The IM LS6 electric SUV is due to arrive in MG Australia showrooms mid-year, but a facelifted version has already been revealed in China.
The large electric SUV, to be sold here as the IM6, is one of two models that will be released under the IM Presented by MGMotor banner in Australia in June. The other is the IM LS5, which will be known here as the IM5.
Both wear distinctive, sweeping headlights, but the facelifted LS6/IM6 debuts a new face for SAIC Motor’s premium EV brand, which is a joint venture with Alibaba.
The LS6’s revised exterior can be seen in a Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology filing shared by Car News China.
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The rounded body is largely unchanged aft of the A-pillar, including its rather Aston Martin DBX-like rear treatment, with the big changes found up front.
There’s now a vertical headlight assembly, though the daytime running light still continues horizontally towards where the grille would be on a combustion-powered vehicle.
Speaking of combustion power, the LS6 is getting the option of a petrol engine. Technically, the 114kW turbocharged engine doesn’t send any power to the wheels, instead sending it to either a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) or nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery.
The battery in turn powers the single 230kW rear-mounted electric motor.
The LS6 extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) has a kerb weight of 2350kg, and gives IM Motors a rival for a growing contingent of EREVs already available in the Chinese market.
It’s unclear whether this powertrain will come here. Thus far, there’s only one Chinese EREV offered in Australia, the Leapmotor C10 REEV.
Beyond the new EREV variant, the LS6 will be offered with a choice of three electric powertrains: a single-motor rear-wheel drive configuration with 245kW and an LFP battery; another with 300kW and an NMC battery; and a dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain with 500kW and an NMC battery.
The latter has seen its power cut, having previously produced 572kW.
Kerb weight is between 2255kg and 2385kg.
The pre-facelift IM6 will be offered in Australia in base guise with a 75kWh battery pack powered by a 217kW/450Nm electric motor, achieving 505km of NEDC electric range.
The flagship Platinum trim will be offered with either a 300kW/500Nm electric motor and 100kWh battery, or a dual-motor all-wheel drive configuration with this larger battery but total outputs of 572kW and 802Nm.
Range figures are 755km and 600km, respectively, on the NEDC cycle.
The LS6 offers four-wheel steering, which supports a Crab Mode that allows the vehicle to move diagonally and therefore glide out of tight spaces and awkward angles.
It also uses artificial intelligence technology for One Touch parking features, such as the Side Parking which automatically corrects parallel parking manoeuvres and Reversing which retraces the exact route taken over the previous 100 metres of travel, essentially mimicking the driver’s inputs backwards.
The AI functionality also extends to the Rainy Night Mode, which uses the array of exterior cameras and sensors to detect potential blind spots in the A-pillar, side and rear blind zones.
This displays real-time images of pedestrians or vehicles on the 26.3-inch screen that stretches from in front of the driver across to the centre stack.
There’s also a separate 10.5-inch touchscreen on the centre stack, and an available 15.5-inch passenger screen.
The LS6/IM6 is significantly larger than a Tesla Model Y, measuring 4904mm long, 1988mm wide and 1669mm tall on a 2950mm wheelbase. The facelifted model has grown 33mm in length.
For context, the Model Y is 4792mm long on a 2890mm wheelbase.
MG has yet to announce local pricing for the IM6.
