta, customers can get an update on their delivery schedule on the MyMG app, the MG website, at dealerships or via a phone call.
The Astor line-up consists of five variants — Style, Super, Smart, Sharp and Savvy. The high-spec Sharp variant offers bells and whistles such as a 7-inch digital instrument cluster, leatherette upholstery, electric parking brake, tyre pressure monitor, 360-degree camera, heated wing mirrors and a panoramic sunroof.
The range topping Savvy trim adds ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems) functions, including Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB), Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keep Assist and more.
The Astor is offered with two petrol engines — a 110hp, 1.5-litre naturally aspirated motor and a 140hp, 1.3-litre turbocharged mill. The former gets a choice of 5-speed manual and 8-step CVT automatic transmissions, while the more powerful engine gets a sole 6-speed automatic gearbox.
