MG is busy readying the new Sharp EX variants for the Hector and Hector Plus to tide through chip shortage
MG Motor has submitted type approval certificates of its Hector and Hector Plus SUVs to the New Delhi Transport Department to register test mules of its upcoming Sharp EX variants of both the SUVs.
These new EX variants will reportedly sit below the regular variants of the top-end Sharp trim of both the Hector and Hector Plus. The new variants of Hector include Sharp EX 1.5 MT, Sharp EX DT 1.5 MT, Sharp EX 1.5 AT, and Sharp EX DT 1.5 AT.
While Hector has 4 variants, the Hector Plus makes to do with a lone EX variant named Sharp EX 1.5 AT. Interestingly, all these variants will get only the Wuling manufactured 1.5-litre petrol engine that puts out 141 HP and 250 Nm.
These EX variants will be devoid of certain crucial electronic features and the sole purpose of their introduction to speed up delivery processes as global chip shortage has made life hard for manufacturers to source embedded electronics on time.
This development comes in line with the recently launched EX trims of the MG Astor SUV. The new trims of the Astor are Style EX, Super EX, Smart EX, and Sharp EX. Like the Hector, these EX trims are based on the petrol engine.
They command prices up to Rs. 12,000/- lesser than their non-EX counterparts and they are devoid of 7 key safety features namely Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Traction Control, Hill Hold Control, Hill Descent Control, Blind Spot Detection (Sharp only), Lane Change Assist (Sharp only), and Rear Cross Traffic Alert (Sharp only).
So, the upcoming EX variants of the Hector and Hector Plus will also be devoid of features like these and will command slightly lower price tags. But, MG would continue selling the regular variants provided customers are willing to wait.
Currently MG Hector starts at Rs. 14.15 lakhs (ex-showroom) for the base Style 1.5 MT variant and goes up to Rs. 20.11 lakhs (ex-showroom) for the top-end Sharp 2.0 MT variant.
On the other hand, Hector Plus starts at Rs. 16.15 lakhs (ex-showroom) for the base Style 2.0 MT variant and goes up to Rs. 20.75 lakhs (ex-showroom) for the top-end Sharp 2.0 MT variant.