Write on the front
Looking at MG's sales in 2021, it can be described in two words, amazing. The annual sales volume exceeded 470,000, and even the author read it and wanted to send it the four words of "impressive". But look at another set of data, you will find that the composition of these 470,000 is 360,000 in the foreign market and 110,000 in the domestic market. Why is the gap between domestic and foreign sales so large? Why do brands that sell badly in China become fragrant when they run abroad? What is the strength of the MG under the "rule" of SAIC?
Today, we may wish to review the past and present lives of MG. See if MG is a British aristocrat or a popular SAIC independent brand.
Not to marry a British "nobleman", but to clean up a "mess"
Brilliant moments everyone has, don't take a moment as permanent, life is like a tide running east, years without a trace of water flow. MG, or MG, founded in Oxford, England in 1924, is an uncompromising British car brand. As a century-old British sports car brand, MG has contributed too many classics to the global automotive industry, including the creation of 43 world speed records, as well as the application of a number of industry firsts and forward-looking technologies, which not only confirms the track gene that has been inherited for a hundred years, but also promotes the development of the world automobile industry.
Unfortunately, MG did not continue its century-old brilliant achievements, and eventually went out of business due to poor management, and was acquired by Nanjing Automobile in 2005 to become NANC MG Automobile Co., Ltd. Later, with the acquisition of NANC by SAIC at the end of 2007, it was renamed SAIC MG. In short, in addition to the name and brand history, today's MG has nothing to do with the so-called "Britain", and is already a veritable SAIC independent brand. This can also explain why in the classification of domestic automobile brands, it is divided into domestic brands.
Therefore, whether it is the earliest Nanqi or the later SAIC, the mg is not like Geely's acquisition of Volvo, marrying a "rich nobleman" who is still prominent, but just cleaning up a mess for the British MG Rover Automobile Company!
They are all "adopted" and their treatment is very different
Compared with MG, which was only acquired in 2007, the Roewe brand founded in 2006 came earlier. As a result, many people are willing to regard Roewe as the "pro-son" of SAIC Passenger Cars, and the latecomer MG as the "adopted son". In fact, no matter what outsiders think, SAIC Passenger Cars' "differential treatment" of Roewe and MG brands is obvious. From the perspective of product line, from the beginning of the Roewe brand, SAIC has given sufficient brand and resources. Brand-wise, whether it is sponsoring snooker or sponsoring piano competitions at every turn, the style is extremely elegant. In terms of products, there are explosive 550, there are also high-end 750, and then the later RX5 and a variety of pure electric models and high-end brand R cars, SAIC Passenger Cars tells everyone with countless practical actions that Roewe is "biological". In contrast, the early MG was undoubtedly very miserable, whether it was brand power, product power, or channels, it was not a little bit worse. I still remember that the dealers of Roewe were robbed of their heads, and the dealers of MG were bleak and desolate.
Although the current MG is no longer what it used to be, and has already made a comeback with a high-value sports temperament, it is still difficult for SAIC passenger cars to treat them equally. For example, in terms of product planning, MG is far behind Roewe. In terms of categories, Roewe has a perfect product system, covering cars, SUVs, MPVs, while MG has been blank in the MPV market; in the field of pure electric vehicles, Roewe has COOL, i6 MAX EV and Ei5, while MG, only MG EZS is on sale. In terms of hybridization, Roewe has as many as five models. In addition, in terms of brand, SAIC passenger cars have also created high-end pure electric brand R cars for Roewe, although they were later upgraded to Feifan Automobile, away from the Roewe brand, but it can also be seen that SAIC passenger cars are truly in love with Roewe.
Sales are very good, but the domestic is very general
Back to the beginning, let's talk about MG's sales. As I said before, although the annual sales volume of 470,000 is very good, the sales volume of only 110,000 in China is really very general. It should be known that in 2021, MG will not only launch a number of new models in China, but also as many as a dozen models on sale. Sales of 110,000 average to each month, but a little more than 9,000 units, and on average to each model, there are very few.
Chinese people are not unpopular, so why are foreign markets so favored? The author has briefly analyzed it and summarized the following points. First of all, MG's reputation is still there, especially in Europe, and it still has a good brand appeal. Second, the channel layout is early and numerous. MG has 400 sales and service points in 15 European countries. In addition, compared with other foreign brand products, domestic MG has the advantage of high quality and low price. For example, MG can provide a 7-year unlimited mileage ultra-long warranty in markets such as Australia, which is undoubtedly more popular than other brands that only have a 3-5 year warranty.
It can be seen from this that the reason why MG's sales in foreign countries are good, the most fundamental thing is that there are many outlets, and they are treated differently and give better service. However, the author is also thinking, why does the domestic market not enjoy such good treatment? Is SAIC MG also sublime? Therefore, if it is not sold well in China, it is still two words, and it should be!
Quality control is not feasible, and the future is not expected
Let's take a look at MG's performance this year. It is reported that SAIC MG had 6,676 vehicles insured in March, down 39% year-on-year and 15% month-on-month. In the first quarter, 34,814 vehicles were insured, down 24% year-on-year. Among them, mg6 insured 1,330 vehicles, down 41% year-on-year, down 25% month-on-month, and 9,174 in the first quarter, down 32% year-on-year. In addition, MG ONE only had 888 vehicles in March, down 6% month-on-month, and 4,394 in the first quarter. In terms of other models, MG5 insured vehicles in March were 4,381 units, down 25% year-on-year and 9% month-on-month, and 20,480 units in the first quarter, down 1% year-on-year. As for MG Pilot, the number of insurance vehicles in March was 136, down 81% year-on-year, down 19% month-on-month, and 748 in the first quarter, down 72% year-on-year.
From this set of data, we can see two points. One point is that SAIC MG has fallen sharply year-on-year; the second point is that the MG6, which was once the main seller, has completely lost its momentum. So why is that?
Looking at the third-party car complaint platform, we will find out. There are a lot of complaints about MG6, as of April 21, there have been as many as 23 cases. Among them, there is no shortage of transmissions that cannot be shifted, abnormal sound, sudden setbacks, steering system abnormal noise, engine shaking, shutdown and other problems. Of course, in addition to the problem of the vehicle itself, there are also service problems including the non-fulfillment of sales promises.
Next, we may wish to look at the complaint of a MG 6 car owner, frankly speaking, there are many problems. For example, the clutch is seriously rusty, the brake pad return card is stagnant, the suspension position in front of the bumpy road is abnormal, the direction is abnormal, and the front suspension is related, the air conditioning panel fails, the discrepancy of the WHEELB 6 wheelbase size error is too large, and the transmission of the MG 6 in June 2021 is too loud, and it is accompanied by a sense of impact. In this regard, the owner mentioned that the technicians of Bojue Automobile Service Co., Ltd. said that the abnormal sound was normal after the technical staff of Bojue Automobile Service Co., Ltd. in October 21, saying that the dual-clutch transmission was like this. So many questions, such replies, empathetic thinking, it is really unbearable!
The complaint about the gearbox setback is also outrageous, the owner mentioned that when usually used, starting or driving, it will be seriously frustrated, like being rear-ended (not exaggerated), the beginning is accidental, and then more and more serious, appearing several times a day, and then a few kilometers later. Once, when waiting for the light to step on the accelerator again, the engine suddenly turned off, and then turned on the fault light, played for a long time to play again, turned off during the drive, the steering wheel did not help, very dangerous. Hit again, tire pressure lights flashing, anti-side slip bright, engine failure bright, stepping on the throttle does not accelerate, only a little power, the speed of four or five thousand cars do not go. After a while, the restart fault light is still on, but it will be better to be able to open for a while. After eliminating the fault code, it can drive normally, and it is difficult to hit the car as soon as it is lit, and then turn on the fault light.
More than 3 years, just over the insurance, went to the 4s shop, the inspection fee will be 450, no inspection. Later went to the transmission repair shop, check is the valve body problem, valve body maintenance or light, now the repair shop is estimated to be a gearbox computer or engine computer problem. The car was shocked and leaked oil the following year, and a claim was made. Warranty for 3 years, the fourth year of less than 30,000 kilometers on the bad three pieces, the quality difference d can not be imagined, it is estimated to use it to exchange only a frame, and the other 4s inspection fee is ridiculously expensive.
Well, without giving examples, is it very speechless to just what happened to these two car owners? For MG, netizens also have their own views. For example, this netizen commented that in fact, Roewe is not much better, but MG is worse, all the brands that are "self-respecting" are not mixed well, in vain and have no product power and cost performance, the most typical is Borgward, but also self-appointed as BBBA, and Mercedes-Benz BMW Audi sits on an equal footing, and is now on the verge of closure, becoming the laughing stock of the industry.
There are also netizens who rationally said that they originally had a good impression of Mg, and since they traveled abroad to rent a car, they were powerless to complain in an instant. The gearbox is too junk, and it is better to open the manual gear. Steering is difficult to control poorly, compared to a group of Buicks, people's low-speed steering wheel is light, high-speed steering wheel becomes heavy to maintain stability, this goods in turn... Everything is afraid of comparison, it is recommended that friends who want to buy a car first go to rent a car to try, and there will be an answer in their hearts.
If the comments of netizens are more emotional, the actual encounter of the owner of the car is very rational. It is not difficult to see from the above problems that mg6 does have many problems. The author believes that poor quality control and poor quality must be the root cause of the sharp decline in its sales.
Car world viewpoint
Finally, I would like to say that no matter how proud MG's past is, the current MG is destined to go to mediocrity; no matter how dazzling MG's sales in overseas markets, the downturn in domestic sales seems to be more telling. Therefore, after the saic mg is hot, it is still a sinking "Britain".
At this moment, the author is wondering, will mg become an export brand in the future? If you really get that day, it is not a bad thing. After all, not only is it not only that we finally have our domestic brand models to "cut leeks" abroad, but people can do not pit the Chinese people, which is always worthy of praise!