Spotted: MG4 XPower hot hatch lands in New Zealand

MG Motor’s fully electric hot hatch has officially arrived in New Zealand, with the MG4 XPower being spotted at a charging station in Auckland.

We’re a big fan of this particular car’s specification, which features the optional ‘Hunter Green’ paint job, which contrasts the standard orange brake calipers and 18-inch alloy wheels nicely.

What makes the MG4 XPower so special isn’t just its looks though, as it’s the most powerful model the carmaker offers locally.

Under its unassuming skin is a dual electric motor, all-wheel drive powertrain that produces 320kW and 600Nm of torque, meaning it’ll give a number of modern sports cars a good run for their money thanks to its claimed 0 to 100km/h sprint time of 3.8 seconds.

Although it comes fitted with a 64kWh battery, the added bump in power means its range comes down to 385km when compared to the MG4 Excite’s 450km figure.

Other upgrades to the top-of-the-range model include MG’s new Dynamic Cornering Control System that ensures traction is maintained at all times, along with recalibrated dampers, stiffer anti-roll bars, and a shorter steering ratio.

Another thing the model does well is come to a stop, which is taken care of by a set of bigger 345mm discs that allow it to decelerate from 100 to 0 km/h in a quoted 33.9 metres.

Pricing for the MG4 XPower starts from $69,990 which means it qualifies for the full Clean Car Discount rebate up until the scheme gets thrown out at the end of this year. MG Motor New Zealand is urging customers to register their interest in the model here.

Readers can expect to hear our thoughts on the new electric hot hatch in our upcoming December/January issue of New Zealand Autocar magazine.