MG's just-revealed Extender dual-cab ute has been ruled out for Australia, with the Chinese brand's weapon against the Toyota HiLux and Mitsubishi Triton "not on the agenda".
That's the word from MG in Australia, who say the Extender's will remain in Thailand, where the dual-cab was just launched.
MG, the iconic British brand now owned by China's SAIC Motor, revealed the Extender over the weekend, with the brand attempting to topple the dominance of Toyota, Isuzu and Mitsubishi in Thailand, where the the three brands make up some 75 per cent of total ute sales.
The Extender - a badge engineered version of the LDV T60 - will be sold there with a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder diesel engine which will produce around 120kW and 375Nm. Customers can choose between a six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automatic, and can opt for rear- or four-wheel drive.
In Thailand, pricing for the Extender will start from around $26,000.
But despite the fact Australia's ute market it booming (responsible for more than 210,000 sales annually), the brand says it has no plans to market the Extender here.
“We are aware that the MG Extender ute has been launched in Thailand this past week, however this product is not on our agenda now or in the foreseeable future," says MG's Australian spokesperson.
Andrew Chesterton
Contributing Journalist
Andrew Chesterton should probably hate cars. From his hail-damaged Camira that looked like it had spent a hard life parked at the end of Tiger Woods' personal driving range, to the Nissan Pulsar Reebok that shook like it was possessed by a particularly mean-spirited demon every time he dared push past 40km/h, his personal car history isn't exactly littered with gold.
But that seemingly endless procession of rust-savaged hate machines taught him something even more important; that cars are more than a collection of nuts, bolts and petrol. They're your ticket to freedom, a way to unlock incredible experiences, rolling invitations to incredible adventures. They have soul.
And so, somehow, the car bug still bit. And it bit hard.
When "Chesto" started his journalism career with News Ltd's Sunday and Daily Telegraph newspapers, he covered just about everything, from business to real estate, courts to crime, before settling into state political reporting at NSW Parliament House.
But the automotive world's siren song soon sounded again, and he begged anyone who would listen for the opportunity to write about cars. Eventually they listened, and his career since has seen him filing car news, reviews and features for TopGear, Wheels, Motor and, of course, CarsGuide, as well as many, many others.
More than a decade later, and the car bug is yet to relinquish its toothy grip. And if you ask Chesto, he thinks it never will.
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