The most successful Chinese car brand in Europe is not BYD, but MG?

Currently, the most successful car brand in the overseas market is not BYD, nor Geely, Great Wall, but MG. MG is currently the only Chinese brand that has managed to make a dent in the European market.

Overall new car sales in Europe were strong in the first half of this year, increasing by about 976,000 units to 6.56 million compared to last year. Europe is a market known for its pickiness, and any new brand arriving there would face difficulties in development. But MG has seen its sales in Europe skyrocket in the first half of the year.

(Credit:https://www.mgmotor.eu/ )

MG is currently the automotive brand of Shanghai Automotive Corporation (SAIC).MG started in 1928 in the United Kingdom and continued to offer unique designs and performance models until the 1990s. The introduction of small mass-market sports cars captured the hearts of enthusiasts.

After closing down in 2005 due to business difficulties, the company was acquired and merged by China's Nanjing Automobile in 2006. After that, in December 2007, Shanghai Automotive acquired Nanjing Automotive and MG became a brand of Shanghai Automotive. And now MG no longer has a factory in Europe, models are produced in China for export to Europe, so MG is already a proper Chinese brand.

MG sold 104,293 units in Europe in the first half of the year, an increase of 128% compared to last year. It outsold MINI, Mazda, Suzuki, and Jeep, and the model leading the MG brand's sales growth in Europe is the electric MG4.

The MG4 is positioned as a small electric hatchback to compete with the Volkswagen iD.3. It is based on SAIC's rear-wheel drive platform MSP (Modular Scalable Platform). Depending on the configuration, the battery is available in 51 kWh and 64 kWh capacities.

It features a horizontally arranged "Rubik's Cube" battery. It is thinner than ordinary batteries and has the advantage of reducing the height of the vehicle and ensuring a headroom for indoor passengers. Prices start at 28,400 euros (about 223,200 yuan).

According to the automotive industry, MG's success in Europe is "due to the brand's reputation and the competitiveness of electric vehicles in China", and MG is a brand that has already had a successful experience in the European market. MG is a brand that has already been successful in the European market, and even though the brand's roots are currently in China, the brand is already familiar to European consumers. Simply put, the brand itself has deep roots in Europe.

"Attractive, modern, and affordable electric cars have been launched in both European and Asian markets," said Felipe Munoz, a global automotive market analyst, regarding MG's growth momentum in the European market. "This is a great example of how a Chinese automotive company without tradition can get attention and change product perception in Europe."

Comparatively speaking, it would be very difficult for a new car brand to enter the European market. For example, the Korean high-end brand Janisys, although it also has a good product power, but the brand recognition in Europe is still very low. From January to November last year, the sales volume of Janisys in Europe was only 2,352 units. It is speculated that the first half of this year is just over 1,000 units.

Unlike MG, the brand name "Premium" is also the reason why it is difficult to be successful as a new brand. In Europe, where high-end brands are everywhere, the Janusis brand has no brand heritage, insufficient brand value, and is expensive, making it difficult for European consumers to feel the charm.

Therefore, through the brand MG, we can measure the degree of importance of brand heritage in the European market. If you want to succeed in Europe, you must have brand recognition + competitive models + reasonable price, otherwise it will be difficult to succeed.